Observations on the current state of the hobby from a show this weekend

[theshowandme]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

I keep on seeing and hearing about more and more collectors who have given up and have sold their entire collections and are getting out.

The main reason - too much money lost.

Imagine being this fragile

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by Jolten Joe

Seems to me that would be the exact opposite. If that was the case they would be selling for whatever they could get to keep the lights on, food on the table, and roof over their head. If you are cold or starving you aren't going to care how much you paid for a card.

The dealers that are standing firm and refusing to budge and travel from big show to big show could care less if their stuff sells or not and aren't hurting for money and can afford to wait things out for as long as they want.There will aways be that 1 person who keeps waiting and waiting for prices to bottom out and at some point will get the itch and just have to have the card. The cards we are talking about are the low #'d /20 or less color Rc Autos of the hottest players in each sport not base 2023 base Ohtani and Acuna.

^ This ^

The math on “people running a card business where they haven’t sold a card since early 2022 and they’re going to stay active as business until they sell all their base PSA 10 Ja Morant cards for $300 a pop” doesn’t add up. I think card shops, especially breakers, are doing financially much better than some people here want them to be doing. Some people think the market has already fully crashed. If so, it was a pretty soft landing.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

I keep on seeing and hearing about more and more collectors who have given up and have sold their entire collections and are getting out.

The main reason - too much money lost.

I keep hearing sellers who started in 2020 saying that.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by anusinha

Sounds like times are great if people are happily lighting $400 on fire in 20 minutes and smiling about it.

There wasn’t any smiling.

Even the wax dealer felt sick.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

Imagine being this fragile

Their $30k lamelo ball card is now only $4k.

It’s tough times out there.

[solt0131]

I think a lot of guys here are obsessed with what other people make or lose on cards. Who cares. Worry about yourself and let other people do what they want with their money and their cards.

[awz50]

Collect for fun and you will never worry about value

[bear0555]

Front Row Card Show in Pasadena was absolutely packed. Got there around the time it opened and the asiles were already full with people. Dropped off 6 cards with BGS and the wait was almost 2 hours. I didn't have to wait at the Del Mar Show last month to drop off. Del Mar was absolutely dead, unlike previous shows.

Phoenix last week was a bigger show than Pasadena and a lot less crowded. I thought the card selection in Phoenix was much better and I spent a lot more there than Pasadena.

Pretty much everything I buy at these shows is Chrome prospects. The stuff I actually want for my collection is almost impossible to find in person.

[PuddleMonkey]

Originally Posted by awz50

Collect for fun and you will never worry about value

Exactly. I'm about to crack some 9's and 10's tonight to get some cards out of the ridiculous looking PSA/Beckett cases.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by awz50

Collect for fun and you will never worry about value

Or even care about “the state of the hobby”

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Or even care about “the state of the hobby”

Exactly!

I am just trying to collect as many cards as I can and some will go up and some will go down. Over the next few decades it will make little difference.

[ThoseBackPages]

its a discussion board

[vthobby]

Originally Posted by PuddleMonkey

Exactly. I'm about to crack some 9's and 10's tonight to get some cards out of the ridiculous looking PSA/Beckett cases.

Smartest move I've ever seen.

Honest.

[jkampis]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

^ This ^

The math on “people running a card business where they haven’t sold a card since early 2022 and they’re going to stay active as business until they sell all their base PSA 10 Ja Morant cards for $300 a pop” doesn’t add up. I think card shops, especially breakers, are doing financially much better than some people here want them to be doing. Some people think the market has already fully crashed. If so, it was a pretty soft landing.

Between the Topps Chrome MVP buybacks and Lorcana, I’m anticipating the next two months to be my best ever since I opened my store in April 2021.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by jkampis

Between the Topps Chrome MVP buybacks and Lorcana, I’m anticipating the next two months to be my best ever since I opened my store in April 2021.

That’s awesome! I’m glad to hear. I’m pro-healthy card economy. While I’ll always fine with my cards being as cheap as possible, I don’t cheer for a complete market collapse like some here.

I’m assuming you actively adjust your prices and don’t hold firm on 2021 numbers?

[theshowandme]

I don’t think I’m going to the Philadelphia show in two weeks.

I think I’m washed as a collector/flipper

[solt0131]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

I don’t think I’m going to the Philadelphia show in two weeks.

I think I’m washed as a collector/flipper

The December show is a great time to buy at the Philly Show.

[bjw]

This thread would be a whole lot more enjoyable to read if you didn't have to sift through a constant diarrhea stream of jokes about flippers. Lots of people here with great insight into market trends.

[theshowandme]

Originally Posted by solt0131

The December show is a great time to buy at the Philly Show.

Had a great time last December. Picked up my Leaf Musial there and did well on the bins for COMC.

Not sure I can swing it with my schedule, but as always, I’ll make a game time decision either Wednesday or Thursday right before.

[larry25]

Originally Posted by bjw

This thread would be a whole lot more enjoyable to read if you didn't have to sift through a constant diarrhea stream of jokes about flippers. Lots of people here with great insight into market trends.

People always gonna hate. It's classic projection. So when you see it, you can smell the diarrhea and let it pass, you can shake your head at what must be their actual self-loathing, or you can challenge yourself to try to have some sympathy for them.

[cholodolo]

Originally Posted by pewe

I’d say it the opposite: the dealers at shows rarely have high end rare parallels that I collect.

Which doesn’t surprise me, of course. If they rarely show up on eBay, I’d guess chances are even lower they’d be at a show.

I've had the same experience with dealers at shows and even the local LCS. Been to about 5 shows in the last year and rarely see a parallel outside of the guy who has two showcases full of Bowman teenagers.

One LCS said I was a "sophisticated collector" (thanks, I guess) for inquiring about game-used patches and offering to sell him parallels (Indy, Black, Father's, TC /25, /10). I get those of us on this board may be a bit advanced or well informed, but those types of cards aren't that exotic.

Originally Posted by Jolten Joe

The dealers that are standing firm and refusing to budge and travel from big show to big show could care less if their stuff sells or not and aren't hurting for money and can afford to wait things out for as long as they want.There will aways be that 1 person who keeps waiting and waiting for prices to bottom out and at some point will get the itch and just have to have the card. The cards we are talking about are the low #'d /20 or less color Rc Autos of the hottest players in each sport not base 2023 base Ohtani and Acuna.

Yeah, and I can see why people who collect cards can't stand those types of dealers or people in the hobby. Collectors want cards; these "big dealers" only want cash within their margin.

Originally Posted by Donald1942

When is everyone going to stop using the covid pricing excuse or they dont want to take the loss blaming dealer's for there pricing. And that dealer's need to move on. The price is that dealer's price they dont have to sell at Comps when will it sink in theres no set price ebay isnt the price.the people that whip there phones out at a show need to move on also.if you can get it on Ebay why the hell would anyone pay for a flight to go to a show just to complain about prices.with expenses your already in the hole.so your at the show and its in hand buy it . So people either stay home and buy online or go to a show enjoy it without complaining and negotiate with the dealer's but if there's no deal respect the outcome dont blame the prices or the dealer's.

Why are you so riled up about this? You aren't adding anything new to the conversation by saying "his card, his price". Everyone is aware of that...the issues raised are legitimate. People going to shows and coming home empty handed sucks for collectors. This is a place to discuss why/how that continues to happen. Seems weird to want to tell people to stop discussing cards on a card discussion board.

[hermanotarjeta]

We’re getting back to the days where dealers aren’t able to move enough to pay for their table fees.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

We’re getting back to the days where dealers aren’t able to move enough to pay for their table fees.

sorry hermano!

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

sorry hermano!

I haven't changed my sticker prices in two years - why won't anyone buy anything from me?

[as921011]

Originally Posted by bear0555

Front Row Card Show in Pasadena was absolutely packed. Got there around the time it opened and the asiles were already full with people. Dropped off 6 cards with BGS and the wait was almost 2 hours. I didn't have to wait at the Del Mar Show last month to drop off. Del Mar was absolutely dead, unlike previous shows.

Phoenix last week was a bigger show than Pasadena and a lot less crowded. I thought the card selection in Phoenix was much better and I spent a lot more there than Pasadena.

Pretty much everything I buy at these shows is Chrome prospects. The stuff I actually want for my collection is almost impossible to find in person.

I was setting up at the Phoenix show, overall I think the crowd is little bit lesser than the one they have in March. But I think I still doing alright. Maybe most of card are fresh price, not like some are 2 years old sticker? lol
BTW not sure you went by my booth, I think I'm the only dealer have some old Japanese vintage card and some odd card like Bruce Lee cards.