Wow. Just Wow.

[skatalite]

I really hadn't thought of that, and I half agree with you. The way you described this guys and other 'hobby enthusiasts' breaks it sounds kind of like a combination of gambling and a visit to chucky cheese, and I'm not trying to be facetious either. These hobby enthusiasts spend a ton of money on cases of exquisite, sell what they can, then use that money to buy more cards. Lather, rinse, repeat. Then, along the way, they keep the cards they like the most for themselves, even though they could have gotten them individually for much cheaper. So basically, the way I see it now, they're in it for a different, but equally, in my opinion, negative reason. But hey, I guess it's their money and if that's how they want to spend it, just throwing extra money at upper deck, that's their perogative and all power to them.

As for trading, maybe, once in awhile, if they see another hobby enthusiast with an exquisite card or something like it of similar value, they'll swap. And as for the Jordan, it is somewhat of an antique, and that's where its value comes from. It's not 'injected' (best adjective I could think of) with value by sticking on a jersey letter, having it signed, and making 6 different parallels all numbered to 1. Which brings me to my last point, that exquisite has hurt lower end stuff by making these autographed lettermans so common. Isn't it at all unfair to the casual collector that a jersey auto out of normal upper deck or bowman that's maybe one a case is worth so little now that you can spend more money and be guaranteed a few per pack? It makes even the rarest stuff be worth much less than it really should.

Good discussing this with you.

I would take your idea one step further and say manufactured patches are to blame for a lot of the devalued market prices, and the insane amounts of "game-used" cards. Topps, Upper Deck... They both do it. Those fake patches, fake lettermen, fake logos... Upper Deck Black was 99 percent manufactured. And the product was, what, $200 a pack? For two cards? And now Topps has Topps Lettermen. It'll never end.

[SgtPepper]

Excessive parallels are also to blame. Prime example is bowman elevation. You'd think a jersey #'d to 19 would be worth more than 12 bucks. I was talking to my local hobby shop owner, and he raised a good point. There's really only 2 brands left, and with such minimal competition, they don't really care what people want because they know that everyone is still going to buy their stuff.

[skatalite]

Excessive parallels are also to blame. Prime example is bowman elevation. You'd think a jersey #'d to 19 would be worth more than 12 bucks. I was talking to my local hobby shop owner, and he raised a good point. There's really only 2 brands left, and with such minimal competition, they don't really care what people want because they know that everyone is still going to buy their stuff.

Yeah, of course. And basketball is probably at the top of the list of major sports that suffers from lack of variety. Hockey might be first. Topps and Upper Deck - that's all we have. I'm just happy there aren't any exclusive autographs anymore.

[SgtPepper]

Wait there aren't? So Bron and Kobe and MJ can sign topps cards now?

[skatalite]

Wait there aren't? So Bron and Kobe and MJ can sign topps cards now?

I think those are still exclusives to UD due to extra contractual obligations. But as far as I know, though I may have heard wrong, there are no more exclusive contracts. I'll look into it, though. It could just be for the upcoming rookie class? I'll check.

[gatorboymike]

Yeah, we'll have to wait a few years before Oden and Durant's exclusive contracts expire before we can see a dual signature of them. And when that day comes...damn.

[Trucker]

Damn, what do they keep for their collection, looks like everything is on Ebay.