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

[hermanotarjeta]

People continue to bring in their collections to sell out and get out of the hobby.

Reality is starting to hit many folks and life expenses can be costly.

Baseball cards are the first thing to go for many who need the cash for other reasons.

[anusinha]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

People continue to bring in their collections to sell out and get out of the hobby.

Reality is starting to hit many folks and life expenses can be costly.

Baseball cards are the first thing to go for many who need the cash for other reasons.

You actually seeing this or just talking in general?

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by anusinha

You actually seeing this or just talking in general?

I’m seeing this.

No one was selling off their collections a few years ago.

But as we get older, things happen, life happens.

Sports cards are the first to go when you’ve taken your finances for granted and more and more people are in need of cash now to pay for life’s expenses.

Inflation is a silent grinder - it’s as if people just woke up one day and didn’t realize their bank accounts are getting low.

People don’t plan for the worst in terms of finances, they live day by day.

And sports cards are getting dumped for what cash they can salvage.

[hermanotarjeta]

It’s sad, people are cashing out and getting 30% back of what they paid for their collections.

And they can only accept it because they have no choice.

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

People continue to bring in their collections to sell out and get out of the hobby.

Reality is starting to hit many folks and life expenses can be costly.

Baseball cards are the first thing to go for many who need the cash for other reasons.

Sad?
Aside from that strange period from mid 19 to mid 22 this has been the norm in the 35 years I've been drifting in and out of the card world. This adjustment and reset will be a good thing for everyone except those who jumped in with both feet the last 4 years and Fanatics. I'd bet that 12-18 months down the road things will be in a much better spot to rise or fall organically instead of peering off the cliff we ascended to in the most recent period.
The circumstances and timing that caused the recent run-up were the perfect storm of irrational market stupidity and are highly unlikely to be repeated in the near future IMO.
Folks who keep a decent finger on the pulse of the card market have been adjusting as we go accordingly.
Those sitting around wondering what happened and waiting for the unsustainable hype pricing to return.....deserve what they get to a certain extent IMO.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by LVDan

Sad?
Aside from that strange period from mid 19 to mid 22 this has been the norm in the 35 years I've been drifting in and out of the card world. This adjustment and reset will be a good thing for everyone except those who jumped in with both feet the last 4 years and Fanatics. I'd bet that 12-18 months down the road things will be in a much better spot to rise or fall organically instead of peering off the cliff we ascended to in the most recent period.
The circumstances and timing that caused the recent run-up were the perfect storm of irrational market stupidity and are highly unlikely to be repeated in the near future IMO.
Folks who keep a decent finger on the pulse of the card market have been adjusting as we go accordingly.
Those sitting around wondering what happened and waiting for the unsustainable hype pricing to return.....deserve what they get to a certain extent IMO.

And those who deserved what they get won’t be back - what’s going to happen to that 10x growth fanatics was pumping?

There will be extravagant supply with fewer collectors around - you know what happens there.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by anusinha

You actually seeing this or just talking in general?

He isn't seeing anything. He doesn't even go to shows.

[anusinha]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

And those who deserved what they get won’t be back - what’s going to happen to that 10x growth fanatics was pumping?

There will be extravagant supply with fewer collectors around - you know what happens there.

You know what's kind of funny? Since they made the announcement of 10x the hobby, 90% of cards (maybe more in modern) are down 90% or more. They did a better job of dividing the hobby by 10.

[theshowandme]

I will be driving 3 hours to Philadelphia this weekend.

That trip will include tolls, gas, and a hotel.

Add in a museum entry fee and at least 4 meals.

Hopefully inflation doesn't hurt this trip, I do not want to sell my collection.

[bustsomewax]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

I will be driving 3 hours to Philadelphia this weekend.

That trip will include tolls, gas, and a hotel.

Add in a museum entry fee and at least 4 meals.

Hopefully inflation doesn't hurt this trip, I do not want to sell my collection.

Might want to check your bank account......

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

And those who deserved what they get won’t be back - what’s going to happen to that 10x growth fanatics was pumping?

There will be extravagant supply with fewer collectors around - you know what happens there.

A-Who cares what Fanatics propaganda machine is/was pumping. Stay in your lane within your means and all is gravy.
B- You’re calling the people bailing collectors? That’s cute.

I don’t know what to tell you if you expected all that to just continue upward and onward forever especially as it relates to multi million dollar modern RC parallels and multiple hundred dollar PSA 10 base cards.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by LVDan

A-Who cares what Fanatics propaganda machine is/was pumping. Stay in your lane within your means and all is gravy.
B- You’re calling the people bailing collectors? That’s cute.

I don’t know what to tell you if you expected all that to just continue upward and onward forever especially as it relates to multi million dollar modern RC parallels and multiple hundred dollar PSA 10 base cards.

That crowd is leaving in droves.

Great for long time collectors as prices will continue to soften.

Not as great for people trying to make a killing flipping cards.

[imbluestreak23]

Had some stale inventory since July. Just reloaded and the sales are trickling in.

I was just thinking I would love to buy out some collections from those who collected pre 2017, but I rarely see that stuff pop up. Even looking up "sports card collection" on eBay, the only things you see are junk lots of 2019-2023 shiny poopini

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by premium1981

He isn't seeing anything. He doesn't even go to shows.

Just telling it like it is.

I wish I could tell you people are buying anything they can find.

It’s not happening.

[theshowandme]

The easy $ has dried up

Some people are not smart and that is why they are quitting

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

The easy $ has dried up

Some people are not smart and that is why they are quitting

You don’t need to be smart to be a collector.

You do need to have some savvy and insight to be a good investor and flipper in this challenging hobby environment.

Our hobby needed a good cleansing and this is a perfect environment for it.

[solt0131]

Originally Posted by premium1981

He isn't seeing anything. He doesn't even go to shows.

I bet we could generate a nice list of members who know everything about the hobby and its direction but never step foot in one bigger show.

There are a few names right off the bat that come to mind.

[Pacmeyer]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

People continue to bring in their collections to sell out and get out of the hobby.

Reality is starting to hit many folks and life expenses can be costly.

Baseball cards are the first thing to go for many who need the cash for other reasons.

Went to a fairly small show by US standards last spring (the twice yearly one in Toronto) and there were a lot of sellers not just looking through collections people brought in but making deals and getting to the handshake pretty fast.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by Pacmeyer

Went to a fairly small show by US standards last spring (the twice yearly one in Toronto) and there were a lot of sellers not just looking through collections people brought in but making deals and getting to the handshake pretty fast.

Many people are looking to take whatever they can get.

Many dealers do not want to buy everything and anything any more.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by solt0131

I bet we could generate a nice list of members who know everything about the hobby and its direction but never step foot in one bigger show.

There are a few names right off the bat that come to mind.

this is correct

[mossoholic]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

The easy $ has dried up

Some people are not smart and that is why they are quitting

The only people making any money worth mentioning are ones with some type of connection, some type of scam, bot, breakers, or people worth 7 figures. If you have a well into the six figure bankroll and can do it as a full time job you can make a living but not any money worth mentioning. Anyone else is either getting absolutely destroyed, losing, or barely making anything.

[fulltritty]

I wonder what the National advanced sales will be like this year. They got rid of the Super VIP package and your only choices are Basic VIP and All Access VIP if you want autograph guests and VIP stuff. I used to get the Super VIP and then Platinum so I never needed All Access. Now that it's gone, I have to pay more if I want 6 more guests autograph guests and they have not been great the past few shows. I was going to give the show one more year, but last year may have now been our last year going.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by mossoholic

The only people making any money worth mentioning are ones with some type of connection, some type of scam, bot, breakers, or people worth 7 figures. If you have a well into the six figure bankroll and can do it as a full time job you can make a living but not any money worth mentioning. Anyone else is either getting absolutely destroyed, losing, or barely making anything.

Yeah, I bet we can generate a list of BO members who are “crushing it” at shows by making about $100-$500 profit every time they attend one.

Nowhere near “making a healthy living”, except when you live in your parents house with zero expenses.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by solt0131

I bet we could generate a nice list of members who know everything about the hobby and its direction but never step foot in one bigger show.

There are a few names right off the bat that come to mind.

Agree completely. But those members are not saying they “are seeing” things they actually have not seen. That was in reply to the person asking if he is actually seeing things he is talking about. The answer is no, he isn’t. He is just talking as if he does see it. That is the difference.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by premium1981

Agree completely. But those members are not saying they “are seeing” things they actually have not seen. That was in reply to the person asking if he is actually seeing things he is talking about. The answer is no, he isn’t. He is just talking as if he does see it. That is the difference.

But the answer is “yes”, in the spirit of this thread, people post their observations.

Many people may not like what people are seeing, but like the news, people are just reporting reality.

For people to claim others don’t see what they actually see, that’s pretty arrogant, pompous and very misleading - trying to twist reality.

Perhaps it is rainbows and unicorns for several people out there, please continue to report it.

The reality is much more variable.