Biggest years in the hobby- Modern

[rats60]

Originally Posted by slinger23

I have it down to 1993 and 2001.

1993 - The launch of SP Baseball and SP Football. Both products were incredibly popular plus the die-cut inserts were always in demand. That same year, we were introduced to 1993 Topps Finest baseball and the "refractor" craze was just beginning. Another brilliant product that took the hobby by storm. Inserts were a big focus, not only in these products, but others as someone else mentioned, but SP and Finest were HUGE!

2001 - Ichiro and Pujols drove the baseball card market. Low serial numbered cards and redemptions of either one of these two HoFers were HUGE too. Football was special too with Michael Vick (before his downward spiral), LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees rookie cards hitting the market. I still remember opening a box of 2001 Topps Heritage and hoping for one of these studs, but ended up pulling the #2 overall pick, Leonard Davis. I still have the card, lol.

Anyway, there you go!

When I think of 1993, I think of Shaq and the beginning of the end of baseball cards. Maybe it was just my area, but the only thing people bought was Basketball and Finest Baseball. SP and other products sold poorly. My sales of baseball cards was probably about 10% of what they were in 1992, then after the 1994 strike, nothing.