Post-COVID changes in our hobby

[Jaybo374]

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 used to be the other guy who always looked at vintage cards at the same LCS. I haven‘t purchased anything since last summer because with my daughter going to college next year, I just don’t have the discretionary income to buy cards anymore.

On a different note, I started selling on Sportlots last year. I’ve noticed a significant drop off in the amount of items listed on their auctions since I started. I’m sure it was because of the lockout, but I think it will not recover due to everything being open again and the economic uncertainty that many face.

 

[SymphonicMetal]

Here is something that is a major negative for the hobby since the Pandemic began........THEFT! Back in the day theft was always a concern but for 20 years interest in sports cards was so low that theft was not much of a concern. Now you really have to worry about that be it if you are a business or a private residence.

Here is a news article about arrests made in not one, not two.......... but THREE smash and grab robberies at Southpaw Sportscards in Syracuse. That store has been there since the late 80s and was never robbed before..........which was a little surprising due to the fury over cards in the late 80s/early 90s. One of the robbers was a regular in the store that was burglarized and I actually met him twice at our LCS!!!! I guess it shows I only hang out with the classiest people! But I was the only person who was skeptical of this guy as there were several things that did not seem right.

Here is the article about the 3 smash and grabs and subsequent arrests. And to make matters worse they were immediately released w/o bail!!!!

More than $30K in sports memorabilia stolen from Cicero store, police say

Three men used a sledgehammer to break into Southpaw Sportscards for the third time since May, police said.

www.syracuse.com

 

[Chavezforprez]

Here is something that is a major negative for the hobby since the Pandemic began........THEFT! Back in the day theft was always a concern but for 20 years interest in sports cards was so low that theft was not much of a concern. Now you really have to worry about that be it if you are a business or a private residence.

Here is a news article about arrests made in not one, not two.......... but THREE smash and grab robberies at Southpaw Sportscards in Syracuse. That store has been there since the late 80s and was never robbed before..........which was a little surprising due to the fury over cards in the late 80s/early 90s. One of the robbers was a regular in the store that was burglarized and I actually met him twice at our LCS!!!! I guess it shows I only hang out with the classiest people! But I was the only person who was skeptical of this guy as there were several things that did not seem right.

Here is the article about the 3 smash and grabs and subsequent arrests. And to make matters worse they were immediately released w/o bail!!!!

More than $30K in sports memorabilia stolen from Cicero store, police say

Three men used a sledgehammer to break into Southpaw Sportscards for the third time since May, police said.

www.syracuse.com

Dang, that's unreal. Three break-ins.

 

[shig]

Here is something that is a major negative for the hobby since the Pandemic began........THEFT! Back in the day theft was always a concern but for 20 years interest in sports cards was so low that theft was not much of a concern. Now you really have to worry about that be it if you are a business or a private residence.

Here is a news article about arrests made in not one, not two.......... but THREE smash and grab robberies at Southpaw Sportscards in Syracuse. That store has been there since the late 80s and was never robbed before..........which was a little surprising due to the fury over cards in the late 80s/early 90s. One of the robbers was a regular in the store that was burglarized and I actually met him twice at our LCS!!!! I guess it shows I only hang out with the classiest people! But I was the only person who was skeptical of this guy as there were several things that did not seem right.

Here is the article about the 3 smash and grabs and subsequent arrests. And to make matters worse they were immediately released w/o bail!!!!

More than $30K in sports memorabilia stolen from Cicero store, police say

Three men used a sledgehammer to break into Southpaw Sportscards for the third time since May, police said.

www.syracuse.com

Any follow up on them? Are they in jail now?? That's so damn funny though that between the three of htem, not one could think "what's that thing about how people often getting caught by returning to the scene of the crime?" Does this store not have bars?

Dang, that's unreal. Three break-ins.

.....yeah by the same dummies. How long did they think they'd get away with breakin in with a sledgehammer?!

 

[SymphonicMetal]

Any follow up on them? Are they in jail now?? That's so damn funny though that between the three of htem, not one could think "what's that thing about how people often getting caught by returning to the scene of the crime?" Does this store not have bars?

.....yeah by the same dummies. How long did they think they'd get away with breakin in with a sledgehammer?!

I'm not certain what will happen to those three but according to the LCS owner here in my town, the owner of the victimized store does not think anything will happen to them. These three smash and grabs were not considered felonies since there was no one in the building at the time of the crimes. SMH!!!

I have not been to Southpaw in about 15-20 years since it is about 2 hours away, but guys around here who do say the robbers went right to where the pricey new unopened material was and completely wiped out that stock. Like I said, one of the guys who robbed the place was a regular at the store so he knew right where to go and what to take.

I can't believe a security camera did not catch these guys on the 2nd robbery since it would not have been too difficult to pick out the "regular" at the store. But for some reason it did not (assuming there was a camera) and they got away with a 2nd smash and grab before going back for the third time.

 

[bblair_2002]

One positive I have seen from going to shows since the pandemic comes from selling your cards to dealers.

Back in the day,quoting eBay sold values was pretty taboo and dealers would just reply "Then go sell it on eBay!" With the market being so strong it's now welcomed so instead of being offered 15 to 20 cents on the dollar for stuff in the olden days,it's now roughly 70-80% of eBay comps today. It is a more customer-friendly way of dealing.

 

[mm1sub]

I guess I am going to be a minority of one in that I think the price increase of cards acroos the board is horrible for the hobby. It is horribel for kids and adults alike. I for one (and I am probably the only one) do not like the fact that Beckett has increased the value of cards to the point that a VERY large majority of people cannot afford this stuff anymore. I am not sure about other people here on TheBench but to me this is just a hobby I actually have bills and other things that I have to spend money on. To see the price of a 1960 Topps Mickey Mantle at 1,500.00 is ridiculous. Are there that many of that card being sold to justify the dramatic price increase? I also saw where a 1971 Topps Richie Allen is now at 300.00. I understand it is a high number and an SP at that. But is that card in such high demand? I understand that there are many more people who are in this to make money (even here on this site). I see nothing wrong with that. But I have been at this game a long time. I do not want to see a crash like we saw in the early 90's. But I think that even a lot of the vintage cards are overpriced. I will never get out of the hobby. I have been in it since I was a kid and it is too late to stop now. I just hope that it will continue to be fun and not have a spiral downward.

 

[Gnep31]

The biggest downside I have seen is the amount of investors who have moved into the hobby. They buy and sell graded cards like they are day traders selling stocks.

Some sites I frequent are inundated with graded cards now....very few raw cards. Because of this I have purchased well less over the past two years. I wish sites would have separate areas for investors (graded cards) and collectors (ungraded).

 

[shig]

Amen to both mm2sub and Gnep31 both. I've often thought about writing something on my thoughts regarding cards based on my experience collecting from being 9 in 1989 to being 42 in 2022 and both of you touch on two of the three things thst drive me nuts (prices for casual collectors and kids, and grading). The third being the over saturation of jersey cards, which, are kinda cool when its an actual game used thing, and i would love to see the process of who collects and keeps track of them all and am curious to know how many jerseys used by players in, like the 70s are REALLY out there and available to be used to cut up. And this **** where a card has something like a "piece of an event worn article of clothing" or however they choose to word it... I don't want a piece of someones clothing that wasnt even involved in an actual game thats in the books. That's a step closer to idolatry than I'd ever like to be. ...and autographed cards with those damn stickers... uggh I'll stop now.

 

[2card]

After today I'm just about ready to throw the towel in!!! Covid, post covid, whatever..today just felt like a good day to rip packs so reached out to 3 LCS, 1 less then a year old, 1 at just a year old, 1 that must be making money cuz remodeled his store. Pretty much looking at a hobby box so remodel store was off the charts for price....less then a year store told me if i had anything worth value to sell i needed an appointment!!!! excuse me??? AN APPOINTMENT!!!!! seriously!!!! OOOOOHHHH you just want a hobby box....Kinda felt like a redheaded step child!!!! ok well wear your mask and drop your dime i think we have a couple in stock.. Might do better with pokemon cards at that place.. The 3rd shop has waaaaaaaayyy more important stuff going on like topps conventions and this week who knows convention in vegas rather then sell a box a box of cards. "stop in next week and we'll set you up" LOL wow don't break your arm unlocking the shop door pal. I want to blame covid but if they got this way in the covid era and there acting like this in the post covid era. i see 2 choices and those being order online and wait a week (hey free shipping!!!) for a blaster and hope the worlds economy sucks the life out of the high roller shops or just call it good and go fishing..

 

[Gnep31]

2card-
Where is the shop that is still making people wear a mask? I'm just curious....but for that reason alone they would not get my business.

I attended a convention last week for four days in Louisville. Hundreds of thousands of people, a ton of handshakes and even a couple of hugs. I saw a handful of masks, but thankfully they were few and far between.

I also think Covid may have pushed more people into trading/purchasing online....which isn't necessarily a bad thing for us traders. But like said previously.....it also is encouraging the day traders with their over priced, encased cards.

 

[KCLJ520]

Being a very occasional collector, I havent been to a card shop in several years and have not been to a big convention in some time either, I mostly do small shows in STL or online. The stories I am hearing from you guys are a real bummer, as the bubble will eventually burst, fortunately and unfortunately.

Prospecting is at an all time high, and while its nice to make money, as several people said here, eventually this stuff is going to price itself out of the market, as who can afford it now? As a kid in the 80s, it was easy and fun...not to mention CHEAP! If you had a couple quarters, you went and picked up a pack or two! Those days are but a memory now.

Blessings,

Kevin