Why do you like eTopps cards? What attracts you to them? I myself don't collect them but really want to hear your input. Just curious. Thanks!

Tim

I love etopps because I only get the players I LIKE, the cards look nice, and the cards hold their values and often go up, helping me buy more etopps cards!!

I just within the last week have gotten into them. And I probably wouldn't have, had it not been for some of the people I have talked to in this forum and I'm so far pretty happy I did. In my opinion I enjoy the fact that there is no S&H charges, I know the cards are in mint condition, and I know what I'm getting...Don't get me wrong I still enjoy collecting regular cards and probably always will, but I get tired of spending hundreds of dollars on hobby boxes only to come up shorted sometimes, there's nothing like pulling a great card from a box, but it's also a pretty good feeling to win a card in a auction for what you think is a great price and then for that card to turn around and skyrcket in price. And as I see etopps growing in the collecting community I feel that it's popularity will continue to grow!!!

I'm pretty new to eTopps, how does it work? I'm interested in getting into it. Thanks!

Tim

Originally posted by stkmtimo
I'm pretty new to eTopps, how does it work? I'm interested in getting into it. Thanks!

Tim

That's a very open-ended question and a very hard one to answer. I suggest you go to www.etopps.com and view the tour. The link for the tour is on the main page and says :

What's etopps ?
Check out The Play
Book. Get play by
play info for all
things etopps.

Click that and it opens up a movie for you to watch and interact with. Then if you have questins it's easier to answer specific ones then just the general "how does it work?" question.

Its very easy and simple in terms of trading. You know what the cards look like and you just set up an auction! (But the damn 31 cent fees!!!! and 3 day auction time). If you get them in hand they look very nice too. Also I like how I can buy players that I want and not have a bunch of crap (can I say that) cards leftover. I just wish there were like Game Used Cards....

Interesting, should be fun.

Thanks!

Tim

Originally posted by Qball76
I just within the last week have gotten into them. And I probably wouldn't have, had it not been for some of the people I have talked to in this forum and I'm so far pretty happy I did. In my opinion I enjoy the fact that there is no S&H charges, I know the cards are in mint condition, and I know what I'm getting...Don't get me wrong I still enjoy collecting regular cards and probably always will, but I get tired of spending hundreds of dollars on hobby boxes only to come up shorted sometimes, there's nothing like pulling a great card from a box, but it's also a pretty good feeling to win a card in a auction for what you think is a great price and then for that card to turn around and skyrcket in price. And as I see etopps growing in the collecting community I feel that it's popularity will continue to grow!!!

You may have just convinced me to get into eTopps. I have not been buying that many regular cards lately and I've been meaning to check out these "new" cards.

Originally posted by pwaldo
You may have just convinced me to get into eTopps. I have not been buying that many regular cards lately and I've been meaning to check out these "new" cards.

I've only been in them a week and already I'm hooked, give em a shot by just spending a few bucks and see how you like it. The most important rule buy cheap sell hi LOL!!!!!

Wow, sounds like a great tool. I might buy some :)

Tim

I think what makes it fun is how it is similar to the stock market. You take risks, you follow the tenet buy low sell high and you can also trade with others and work up a "portfolio." I think it's a better investment and safer than the stock market (if you don't count the surge in the last couple days due to the war).

Plunge, I'm a hedge fund manager and actively trade the markets each day for my firm, so I can relate. Sounds like a great thing, I might get into it.

Tim

im going to post on why i dont like them.....sure you get great cards and only the ones you want but that takes the fun out of it....you cant open a pack of etopps at the card store, that takes at least half of my fun out of it....you may call me old fashoined but for every hobby box i have been disappointed with i also get the ones that include the kobe gu jersey.....the shaq auto and the T--Mac gu floor/film my fav. part of collecting is opening the boxes in fact i would open the packs and sell every card in them (cept Lamar Odom and any nice gu/autos) just to be able to buy more....i love the experiance and the chance to open something awesome....thats my opinion

Originally posted by stkmtimo
Plunge, I'm a hedge fund manager and actively trade the markets each day for my firm, so I can relate. Sounds like a great thing, I might get into it.

Tim

Well Timbo,

just like I you will love it, I left the financial services field, I only did mutual funds, but they were cool and working with Smith Barney (who I believe are some of the greatest fund mgr's on the planet richie freeman baby)van kampen , putnam and aim people. I like etopps because of the same thing, just what could happen if that one player is like the walmart and microsoft were years ago. I will take them any day of the week and they even reward with performance bonuses sort of like dividends so it is really cool, but trust really addicting.

my .02 worth
gio:hop:

Hey gio,
I agree with you there. Richie Freeman is a star over at Smith Barney. Some fund managers have all the luck, lol! He is a really good fund manager, though. Interesting, how did the financial services field treat you?

Tim

Really well I was sitting with some of the people who worked with last night, the office jsut went to hell, in 3 years I amassed not much maybe around 3 million in AUM and you bet believe on of those had some richie, hersh cohen and johnny goode in their life. Most of time I went with SB, and use VK for the others because VK aggressive stuff was more aggressive than most, but the main guy couldn't switch out of tech.

But richie I had a chance to meet him and others at our annual convention last year, got his auto (can you believe that) I am like I buy cards with sports figures auto and they take $$$ out of my pocket, but here are these SB guys who are putting money in my pocket.

A smile jsut came to my face, thinking about richie less than 4% turnover on a aggressive growth fund, which is unheard of in the business, I guess that is what experience does for you.

all in all I left the office back in aug 2002 just sick of the politics, have been thinking about going back, one of the sweetest thing about being an independent contractor.

I applied at Ed Jones but they turned me down, I probably should have told them I had no experience, would have got on with them then I bet. 3 million AUM in 3 years and was only licensed for about 2 of them is really good I think especially when the avg transaction was a shady 2-3K rollover and some 25-50 dollar monthy pac's. I don't think I really want to get out there and hustle like that anymore, maybe buy a established business and just run it and pay others to do the hustling.

heck I dunno
GIO

Wow, interesting stuff. I'm doing OK here, war is helping...

Tim

Originally posted by tutall
im going to post on why i dont like them.....sure you get great cards and only the ones you want but that takes the fun out of it....you cant open a pack of etopps at the card store, that takes at least half of my fun out of it....you may call me old fashoined but for every hobby box i have been disappointed with i also get the ones that include the kobe gu jersey.....the shaq auto and the T--Mac gu floor/film my fav. part of collecting is opening the boxes in fact i would open the packs and sell every card in them (cept Lamar Odom and any nice gu/autos) just to be able to buy more....i love the experiance and the chance to open something awesome....thats my opinion

See Tutall... those are the reasons why I HATE the cardboard industry now. Those ultra rare inserts are what has priced me out of the hobby. I can pay $1000 for a box of cards and not pull a damn thing. At least I know what I'm getting when I put $1000 into etopps and I can watch my investment grow.