Is Ivory cue sticks going to raise? Cue Builders are unable to use Ivory since 2011.

[boogieman]

As of 7/6/2016 a Federal ivory ban was put into place. What this meant is that nothing new was supposed to be made using ivory after that date. There is no distinction after this point about pre-ban, etc. Any cue made after this date, with ivory, ANYWHERE is technically contraband. All sales of tusks are banned, as of this date.
Current status forgetting liberal dreams. There are 12 states and DC where it cannot be sold at all. That means there are 38 states where it still sells regularly and there is a market for it, and it is thriving. The stipulation is the ivory cannot be more than 200 grams, or the majority of value in the piece. That is 7 ounces. A butt is generally 14-16 oz so it would be rare that a cue actually exceeds the Deminimus requirement,
I have a format for a declaration of Deminimus that I have been told I can use. I spent 2 weeks developing this letter with the FWS. People have no idea and I will not put all the tech stuff here, but don't believe everything you read, especially here.
JV

A local cue maker said he can't even use mammoth ivory at this point. An extinct animal where they find the tusks in melting permafrost...

 

[classiccues]

A local cue maker said he can't even use mammoth ivory at this point. An extinct animal where they find the tusks in melting permafrost...

That is correct. Many of the states that implemented their own bans included extinct or fossil ivories.

JV

 

[Bavafongoul]

That is correct. Many of the states that implemented their own bans included extinct or fossil ivories.

JV

I can buy & sell and buy as many cues as I want in 38 states and it is legal. And that’s a large territory of USA.
Those cues can come back with me to California and it is legal. I can attend cue shows in other states and buy,
sell or trade my cues for any other cues ever made and it is legal. The ivory restriction is easily avoided if you
just read the laws. I am never going to ship or sell my cues overseas so that limitation on ivory is non sequitur.

So my cues have gone up in value and will continue to always be in demand because ivory is admittedly becoming
more rare but it will always be in demand, especially with those cues that use it. The issue comes down to the haves and have nots. I have my cues and you have yours. But all of mine can never be duplicated. Bob has stopped using ivory,
Jerry is retired, Ed is a CA cue maker and Tim is no longer with us. I’m thrilled to own these cues as would most others.

Maybe not you but the majority of pool players certainly would relish owning any of them. Yup, ivory is still in demand.
Just remember the economic facts…….rarity & scarcity still command the highest prices in collectibles, like pool cues.
And since ivory is getting used less, it only helps drive demand, and in turn the value, higher over time. That’s the facts.

 

[vinniebabarooch]

No kidding. This is it: Cue builders CAN NOT build cues with ivory since about 2011, BUT cues that are made with ivory are fully legal, can be sold and traded as long as not to overseas buyers. SO, they are and will be very collectable. I've read the law.

………

 

[vinniebabarooch]

As of 7/6/2016 a Federal ivory ban was put into place. What this meant is that nothing new was supposed to be made using ivory after that date. There is no distinction after this point about pre-ban, etc. Any cue made after this date, with ivory, ANYWHERE is technically contraband. All sales of tusks are banned, as of this date.
Current status forgetting liberal dreams. There are 12 states and DC where it cannot be sold at all. That means there are 38 states where it still sells regularly and there is a market for it, and it is thriving. The stipulation is the ivory cannot be more than 200 grams, or the majority of value in the piece. That is 7 ounces. A butt is generally 14-16 oz so it would be rare that a cue actually exceeds the Deminimus requirement,
I have a format for a declaration of Deminimus that I have been told I can use. I spent 2 weeks developing this letter with the FWS. People have no idea and I will not put all the tech stuff here, but don't believe everything you read, especially here.
JV

What he said ^

 

[Fatboy]

Over in the gun world: this is known as face-to-face transaction.

Ivory on a cue can continue to be "what is already is" as long as the buyer and seller can arrive at a common place and perform the sale fact-to-face.

Otherwise, it's getting trickier and trickier to pull off using non-face-to-face transactions. Any intermediate party creates suspense and danger.

Sounds like a dope deal …..

 

[classiccues]

Sounds like a dope deal …..

It feels like one to, when you sell one, even when you follow the law.

JV

 

[muskyed]

Not so sure about prices coming up, as I was offered a really good deal on 3 different Carmeli cues from a well known dealer about a year ago,, and I turned them down because of the ivory. Was that a smart move on my part, who knows, but just the fact that the seller wasn't openly advertising them for sale threw up some warning flags for me.

 

[Bavafongoul]

If you are going to rely on cues as an investment vehicle, you are not making a economically sound decision.
The gains are unpredictable and there are so many alternatives to use for investment that cues seem frivolous.

However, if you do not want to lose money on your cues when you may decide to sell or trade, just buy smart.
My cues will certainly sell for what I paid so losing money isn’t even a question. In all likelihood, they’d get more.

Now take a collection like Vinnie’s or Will Prout. Those cues will assuredly command higher prices than they paid.
Their cues are exquisite, made by famous cue makers and are literally showpiece pool cues unlike the ones I own.

If you buy the right cues, I.e., design, cue maker, etc., you are buying smart. It does not have to be a Barry Szamboti
or Joel Hercek cue. If it is such a cue, well, you struck the mother load. Bottomline….buy what you like & can afford.

 

[Quesports]

I own one with a significant amount of that white organic inlay stuff. Lol.. Everyone that sees it loves it and no one has ever said diddly about it. It was not purchased for a resale purpose. Selling it would be the same as all my cues. Face to face. I don't trust the shippers at all or the online buyers much more than the shippers for that matter. I would consider a small number of dealers if it came to it. There might be three, two I already trust for sure.....

 

[Bobkitty]

I own one with a significant amount of that white organic inlay stuff. Lol.. Everyone that sees it loves it and no one has ever said diddly about it. It was not purchased for a resale purpose. Selling it would be the same as all my cues. Face to face. I don't trust the shippers at all or the online buyers much more than the shippers for that matter. I would consider a small number of dealers if it came to it. There might be three, two I already trust for sure.....

Good for you. Ivory cues will become the best choice for investment. Cue builders can NOT build cues with that medium but for collectors and resale, they will be the best in years to come.