Do you find this concerning?

[samosa4u]

I love my vintage cards, but some of those shiny modern cards look pretty cool as well. So, I decided to do a little bit of research and hopefully pick up a few cards of players who are active today. Now I know that the Bowman Chromes are the most popular, but it doesn't end there. There are Chromes, Chrome Refractors, Blue Chrome Refractors, Blue Wave Chrome Refractors, XFractors, Red, Purple, Orange, Green, Gold, etc. Now the AUTO ones seem to be very popular, but again, there are Blue AUTOs, Blue Wave AUTOs, Black Wave AUTOs, Red AUTOs, Green AUTOs, etc. And wait, there's more! I found some MINI cards as well! So, everything I wrote above can be found in the MINI size as well. So, MINI Blue Refractors, MINI Blue Wave Refractors, MINI AUTO Purple Refractor, and so on.

I find this very, very, very concerning. Why? Because card companies are starting to become greedy again. They are flooding the market like the way they did back in the early 90s. And you know what ended up happening, right? Now they might not print a trillion copies of one card, like what Upper Deck did with the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie, however, what they are doing now is pretty bad. As much as I hate to say this, both vintage and modern markets are tied together. If modern cards tank one day, then vintage cards are going right down with them.

Give me your thoughts on this subject.

[luciobar1980]

Yup, I think it's absolutely insane and that many of these cards will not hold their values. It's like any young NBA prospect now has 4 and 5 figure cards.

[fkm_bky]

I don't necessarily disagree with you but for me, a tank in the market for vintage/pre-war cards would mean I could keep up with my collecting goals and not break the bank...ie. a buyers market (which I wouldn't be too unhappy about). Those who make more of a living off the cards would be impacted, but it's also part of the risk you take.

That said, even if the shiny crap tanks, I think the pre-war will continue strong; maybe not as strong as it is today, but that strength sure hits the pocketbook harder than I'd like. I'd love to get my hands on a low grade Cobb Red Portrait for a reasonable price :)

Bill

[Frank A]

Out of boredom I just bought 2 boxes of bowman chrome. I thought it would be nice to open some packs again, as it has been a long time. Did not enjoy it. Small number of cards. So many types, its confusing. With all the boxes of these cards selling there must be millions. Card companies must be making a fortune. I'll stick with older cards. It's more fun. Frank

[GasHouseGang]

What you say is true, but I think it's been like that for awhile now. I started looking at buying some Mike Trout cards for my collection, and it's pretty intimidating to see the incredible spectrum available. It looks like it's been like that all the way back to the beginning of Trout's career. He has cards starting in 2009, so that's been over a decade.

You're right about the amazing variety that the card companies come up with trying to make their product more appealing. They create the regular card, and then a multitude of parallels. This can include the minis, different textures, as well as a rainbow of color varieties. Each color variety has a different rarity which is sometimes difficult to figure out if you didn't collect it when it was issued. I think it's all too much, but the companies do it to sell more product, so I guess I can't blame them.

Does all this mean they are over producing again? I'm not sure. Maybe it's gotten worse lately. I don't follow the new product, but they seem to sell out of all the packs at my local Wal-Mart and Target, so the consumer desire is there. It may be another bubble that is going to burst, but I can't blame the companies for trying to fill the consumer demand that seems to be driving the current market.

[Jim65]

I don't find it concerning at all. I only buy a few modern cards, mostly Topps Heritage. I'm pretty sure the modern market is very healthy so someone is buying the stuff. If people are uncomfortable with all the parallels, refractors, etc then don't buy, its really that simple.

[mechanicalman]

I'm always dumfounded when people call for-profit companies "greedy." I personally don't care much for modern or understand it, but there's a group of folks who simply can't get enough of these Raspberry Sorbet Superefractor 1/1s, so why begrudge a company for satisfying consumer demand?

[Rhotchkiss]

II find this very, very, very concerning. Why? Because card companies are starting to become greedy again. They are flooding the market like the way they did back in the early 90s. And you know what ended up happening, right? Now they might not print a trillion copies of one card, like what Upper Deck did with the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie, however, what they are doing now is pretty bad. As much as I hate to say this, both vintage and modern markets are tied together. If modern cards tank one day, then vintage cards are going right down with them.

Give me your thoughts on this subject.

I could care less. All of my cards are very old and they are not making any more of them. If the shiny stuff implodes, it only proves out the value and safety of vintage in the long term. The modern collectors are playing in a totally different sandbox from me and I don't really care what happens in that sandbox.

[cornhusker]

I agree with you. But I still love ripping into some packs w my kid. We were into Gypsy Queen for a while but just not the same as some good vintage. Unfortunately for us, we can't keep our hands off. We use to have many unopened rack pack boxes from '80 thru '83. Now we only have the packs with the good cards showing left untouched. It's clearly an addiction.... just one more for each of us and we'll stop as soon as we hit a Henderson or Gibson. We blew a deal on 20 rack packs of '75 topps a couple years ago. Probably a good thing - they would not have lasted long ;)

[Throttlesteer]

Yes. Im not as concerned about the parallel variations as much as how many are getting 4 or 5 digits. So many are unproven players.

[ALR-bishop]

Agree with Jim and Sam

[icollectDCsports]

I'm excited by some of the game's young stars (Soto, Tatis, Bellinger, etc.) and picked up Topps base cards for them. That's enough for me. Not interested in or concerned about inserts, refractors, and the like. Buy what you like but don't feel like you have to like or have everything.

[chalupacollects]

I saw a checklist of cards issued with Mookie Betts autos that had over 1100 different cards since 2014. That's just different cards with an auto not the number of cards...smh

[Casey2296]

Bought my first modern the other day, cost me less than $10.

You can take the boy out of vintage, but you can't take the vintage out of the boy...

[ullmandds]

I've been dabbling a little lately in modern. I got caught in the randy arozarena frenzy and picked up a few...one of which has doubled in "Value" last 2 weeks! I find this type of production/collecting but really investing gimmicky. It's like gambling on the hottest stock of the moment. I also picked up a tatis jr or 2.

I don't care about these cards...I treat them like stocks! I will sell when it suits me likely to buy vintage...which to me is not THAT intertwined to modern. only in that modern is a gateway for the real blue chips...cobb/ruth!!! I LOVE my vintage...and it's value is much more stable in my opine.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

Well, while the OP states that he is "very, very, concerned" about the modern card market, but I can't say that I share that concern.

I do find modern cards to be a bit overwhelming, overdone, unnecessarily confusing, etc....but I'm not concerned by it. I just choose not to collect it.

I think the card companies are doing a good job of creating products that the modern market wants to buy. Right now, parallels, chrome, numbered cards, and variations are hot and selling....so the card companies are rightfully churning that stuff out as fast as possible. And currently, stores can't keep that stuff in stock...so it's being received well.

The only way that would make me concerned is if I was heavily INVESTED in modern cards...because I do think the prices of modern cards aren't sustainable.

I think COLLECTORS of modern cards will be fine...if someone enjoys putting together a cool looking run of Mookie Betts chrome refractor numbered prizm cards, then they will be able to enjoy that pursuit the same way I like to chase down bubble gum cards from the 1950s. There's no guarantee that Mookie Betts collection will be as worth as much as he paid for it ten years from now, but if he enjoys the pursuit, then it's worth it. The same could be said with my vintage cards.

It's the guys who are stockpiling modern cards already at high prices in the hopes their "investment" will pay off in the long term who should be concerned about the state and trajectory of the modern market.

Also, I know that many of you like to take shots and make fun of all the modern shiny, numbered, chrome, "crap". So you're going to love making fun of the most recent gimmick: Topps RIP. It's a new product which sells for $100 per box and contains four cards....and INSIDE each of those cards is another mini-card....but in order to get the mini-card, you have to rip open (ruin) the big card. Not my thing, but if there are collectors that enjoy it, then I have no problem with Topps making it. Love it or hate it, it's creative.

[rdwyer]

If they had made t206 Ty Cobb cards with red, green, blue, pink, or purple shoes would you collect all those? NOT ME.

[oldeboo]

Also, I know that many of you like to take shots and make fun of all the modern shiny, numbered, chrome, "crap". So you're going to love making fun of the most recent gimmick: Topps RIP. It's a new product which sells for $100 per box and contains four cards....and INSIDE each of those cards is another mini-card....but in order to get the mini-card, you have to rip open (ruin) the big card. Not my thing, but if there are collectors that enjoy it, then I have no problem with Topps making it. Love it or hate it, it's creative.

Here's a ripped RIP that recently sold on Ebay. Pretty strong market even for ripped RIP cards. Thanks for sharing that, it sure is interesting for many reasons. :D

[skelly423]

If they had made t206 Ty Cobb cards with red, green, blue, pink, or purple shoes would you collect all those? NOT ME.

Or different back varieties... 😀

[Exhibitman]

Or different back varieties... 😀

Ooof, that's a smack right in the Broad Leaf...

[Tabe]

If they had made t206 Ty Cobb cards with red, green, blue, pink, or purple shoes would you collect all those? NOT ME.

And yet there are people who collect all four of the Babe Ruth cards in 1933 Goudey.

Or, to use your example, all four of the Ty Cobb front variations from T206, not to mention all the back variations.

[Bram99]

I love my vintage cards, but some of those shiny modern cards look pretty cool as well. So, I decided to do a little bit of research and hopefully pick up a few cards of players who are active today. Now I know that the Bowman Chromes are the most popular, but it doesn't end there. There are Chromes, Chrome Refractors, Blue Chrome Refractors, Blue Wave Chrome Refractors, XFractors, Red, Purple, Orange, Green, Gold, etc. Now the AUTO ones seem to be very popular, but again, there are Blue AUTOs, Blue Wave AUTOs, Black Wave AUTOs, Red AUTOs, Green AUTOs, etc. And wait, there's more! I found some MINI cards as well! So, everything I wrote above can be found in the MINI size as well. So, MINI Blue Refractors, MINI Blue Wave Refractors, MINI AUTO Purple Refractor, and so on.

I find this very, very, very concerning. Why? Because card companies are starting to become greedy again. They are flooding the market like the way they did back in the early 90s. And you know what ended up happening, right? Now they might not print a trillion copies of one card, like what Upper Deck did with the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie, however, what they are doing now is pretty bad. As much as I hate to say this, both vintage and modern markets are tied together. If modern cards tank one day, then vintage cards are going right down with them.

Give me your thoughts on this subject.

I am not concerned because I only collect vintage. I cannot keep up with all of the issues and permutations of current cards. Perhaps that's because I grew up with really only one brand available for current year cards until I was near my 20's.

If I were a current day card collector I'd be worried that the current hot card would plummet due to either over-production, a demand shock (downward), the player getting injured or released or taking a precipitous fall in performance and therefore demand/value (think Gary Sanchez).

I just feel more safe with vintage. Many of the factors above are off the table. Certainly demand can lessen due to less people being interested in vintage cards. But the rest of the factors are not in play. I am sure I might be missing a chance at enjoyment or future appreciation but the modern market currently looks like a Powerball lottery ticket market or a pyramid scheme to me. You have to be careful you are not holding a Mark McQwire Team USA RC with a lot of $ into it when the music stops. And for most modern cards at least, it will stop.

[rgpete]

The only reason I got this card was , my son and Brandon played in Sayreville Little League together, against each other and were on the All Stars. My son a front tire carrier in NASCAR

[JollyElm]

The 'good' news is next year they will add EXTRA-MINI Blue Refractors, EXTRA-MINI Blue Wave Refractors, and EXTRA-MINI AUTO Purple Refractors to the mix, too, and on it goes. :rolleyes:

[Tyruscobb]

I hope the entire card market tanks. These prices are ridiculous. I want to continue collecting, but refuse to pay these crazy prices. When COVID eases up, consumers will shift their entertainment dollars from cards to other areas, such as vacations, actual sporting events, etc. The casual collector will lose interest in cards and the demand will ease up. This could take two years to play out, but will. You don’t want to be holding the bag when the party ends.

[ullmandds]

If they had made t206 Ty Cobb cards with red, green, blue, pink, or purple shoes would you collect all those? NOT ME.

that would be exactly what i'd collect!!

[bnorth]

I hope the entire card market tanks. These prices are ridiculous. I want to continue collecting, but refuse to pay these crazy prices. When COVID eases up, consumers will shift their entertainment dollars from cards to other areas, such as vacations, actual sporting events, etc. The casual collector will lose interest in cards and the demand will ease up. This could take two years to play out, but will. You don’t want to be holding the bag when the party ends.

I can't wait to get back to spending cash on vacations. Haven't left the state in many months, very depressing.:(

I have been using the crazy prices to sell some of the cards I hoarded years ago. My buying has slowed down a little because of the high prices now.

I like the looks of the modern super shiny stuff, don't buy it though.

[rats60]

Modern cards already crashed once in the late 90s/early 00s. It didn't affect vintage at all. Card companies have always been "greedy." They have to be because the leagues are "greedy" and ask for higher licensing fees. It is called capitolism. I used to collect modern too but got tired of all the different products and now just do vintage. Collect what you like and don't worry about everything else.

[Case12]

Modern cards of any variety that have factory autographs would be ok with me. If packs guaranteed at least one random per pack (doesn't matter who player is). Do those exist?

[Seven]

It doesn't bother me too much because I don't really collect modern, other than the blaster box. I will say that It's surprising that cards like a basic trout RC is going for over 1K. There's so many of them out there, why would anyone pay that amount for just a basic modern card is beyond me.

The other thing I struggle to understand, is that signed cards of prospects that aren't even close to sniffing the majors are going for big bucks. I think Jasson Dominguez is promising, don't get me wrong, but his cards shouldn't be in the five figure range, he hasn't even played in A Ball!

It is what it is though. Collect what you like. Vintage is the way in my opinion.

[cardsagain74]

I hope the entire card market tanks. These prices are ridiculous. I want to continue collecting, but refuse to pay these crazy prices.

There are plenty of small dealers out there who would have a tough time surviving a market-wide price collapse. Not to mention the countless other problems for an industry (and for many individuals) that would stem from such a thing.

I'm concerned about a current bubble for card values as well. But I would never root for it bursting at the expense of others. Especially just so I could buy some more things for myself.

Also, it amazes me how many people can't appreciate the upside of a roaring price marketplace: the fact that their cards are worth a lot more than they used to be. Even if you never plan to sell anything, maybe your heirs will need to someday.

Focus on what you have, especially when what you have is even better than it used to be. Not what you don't

[Casey2296]

There are plenty of small dealers out there who would have a tough time surviving a market-wide price collapse. Not to mention the countless other problems for an industry (and for many individuals) that would stem from such a thing.

I'm concerned about a current bubble for card values as well. But I would never root for it bursting at the expense of others. Especially just so I could buy some more things for myself.

Also, it amazes me how many people can't appreciate the upside of a roaring price marketplace: the fact that their cards are worth a lot more than they used to be. Even if you never plan to sell anything, maybe your heirs will need to someday.

Focus on what you have, especially when what you have is even better than it used to be. Not what you don't

Well said John.