Results 1 to 10 of 58
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10-05-2011, 06:49 PM #1
Hobby is Becoming So Expensive!!
Hey guys, I've been collecting since I was about 7 (22 now). I can recall as a kid how much passion I had for this great hobby. I can see a considerable change in the hobby since those early days, mostly in cost and return value. I used to love cracking open packs and boxes, hoping to hit a huge PC card, and if not, I was usually able to trade or sell my hits so that I either got PC cards, tradebait, or cash return on my original purchase.
It doesn't appear that buying boxes is really worth the financial cost and risk anymore. Cards that are numbered /5 or /10 don't make a nice pull worth the risk of putting out $100-$150 for a box. I'll give you an example. Back in the spring, I bought two packs of BTP the day it was released. I hit a huge quad jersey /10 (3 multicolored swatches......beautiful card of great players) Since it wasn't any players I really collect, I was looking to sell in order to buy some more product. Let's just assume that I bought that box for $100. Since then, the largest offer I've recieved is $20.
Supposing the other cards were mediokre, I may only get $25-$30 back on my investment of $100. So basically, if someone wanted that same card, how many boxes would they have to open? Are the odds of buying a box, hitting that card /10 only worth $20? If I wanted a SPA Hall auto patch, should I open 20 boxes? pay the guy $500? or offer him $30? The last option is what I tend to see happening a lot. I understand that if you spend money on a box, you shouldn't expect anything. But when you have a big hit, it shouldn't be an oppritunity for someone to lowball you.
A lot of collectors blame the decline of the hobby on national economic hardships. However, when we go out and purchase boxes for $150 and sell our hits for $40, we're shooting ourselves in the foot. This isn't just limitted to boxes. I've seen dealers and hobby shop owners watch people pull a mediokre jersey or auto from a $5-$6 pack and then offer the person $1-$2 for it. What was the point in buying a pack then? Maybe if you had a monster hit, someone would offer you $15 for it.lol. Does anybody else have this problem? I feel like my hobby is destroying itself. We're trading dollars for cents.
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10-05-2011, 07:36 PM #2Hockey Advisor
It can be really tough.
national economic hardships may have something to do with - less people with disposile income..... but I think you're right: That's not the main problem right now.
The problem is over saturation. 10 years ago if you pulled a card #/10 it was really rare. Now?? That specific card may be pretty rare - but cards #/10 (heck, even 1/1s) are very common to find. It comes down to supply and demand.
Jersey cards are easy to get. Most products (some with a cost of less than $5 per pack) will offer two per box. How is a game used card of (for example) Shea Weber special anymore.... to the point where someone would pay $20+ for it..... when there are litterly thousands of them on the market? Even some of the lower end Crosby Game Used cards can be had for under $30 now.
Autos have the same problem. Lots of people may want one autograph of a particular player..... but after they get it, who is going to buy the next one? Set builders? People that collect a specific player (and want EVERYTHING of that guy)?? Sure. But there isn't enough of them, for most players, to drive the prices very high.
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10-05-2011, 07:37 PM #3
The average Resale return per box of the 2010-11 Cup is less than $150.00. The purchase price above $390.00.
Paying for Lobster, Eating Dogfish.
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10-05-2011, 07:39 PM #4
I've stated this before, but the card company's are laughing all the way to the bank...you've got GU and Auto's and they are a dime a dozen now...
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10-05-2011, 07:44 PM #5
Tons of Crosby Game-Used, not even getting bids at $12.00 now on eBay, especially those ugly Upper Deck Jersey Cards.
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10-05-2011, 08:17 PM #6
The hobby has always been like that. I mean how many card shops do you see these days, none really. When I was a kid there were card shops every where. Then you have fraud bidding on ebay, etc. It is a complete waste almost, but fun at the same time. As far as an "investment" you must forget that idea IMO.
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10-05-2011, 08:52 PM #7
If you have a problem with the resell then don't open packs buy singles. I open boxes because I want to hit that monster card even if it means I loose $1000 in the process. I do it for the thrill of opening then I keep the cards I like and sell the others, but yes from a investment stand point your better off letting the babies on etrade commercials invest your money for you than buy wax to open up.
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10-05-2011, 08:59 PM #8
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I'll make you a deal then. Seeing as you don't care if you lose $1.000.00, why not send me the $1,000.00. I will spend it all on new boxes, I will open them live, (you can watch). I give you everything that is Monster #/25 or less, and I keep everything else.........seeing as you don't care if you lose a thousand.
Deal?
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10-05-2011, 09:23 PM #9
I assume this is tongue-in-cheek and not a lecture about hyberbole or sincerity.
Either way, you're equivocating on the word "lose," which to him, clearly means being stuck with a whole bunch of hard-to-move low end inserts and base but which you've construed to mean that he ought to dump 99% of the content of hobby cases in your lap.
I think the point is well taken by all that he values the thrill of the chase more than a return on investment. Of course, if this is just an inside joke or retort that's just way over my head, then I'll return to Cave Lurk and ask you to please carry on...
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10-05-2011, 09:32 PM #10
they should make jerseys more rare to get like in the late 1990s so they will be worth more
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Originally Posted by AndrewJacobson 
