You Can Blame Hipsters For That $7 Bud Light
Jackpot Soars Again
Like many young sports fans, I collected baseball cards growing up, even though it was the early 1990s and the market had become saturated with massive 800-card sets from Topps and Upper Deck, producing 700 "commons" that are now worth pennies. Needless to say, I have about 20 shoe boxes full of Mike Jeffcoat cards and absolutely no idea what to do with them. The most money I ever spent on a single card? Probably $10. It was, as I recall, a Jason Kendall rookie card, and in hindsight, it turned out to be a colossal waste of money. It was also around the time I stopped collecting. That investment, however, is looking like a stroke of genius, at least when compared to a current eBay auction involving a one-of-a-kind Stephen Strasburg rookie card.
Before we get into the specifics, it's worth pointing out that Strasburg has yet to throw a pitch in the major leagues.
Strasburg, of course, is the No. 1 overall pick from last year's amateur draft (Washington Nationals), and he is regarded as the best prospect -- by far -- in baseball. He's steamrolling through the minor leagues and is expected to be called up to the majors within the next couple of weeks. The hype surrounding him is filled with hyperbole, excitement and giddiness. A player that could make the Washington Nationals relevant for the first time in their existence.
You might get an idea as to how anticipated his debut is when you check out the current bidding for the 2010 Bowman Chrome Superfractor card (only one such card was made), which currently stands (as of 9:05 p.m. ET, on Tuesday, May 25) at $14,099.99 ... and steadily rising. Good news! The card comes with free shipping.
I'll say it again, because it needs to be repeated: He has yet to throw a pitch in the major leagues.
If Strasburg, 20 years from now, is a 300-game winner and a future Hall of Famer, will the card ever be worth $14,000? And, heaven help the winning bidder, but what if he turns out to be the next Kris Benson or Mark Prior?
Somebody with an extra $14,000 burning a hole in their pocket is obviously willing to take that risk.
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