Give us your thoughts on Sean Taylor cards

**longhornjunkie** · 11-30-2007, 04:46 PM

After Sean Taylor's death, prices of his cards skyrocketed and many new auctions were listed. What do you think about this? Are people making a quick buck off death, or providing cards to collectors that want a fresh chance at his cards? Who do you think is buying the cards at such elevated prices, and why? Write up your opinion on this and any related matters. The staff will award prizes (probably from the Prize Vault) for good responses.

dirtydistance · 11-30-2007, 05:28 PM

Well I can say that I am one of the people who did list Sean Taylor cards on ebay following the news of his passing. Why did I do this? Because I wanted to give a real Redskins/Miami Hurricanes/Sean Taylor fan the chance to get a few of his cards to remember him by. To me, all they would do is just sit in a box and maybe for years, I wouldn't even bother looking at them. They sat on my trade list for months. No one made a single offer for any of them, months from now, no one will have any interest in them, so with a bunch of excess cards I'd like to move, I figured I would put them up on ebay, not looking for a profit, just listing them a penny with 2 dollars for shipping. (to cover shipping, paypal and ebay fees) and I would let the public on ebay decide how much they're willing to pay for the cards rather than to throw up some high offer that I'm immediately looking to cash in on someone's death.

So how did I make out do you ask. 2005 Bowman Chrome. When I went to bed last night, it was still a penny with no bids and 8 hours to go. When I wake up, I check my ebay and see the high bid was 5.50. Not too bad on a 60 cent card. Maybe I am right or maybe I am wrong, but that was the price the public out there was willing to pay for a card that would just sit in one of my boxes and catch dust for years, and a true fan was willing to pay for what's probably going to be a PC item for years to come. It is always sad to want to capitalize off someone's death, but sports cards anymore, seem just like the stock market. Now what will I do with this quick buck you ask? Probably pick up a nice jersey or gu for the collection.

Let me ask. How many of you on here would trade me a game used or autograph for a Sean Taylor 2nd year base card? That's right, that's what I thought. But hey, if someone's willing to pay the price, then no harm, no foul by the person doing the selling.

terp4life · 11-30-2007, 07:48 PM

I agree, it is a matter of public demand, and many people were looking to buy Taylor's cards as a way of remembering him. I have a few myself that will be a part of my PC forever. Sean Taylor was my favorite Redskin. I can't imagine who is buying these cards at such inflated prices. Maybe people who assume they will be able to sell them for more. I did see a few $20 GU cards listed on ebay for $135 BIN. That is profiting off of someone's death, and it's pretty sad to see. I think some people really are buying these cards as a way to show how important Sean Taylor was to them. His style of play was an inspiration to me and I'm sure others. His dedication and hard work helped many people identify with what it means to overcome adversity. And people he helped directly in downtown D.C. remember him as a person who gave his time and his money to help less fortunate people. I think a lot of people feel by being a fan you have a connection with a player. You root hard for them and celebrate as they do when they win. You feel frustrated and dissapointed along with them when they lose. As a fan you defend them unmercifully as if they were family. When they are gone, and in this instance tragically, you think of the potential and what could have been. For me I enjoy taking pictures at Redskins game. It's kind of a hobby. I like being close to the players and zooming in so much I feel like I'm in the huddle. Sean Taylor was always a target for my camera, and it saddens me that I won't have another opportunity. So I am looking to buy Sean Taylor cards for the same reason I imagine a lot of people are: To remember a great player and person who never had the oppotunity to be as great as he could be on or off the field.

**Butch** · 11-30-2007, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Why did I do this? Because I wanted to give a real Redskins/Miami Hurricanes/Sean Taylor fan the chance to get a few of his cards to remember him by.

LOL I love this line. Let me ask ya this, since you didnt wanna make money off them, where did you donate the proceeds to? Im not trying to bust your balls about it, but If you ask the people selling Taylors cards on ebay, alot of them will say the same thing you did... and if you ask them the same question I asked you, they will either not answer you or give some line of BS.

To me, I think making money of Taylors death is sick. I have a few nice cards of his here. They arent hitting eBay, I will find a Taylor fan and trade/give them to the person. Same with Lidle. He died, people making money, yet my Lidle's sit here because I havent found a fan of his.

I am suprised that Joe Kennedy's stuff did go through the roof.....

dirtydistance · 11-30-2007, 11:11 PM

Butch, you're entitled to your opinion as am I. The money is not going to any charity. I'm 25 years old, don't have a full time career job, have plenty of student loans to pay back, and I'm contemplating returning to school. One day when I do have a lot of money, I will give to charity. I'm no scumbag, I'm just someone trying to survive in a crazy, screwed up, capitalist world. I figured rather than throwing the cards away or having them lay in a box, like i said i'd give a real Redskins fan a chance to get them, but apparently it's a sin. Guess I have confession to go to?

**Butch** · 12-01-2007, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtydistance

Guess I have confession to go to?

Well thats a whole other post

Im not saying you Satan (or my wife.. dont know which is more evil LOL).. for selling them. Atleast you have a decent intention. but most of them on ebay want to make money off his death and dont really care about the collector.

But now the big question is, now that they may have caught the idiots who did this, what do we do with em... I say fry em......

Raptasguyvc15 · 12-01-2007, 06:16 PM

I have checked ebay daily for a couple years now picking up taylors at very low prices....to see the prices now is pretty amazing, of course i expected them to go up but not like this...I have most of his regular issue rcs and they will be in my redskins collection for years to come, I have no intentions of selling. Of course it will be a lot harder to find the ones im needing for my collection as I refuse to pay such outrageous prices. I expect them to cool off in the near future on ebay.

However, I really dont have a problem with people making some money off them, its to be expected.

**Dallascisco** · 12-02-2007, 10:37 AM

This situation epitomizes the state of the sports card hobby as we know it. Most everyone is out to make as much money as possible including the card makers at whatever cost. I understand that companies and card stores need to make money to stay open but do boxes really need to be this expensive? I haven't bought wax in almost a year and why should I? I have to drop 300-400 bucks to get 3-5 boxes of product of which I might be able to trade off half.

The same goes for Sean Taylor card sellers. Most are out to make as much money off a situation as possible. Personally I'm on the fence about it. On one hand the sellers need to make money and on the other hand I hate to see collectors paying absorbinate prices for items they could have gotten for much less last week. I think this is all just premature rush. With any new card release there is always an initial glut of buying and then the sales tail off. I think that is exactly what will happen here. Redskins, Miami Hurricanes, and other long term collectors will likely be pining to get some of his stuff, especially since so much is out there now. The bottom line is that the buyer dictates any type of market and if someone chooses to pay 20 bucks for a card that may have gotten 3 last week then that is his/her decision. The seller isn't holding a gun to your head to buy their items. Personally, my few Sean Taylor items will be traded in to my local shop for items of my wants. In this case both sides win. I get what I want and the shop gets items they can sell to the local client base which happens to be in Maryland.

**ctkenjr** · 12-07-2007, 04:01 PM

I have traded away about all my Sean Taylor stuff to guys on this site, I might have some base cards of him laying around somewhere, but I am not real motivated to join the Ebay binge sellers.

I am a business teacher, and this is just another example of the law of supply and demand. If you have what is being demanded and wish to sell it, you will profit. When it comes to profiting from a death, I don't necessarily agree with it, but I understand it. Big business is all about profit maximization, a lesson we in the sportscard hobby have all seen. (the sportscard companies themselves seem to just care about our money, not us - another debate for another time) Most people you will deal with want as much as they can for what they have, our education system nurtures making money. Not that there is anything wrong with making a quick buck, but sometimes we do things others might construe as immoral or unethical. Making money off of Sean Taylor's death might seem wrong to some, but again, it is not illegal.

If I had any great Sean Taylor cards I would prefer they go to someone who would really appreciate them. But if I need to get some food for the family, they would be on Ebay.

scashaggy · 12-12-2007, 02:22 PM

You know, I have never understood why there is a buying frenzy when a player dies. Autographs I can understand, but cards? I remember the same thing when Derrick Thomas died and a player from the Vikings that I can't recall his name.

If I had cards to sell of them I probably would have. Not
"to give fans cards to remember him by" but to make some money. I feel uneasy to even say that. I feel like I would be benefiting from his death, which is exactly the case.

I don't see people who buy a player's cards, autographs, etc. right after they die or maybe only because they died as true fans of that player.

I am a huge Broncos fan and I was going to start buying Darrient Williams cards. Both for my PC and to sell in the future, I thought he had a great career ahead of him. Then he was murdered and his cards went through the roof.

If you are a fan, something like this happens, and you sell the player's items just because. Are you a real fan or an opportunist?

Just my thoughts.