Ridiculous prices

[Garrett]

I'd like to take a minute and rant about the outrageous pricing on vintage hats. Obviously something is only worth what one is willing to pay for it, but this is nuts. For example, Ebay item #160078752975. Does he think he's gonna get that for it? Or that recent post about John Wayne's $75,000 lid. I'd like to ask the lounge what they think is reasonable pricing for vintage lids. I'm sure this has been brought up before so if one of the veteran loungers has an ancient thread link, send it to me.

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

With the proper proof of authenticity you bet it'll go for that price. I know I'll never join that exclusive club of "more money than he know's what to do with it" - but I'd like to give it a whirl. How about ya'll?

 

[MattJH]

The auction you referenced is an extreme. You'll find it with any item, be it musical instruments, hats, vinyl records, books, furniture, car parts, etc. Sometimes you'll see four of the same item. $10 for one, $15 for another, $18 for another, and then... $80? It always happens. I'm pretty sure the overpriced sellers choose an artibrary number without researching the going rate.

Hats, though, are going up in general. There's a bright side and a dark side to it.

 

[nulty]

feel the pain

I'l weigh in on this. Five years ago, heck even 2 years ago prices were much more reasonable. Even now depending on your size, decent hats can still be had online at decent prices. What I call a decent price is under 30 bucks..

But the market has changed due to fad, style,hollywood, and maybe just a broader desire among a wider audience for items from a day that no longer exists and holds some mystery. The demand is theer and the supply is a finite number.

I can't criticize a seller who beleives they might get a higher price. I've seen some rediculous prices on hats in shops. For delaers gauging the market is crucial to remaining successful.

The thing to wonder is how long will it last and how high will they go? Even more where will they finally bottom out as fewer hats are available in years to come...

Just wait for the day when the fellows who've been hoarding them for years finally get to the point where enough is enough, The market will flood and the rest of us can enjoy the fall out.

I don't mind the higher prices in a way. It helps keep it in perspective for me.

I no longer sit around watching 10-15 hats at a time and worrying over whether I'll have enough left over for a pack of smokes.

 

[vintage68]

I'd say the worth of any item, hat or other commodity, is directly related to what someone will pay for it. If it's not worth the money, no one will buy it. You mentioned that in your post, but thought I'd highlight it.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I'd say the worth of any item, hat or other commodity, is directly related to what someone will pay for it. If it's not worth the money, no one will buy it. You mentioned that in your post, but thought I'd highlight it.

Exactly - supply and demand, and how much one particular person is willing to part with to get one particular item. One person's trash is another person's treasure. I know someone who blew $3000 on a paint job on a 25 year old Oldsmobile (it was nothing special - high Blue Book was under $1000 at the time) and he thought I was insane spending $30 on a carrying case for a piece of equipment that cost me $500. He got $800 for the car 2 years later...I still have the case & equipment 12 years later.

 

[Twitch]

Well I gotta figure that there are a LOT of fedoras out there. They've continued unabated on Ebay for the past couple years that I've been looking. You can always see plenty. A check just showed 332 "vintage fedoras" and 952 "fedoras" so I don't think they're rare.

But they are like anything else. You see a "thing" on Ebay and a bunch of goof bid it way up to more than it is worth. Then in a week or 2 you find the exact same thing and no one is interested so you get it with the opening bid. Go figure.

There's plenty of hats for $10-20 that are nice. Yeah you can spend $100-150 but come on. 99.9% of the jamokes that see it on you haven't got the slighest idea of values or quality. They think beaver is the kid on that old TV show.

My best advice is be patient and wait for it then strike. Never bid more than your planned maximum. If you lose it so what. another wil lbe right along.

 

[The Wingnut]

...we've been over this...just because some nut blows a load of cash on a particular example of an item doesn't mean the rest are suddenly worth more as a result.

It means that item is worth that amount to that particular buyer...

...and nobody else. Refer back to the Duke's hat thread.

I'll bet some nut is going to buy that panama at the current asking price. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose. If the seller doesn't bother educating themselves before buying, they deserve to pay more.

I'd pay $125 for that hat, maybe. I know I could get something better from Panama Bob via Art and pay about the same.


As far as the bidding process goes, nobody ever knows I've bid 'til the auction is over. I bid my maximum price once, and late enough that nobody can get in a counter bid. As long as I bid exactly what I'm willing to pay, I'm happy regardless of winning or losing.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

People will pay for vintage hats, for rare automobiles, for bling, etc., etc. I can't imagine that I would pay huge prices for some of those things, but, then I am not swimming in money, so really don't know. I'd rather give it to someone who needs the basics. However, I do like good quality hats and things I use.

People will pay big money for "show" -- something that isn't worth jack, but looks good. When I went to buy a bed some years ago, the man who owned the store said, "People spend a good one-third of their lives in bed. Do they seek out the best bed they can find? No, they will pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars for accessories, bedspreads, comforters, pillow shams, etc., then they will go out and find the cheapest mattress they can find."

Me, I want comfort and quality whether it is a hat a car or a bed.

karol

 

[Ed13]

I might be one of the crazy ones but I don't mind bidding well over $100 for a hat on ebay if I want it. A local hat shop sells Biltmores for more and Borsalinos for close to $400. The vintage hats I do have put these to shame in my opinion. With the prices of the new hats, the ebay items still seem like a great deal.