Gas prices and buying cards
 

Will the rise in gas price affect collectors buying cards?

I think in the long term no, but short term, definitely. When you are paying $50 plus to fill up your tank, other areas have to get cut 😕

Inflation will definitely cut into card prices, not the biggies so much but cards in the $500-$2500 range will take a hit.

agreed...shipping will cost more too. This will affect the lower 2/3 of the market imo.

No, the well-heeled, as so many who frequent these threads are, will go right along, totally indifferent.

A while back I was buying gas for my Honda Civic. Fellow pulls in with a giant dualie truck, all black and chrome with an electric step that slid out for him to get out. He's dressed in black, with white shirt, cowboy hat and boots, string tie. I casually asked how he liked putting gas into that big rig. "Son", he says, looking at me over his Roy Orbison sun glasses, "I've reached that station in life where I can afford nice things, like this here truck. I'd pay $20 a gallon if that's what it goes to."

I doubt very much that the current increase in gas prices will hamper someone willing to pay $1,000 for a card. That said if gas hits $10 a gallon (which I think it will) I might have to up that to $2,500.

People are going to be very skirmish and tight with their moneys online, eBay and at shows...especially middle and low grade...it’s gonna be tight.

Auctions are a different animal especially for the higher end Graded Cards inflation and Rising Gas Prices Don’t really matter for the elite class.

You may be right on $10 a gallon- although that might be a bit high. If so, this country is in for a very bad time. Many products and services are derived from oil. That would mean massive inflation, and a hard pause for some of us collectors.

Psychology and the stock market are also factors. The stock market is down this year, and prices are up across the board. Even though the gains are only on paper, people feel richer and spend more when they see their retirement accounts rising. People typically tighten their belts when the market goes down.

Gas prices I just went to Boston chicken ,$20 for a half a chicken lol..time to sell my 66 orr😳

Gas prices going up will not effect most people buying cards the bigger issue would be what happens to their investments like their 401k and stocks. If they start losing money in the market to me that would have people slowing down or the card purchases or stepping back from the “bigger cards” they might have bought.

If someone here will be affected by gas prices, then I don't think they should be buying cards - especially at today's prices.

Will threads about world events affecting card prices affect card prices?

That is the real question.

It will affect the people who are younger collectors. As a grad student, I could still swing fitting a T206 into my budget every few weeks. With inflation, that budget space is definitely gone.
Plenty of other folks in my position who are now facing the same slash to their fun money.

Elections have consequences.

I agree. Everyone has different budgets and different situations.

I know a lot of executives at Chevron and some of them are saying oil will hit $200 a barrel by the end of this month if the conflict in Ukraine isn't resolved. If that happens, you'll definitely see $10/gallon gas real quick.

Personally, I love it! This month marks my 15th year in the oil and gas industry - business is great and my Chevron stock has almost doubled. It seems like its setting a new record high every day. Holding a bit longer before I sell.

You eat at Boston Market and the gas comes with the meal.

Now that’s funny and true love the exhibit man big fan

Gas Prices
 

Higher gas prices, who knows how high but 6-7 bucks seems plausible, will not only hit drivers but virtually everything you purchase. 95% of goods are moved via truck so look out consumers. On a side note, was talking with the queen yesterday and mentioned to her "our home heating oil contract will be coming up for renewal in May". Here in new England about 50+ % of homes are heated with oil. Usually your oil provider will send you a contract in May for your following year`s worth of oil, payments can be stretched out over 6 to 9 months. Last year we bought 600 gallons (keep heat at 63 degrees) at 2.50per gallon so 1500 dollars total. Today`s quote, and who knows what that`s worth, was 5.32 cents gallon. Looking at roughly 3200 dollars and possibly counting, OUCH. As mentioned, most N E oil providers make their offers in May so stay tuned.

Absolutely Correct - How many will remember in November?

BTW - Just filled up yesterday here in South Texas

$125

WTF

The vintage card market had a major correction 2007 2008 with the financial /housing crisis, it could happen again. The effects of this won’t be felt until 6 to 8 months down the road.

Remember it’s never a gain until you sell for a profit and it’s never a loss until you sell for a loss, it’s all unrealized, staying in the game is the key !

We need methane reduction, that's greenhouse gasses!

Yep. Those Russians need to stop electing Putin.

That's like blaming the cactus in the ground for us jumping on it naked. No...we have to blame ourselves for this one. Elections have consequences.

I think maybe he was talking about energy policies like shutting down the Keystone XL Pipeline on Day 1 and things like that.

But, hey, if that's what you got out of his statement, then so be it.

Inflation in general has cut/basically eliminated my hobby funds. It’s hard to justify even a $5.00 purchase when I have to make a conscious choice about whether a particular item at the grocery store is a justified expense. To the extent there was any remaining funds, gas prices will further squeeze them. Some things, however, are more important to me than collecting so I’m okay with the gas prices for now. I wish my microwave meals would go back to $3.00 though…

I'm a collector, so have to say I wouldn't necessarily mind a significant reset in vintage card values. It would allow me to finish work on my '67 and '72 sets, and add a lot of other things on my wantlists much easier.

I split my time mainly in SE Asia and normally in the US during baseball season.

In Manila yesterday, filled up the Toyota Fortuner which when converted to US dollars was $102.20. Average monthly salary in the country is around $400. This is true in many countries in the region.

The US needs leadership right now. Unfortunately, we don't have any. Those are your facts.

People Driving to Strongsville in a couple weeks are gonna be bitching about the gas prices there...should be interesting, I have a feeling a lot of dealers are gonna be getting the L&B along with let me think about it.... I'll circle back and then disappearing. Expect the dumpster diving $1 boxes to be busy with divers.

Bobby, one more comment about elections/this administration and you will get an infraction. Most know my leanings politically but this isn't the current administrations complete fault. And rising gas prices, as much as they suck, I support because of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Let's try not to get too political please. And I am sorry if my comment is somewhat political.

As for the gas prices, it hasn't stopped me from buying cards yet, but I have quit getting in the car to go get 1 item at the grocery store.
.
.

why dont you guys take your political shit elsewhere.

:cool:

If anybody really thought my comment was a statement in the belief that Russia has truly free elections, well I have a nice T206 Wagner to sell you together with the Brooklyn Bridge.

A baseball card forum is not the place that people go to for serious political discourse. Unfortunately too many people vote for and root for the success of political leaders as if they are baseball teams -- where you support your chosen uniform no matter what.

And before anybody assumes I support one party unfailingly, know that I am a registered Independent who has voted for candidates from different parties depending on their platforms.

Stop just rooting solely for laundry and a symbol of a donkey or an elephant. Unless it's Yankee pinstripes or Packer Green and gold or Giants blue or whatever sports team you suppport. Then, by all means, go nuts.

I visited this thread to read how people were reacting to economic realities, in terms of sports card collecting. For the most part, that's what I got and I appreciate the different opinions about how prices will be impacted. The political stuff is a different story.

Yep, go to a politics site.

As for the OP, look at history. We've had several economic issues since collecting became a thing. Hell, the first few Nationals were held during a nasty recession. Don't forget 2007-2008, either. I came home from the 2007 National to find half my client base (real estate-related businesses) had collapsed. I had to sell cards that August to cover my expenses. Got better.

But I digress.

My $0.02 is that in times of economic downturn the super-expensive stuff moves independent of the news because the rich are basically immune from the sort of concerns that would affect sales. The art market is an example. It has no cyclical ties to the economy because the people buying are not reliant on the economy for their already-amassed wealth. The same is true of the low end. Guys who buy $1-$5 cards will still collect. It is cheaper and funner than a Starbucks. Even in the 2008-2009 recession, the dollar box tables at the National were hopping.

You also cannot forget the role of hybrid and electric cars in this. My wife has a Chevy Volt (electric) and I have a Ford C-Max. She puts in a small amount of gas once a year or so, and I fill up about once a month. At ten bucks a gallon my gas costs will go from $55 a month to $120 a month. Not an issue for me.

The part of the hobby that gets killed in a recession is the middle class of the hobby: the several hundred to low thousands segment. I wouldn't have an issue buying a $100 card in a downturn but definitely would have an issue buying a $5,000 card.

Retired, I don’t drive much, but it still sucks for the people that have to drive to low paying jobs.

This is how I feel 100%! What I have learned this past decade is that in order to stop this political insanity we (starting with "me") have to stop rooting for politicians like fanboys...our side, your side BS. I have chosen to completely tune out the "politics as theater" side of things. Until we all do this, there will be a market for our body politic to continue as they have been; like actors in kabuki theater.

If we all tune out to the "politics as entertainment" industry, politicians can go back to being boring bureaucrats, getting work done on behalf of all people.

Get with the 20s...rooting for political parties is over. Let's stop talking about it (I realize I am here).

That all being said, I do think the ME (Sauds, UAE) have more to do with the current oil issue than anything else. They have favorites in the west.

Edit to add: Some of my favorite people have completely opposite political views than I do...some people I detest have the same views. So I don't engage on political views bc life is better without doing so.

Yup.... Uber and Lyft Drivers are dropping like flies. When gas hits $6.00/gallon (I know it already has in many areas), Rideshare Driving becomes a losing proposition. The related expenses and depreciation outweigh the meager income. Very sad.

A couple years ago, two guys I used to work with who drove trucks and had killer commutes went out and bought Teslas. Even with a $500+ monthly payment and increased electric bill, the savings more than made up for it, and with gas prices now, I'm sure the math is even more in their favor.

I've read it depends on which electric utility market you're in. PacNW (for example) it makes sense bc electric costs are lower and gas prices higher.

The 100 mile range keeps me wary.

There is only one EV that has a 100 mi range, only six under 175. 90% are 200+ with the median around 260.

Interesting that the consensus is that inflation is negative to card prices. Well it definitely adds to volatility, but longer term, cards are a store of value. IMO, as the value of the dollar diminish, demand staying equal, the underlying value of the cards will rise along with inflation.

Increased gas prices will affect elastic goods, like retail and eating out. But veblen goods like gold, cards, jewelry, even purses (dear god dont tell my wife), should retain their value and actually increase.

Cards are a store of value only as long as people remain interested in cards.
Should the inflationary pressure on budgets reach a point where people start distancing themselves from the hobby, and that trend is sustained, the thesis behind cards as an investment vehicle starts to show cracks.

Give me a break.

How so? Are you saying they don't?

Inflation and high gas prices will probably affect the lower and middle income folks more. So I could see the $20.-$1,000. stuff not selling as much as they used to. But the big ticket cards probably will be still traded for high prices by the folks with high income. Personally, I am looking more than ever at raw cards of my youth to satisfy the collecting itch.

As far as gas prices are concerned, I think Americans have been spoiled for a long time when they go to fill up their large SUV's. I lived in the UK for nearly 20 years over two different time periods and wept every time I filled up my modest small car. When I left London in 2013 and returned to the hobby, a gallon of regular cost around $15 a gallon. Most of this, of course, is tax and, of course, our politicians don't dare talk about raising the gas tax. And, I believe until recently, Britain was a net exporter of petroleum thanks to their vast North S oil reserves. This awful war in the Ukraine is going to pound the Western European economies as their energy imports become even more dear.
I can't help but wonder, now that the US has cut off Russian oil, whether we could make up our shortfall from our nice neighbor to the north, Canada? Better than Venezuela (ugh) or Iran (double ugh).
I believe pre-war should hold its value unless the war widens, while I see '60's and 70's vintage under pressure. How modern basketball and all those red hot NFL quarterbacks end up is anyone's guess. If everything falls apart at least we still have our cards.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...us%20cards.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...e/franklin.jpg

On the 1970s issues, I've spoken with a number of middle-class vintage collectors who are starting to collect 1970s cards because of the high cost of earlier cards. It's fun and not a financial risk.

We already import most of our oil from Canada. In 2020, Canadian imports made up about 61% of our oil imports. I think last year was about 57%. Those numbers may very slightly depending on your source, but the majority of our imports already come from Canada. Russia was about 4th on the list.

Edited to add: And the current administration is looking to lift the ban on Venezuelan oil.

I knew that, but meant if Russian oil imports represents 7% of US energy needs, why not ask Canada to prime their pumps and make up the shortfall. They got plenty.
Personally, I would prefer to suffer at the pump rather than have us import oil from those 2 terrorist rogue states, Venezuela and Iran.

I don't think this impacts cards much.

First, it's an odd economic time. Inflation is growing at an alarming rate that is horrifying me, but there are also tons of jobs open and they are generally paying quite a bit more too (I'm sure some roles aren't, but wages have been rising quickly). Everything cots more, but most of us are making more than we made in 2019 too.

Second, people who are barely scraping by don't really purchase vintage cards. It's just reality. I was poor and broke ten years ago in college trying to score a $10 card once a month, but this is a very, very tiny segment of the hobby. Even most low grade collectors on the cheaper end of the spectrum (I'm one of them) are not living paycheck to paycheck where a tank of gas doubling alters their card budget. Just as rising prices on household goods and astounding inflation the last year have not reduced card prices, neither will this. People who were overspending irresponsibly will continue doing so and those who can responsibly afford to do so will continue to do so, which together constitutes almost all vintage collectors.

Ha. I would kill for a $50 fillup. I filled it today for a cool $89.82.

First Covid now this crap.. I need a break..

My daughter is 26 and one of her first memories is watching the towers fall on 911, coupled with the mortgage meltdown in 2008, divisive polarized politics (shame on y'all), a general lack of respect we have for each other as humans, her's was the first generation raised on social media and all it's negative influences, etc., then throw in a world wide pandemic and now a war.

We were talking about it one day and she said "My generation is tired of constantly going through life changing events, we just want some degree of normalcy in our lives". Her and her friends are a smart group of kids, they know baloney when they see or hear it, and have a real solid no nonsense middle class approach to life.

The cheapest place to get gas is Taco Bell.

Exactly how my daughter sees it (23 y.o.). She and her friends are frustrated at missing their early 20s. Luckily, she did a semester abroad in Europe in the fall of 2019 and traveled all over the continent during the holidays, just steps (unbeknownst to her) ahead of the COVID outbreak. She returned home just a few weeks ahead of the wave. So at least she got that experience, which is priceless.

I get the frustration. I am so frustrated that I am willing to go to Atlantic City this summer, something I said I would never do again. But I am not going another year w/o a National. No way.

This is my very first post ever in Net54 (I have belonged for years) and I try to avoid political talks on Facebook. I enjoy reading the messages, but there are times that we cannot ignore rising gas prices, civilians being murdered and the fact that WWIII could start any day because Putin is crazy. Gas going up is the least of our problems if something is not done. Card collecting is a great hobby and distraction, but our hobby will be greatly effected unless action is taken against the biggest threat to humanity since Hitler. Usually I say "no" to politics, but trust me as a Jewish person who lost relatives in the Holocaust, we should all be very very concerned now. Anyone going to the card show in Chantilly, Virginia in early April?

See you in Chantilly Neil
 

I'll be set up across from the entrance - A Few of My Favorite Things - All Net 54 members invited to come say hello and talk baseball cards.

Chantilly is a few hours from me, so I might make the trip up. I've never been before.

Gas prices...
 

If we all just stop driving for two weeks, we can flatten the curve.

Thank you for this. While I post here intermittently, and read daily, I try and stay neutral here. However, on this topic I struggle to do so.
Given that, as someone who lives in Western Canada, I (and many others up here) cannot understand why your current president is so against getting this resource from us. The US imports approximately 660,000 Barrels of Oil a day from Russia. Keystone was going to supply slightly more than that on a daily basis. It is stopped in its tracks on day 1 of the new term. Then as prices goes up, he goes to Saudi and basically says "Pump more oil... oh yeah, and sell it to us."
Now Venezuela, Iraq, and OPEC are approached to provide more. No mention of coming to Canada for supply.
Canada has the third largest reserves in the world. We have among the highest environmental standards in the world. Canada is not going to invade any other democratic country. We don't kill reporters.
We in Western Canada simply don't understand the logic and bias.

Target in VA has Lean Cuisine for $3 or less usually. My wife likes them. I live across the street from the mall which has a Target. They also have the cheapest milk - $2.89 for a gallon of skim.

Depending on what quadrant you live in the city there are plenty of Aldi stores that are close. In MD there are ones in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Hyattsville, Cheverly and Oxon Hill near the casino.

There is also one just off of 395 at the Seminary Road exit.

I have a Lidl and Aldi across the street from each other here in Springfield. I usually go to Aldi. Yesterday I paid 80¢ for a dozen eggs and 99¢ for English muffins. Their bags of microwave vegetables are mostly $1 to $1.50 and non-Greek yogurt is 35¢.

I do all of the shopping in my house so I am on top of prices and know which store is cheapest for which item.

Thank you Leon. Your comment is not too political. It helps to make your point. As a matter of perspective gasoline is sold by the liter in Europe. I have a friend who lives is Zurich, Switzerland. Fortunately, they have a great trolley and train system which he can use to get to work. When he needs to drive, this is what he is paying as of Monday:

Switzerland Gasoline prices
Litre Gallon
CHF 1.880 7.117
USD 2.031 7.688

There are 3.3 liters to the gallon. He is paying almost $8 US for a gallon of gas.

I don't have the answer, but I can speculate. Canadian oil has heavy sands. It is more time consuming to refine, it pollutes the environment (air and freshwater) 3X more than conventional crude, and it's more harsh on the process equipment because of the abrasiveness. All around, it's more costly to refine. Again, I don't know if that's the reason or not, but I imagine that has a lot to do with it.

nice post
 

Quality first post. I don't post much myself and I see you've lurked for five years until this post. Thanks for posting and hope to see more!

Gas stations may have to start giving out cool cards again!

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20Clemente.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...s%20Lyle_1.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...%20Simpson.jpg

Actually, we do have lots of leadership - and they will jam this "Green Deal" down our throats whether we want it or not.

In order to do that - the 1st thing you have to kill is the Oil Industry.

Bravo Bob. As a Canadian, you expressed it best. I am a life-long registered Democrat and, of course, am utterly baffled why Biden cancelled the Keystone Pipeline at a time when the US now has a dire energy problem. Politics as usual, I fear, to keep the far left and the Greens mollified. How short term can you get, the same problem that has gotten the US in messes many times, and we don't seem to learn. Bob, I presume that Canada could pump and export enough non-Keystone oil to fill the 7% energy shortfall we will incur as Russian exports cease. With your vast reserves, I would think so. Anything is better than bringing in oil from those rogue states, Venezuela, Iran, and the Saudis.
I have several dear Canadian friends in Ontario (Lake Simco area) who always says US actions keep them guessing.
Leon, I haven't forgotten the card rule. I picked up, on Ebay of all places, a beautiful PSA5 Rochester Baking Jack Lapp. Deals can be hard to sniff out on Ebay but they are there.

Correct.

On a more card related note.


What I think might happen going forward slowly at first is the shipping costs will make brick and mortar hobby shops come back.
But not as traditional single hobby places.

More like what some were in the early 80's.
My town had a full time card store, but also had a fabric store with an added antique shop that began carrying cards.
And a couple places that carried a few.

Now, there's a place in the next town over that is an ice cream stand that has converted a section of indoor seating/ordering into a card shop. And not a fancy one, but a more old fashioned place that has boxes of commons to go through along with some slightly better stuff in that $5-50 range. Exactly the stuff that isn't really practical to buy on Ebay when shipping could get much higher soon.

So I can combine trips, take the kids for ice cream, and get some cards while we're there.

That's the sort of thing I think is going to become far more common.

Like a Pizza Hut and Wingstop sharing a space. If they make us share space with comic book people, though, there will be blood.

Even if he hadn't cancelled the Keystone Pipeline, it wouldn't make a difference present day. The pipeline would still be under construction and it would be a few years before it was online and operational. But I agree that either way it just wasn't a good move, and it set the tone for his energy policies from day one.

On another note, I'm being told to keep a full tank of gas at all times. Our existing pipelines are targets for hackers. Remember last year when the Colonial Pipeline was hacked (I think it was the Russians) and it created gas shortages?

Speaking of comic book people, comic book prices have gone insane, I have no doubt my vintage comic collection is worth way more than my baseball card and baseball memorabilia collection which I have spent more on.

No. Next question?

Or do you get a fill-up of gas by eating the food?

Colonial Pipeline hack was part of the DarkSide ransomware streak. Not believed to be state sponsored, nor even based in Russia – evidence heavily points towards them being based in a former Soviet Bloc country, with affiliates throughout the region.

Bring back regional issues in general! SO much fun to collect.

Calamity is a matter or perspective. Grow up during the middle ages and you were lucky to reach the age of 30