I enjoy reading other members stories about their collections. It can be a great deal you got, trading for or getting rid of something, keeping something, not buying something, or overpaying for something that went ultimately down in price.
Here are a few of mine. All of these except the baseball card happened pre-Covid before prices skyrocketed.
Best
Keeping Giannis RCs - Back in 2016 when Giannis wasnt a superstar or worth that much, I worked out a large trade and to even sides out I had a list of cards to choose from. I didnt know who Giannis was but there was an Elite Die Card numbered RC and a Prizm Blue RC. Luckily I chose both of them but also didnt just trade them away right after. Today these are two of my most valuable and favorite cards in my PC.
Buying Lebron RCs off EBAY in 2003 and 2004 - I got the Topps, Bazooka, Upperdeck, and Upperdeck MVP RCs from boxes I bought. I went to EBAY to buy the others. Even though they seemed kind of expensive back then, $20 to $40 a card was a lot twenty-three years ago. I was able to get all these RCs before they skyrocketed in price: Bowman, E-X, Flair #/500, Fleer Platinum #/750, Fleer Showcase #/1000, SPx Winning Materials, and Topps Pristine. Still have all these cards today.
Spending over $100 on one card twice - I rarely spend a lot of money for a single card. I dont think I ever topped $40 other than for these 2 cards. I had been looking for an Ultra Lebron Lucky 13 RC #/500 for a few years. All the ones I found on EBAY were dinged or way overpriced. I finally found one in good condition back in 2007. Seller on EBAY was asking $150 Best Offer but I got him down to $130. I also needed a 98-99 Fleer Dirk Lucky 13 RC to complete my set, was looking for that card for close to ten years. I found it on EBAY in 2012, the guy was asking $140 Best Offer. I got it down to $120 and he also sent me a few extra Dirk RCs. Both are still in my PC.
Selling Wander Franco Auto Rookie - I dont collect baseball at all but I won a contest on SCF where this was the prize. This was around the time he got called up the Rays. I think it was Bowman Prospects on card auto rookie. The going rate on EBAY was around $625-$700 but mine had a few small surface scuffs. Vendor at card show gave me $475 cash. I just took it since that was the best offer I got that day and the card was free. Looking back now, good thing l sold that card and didnt hold out for wanting $25-$50 more.
Worst
Not buying Kobe Topps Chrome RC - So this was way back in 1996 when product first came out. Vendor at card show had several of them on table at $10 each or 3 for $25. To me, it was just a parallel version of the reg Topps RC which I already had so I passed. Considering Kobe became my favorite player a few years later and this card skyrocketed, I still regret not getting at least one that day.
Selling Kobe Bryant Autos - I traded a ton of stuff to someone and got 3 Panini Kobe Autos in same deal back in 2011. Two were sticker (one being out of 99) and the other was on card (out of 25). The going rate on EBAY was between $110-120 each. I stupidly sold all 3 of them right away because l wanted to use the funds to get an on card SP Authentic or Upperdeck Kobe auto instead. I never found the Auto I wanted and regret not even keeping one of the Panini autos. This is probably my biggest blunder in my 34 years of collecting.
Selling Lebron Topps Chrome RC - I traded for this card around 2009 at card show. Traded several Kobe and Shaq RCs for it. Lebron goes to Heat and win a title. I was trying to sell some cards to recoup for the Dirk Lucky 13 RC I just bought. The going rate on EBAY for card was $55-$60 at that time. I sold it to vendor for $55 and regret that I didnt keep it.
Here are a few of mine. All of these except the baseball card happened pre-Covid before prices skyrocketed.
Best
Keeping Giannis RCs - Back in 2016 when Giannis wasnt a superstar or worth that much, I worked out a large trade and to even sides out I had a list of cards to choose from. I didnt know who Giannis was but there was an Elite Die Card numbered RC and a Prizm Blue RC. Luckily I chose both of them but also didnt just trade them away right after. Today these are two of my most valuable and favorite cards in my PC.
Buying Lebron RCs off EBAY in 2003 and 2004 - I got the Topps, Bazooka, Upperdeck, and Upperdeck MVP RCs from boxes I bought. I went to EBAY to buy the others. Even though they seemed kind of expensive back then, $20 to $40 a card was a lot twenty-three years ago. I was able to get all these RCs before they skyrocketed in price: Bowman, E-X, Flair #/500, Fleer Platinum #/750, Fleer Showcase #/1000, SPx Winning Materials, and Topps Pristine. Still have all these cards today.
Spending over $100 on one card twice - I rarely spend a lot of money for a single card. I dont think I ever topped $40 other than for these 2 cards. I had been looking for an Ultra Lebron Lucky 13 RC #/500 for a few years. All the ones I found on EBAY were dinged or way overpriced. I finally found one in good condition back in 2007. Seller on EBAY was asking $150 Best Offer but I got him down to $130. I also needed a 98-99 Fleer Dirk Lucky 13 RC to complete my set, was looking for that card for close to ten years. I found it on EBAY in 2012, the guy was asking $140 Best Offer. I got it down to $120 and he also sent me a few extra Dirk RCs. Both are still in my PC.
Selling Wander Franco Auto Rookie - I dont collect baseball at all but I won a contest on SCF where this was the prize. This was around the time he got called up the Rays. I think it was Bowman Prospects on card auto rookie. The going rate on EBAY was around $625-$700 but mine had a few small surface scuffs. Vendor at card show gave me $475 cash. I just took it since that was the best offer I got that day and the card was free. Looking back now, good thing l sold that card and didnt hold out for wanting $25-$50 more.
Worst
Not buying Kobe Topps Chrome RC - So this was way back in 1996 when product first came out. Vendor at card show had several of them on table at $10 each or 3 for $25. To me, it was just a parallel version of the reg Topps RC which I already had so I passed. Considering Kobe became my favorite player a few years later and this card skyrocketed, I still regret not getting at least one that day.
Selling Kobe Bryant Autos - I traded a ton of stuff to someone and got 3 Panini Kobe Autos in same deal back in 2011. Two were sticker (one being out of 99) and the other was on card (out of 25). The going rate on EBAY was between $110-120 each. I stupidly sold all 3 of them right away because l wanted to use the funds to get an on card SP Authentic or Upperdeck Kobe auto instead. I never found the Auto I wanted and regret not even keeping one of the Panini autos. This is probably my biggest blunder in my 34 years of collecting.
Selling Lebron Topps Chrome RC - I traded for this card around 2009 at card show. Traded several Kobe and Shaq RCs for it. Lebron goes to Heat and win a title. I was trying to sell some cards to recoup for the Dirk Lucky 13 RC I just bought. The going rate on EBAY for card was $55-$60 at that time. I sold it to vendor for $55 and regret that I didnt keep it.
