[swanone]

I guess im old school when it comes to cards I like proven players versus unknown players ex Jeramy Lin versus Michael Jordan how can anyone pay the prices for Lin who has yet to win a playoff game or championship,play in all star game,make an all NBA TEAM of some kind I think people love the underdog,im just trying to figure how all these players command these prices comments are welcomed.

[xstreaminsanity]

Many people do it for the significance of the time. Jeremy Lin broke records during that first 7-8 game stretch. Some records that greats like Stockton, Magic Johnson and other HOF PG didn't have. Others buy it for potential profit. Say you bought his RC for $100 after the fourth game. If you would have immediately flipped it on eBay, you could have profited $50. Now, say he goes on another tare, they make the playoffs and beat a good team like the Heat or Bulls (NOT going to happen, just hypothetical), depending on his performance and significance to the wins, his cards may go up again, so you can either get your money back or make a small profit. What he did was historic. And for an unknown to do something historic has the potential for them to be a star in this league. Also, you have to remember, Jordan's RC was/is more readily available. When you compare that to a National Treasures RPM /25, yes the NT will sell for more.

[jpleazme805]

+1 on Xtreame's comments.

I am not for spending tons of money on RC's... especially the crazy prices people are spending.. every RC needs to have 1-2 years NBA experience before coming an all around baller. Unknown players can eat the dust very quickly.. even stars or potential stars can break down.. take Brandon Roy & Greg Oden.. both injured.. both careers over! an unskilled player or somebody that that doesn't have the years behind him playing in the NBA can have a career ender at any moment.. It can happen to the best of them.

Times have changed in regards to the cardboard hobby. RC's are harder to find, we may feel that they are readily available, because the power of cyber space, but take away the internet.. they will be extremely hard to find.. Unknown players getting TV time, being in the spot light day in-day out.. creates huge demand worldwide... basketball is a world market.. not like soccer, but NBA cards are very popular overseas & here in the US. People are buying up Lin cards like crazy.. hoping they can flip them later down the road. I do not think his cards will go up in value much longer.. they will steady off... then drop.. probably drop a lot... take Lebron & Wades Exquisite RC's... there are only /99 each & they have dropped in price a little.. still very expensive for the average collector to be able to pick one up. I wish I had one... maybe if I win this $290 million dollar Mega Lotto this Friday!!... (dreaming....)

Picking up unknown players is a good idea, but it is not proven too often to make a huge profit. I think the last unknown player that people made a lot of big bucks on was Kobe.. the rest of the other stars that were unknown at the beginning of their careers.. people knew that they would be stars. Lin was dropped from a few teams... nobody wanted him, then he worked his butt off & became a quick superstar when his team needed him. That is what has caught everybody's attention.

Now, to get off the Lin talk.... what other "unknown players" have become superstars or gained huge popularity?
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[Vols-1]

Same reason people pay big money for all the asian baseball pitchers. From Nomo mania to Irabu mania!