Panini Holding Less Value?

[mbn451]

I recently just started collecting, and after buying a couple different boxes from various manufacturers it seems that Panini products don't retain their value very well compared to other manufacturers. Is this a mistaken impression or is it generally true?

Last week I bought a 09 Court Kings box, had nice cards, clean autos, including lowish print run Garnett and Duncan patches that I was excited about but after checking ebay and Beckett found out they were in the 5-10$ range. I like some of the Panini products but if the card value isn't there compared to other manufacturers then I would be weary of buying more.

[Frantiic]

i'd say value over all is pretty low right now.. I bought a box of Gold Standrad, pulled a kobe auto. it sold for what i paid for the box. so i got my money back.

Seems like if you buy a product, hit a kobe or a blake, you will not get your money back if you sell. if you're not buying retail that is then i reckon you would make your money back if you pulled a blake or a kobe.

they release a product with a price tag of 120$ and if you score a case hit, you might get lucky to flip it for more than that. makes no sense to me at all.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I too am amazed at how cheap some autos and patches are going for these days. I remember getting a Jason Kidd patch numbered out of 25 earlier this year...eventually traded it, but had I pulled something similar a few years ago, I would have been getting offers left and right right out of the gate. Now it's just another "mid-end" card, despite being a low numbered patch of a future first ballot HOFer.

[cgb_orl]

This is bigger than Panini. I've been following since 03-04 and it's been the same. The lack of interest is one of the reason Topps and UD bailed out. Problem is that Beckett feeds off Ebay and Ebay's pricing can fluctuate with the wind. Lack of interest leads to less bids leading to lower prices. It's a snowball effect from there and the few buyers still around aren't into charity lol

Above all though collectors are tough to find. Most buyers seem to only want the big cards. Everything else falls into the buyer's market category which tells me not to invest $100+ into a box.....Now you have less buyers. The case hits, 1/1s, low print runs, "crazy" patch (not just a good one). Anything that isn't awe worthy gets figuratively discarded. I'd actually say though in the couple years of Panini products, we've seen more major bumps than from other companies. Mostly due to players breaking out but it shows that no one cares until it's profitable.

[mbn451]

Is this more about basketball or just sports card collecting in general?

[cgb_orl]

It's collecting in general but I believe it's worst in basketball. I do a bit of football and little baseball and there seems to be more success selling and more overall interest regardless of how big the pull is.

[JWinn]

I don't see how Panini cards can possibly hold their value when they pump so much product onto the market.

Scarcity is what creates value. Panini likes to point out how rare their cards are for each product. And to an extent, that's true.

Until the release another product with more "rare" cards of the same players, and again, and again, and again.....

When you have 20 or so products each year, from just one company, with the same players, and endless parallels, they lose their scarcity. And their value.

[mbn451]

I don't see how Panini cards can possibly hold their value when they pump so much product onto the market.

Scarcity is what creates value. Panini likes to point out how rare their cards are for each product. And to an extent, that's true.

Until the release another product with more "rare" cards of the same players, and again, and again, and again.....

When you have 20 or so products each year, from just one company, with the same players, and endless parallels, they lose their scarcity. And their value.

I agree. As a new collector it was mind boggling to me looking at all of the products that are constantly coming out from even the same company. I can understand if there was a low-end product, a mid-range product, and a high-end product and maybe even a funky throwback set or something like Ginter but when they release so many sets at the same price range it just seems like cannibalizing their own brands. Maybe since they have the only exclusive NBA contract it will improve soon?

I enjoy cracking boxes but it can be heartbreaking to crack a box knowing that the best I can get is MAYBE getting the price of the box back.

This being said I am surprised supply and demand hasn't balance out box and card price more. If sellers can't at least break even from cracking boxes, then they should eventually stop. The fewer cards on the market should drive singles prices back up until it is feasible to break boxes again.

I understand that breaking boxes is a losing proposition financially and is really just for the thrill of maybe getting some mega hit. It would be nice however to get on average 50-75% of the box value back with what you open. It seems that recently my boxes have been 10-30% of the value from what I paid.

Maybe I will look into cracking baseball or football, and leaving the basketball collecting to just singles.

[JWinn]

I agree. As a new collector it was mind boggling to me looking at all of the products that are constantly coming out from even the same company. I can understand if there was a low-end product, a mid-range product, and a high-end product and maybe even a funky throwback set or something like Ginter but when they release so many sets at the same price range it just seems like cannibalizing their own brands. Maybe since they have the only exclusive NBA contract it will improve soon?

I enjoy cracking boxes but it can be heartbreaking to crack a box knowing that the best I can get is MAYBE getting the price of the box back.

This being said I am surprised supply and demand hasn't balance out box and card price more. If sellers can't at least break even from cracking boxes, then they should eventually stop. The fewer cards on the market should drive singles prices back up until it is feasible to break boxes again.

I understand that breaking boxes is a losing proposition financially and is really just for the thrill of maybe getting some mega hit. It would be nice however to get on average 50-75% of the box value back with what you open. It seems that recently my boxes have been 10-30% of the value from what I paid.

Maybe I will look into cracking baseball or football, and leaving the basketball collecting to just singles.

Well, as I am not a seller, I have a totally different viewpoint. It's not about what I can get back from a box for me. But that does not mean I still don't want my cards to hold some value.

At the rate Panini pumps out product, how CAN they hold any real value.

Further, it's just an observation, but I see sellers as helping to bring down values. Especially here. There's a lot of flippers here, not real collectors. They want to pay BELOW ebay for a card, and I see them often manage to do it.

Well, if THEY are paying below ebay, why shouldn't I as a collector?

Seller's hurt themselves by offering so little. If I see them buy a card for $10 for example, on a card I thought should go for $30, well, I want the same deal.

Hence, now it's a $10 card.

Oh, you can ASK $30, but when I just saw you buy it for $10 in an open thread....

[bdoody42]

Well, as I am not a seller, I have a totally different viewpoint. It's not about what I can get back from a box for me. But that does not mean I still don't want my cards to hold some value.

At the rate Panini pumps out product, how CAN they hold any real value.

Further, it's just an observation, but I see sellers as helping to bring down values. Especially here. There's a lot of flippers here, not real collectors. They want to pay BELOW ebay for a card, and I see them often manage to do it.

Well, if THEY are paying below ebay, why shouldn't I as a collector?

Seller's hurt themselves by offering so little. If I see them buy a card for $10 for example, on a card I thought should go for $30, well, I want the same deal.

Hence, now it's a $10 card.

Oh, you can ASK $30, but when I just saw you buy it for $10 in an open thread....

Of course of a site like this you will see both collectors and flippers. I am both really. I love adding to my pc of Chris Paul whenever I can get something... But I often flip cards to provide the funds to add to me PC. I hope that makes sense.

The basketball card industry is just that an industry. They wouldn't make cards if it was for a profit, so I find it hard to get on people if they buy and sell cards for a profit. It is just like any other job. No one would be upset if cars company bought a used car and then sold it for less. Makes no sense at all. :)

That being said the hobby especially in basketball is in a lull. I have much easier time when I am in the football forum even though I own 85% basketball.

Hopefully with this great season and hopefully more to come the hobby will rebound :)

That's my two cents