Post-COVID changes in our hobby

[bblair_2002]

Hello everyone. COVID did quite a number on the world,but some will say it was a boon to this hobby. I remember going to a store in Cooperstown back in 2019 eyeing my dream card,a 1951 Bowman Willie Mays RC in PSA 4 for $3,500. My oh my how the times have changed,huh? These changes can be found everywhere from on store shelves to card shops,card shows and where I see it most,by watching YouTube videos. Although I have a real dis-connect to this current hobby as a whole,I'll still continue to do my thing and collect what I like.

I created this thread for all of us to comment how COVID has not only changed their collecting habits,but if there's anything you feel the need to rant or rave about. I see a few positives but there are many things about it that grind my gears. I will comment on them from time to time but if you're anything like me,you'll want a place to vent and here's where to do it but please keep it clean and non-political please lol.

Thanks,
Brett

 

[SymphonicMetal]

Great topic! Hopefully it'll get a lot of comments.

I'm of the opposite opinion. I think Covid 19 has been an absolute Godsend to the hobby. For years on this board I have posted that sports card collecting is a dead industry but since Covid hit, I have not seen this much interest and activity since the bad old days of the junk era.

Since I don't collect cards of recent years, the incredible demand and price rises for new products does not effect me at all. What does effect me positively is that no one in this area wants vintage at our LCS so for me it is a buyer's market........a market of one. LOL. And when it comes to sports cards, I always take the path of least resistance. My friend opened the store in February of 2021 and has been going great guns and 95% of his sales are new boxes. I have seen mind blowing amounts of money spent at his store by people who have no idea what they are buying but just follow the herd.

The only negative for me is the price of supplies since I ALWAYS am in the need of boxes. Thankfully I have plenty of other card supplies as it is, but boxes are a different matter for me.

One item of interest in the hobby that I am keeping an eye on. My friend just had the slowest week in his store this past week since he opened 14 months ago. I am REALLY wondering if the recent inflation that has hammered the country in the last 10 days is the reason for this. Sports cards are not a necessity, Food, transportation, shelter and gas are. I am really wondering of the bubble is about to burst on this hobby as discretionary income is now more and more being used for the necessities of life. Time will tell on this...

 

[brewerfan34]

Good topic. I'm trying to think of Post covid as yet another transition for the always changing hobby.

I think the vintage products, provided there isn't a major scandal in the grading industry, will hold value and rise and at smaller rates.

Modern items will rise and fall, like they always have. Fanatics entry in a few years will be interesting to see how a "post modern" industry will look like.

 

[t.rooster]

I'm not sure I agree with you, SymphonicMetal, on how the change in cards has not affected vintage. I look at many of the HOFers RCs that I wish I swooped on pre-Covid. Prices on those cards like a Ron Santo RC or a Tony Oliva RC (though part of that reflects his recent HOF induction) have more than tripled on buying sites. Maybe in part that book values have finally budged a little on vintage baseball finally....

 

[SymphonicMetal]

I'm not sure I agree with you, SymphonicMetal, on how the change in cards has not affected vintage. I look at many of the HOFers RCs that I wish I swooped on pre-Covid. Prices on those cards like a Ron Santo RC or a Tony Oliva RC (though part of that reflects his recent HOF induction) have more than tripled on buying sites. Maybe in part that book values have finally budged a little on vintage baseball finally....

Sorry I did not explain myself very well at all concerning vintage. I realize that most vintage has skyrocketed in value to previously unseen levels which I am thrilled about. I was speaking on how things are here locally and at our LCS. Everyone here goes crazy for the newest products and don't care at all about the vintage. That benefits me because I am the only buyer of the older cards at the LCS. The running joke t the LCS is that I was the only person who ever looked at the display cases with the older cards in them which is pretty much true.

Just the other day a guy came into the LCS with a ex-mt master set of 1974 Topps Baseball with the red team checklists and all the Washington N'L League variations. The $60 Winfield RC was a beauty! The store owner put the Winfield on the counter along side a $10 Wander Franco insert and said that 10 out of 10 customers would choose the Franco over the Winfield if they could take one of the cards for free. I'd be one of the very, very few that would choose the Winfield RC. The point is that just about every person that comes into the store wants the newest product and will drop big bucks to get it. And 90% of the time the buyers end up with nothing of note from their high dollar purchases.

side note: I 99% sure the player in the Winfield RC story was Wander Franco. For sure it was the player that everyone is chasing in the 2022 products. My knowledge of current MLB players is very sketchy at best which is another reason it is smart that I have not opened a pack since 1992! LOL

 

[t.rooster]

I would choose the Winfield... I have a NM set that is 75% signed.

 

[SymphonicMetal]

I would choose the Winfield... I have a NM set that is 75% signed.

Wow! A 75% signed 1974 Topps baseball set is some accomplishment in any condition!!

 

[katester44]

Great topic! Hopefully it'll get a lot of comments.

I'm of the opposite opinion. I think Covid 19 has been an absolute Godsend to the hobby. For years on this board I have posted that sports card collecting is a dead industry but since Covid hit, I have not seen this much interest and activity since the bad old days of the junk era.

Since I don't collect cards of recent years, the incredible demand and price rises for new products does not effect me at all. What does effect me positively is that no one in this area wants vintage at our LCS so for me it is a buyer's market........a market of one. LOL. And when it comes to sports cards, I always take the path of least resistance. My friend opened the store in February of 2021 and has been going great guns and 95% of his sales are new boxes. I have seen mind blowing amounts of money spent at his store by people who have no idea what they are buying but just follow the herd.

The only negative for me is the price of supplies since I ALWAYS am in the need of boxes. Thankfully I have plenty of other card supplies as it is, but boxes are a different matter for me.

One item of interest in the hobby that I am keeping an eye on. My friend just had the slowest week in his store this past week since he opened 14 months ago. I am REALLY wondering if the recent inflation that has hammered the country in the last 10 days is the reason for this. Sports cards are not a necessity, Food, transportation, shelter and gas are. I am really wondering of the bubble is about to burst on this hobby as discretionary income is now more and more being used for the necessities of life. Time will tell on this...

The big thing for me is the inability to get retail boxes at this point. Opening packs is something that my son and I enjoy doing and than building the sets. We have been on somewhat of a pack opening hiatus for almost 2 years. Some minor exceptions here and there, but for the most part, nada.

The other hard to find item is supplies - blowout never has them anymore. If I want to pick them up, will have to drag myself to a show, I guess.

As for vintage -- I could use a personal shopper!!! If your store has vintage (in good condition), I would be happy to start taking it off his hands. My 1974 set is probably 80%+ complete, would love to be able to pick up a huge chunk of the rest in one transaction. Let me know and I would be happy to send you my want lists.

 

[bblair_2002]

The big thing for me is the inability to get retail boxes at this point. Opening packs is something that my son and I enjoy doing and than building the sets. We have been on somewhat of a pack opening hiatus for almost 2 years. Some minor exceptions here and there, but for the most part, nada.

The other hard to find item is supplies - blowout never has them anymore. If I want to pick them up, will have to drag myself to a show, I guess.

As for vintage -- I could use a personal shopper!!! If your store has vintage (in good condition), I would be happy to start taking it off his hands. My 1974 set is probably 80%+ complete, would love to be able to pick up a huge chunk of the rest in one transaction. Let me know and I would be happy to send you my want lists.

Isn't that the best way to build any set these days? I plan on working on the 2022 Topps Heritage set this year (because of the 1973 birth year theme). If you can find a blaster or 2 for you and Kirby to open and start on a set,that's great. I've seen hobby breaks of this and from what I see,the collation is terrible. My plans for next Sunday is to go to the Albany show and find a couple of bulk singles lots and do it that way. That's the beauty of being on this site over most others. Trading for set needs is just as popular as trading for any other type of card.

 

[2card]

Here's my take.. 2 brand new shops have opened around me in less then a year so put your mask on and enjoy, any deals NO! Any packs NO! Supplies YOU'LL PAY!! But it's a shop so deal with it!!!
Now on to my take at a show yesterday...Vintage well 2 fellas were set up 4 tables 16' each thats 32' of binders full of vintage and the one guy could not stop to eat his granola bar he was that busy!!!!
Now you turn around and a youngster maybe 10-12 is peddeling a magic dragon card and a dealer offers $10 and the kid stiffs him and walks!!!! Take that sh&% to math class and the whole class will pass with A's!!!!LOLLOL!!! Honey i spent time with Jr Today.....AWWWW your the best Dad!!!!!LOL!!!
Then this aisle you got two ole timer dealers and the one has up to date product and making bank...the other is Bit#$(*G cuz his 69 cubs infield graded at 5.4 ain't selling!!! IF SOMEONE OFFERS ME CASH THEY CAN HAVE IT ALL!!!! OMG i needed a bathroom break!!!!LOLOLOL... Dude do you think these kids want a Glen Beckertt graded at 4.3???? now did he play for the milwaukee braves? or center field for the sox??
So i've had enough fun so i gotta go and as I'm wandering i hear---Hey duuuuudee whats in the apache case bra??? aw braman dude it's loaded bra..Have a look dawg, awww dude you got bank here bro so bra hit me up later dawg and tell how much coin you earned man!!!! Right on man we'll click later on!!!
So is it COVID?? Obama's fault?? Trumps?? Who knows but yes things do really upset me with collecting and sometimes i just wanna 86 the whole deal but where can you get this kinda entertainment??? I'm just having some fun with it and i understand others views But hey NEWSFLASH!!!! Brady is coming back so tell me here dudemanbro how is this COVID's fault?? Rogers stays in Greenbay, Brady says he's the man...Open your wallet dudes it's gunna get fun!!!
So if any of you bromans have some low budget 22 topps baseball text me and i'll send my girl over cuz i gotta hang back to catch the 1 of 1 Bron Auction going off.

 

[Kirbyfan34]

Sorry I did not explain myself very well at all concerning vintage. I realize that most vintage has skyrocketed in value to previously unseen levels which I am thrilled about. I was speaking on how things are here locally and at our LCS. Everyone here goes crazy for the newest products and don't care at all about the vintage. That benefits me because I am the only buyer of the older cards at the LCS. The running joke t the LCS is that I was the only person who ever looked at the display cases with the older cards in them which is pretty much true.

Just the other day a guy came into the LCS with a ex-mt master set of 1974 Topps Baseball with the red team checklists and all the Washington N'L League variations. The $60 Winfield RC was a beauty! The store owner put the Winfield on the counter along side a $10 Wander Franco insert and said that 10 out of 10 customers would choose the Franco over the Winfield if they could take one of the cards for free. I'd be one of the very, very few that would choose the Winfield RC. The point is that just about every person that comes into the store wants the newest product and will drop big bucks to get it. And 90% of the time the buyers end up with nothing of note from their high dollar purchases.

side note: I 99% sure the player in the Winfield RC story was Wander Franco. For sure it was the player that everyone is chasing in the 2022 products. My knowledge of current MLB players is very sketchy at best which is another reason it is smart that I have not opened a pack since 1992! LOL

I would, also take the Winfield. Franco could very well be the next big thing, but he could also be the next Joe Charbeneau. I have been to a card show in close to 20 years and have mostly relied on retail blasters and such to build my collection. The thing that bums me out is no shop in the area has 5k count boxes of commons to search, which as a set builder, stinks. It's cool though, that even the bulk of my collection, which is alot of junk wax era stuff is starting to move upwards now. Still won't pay for the kids college, but...

 

[KCLJ520]

@SymphonicMetal love your comment about "the bad old days of junk wax!!"

I have seen the rise in prices definitely here in the STL area, the shows I have been to have had dealers with absurd prices, and the most recent show I went to, every dealer I talked to said that sales have been slow. I think people took the temporary boom (which has been good for the hobby in some respects, maybe not for young collectors though) and ran with it, and things may be starting to level out now that inflation is so rampant.

At that most recent show, I talked to a dealer who only had MMA cards, everything graded and slabbed, and nothing under $180. I thought that a tad excessive, but he told me that MMA is the new hot collection. He also told me that he had been there all day and made not a single sale. Hmmmmm......

One final note. I am visiting Canton with my friends in May. I called about the combo ticket to both the NFL HOF and the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, which would save us about $10 apiece. The rep I talked to in Canton told me that they are no longer doing combo tickets because of Covid. I asked what Covid had to do with discontinuing the combo tickets. He said it was policy. Now we are naturally going just the same, 10 bucks apiece isnt a deal breaker for us, but I think a lot of people are blaming higher prices on Covid, which really didnt influence things other than maybe cut down on revenue, which they have to make up somewhere.

As they say, it is what it is!!

Blessings,

Kevin

 

[SymphonicMetal]

As for vintage -- I could use a personal shopper!!! If your store has vintage (in good condition), I would be happy to start taking it off his hands. My 1974 set is probably 80%+ complete, would love to be able to pick up a huge chunk of the rest in one transaction. Let me know and I would be happy to send you my want lists.

While neither the LCS owner nor I picked up the 1974 master Topps set last week, I have picked up a lot of nice 1974s over the past year from the local card store. I need to get on that '74 project to see if I want to make a set from these and my existing dups. I'll LYK what I decide once I get to that long, procrastinated project.

 

[Tony Kozelichki]

In response to Kevin's post above, I am looking forward to heading to Chicago this weekend for the Sports Spectacular, but already know I will bypass at least half of the tables featuring nothing but graded cards or 3200 count boxes of quarter cards needing to be searched. The same goes for the National, which I will skip this year due to its location.

In both cases, I see people looking to make fast buck and fewer of the long time dealers I have grown accustomed to. It's getting tougher to find vintage material that's not graded

This past weekend I set up at a local show and did quite well, selling low dollar stuff (no single card sold for more than $10) and some oddball memorabilia (top dollar was $30 for a store model bat). Next to me was a guy with 80% graded cards (all newer) and 20% loose cards (also newer). I don't think he sold more than two or three graded cards but did sell some newer stuff. Kept pushing the graded stuff on customers, often complaining the graded 9 should have been a 10.

I recently started doing local shows more than the two a year in Davenport, but what I'm seeing is way too much new stuff, too many unopened new boxes, and too much expensive new graded stuff. Too many people with too little knowledge have jumped on the Covid bandwagon that permeated the hobby the last couple of years telling them how "hot" the market is. I keep thinking 1988 is happening all over again. Like the stock market which has taken a big hit in recent weeks, the card market, too, may be on the verge of a steep fall.

 

[katester44]

While neither the LCS owner nor I picked up the 1974 master Topps set last week, I have picked up a lot of nice 1974s over the past year from the local card store. I need to get on that '74 project to see if I want to make a set from these and my existing dups. I'll LYK what I decide once I get to that long, procrastinated project.

I completely understand long, drawn out and procrastination. At some point, I am going to just go to the Philly Show for an entire weekend and buy up every possible card I can find, that I need. I enjoy trading for what I need, but it is at best, an arduous process!

 

[shig]

The thing that bums me out is no shop in the area has 5k count boxes of commons to search, which as a set builder, stinks. It's cool though, that even the bulk of my collection, which is alot of junk wax era stuff is starting to move upwards now. Still won't pay for the kids college, but...

I think I've shared this video before but anyway, you mention lack of 5k boxes at your shop. Take a look at the 1:35 mark on this video, and then again at the 2:45 mark....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2x7L1CMHhQ .

That's where I've been going since they opened when I was 10 years old in 1990 All those boxes are singles in chronological alphabetical order by set and the binders up top are stars. If you need some cards pulled, I'm happy to help. I enjoy doing it and I'm in there once a week for something or other anyway. The singles have stuff back to the 50s, and the only years they don't have are 1988-1993 simply because they had to do away with something to have room for everything else that was gonna be coming out a few years ago. So yeah, if you got big set need lists, I get a real good price there an am happy to help.

 

[SymphonicMetal]

I think I've shared this video before but anyway, you mention lack of 5k boxes at your shop. Take a look at the 1:35 mark on this video, and then again at the 2:45 mark....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2x7L1CMHhQ .

That's where I've been going since they opened when I was 10 years old in 1990 All those boxes are singles in chronological alphabetical order by set and the binders up top are stars. If you need some cards pulled, I'm happy to help. I enjoy doing it and I'm in there once a week for something or other anyway. The singles have stuff back to the 50s, and the only years they don't have are 1988-1993 simply because they had to do away with something to have room for everything else that was gonna be coming out a few years ago. So yeah, if you got big set need lists, I get a real good price there an am happy to help.

All those cards and not a single Frank Tripucka RC? Or Tom Nalen? The horrors!

I am with Kirbyfan34 on the fact that card stores are never set up for set builders. That has been going on for decades unfortunately. In the past 14 months I have only seen 2 customers with want lists at our LCS and those were for current baseball sets. No one else builds sets. All the interest is in new unopened boxes and a few hot RCs.

I still think the demise of set building really hurt the hobby in the early 90s and I think the same will occur in today's market. When no one wants 99.99% of sports cards, both past and present, that does not bode well for the hobby.

 

[shig]

All those cards and not a single Frank Tripucka RC? Or Tom Nalen? The horrors!

I am with Kirbyfan34 on the fact that card stores are never set up for set builders. That has been going on for decades unfortunately. In the past 14 months I have only seen 2 customers with want lists at our LCS and those were for current baseball sets. No one else builds sets. All the interest is in new unopened boxes and a few hot RCs.

I still think the demise of set building really hurt the hobby in the early 90s and I think the same will occur in today's market. When no one wants 99.99% of sports cards, both past and present, that does not bode well for the hobby.

No, no Tripucka because stuff that old goes in a display case and gets bought up. Tom Nalen is or at least was a regular at Broncos events where guys would do signings, so his stuff got snatched up too.

I remember back in like 92 when I was 12 or so telling my uncle I didn't like cards anymore because it seemed like people were soon just gonna buy packs of ONE card and it was dumb. Not too long after that I remember us laughing because (I think it was Pinnacle) came out with some product that was more or less a pack with one card. I recently went to initiate a trade with someone on the Beckett site and he told me that almost everything of his that I had selected wasn't available anymore because he'd been pulling cards from his sets to sell and putting the rest of it in the paper recycling over the past few weeks. I don't get it. I love having big-ass boxes of "commons" and pullin cards to help people build sets. It's all just gimmicks now. I like some of the gimmicky cards, but nothing beats an old football set of 400+ cards for me

 

[bblair_2002]

So i've had enough fun so i gotta go and as I'm wandering i hear---Hey duuuuudee whats in the apache case bra??? aw braman dude it's loaded bra..Have a look dawg, awww dude you got bank here bro so bra hit me up later dawg and tell how much coin you earned man!!!! Right on man we'll click later on!!!

Reading this part reminded me of a lot of YouTube v-logs I've seen. In the beginning you have someone talking into the camera planning their visit to a show,what they're looking for,etc. you know,completely normal. As soon as they enter the show and see someone they know,their entire manner of speaking changes so instead of "Hello,my friend" in the beginning of the video,it's now "Yo Dawg,whassup?" LOL Makes me laugh.

 

[2card]

No, no Tripucka because stuff that old goes in a display case and gets bought up. Tom Nalen is or at least was a regular at Broncos events where guys would do signings, so his stuff got snatched up too.

I remember back in like 92 when I was 12 or so telling my uncle I didn't like cards anymore because it seemed like people were soon just gonna buy packs of ONE card and it was dumb. Not too long after that I remember us laughing because (I think it was Pinnacle) came out with some product that was more or less a pack with one card. I recently went to initiate a trade with someone on the Beckett site and he told me that almost everything of his that I had selected wasn't available anymore because he'd been pulling cards from his sets to sell and putting the rest of it in the paper recycling over the past few weeks. I don't get it. I love having big-ass boxes of "commons" and pullin cards to help people build sets. It's all just gimmicks now. I like some of the gimmicky cards, but nothing beats an old football set of 400+ cards for me

Dam straight on the sets!!!