WHAT???? Don't understand

[Jp39]

OK, kind of a bs title but I am officially sick to my stomach. So after years of not collecting or even watching football, I am back into the hobby and following football. I decided to put together a set of 2023 Panini Prizm and Panini Prizm Draft Picks. I am in the neighborhood of $400 by buying boxes, hanger boxes, etc. Still about half done with both sets. Looked on ebay the other night and alas, I can buy the complete set with base inserts for around $250-300. I am such a dumb-™™™™™. It used to be if the boxes were expensive, the complete sets reflected the cost. The hobby has changed in the last 20 years.

I was at a card shop with my grandson on Friday and was talking to the owner. I asked him if people still gathered to trade, buy, talk, and just hang out with other collectors. He laughed, said nobody really does that anymore. Heck, we used to get together at our local shop after hours, buy packs, boxes, etc from the store, then sat around busting packs, building sets, talking, whatever. It was fun. My son and I used to have a blast at the shop.

Tell ya the truth, kind of disappointed that the internet has taken the face to face out of the hobby. Sorry everyone, just me gripping. Oh, and FYI all, still mucking around with the inventory thingy. Uggggggg. Mamma don't call me son cause I'm bright

[pwaldo]

Most people don't collect sets now. If they do it is mostly on the baseball side. People do buy cases and cases of the stuff nowadays so they make sets to sell off on eBay to offset the cost of buying so many cases now. But they really aren't buying all those cases for base cards or sets. They just buy them for the big ticket one in a million chase card. If they get it they are rich if not they just sell off everything else on eBay at rock bottom prices to reduce their losses. It is a buyers market for singles and sets but it is hellish time to buy boxes or cases since everyone else is so boxes and cases are sky high while everything else is super cheap.

[ethunder]

Until recently, there were no card shops near me. But recently, one opened and they have events, trade nights, and lots of other perks so it really varies. Pwaldo is right about set collecting, it’s probably a lot more common in baseball and for regular Topps sets specifically.

[tl1217]

I still trade with set builders across all sports. Most of the product now have case hits, autographs, variations, etc. This drives up the cost of the product. Especially when it is initially released.

I don’t have many, but I could see if I have any you need.

[Jp39]

I started a thread on the trading board. I typed out some of my older fb and bb cards for trade. If there is something you are interested in, let me know. I am typing out my 2023 Panini Prizm cards for trade but I do not type fast.