Hoping to get some good discussion going. I don't have a well thought through or strong opinion.
XMetal prices are in a slump.
They still compare favorably with retail, but are way down on 12 months ago across the board, apart from Romeo Plasma and Jordan and the super rare ones like Juliet 24K, Ichiro Carbon.
Obvious example - Ichiro Polished Carbon full mint went for $1,200 a year ago, now $850-950. Or, Mars Jordans. Once so rare, so sought after, but now near mint full sets at $700-800. Copper Penny (praise be!) met with a shrug and a sigh. Most rare pieces just don't sell whatever the price!
It's all just supply and demand! @kronin323 (explain it properly for me!)
I read a lot of comments along the lines of:
'great time to buy'
'yeah, buyers market'
'finally the prices are back to normal'
'there were too many EBay prices on OF and now it's returning to the way it was in the old days'
blah blah.
First, it's not like it was in the 'old days' ('15 and before) when there was a lot more integrity on the site. Detailed and accurate seller descriptions, mutually satisfactory trades, and lots of satisfied buyers. No, there is loads of scalping, switch and baiting, false describing, fake claiming, nowadays. That's a phenomenon from the last 12 months.
But back to pricing. In my view, it's slumping because there is a declining number of collectors. It's becoming increasingly incestuous with a hardcore pool or collectors trading with each other. Few new serious collectors. Many collectors seeing the values decrease, panicking (or just having kids or educating kids privately!) and selling off their extensive collections for what they paid or a loss.
Low prices are bad. They indicate a lack of demand, a lack of interest in the product. Since the product is XMetals - something many of us LOVE, it's clearly bad for us all. Why? Well, I don't want to lay it on too thick but without collectors to wax lyrical about the production values and aesthetic excellence of X, there is no XMetal future. It ends with this group.
Maybe that doesn't matter. Maybe it's enough to take your grandchildren to the museum in Cali or Texas and go on about it....
'Yeah yeah granddad whatever' [text, flickr, facebook, virtual reality escape shute away from old guy talking about how great the sunglasses are baked at a 1000 degrees in a Nevada furnace]
Before anyone says you only care because you are a seller, I traded far more than sold in the last year. I am still building my collection, whatever the market says or does.
By the way, i'm a bit drunk. Don't slam me, I'm a sensitive soul.
[Typo 'a bit drunk' = 'hammered']
Here's a JBR for good measure.
XMetal prices are in a slump.
They still compare favorably with retail, but are way down on 12 months ago across the board, apart from Romeo Plasma and Jordan and the super rare ones like Juliet 24K, Ichiro Carbon.
Obvious example - Ichiro Polished Carbon full mint went for $1,200 a year ago, now $850-950. Or, Mars Jordans. Once so rare, so sought after, but now near mint full sets at $700-800. Copper Penny (praise be!) met with a shrug and a sigh. Most rare pieces just don't sell whatever the price!
It's all just supply and demand! @kronin323 (explain it properly for me!)
I read a lot of comments along the lines of:
'great time to buy'
'yeah, buyers market'
'finally the prices are back to normal'
'there were too many EBay prices on OF and now it's returning to the way it was in the old days'
blah blah.
First, it's not like it was in the 'old days' ('15 and before) when there was a lot more integrity on the site. Detailed and accurate seller descriptions, mutually satisfactory trades, and lots of satisfied buyers. No, there is loads of scalping, switch and baiting, false describing, fake claiming, nowadays. That's a phenomenon from the last 12 months.
But back to pricing. In my view, it's slumping because there is a declining number of collectors. It's becoming increasingly incestuous with a hardcore pool or collectors trading with each other. Few new serious collectors. Many collectors seeing the values decrease, panicking (or just having kids or educating kids privately!) and selling off their extensive collections for what they paid or a loss.
Low prices are bad. They indicate a lack of demand, a lack of interest in the product. Since the product is XMetals - something many of us LOVE, it's clearly bad for us all. Why? Well, I don't want to lay it on too thick but without collectors to wax lyrical about the production values and aesthetic excellence of X, there is no XMetal future. It ends with this group.
Maybe that doesn't matter. Maybe it's enough to take your grandchildren to the museum in Cali or Texas and go on about it....
'Yeah yeah granddad whatever' [text, flickr, facebook, virtual reality escape shute away from old guy talking about how great the sunglasses are baked at a 1000 degrees in a Nevada furnace]
Before anyone says you only care because you are a seller, I traded far more than sold in the last year. I am still building my collection, whatever the market says or does.
By the way, i'm a bit drunk. Don't slam me, I'm a sensitive soul.
[Typo 'a bit drunk' = 'hammered']
Here's a JBR for good measure.
Yes I will finally be able to afford R1 and mars!!!!!
