Cue as investment

jazznpool said:

I would strongly advise against purchasing cues as an investment to hold for a period you are talking about. Under the best conditions you'd be hard pressed to get a decent return on your money. The best cue investment you can make today involves no upfront costs. Call South West Cues in Las Vegas and get your name on the list for 2 cues. In about 13 years, give or take, your order will be ready to go in production. At that point 50% is required. Unless the market for South West cues totally collapses, you're a cinch make a few thousand dollars profit. I could kick myself in the ass for not ordering year after year. I ordered in 2005 and my cues are now being built. South West cues has been quietly subsidizing pool players for a few decades! For the vast majority it will be their biggest pool related score ever.

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This is the ONE possible investment you might make. I thought of it right away but decided against suggesting it, not knowing how old you are. For me, that means I would be about my early 80s, so not for me.

Cues are overpriced. If you want to invest in cues put your money somewhere safe and buy only the old Masters when the economy tanks and the prices take a major dip.

I sort of stumbled into a small gain. I bought a 19 oz J Pechauer for $230 about 3 years ago. I decided to get a 20 oz one last year (different, fancier model) and while shopping for the new one I found that the one I'd purchased 3 years ago was up to $270. This isn't what you mean obviously, but there is a tiny bit of evidence that these things might appreciate.

I've haven't bought that many cues brand new. I bought a Ginacue 30th Anniversary and a SW new.

I had a plain SW I bought years ago for 600 bucks that I traded for a brand new Prewitt.

I sold the Ginacue for a tidy profit. My SW is worth in " as is " condition about twice what I paid for it and its my everyday player.

I was totally shocked what California did to folks that bought cues with legal ivory in them.

I love all my cues and take them out and look at them and if stored right I've had very little problems with warpage.

Buying the right collectables if you know the market is a great investment. Having morons ban legal ivory in Cali was a curve ball for sure.

I've got quite a few cues with ivory.

I purchased a new Bert Schreger in like 1972 for $75.00 with two shafts. Maybe it was 2018 I sold it for about $350.00 to a collector. Would have done better had I put the $75.00 in a good mutual fund over the same period.

My home in So. Cal I bought in 1972 for $35.500.00, where my Ex live until 2014 when she sold it for $957,000.00 was a investment. Plus her taxes were under $300.00/yr because of Prop 13. Tax Freeze.

Think about mutual funds, and property before Cues.

JMHO

CocoboloCowboy said:

I purchased a new Bert Schreger in like 1972 for $75.00 with two shafts. Maybe it was 2018 I sold it for about $350.00 to a collector. Would have done better had I put the $75.00 in a good mutual fund over the same period.

My home in So. Cal I bought in 1972 for $35.500.00, where my Ex live until 2014 when she sold it for $957,000.00 was a investment. Plus her taxes were under $300.00/yr because of Prop 13. Tax Freeze.

Think about mutual funds, and property before Cues.

JMHO

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I bought my house from the bank in 96 so I get your drift. I've made great returns on my cues. I bought the bar bell Ginacue from a guy made in the 60s in terrible shape for like 950 had Erine refinish, rewrap and make an extra shaft for 350 and sold it for 4,000.






Since the ivory crappola I've not really purchased any cues.

Everyone likes well made nice looking cues.
Moving past that, though it does not strike me that the younger generation (who will drive the market for "old" cues in future when you are ready to cash out) has the same relationship to high end cues. What do the stars (pros) the kids watch use in tournaments?

People (males) all lust after the "cool" products of their teens and twenties. If they couldn't attain them, they tend to buy the best examples when they can afford them in their late 40's through 60's. Again, I don't think the vast majority of kids look at "collectible" cues the same way us old geezers do, and the market will be flooded when we pass on.

That said, look to Asia. The growing middle classes tend to get a hankering for anything that once conferred status, so you never know. Pool/snooker/billiards continues to grow there, and the market for distinction will grow as well. As a side note, that really is behind the bans on things like ivory and many CITEs bans/restrictions on wood. China doesn't care and as our diplomacy fails in Africa and SA, they are in with a vengeance loaning money, providing aid, and reaping the resources. China & greater asia is not a bad partner in many of these relationships, but they don't have the same immediate concern for conservation many in the west do. So the west ends up inciting bans as formerly somewhat stable markets become unsustainable due to the world increased market & the tide rushes eastward.

smt

Ssonerai said:

Everyone likes well made nice looking cues.
Moving past that, though it does not strike me that the younger generation (who will drive the market for "old" cues in future when you are ready to cash out) has the same relationship to high end cues. What do the stars (pros) the kids watch use in tournaments?

People (males) all lust after the "cool" products of their teens and twenties. If they couldn't attain them, they tend to buy the best examples when they can afford them in their late 40's through 60's. Again, I don't think the vast majority of kids look at "collectible" cues the same way us old geezers do, and the market will be flooded when we pass on.

That said, look to Asia. The growing middle classes tend to get a hankering for anything that once conferred status, so you never know. Pool/snooker/billiards continues to grow there, and the market for distinction will grow as well. As a side note, that really is behind the bans on things like ivory and many CITEs bans/restrictions on wood. China doesn't care and as our diplomacy fails in Africa and SA, they are in with a vengeance loaning money, providing aid, and reaping (raping?) the resources. China & greater asia is not a bad partner in many of these relationships, but they don't have the same immediate concern for conservation many in the west do. So the west ends up inciting bans as the tide heads east.

smt

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Nice post. This rings true for me. I recently bought two Tads which I could not have afforded when I was younger. In my early pool days that was the cue to play with in Southern California.

I have quite a few cues. I am holding on to them just in case the market ever does turn around. Seems to just get more flooded so even the higher end stuff isn't really selling well.

overlord said:

I bought my house from the bank in 96 so I get your drift. I've made great returns on my cues. I bought the bar bell Ginacue from a guy made in the 60s in terrible shape for like 950 had Erine refinish, rewrap and make an extra shaft for 350 and sold it for 4,000.






Since the ivory crappola I've not really purchased any cues.

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I am not sure Gina aka Ernie is still making Cues any longer. Think someone posted a Merry Widow he made out of Birdeye that I always loved. Simple, elegant, and my personal favorite.

CocoboloCowboy said:

I am not sure Gina aka Ernie is still making Cues any longer. Think someone posted a Merry Widow he made out of Birdeye that I always loved. Simple, elegant, and my personal favorite.

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Ernie is one of the greatest cue makers in history and a prince of a man.

I had a good friend of Ernie's take me to his shop in the early 90s. He was just getting ready to finish the 30th anniversary cues he was making. I picked one out and put down a deposit.

I played with that cue for years and then sold it for a considerable profit. Its what you call win-win.

If you plan on investing in pool cues, do it as a 'Labor of Love'. If you truly appreciate the beauty of a custom made cue then it won't be about making or losing $$$. Although personally I have never lost $$$ on a cue I have sold & I have sold a few. I look for the unusual & the rare. Not every custom maker signs his cues either. I have sticks right now that are a mystery to me & everyone else. Nonetheless they are beautiful & quite rare. Cue sticks [with well-taken pictures] sell for top dollar on Facebook. Do not be afraid to spend $$$ on restorations or repairs. Schmelke in Rice Lake, WI does excellent work at a fair price. When David Schmelke's shop finishes with your cue you definitely have bragging rights. I have OEM & restored cues that will never hit a ball while I own them. If you want to see how they hit you will have to pay my price to purchase.

Every so often take out your 'investments' & just breathe in their grace & beauty. It's not about the $$$.

Also invest in a new 10 x 10 Dealer Cue Case. Carl's Cues on eBay sells these. They will keep your cues dry & safe.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-...921518&hash=item2ca52661f4:g:cbYAAOSwbdpWW4YM