What is the Grail worth? Nothing? Everything?

[Monitor]

Hypothetical situation; During your daily jacket search, you stumble upon something extremely valuable, listed dirt cheap. It can be anything; I don't know, a brand new Durable or a personalized J-24 with studded belt or... Something like that, you get the idea.

Let's skip the moral dilemma of whether to let the seller know what they have and fast-forward to you being in the possession of it & turns out to be much more than you had imagined and while perhaps it wasn't something you would have bought yourself, as the realization how truly special & unique this item is settles in, you become more and more enamored with it.

This, on the other hand, doesn't change the fact that you can still make a hefty sum of money by selling it. For reference, let's say a good few thousands of dollars. Money most of us, I'm sure, cannot ignore.

So, to get a new & fresh perspective on things, my question is; What would you do & Why?

What would be the reasoning behind whatever decision you (feel you) would make?

Image completely unrelated.

 

[marker2037]

If I could correctly identify the value of something that someone else is not inherently aware of, I don't believe it's my duty to do divulge that information. However if I have no intent on actually purchasing said item, then I could perhaps inform the seller of their mistake if they are selling on a localized platform (here for example or in a facebook community group), unless it's on a highly public platform where I would not (like eBay).

 

[MrProper]

I would keep it. The value does not normally decrease. Unless I am in a financial predicament, then of course I would try to get out of it by selling it.

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

So, before the bourbon boom started, maybe 15 years ago or so, you could walk into a Bevmo and buy a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle or Stagg for lie $70ish dollars. I happened to buy a few of each. They're now worth about $5k more or less. I still have a couple bottles of each. From time to time I think about selling. It's mostly the hassle of doing it that prevents me. But there's something cool about saying I've got these bottles. I plan on opening one for my 50th in a handful of weeks. We'll see about the rest.

With a jacket though, I don't know. If it was just a pure value play, i.e. I know this jacket is worth more, so I will buy and flip, then the answer is obvious for me. Flip it. But if it was something I really wanted and I know I'll never have a chance again, I'd keep.

 

[Will Zach]

I would not sell it unless I had to. Like the recent magnificent Star Glove/Cal @JMax posted. It is for sale for $4,000 in Japan, probably worth something around that in the US. $4,000 makes no difference to me right now, so I would just enjoy it, wear it occasionally, and then, when the time comes (I need money, am too old or whatever) I would then sell it.

 

[El Marro]

I guess it would depend on how I felt upon receipt of the jacket. I suspect that the triumph of making the purchase and acquiring something so rare and special would be accompanied by a bit of the melancholy that one experiences when we realize that no material object can quite live up to the fantasy that we created in our own mind during the quest. That may lead one to decide to move this jacket along and seek out something different, to begin a new quest.
Knowing me though, I would hold onto it. I still have almost every single jacket I have bought during my time here, and most of them are not particularly special, certainly not “grail” level.

 

[Guppy]

If you need the money now, try to get as much as you can for it. If you think it'll go up in value, hold to sell later.

 

[marker2037]

What's valuable today, can be tomorrow's trash. It's all speculation anyway.

Look at the cycle of baseball cards.

 

[Boyo]

If its something that you can wear, i might be tempted to keep it. If it doesn't fit - cash out. I would never collect an item of clothing that I couldn't wear.
I've seen some cool original A-2 jackets that id love to have but there is no reason to if they're the wrong size or so fragile that they belong in a museum.

 

[MrProper]

We're talking about specifically looking for this jacket and not buying it as a speculative item, right?
If that's the case, nothing has changed just because you got a bargain.
Then the jacket is still the one I wanted and there is no reason to sell it again.

 

[JMax]

We're talking about specifically looking for this jacket and not buying it as a speculative item, right?
If that's the case, nothing has changed just because you got a bargain.
Then the jacket is still the one I wanted and there is no reason to sell it again.

Right here is where I’m at.

Heck, the fact that it’s a bargain may actually make it harder for me to sell. I can look at it and enjoy both the jacket and my superior intellect.

 

[Leather Walker]

If the jacket was a bargain, but it’s THE jacket, I'll keep it. And I don’t care if I can get thousands, 'cause the main reason for my search wasn’t doing business, but getting it.
For what it's worth, I wouldn't sell anything which I feel emotionally attached with. The problem selling stuff is not the sale itself but the emotional cost. It's a curse when you feel torn between the object and the money you can earn in exchange.

 

[TheDonEffect]

Just want to make sure I understand the premise there, you bought something for a presumably low price, and it ends up being far more valuable. Before finding out its current market value, you were ambivalent towards the item, but upon learning you struck gold you now look at it differently. Or somewhere within that spectrum.

For me then, it becomes expendable to profit. If I bought it and became one of my favorite possessions, and then I found out what it was worth, I would keep it until I had to sell it. But if I bought it because hey it was cool, and I like it, but don't really pay much attention to it, similar to buying a souvenir while on vacation that just sits on a shelf collecting dust, and then I found it was valuable, then yes I would consider selling it.

I would research the market for it, understand why it got to this point, all of this mostly to determine if I could make an educated guess that it will appreciate further or should I unload it now while things are insane.

Because if I don't love it, and it appreciated to the point that I can take the profit and buy something I do love (and who doesn't like more money in their savings right?), then easy decision to make unless I think it will only go up in value.

I would not however keep it for the sake of having something valuable for the sake of being valuable. I get wanting to have conversation pieces and all that, but at the end of the day if I don't really like it, or it's not my style, if it doesn't resonate with me, then I don't see a point in it.

I have a slight, teeny tiny bias regarding matters like this because I think it ruins alot of hobbies- fair weather enthusiasts suddenly take interest in something that now has a high value, pricing out actual enthusiasts. You see it now with watches, trading cards, etc etc. It just becomes another exercise of wealth display, and some of the purity of a hobby gets lost. Can you tell I'm praying for the day the watch bubble bursts?

 

[Monitor]

First off; Fantastic replies, y'all. Exactly what I was hoping for while making the thread.

@TheDonEffect, what you said resonates particularly well with my situation & perfectly sums up my dilemma. This part in particular...

"I would not however keep it for the sake of having something valuable for the sake of being valuable. I get wanting to have conversation pieces and all that, but at the end of the day if I don't really like it, or it's not my style, if it doesn't resonate with me, then I don't see a point in it."

The thing is, while initially I wasn't sure if I even liked it, this certainly has changed but I cannot help but wonder how much the... well, let's not dance around it and call it what it is; elitism that comes with owning something very expensive has got to do with my dilemma.
Conversation piece is exactly it.
I'm not immune to the idea of owning an item that a lot of people can only dream about and it's not just the price but what's even more alluring is the fact that each of these pieces is, for all intents and purposes, unique.

Nobody in the world has the one that I got.

When I posted it to another Facebook group to have its authenticity verified, some dude from Hong Kong immediately contacted me and began sending me photos of his collection by the same brand. He amassed some $100K worth of stuff by the maker and it's not even that big of a collection - Just covered the basics. He's got two very similar pieces, though not the same which made me realize for the first time how cool it is that I got this thing.

I understand perfectly well how idiotic feeling special because of something material makes me look but at the same time, I can't help it.

On the other hand, I'm fairly certain I myself never would've bought it tho I can't quite figure out whether the reason is simply the price or I just wouldn't like it enough, if taken out of context.

Some 15 years ago, I acquired a Mauser 712 which is an automatic C96 which is pretty much a mega-grail piece in itself, let alone in the full auto version. That pistol made me feel the same way, even though I could do literally nothing with it. But owning it made me feel good. I sold it to a serious collector for major money (a LOT more than what I could get for the item I'm talking about ITT) but to this day, I never forgave myself for getting rid of it. 712 was a holy grail for me and majority of people who are into vtg firearms hobby won't ever see one in person, let alone own it.

Ugh, I feel like typing but it's best stop now.

 

[ton312]

First off; Fantastic replies, y'all. Exactly what I was hoping for while making the thread.

@TheDonEffect, what you said resonates particularly well with my situation & perfectly sums up my dilemma. This part in particular...

"I would not however keep it for the sake of having something valuable for the sake of being valuable. I get wanting to have conversation pieces and all that, but at the end of the day if I don't really like it, or it's not my style, if it doesn't resonate with me, then I don't see a point in it."

The thing is, while initially I wasn't sure if I even liked it, this certainly has changed but I cannot help but wonder how much the... well, let's not dance around it and call it what it is; elitism that comes with owning something very expensive has got to do with my dilemma.
Conversation piece is exactly it.
I'm not immune to the idea of owning an item that a lot of people can only dream about and it's not just the price but what's even more alluring is the fact that each of these pieces is, for all intents and purposes, unique.

Nobody in the world has the one that I got.

When I posted it to another Facebook group to have its authenticity verified, some dude from Hong Kong immediately contacted me and began sending me photos of his collection by the same brand. He amassed some $100K worth of stuff by the maker and it's not even that big of a collection - Just covered the basics. He's got two very similar pieces, though not the same which made me realize for the first time how cool it is that I got this thing.

I understand perfectly well how idiotic feeling special because of something material makes me look but at the same time, I can't help it.

On the other hand, I'm fairly certain I myself never would've bought it tho I can't quite figure out whether the reason is simply the price or I just wouldn't like it enough, if taken out of context.

Some 15 years ago, I acquired a Mauser 712 which is an automatic C96 which is pretty much a mega-grail piece in itself, let alone in the full auto version. That pistol made me feel the same way, even though I could do literally nothing with it. But owning it made me feel good. I sold it to a serious collector for major money (a LOT more than what I could get for the item I'm talking about ITT) but to this day, I never forgave myself for getting rid of it. 712 was a holy grail for me and majority of people who are into vtg firearms hobby won't ever see one in person, let alone own it.

Ugh, I feel like typing but it's best stop now.

Now I’m really curious. You have a rare firearm or that LW for $2?!!!

 

[ton312]

I forgot to say this as well…in the digital age in which we live, chances are, if you’ve seen it, so has someone else. Barn finds are extremely rare and I’ve found that what might seem like a Diamond in the rough, is actually just a piece of coal. Even more so with clothes, jackets…
With regards to jackets, even the rarest ones I’ve had, have only proved profitable in a literal blue moon and almost exclusively at auction. This isn’t a hobby where you can actually make money. It’s a hobby where you spend it, and like most gamblers, are lucky if you break even!
Time for the grand reveal!

 

[ksozay]

Ha! Ha! I own that Schott jacket you posted.

 

[Marc mndt]

I forgot to say this as well…in the digital age in which we live, chances are, if you’ve seen it, so has someone else.

That's most likely the case with listings on eBay or grailed, or other global platforms. I don't even search them anymore. If I actually find something nice on eBay it's almost certainly overpriced.

It's the local platforms that are interesting. Local may sound strange in the online context, but Vinted is a great example. I can only buy stuff that's listed on my local Vinted, which encompasses France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and Italy. I cannot buy anything from Vinted Germany, Austria, UK, Poland etc. Therefore there's way less people hunting for those diamonds in the rough on your local Vinted branch.

 

[TheDonEffect]

First off; Fantastic replies, y'all. Exactly what I was hoping for while making the thread.

@TheDonEffect, what you said resonates particularly well with my situation & perfectly sums up my dilemma. This part in particular...

"I would not however keep it for the sake of having something valuable for the sake of being valuable. I get wanting to have conversation pieces and all that, but at the end of the day if I don't really like it, or it's not my style, if it doesn't resonate with me, then I don't see a point in it."

The thing is, while initially I wasn't sure if I even liked it, this certainly has changed but I cannot help but wonder how much the... well, let's not dance around it and call it what it is; elitism that comes with owning something very expensive has got to do with my dilemma.
Conversation piece is exactly it.
I'm not immune to the idea of owning an item that a lot of people can only dream about and it's not just the price but what's even more alluring is the fact that each of these pieces is, for all intents and purposes, unique.

Nobody in the world has the one that I got.

When I posted it to another Facebook group to have its authenticity verified, some dude from Hong Kong immediately contacted me and began sending me photos of his collection by the same brand. He amassed some $100K worth of stuff by the maker and it's not even that big of a collection - Just covered the basics. He's got two very similar pieces, though not the same which made me realize for the first time how cool it is that I got this thing.

I understand perfectly well how idiotic feeling special because of something material makes me look but at the same time, I can't help it.

On the other hand, I'm fairly certain I myself never would've bought it tho I can't quite figure out whether the reason is simply the price or I just wouldn't like it enough, if taken out of context.

Some 15 years ago, I acquired a Mauser 712 which is an automatic C96 which is pretty much a mega-grail piece in itself, let alone in the full auto version. That pistol made me feel the same way, even though I could do literally nothing with it. But owning it made me feel good. I sold it to a serious collector for major money (a LOT more than what I could get for the item I'm talking about ITT) but to this day, I never forgave myself for getting rid of it. 712 was a holy grail for me and majority of people who are into vtg firearms hobby won't ever see one in person, let alone own it.

Ugh, I feel like typing but it's best stop now.

I totally get it, and let me offer yet another perspective. From a collector standpoint, collectors live for the treasure hunt and if you struck gold, another way to look at it even if it's not too your taste is that it's the fruit of your hunts. Car guys dream about that barn find for instance.

So there is a ton of enjoyment to be had to relish in the treasure your unearthed through the fruits of your labor.

For me, if I found a rare jacket, I'd probably sell it. My passion doesn't grow deep like many here. But if I found a double red sea dweller, or a Nissan hakosuka, yeah totally keep lol even though I prefer other watches and cars. Ugh, still wish I bought that batman at the ad. Hindsight. Then again, wish I bought Shiba in 2020.

 

[Flying Monkey]

Just want to make sure I understand the premise there, you bought something for a presumably low price, and it ends up being far more valuable. Before finding out its current market value, you were ambivalent towards the item, but upon learning you struck gold you now look at it differently. Or somewhere within that spectrum.

For me then, it becomes expendable to profit. If I bought it and became one of my favorite possessions, and then I found out what it was worth, I would keep it until I had to sell it. But if I bought it because hey it was cool, and I like it, but don't really pay much attention to it, similar to buying a souvenir while on vacation that just sits on a shelf collecting dust, and then I found it was valuable, then yes I would consider selling it.

I would research the market for it, understand why it got to this point, all of this mostly to determine if I could make an educated guess that it will appreciate further or should I unload it now while things are insane.

Because if I don't love it, and it appreciated to the point that I can take the profit and buy something I do love (and who doesn't like more money in their savings right?), then easy decision to make unless I think it will only go up in value.

I would not however keep it for the sake of having something valuable for the sake of being valuable. I get wanting to have conversation pieces and all that, but at the end of the day if I don't really like it, or it's not my style, if it doesn't resonate with me, then I don't see a point in it.

I have a slight, teeny tiny bias regarding matters like this because I think it ruins alot of hobbies- fair weather enthusiasts suddenly take interest in something that now has a high value, pricing out actual enthusiasts. You see it now with watches, trading cards, etc etc. It just becomes another exercise of wealth display, and some of the purity of a hobby gets lost. Can you tell I'm praying for the day the watch bubble bursts?

Well Said. If the jacket fit me nicely and it was in good enough shape to wear on a regular basis, I would probably keep it. The monetary value doesn't really crown it for me above all else. I also collect, sometimes refurbish, and fish with vintage rods and reels. Some of them are monetarily quite valuable. I still fish with them. I'm very careful with them, but I fish with them. An item sitting on a shelf or a hanger in perpetuity just doesn't do it for me. I'm careful to not modify a vintage item if I believe it to have historical or monetary value. People who do that sort of thing make me kind of sad. That said, I really do enjoy actually using things that I own.