How much do you spend on cards in a year?

[MoezTavern]

I've been looking at some of the amazing collections on this site as well as on Hobby Kings and Sports Card Forums.
With some people having dozens of Kobe, LeBron, and Jordan autographs, jersey patches, PMGs, and other rare parallels, I really got curious as to how much the average collector on these message boards spends on the hobby per year.

And are you in it just for the thrill of collecting and appreciation of the trading card as an art form or are you actually pursuing a profit in this industry?

Personally, I've probably spent about 3K in my five years of collecting. I have a few nice pieces but have definitely lost money - especially with eBay and PayPal taking a healthy chunk out of each of my sales.
I definitely don't regret it as it has been a lot of fun and I'll continue to spend on cards just like others gamble every so often on a trip to Vegas: Responsibly and with no delusional expectations of getting rich.

Share your story on this thread!

[Sidthekidc87]

Probably close to 2k a year

[MikeMamba]

I just started about 6 months ago or so.

I have only spent about 400+...on wax and singles

I am trying to be selective and not impulse buy too many cards since I am still a college student.

[jr22vp]

I don't think I've spent more than 100 bucks in the past year...I really slowed down once I turned 18....don't bust any wax anymore.

Pictures by joshvp3 - Photobucket

[EMD34]

I spent about 1.2k total this year, but it is my first year back collecting since I was 8, so I probably won't spend as much in the years after this. I am trying to not spend too much , so every time I open some boxes and lose money I try to buy a few resale lots to make back the difference.

[Knicker_Please]

like...um...a lot....

[theautographkid]

This year, I spent about $700, and per year, I spend around $1.3k.

[Yanke3z11]

around $200 per month give or take.
anywhere between $2000-$2500 /yr.

[lb_sa]

I'd say in the last year easily 10k lol. The past 2-3 months I've been limiting myself though with a new house and such.

[Kingbudd]

I've spent between $4-5K this year, but I purchased several high end single cards, and a case or two.

[cardozo]

way too much

[realreodeal]

I have spent as much as $20,000 in a year and as little as $5000. I average about $12,000 per year. That average keeps going down the longer Topps and Upper Deck are out of the Offical Game.

[MoezTavern]

Originally Posted by realreodeal

I have spent as much as $20,000 in a year and as little as $5000. I average about $12,000 per year. That average keeps going down the longer Topps and Upper Deck are out of the Offical Game.

20K!? Do you own a store or something?

[Knicker_Please]

Originally Posted by MoezTavern

20K!? Do you own a store or something?

haha there are plenty of us on here that spend that much and more...well more...

[CJONES0263]

Probably around 4-6K a year...alot is busting wax open

[realreodeal]

Originally Posted by Knicker_Please

haha there are plenty of us on here that spend that much and more...well more...

I don't own a store. I am a very small player in this Very Large Game.

I love NBA Basketball. I like owning a piece of History. Plain and Simple.

[Knicker_Please]

i think ya ment to quote the other dude, but yeah i feel the same way...i spend a lot but there are people on here that i KNOW must spend a mini fortune on their collections lol...

[Cheken]

for the past 3 months about $2k - 3k which is alot better. Job/D3 has cooled me off from the hobby lol but in 2011, i think i spent closed to about 60k which i think i sold off about a couple thouand which still leaves me big in the hole except 5 boxes of 4k counts of autos sitting under my bed

[Jin]

This was my first year coming back to the hobby and taking it seriously. Have busted 0 wax but have spent around $700 (about $500 more than I was expecting to) on singles, mystery packs, and group breaks mostly on here, ebay, and youtube. I'm kind of surprised to how much it amounted too considering I'm a poor college student haha.

Looking at the cards I have now though I say I came above even, and probably can churn a profit if I sold all my cards, which is all thanks due to my effing stingy buying attitude.
Overall the past year though I'm very satisfied w/ my collection so far.

To more spending 2013!!

[Knight]

Toooo much. I need to stop but I can't lol.

[WillC]

I spend approximately $5,000 per year on cards, which is a large chunk of my salary.

However, I also sell a lot of cards (to keep within budget and in an attempt to balance the books), so my net expenditure is more like $2,000 per year.

[UltimateDeron]

Just looked at my total for the year so far... Wow... I need to slow down... lol!

[ckeer]

Originally Posted by UltimateDeron

Just looked at my total for the year so far... Wow... I need to slow down... lol!

Let me guess, $80k?

I spent probably $2k on wax and $2.5k on singles.

[UltimateDeron]

Originally Posted by ckeer

Let me guess, $80k?

I spent probably $2k on wax and $2.5k on singles.

Haha... No, not that much... thank God!

[gregnice37]

Way too much for sure. I don't keep track because if I did, i'd probable cry. Think there was a 2 week period this year where I spent like 3k, so i'm figuring I might spend close to 20k a year, which is ludicris to actually think about.

I don't collect for profit either. I have like 4 pc's total besides just the 2 that I always share. The 2 basketball though is the brunt of my spending. Very close to owning every card made of the 2 guys, so I try my best to get closer.