Interesting article on card collecting in today's Boston Herald

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Thanks for the link...I just placed the book on hold at my local library.


I left collecting and got rid of my boxes full of cards in the early 90's, then came back to collecting as a hobby in 2008. As I didn't know anyone else who collected, nor did I stay in the know about the hobby....I was shocked to see where we are today. I guess it's good that i'm a "low-budget" collector. I have one "high value" card in my collection - and it's a card graciously given away by Sir David K. in a Bench contest. I have fun though, and very much enjoy my collection (thanks to The Bench). I guess that's the key, when you aren't having any fun - collecting is not for you.
Also everyone is all about the "Hits" and the "BIG pulls" now.
The Bench is the only forum I have been able to constantly make trades on - occasionaly I will venture to other boards only to be turned off by all of the "High End" posts and wants. My posts looking for set hits and base/inserts/low end parallels for the most part go unanswered. This is because most people now "toss" anything not eBay-worthy or in their eyes tradeable. Sucks that is where we are...but who knows - if I had the money to spend, I probably would be breaking high end wax. Well, maybe not as my Wife might have something to say about that :)
Guess what I'm trying to say like I have before is thanks to The Bench for being true collectors and helping me fill my boxes back up!

I know there weren't any "Game Used" or autographs...but was there even a such thing as inserts or parallels or prospects in the vintage days of collecting?

Curious as to what others think the hobby will be like in the near future?
 
Last edited:
Like everything else in this world, money changes everything. It used to be a kids hobby, now it's a man's obsession. Now that Topps is the only licensed baseball card manufacturer, I'm not sure where this hobby will be in 10 years.

kugel - love the 1984 Topps TTM's!
 
Thanks for the link...I just placed the book on hold at my local library.


I left collecting and got rid of my boxes full of cards in the early 90's, then came back to collecting as a hobby in 2008. As I didn't know anyone else who collected, nor did I stay in the know about the hobby....I was shocked to see where we are today. I guess it's good that i'm a "low-budget" collector. I have one "high value" card in my collection - and it's a card graciously given away by Sir David K. in a Bench contest. I have fun though, and very much enjoy my collection (thanks to The Bench). I guess that's the key, when you aren't having any fun - collecting is not for you.
Also everyone is all about the "Hits" and the "BIG pulls" now.
The Bench is the only forum I have been able to constantly make trades on - occasionaly I will venture to other boards only to be turned off by all of the "High End" posts and wants. My posts looking for set hits and base/inserts/low end parallels for the most part go unanswered. This is because most people now "toss" anything not eBay-worthy or in their eyes tradeable. Sucks that is where we are...but who knows - if I had the money to spend, I probably would be breaking high end wax. Well, maybe not as my Wife might have something to say about that :)
Guess what I'm trying to say like I have before is thanks to The Bench for being true collectors and helping me fill my boxes back up!

I know there weren't any "Game Used" or autographs...but was there even a such thing as inserts or parallels or prospects in the vintage days of collecting?

Curious as to what others think the hobby will be like in the near future?

All the card companies have went out of business except topps or
have lost licensure because they couldnt pay to produce or were
denied the right to produce.

With more kids using computers and topps looking to appeal to them
again, We might see a virtual card set coming soon.
I believe the cards now in topps packs that do not relate to baseball
are driven to the parents in allowing the kids to buy packs as educational
as much as for entertainment.

I dont like topps being the only producer, ht wasnt right back in the day.
They tried to monopolize and did so for awhile and they did it by
shoving contracts in rookies faces at the start of spring training.
I think that is wrong, I think putting the gum in the packs as a mean to
sell baseball cards was just a way to monopolize on not one product but
two. The Gum and The Baseball card.

Topps has made billions of dollars? Sold the company for 385 Million?
You know they really went down hill a bit, I didnt realize it till I got a
Mickey Mantle 1/1 Moments and Milestones with triple spelt as "tripple"
on the card. I focused time in seeing if it was an error when the reality
was, that the card was Mickey Mantle 1/1 disrespected by a poor quality
producer of the card who didnt take the time to make it correct.

I think topps for several years has been ignorant and has opened the
flood gates to gamblers and pack searchers. I think they shut out
dealers and went the route of big retail to market there items.
I think less ans less people collect because it isnt really about
baseball as much as it has to do with ebay and pulling something
great.
 
Like everything else in this world, money changes everything. It used to be a kids hobby, now it's a man's obsession. Now that Topps is the only licensed baseball card manufacturer, I'm not sure where this hobby will be in 10 years.

kugel - love the 1984 Topps TTM's!

thanks!

I think less ans less people collect because it isnt really about
baseball as much as it has to do with ebay and pulling something
great.


thanks for the input!
 
Top