2011 SP Authentic - Hurting Lebron and Jordan Auto Prices?

[MJSuperCollector]

To Joncamburn: Yes, it probably will, but they've already done that. Once Upper Deck found out how well their products with Jordan autographs sell, they completely FLOODED the market with them, and now they're worth less than half of what they were just a few years ago. The same thing happened with game-used memorabilia cards, which used to be all the rage, and now you can barely give them away. It happened to insert cards before that, and it'll be the case with patch cards too in a few years, which I why I can't believe people don't see that and continue to pay what they do for that kind of stuff. It's not going to be worth half of what they paid for it unless they only hold it short-term. The best way to go has also been to collect and hold good rookie cards of very high quality players in good grade, and also hard-to-find cards of kinds of star players that will be popular long past their retirement. Buying autographed or patch cards that are hot now are like buying stocks because your buddy at the gym thought they were a good idea.

[jeebus86]

To Joncamburn: Yes, it probably will, but they've already done that. Once Upper Deck found out how well their products with Jordan autographs sell, they completely FLOODED the market with them, and now they're worth less than half of what they were just a few years ago. The same thing happened with game-used memorabilia cards, which used to be all the rage, and now you can barely give them away. It happened to insert cards before that, and it'll be the case with patch cards too in a few years, which I why I can't believe people don't see that and continue to pay what they do for that kind of stuff. It's not going to be worth half of what they paid for it unless they only hold it short-term. The best way to go has also been to collect and hold good rookie cards of very high quality players in good grade, and also hard-to-find cards of kinds of star players that will be popular long past their retirement. Buying autographed or patch cards that are hot now are like buying stocks because your buddy at the gym thought they were a good idea.

MJ auto's have actually raised in price this past year, especially his older ones.

[hairyangryfella]

I could care less. I DESPISE the UD releases in college uniforms, I wouldn't want a Jordan or Lebron auto from those sets, especially the Jordans, of which there appear to be a LOT of and VERY LITTLE APPEAL (to me).
Most of the lower-end Jordan Bulls autos are still going cheap, I don't think things will change dramatically.

[airnoname]

Besides College and High scholl uniforms, I hate colorless cards.

[whalechaser]

i dont see y people complain about these things, its the same thing with KD and panini, its antoer chance to get a auto of a great player. how is that bad.

One of the best parts of the hobby is the chase. A Michael Jordan autograph used to be (and currently still is) a dream chase card. The feeling of finally being able to obtain a dream card after years of saving and chasing is unlike anything else. When companies over-saturate the market with "dream cards" (ie what happened with GU cards, what happened with auto cards, what is happening with patches and logomans), they lose their value. Losing value means that we can pick up "dream cards" for $20 or $30 bucks. What's the fun in that when things come so easily.

I hate to sound like a grumpy old man (cause I'm not), but that's one of the things wrong with today's generations. Everything is about instant gratification. Sure, by being instantly gratified we get pleasure and enjoyment for a short while, but what we missed out on is the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of anticipation, and the satisfaction of fulfilling a dream.

Why is the sports card collecting hobby in decline? Not because the products are terrible. It's because everything comes so easily that it becomes boring very very quickly.

[hairyangryfella]

One of the best parts of the hobby is the chase. A Michael Jordan autograph used to be (and currently still is) a dream chase card. The feeling of finally being able to obtain a dream card after years of saving and chasing is unlike anything else. When companies over-saturate the market with "dream cards" (ie what happened with GU cards, what happened with auto cards, what is happening with patches and logomans), they lose their value. Losing value means that we can pick up "dream cards" for $20 or $30 bucks. What's the fun in that when things come so easily.

I hate to sound like a grumpy old man (cause I'm not), but that's one of the things wrong with today's generations. Everything is about instant gratification. Sure, by being instantly gratified we get pleasure and enjoyment for a short while, but what we missed out on is the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of anticipation, and the satisfaction of fulfilling a dream.

Why is the sports card collecting hobby in decline? Not because the products are terrible. It's because everything comes so easily that it becomes boring very very quickly.

Well said. I posted this on the Panini facebook page today, and should probably email it to them as well:

Dear Panini,

Since you have a monopoly on the basketball trading card market, you have a golden opportunity to revamp the hobby and save it from the future it appears destined to suffer. The Blake Griffin explosion has certainly helped/prolonged the hobby but I still fear the hobby dwindling unless something is done to change the way things are. There are too many identical-looking parallels, too many worthless three-per-pack game used cards, too many sticker autographs and too many redemption cards.

My wish, you may also call it a suggestion, is that things go back to the good old days, when inserts were actually special, and game used or autograph cards were extremely rare, and hence sought-after. You would buy a pack or a box and actually be happy to pull a base card of a star player. You might be lucky and get a sweet-looking insert which probably had a cool foil design, or be a RARE serial numbered card. Or you might hit the jackpot and pull one of the really rare inserts, or a super hard to find game jersey, or (I know this one is tough) an on-card auto!

This would require cutting down the amount of releases or at least making more time in between them, introducing a new concept to the modern collectors who might not have been around in the mid-late 90s when cards were awesome, completely reversing the trend of over-populating (and therefore devaluing) the hobby with things such as serial numbers, Kobe autos, logoman patches etc etc…

I know it's a dream, why change what must be a profitable exercise just to satisfy some of the fan base, but then again, rarely do people have foresight. However just like most things, the more you use it the more it wears, and then what happens when it's gone/broken/dried up.

I hope you at least take note of this message, and just consider the possibilities. A return to the glory days of the hobby, with inserts that are special, game used and autograph cards that are rare, serial numbered cards that you don't see very often…

Then again, who knows if the rare cards would actually make it into packs……

[JordanFanatic]

Hairy, I would probably also include something about dropping the price on the boxes if they went back to "the good 'ol days" way of cards. Otherwise I could forsee them going back to the old times yet keeping today's prices. That would make it pointless.

[whalechaser]

Hairy, I would probably also include something about dropping the price on the boxes if they went back to "the good 'ol days" way of cards. Otherwise I could forsee them going back to the old times yet keeping today's prices. That would make it pointless.

That's very true. $60-80 for a box of base would kill the hobby pretty fast at this point, but $30-40 for a box of base would not hurt as much.

Maybe they should just release one super high-end product every year. $300 for 1 pack with 1 auto and 1 GU and 1 numbered base and 1 insert. Just to make everyone happy. The key is to make this very limited so either you won't have crummy players in it OR even if you pull a crummy player it'll be justify the price of the pack.

[grayrob8178]

I used to do some collecting in the early 90's and I hear you. I liked the idea of each company putting out one set, etc. When I got back into it last year, I was amazed at how much it can cost you to put together a basic set these days.

[AlabamaSlamma]

i have to think KD autos from UD (especially RC year autos) will start to see a bump in price similar to what late 90s/early 2000s Jordan stuff has done over the past 12-18 months.

I'm a UNC guy, so its pretty cool to see these autos of him in a Carolina jersey, but from a hobby perspective, its complete crap.