Your Collection in 2025

[parkplace33]

Time for a poll! How do you see you collection changing (or not changing) in 2025?

[parkplace33]

I voted Substantially increase my collection because of prices. I have seen prices fall on cards (not all) since 2020-2022, especially in the third quarter of 2024. I expect this to continue in 2025. Great buying opportunity for me.

[StraightRaceCards]

The marathon runner in me applies the same approach to card collecting.

Slow and steady, one card at a time.

In 2025 I will attempt to land one big card, and add a few minor holes on some hall of fame runs, and Kaline run I am working through.

In the season of young kids and minimal card budgets, I have to be careful. Trying to appreciate more of what I have and find joy in the card collecting community connecting with other collectors. That has been awesome, and look forward to doing more of that more than anything else.

[Snapolit1]

2024 has definitely been a quiet year for me. The non stop never-ending auction process, continuing amazing "finds" and "new discoveries", and prices that seem untethered to the supply and demand . . . have all definitely chilled my FOMO.

Expect 2025 will be more of the same.

[Peter_Spaeth]

There does seem to be an almost endless stream of high quality cards on the market, and I suspect this will continue or even increase as more collectors of a certain age decide it's time to downsize or sell out.

[Balticfox]

Cards, I need more cards! (I know, I know, I'm an addict, but I keep telling myself it's better than tobacco, booze or other drugs.)

[DeanH3]

I chose somewhat reduce my collection. I think that will be primarily due to some collection consolidation.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by DeanH3

I chose somewhat reduce my collection. I think that will be primarily due to some collection consolidation.

after having a banner buying year, I suspect I will attempt this approach as well. Need to cut down from 1600 to 1500 cards and I added 100 this year.

Should be fun!

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Cards, I need more cards! (I know, I know, I'm an addict, but I keep telling myself it's better than tobacco, booze or other drugs.)

Having diversified a little and bought some coins, I can attest that at least for me, the addiction turns out to be buying, not cards per se.

[Touch'EmAll]

A lot of Boomers are now in their mid 70's. Makes sense for them the time is now to cash out - hence we're seeing a lot of stuff come to market. In another 10 years the guys who were kids in the 1970's (slightly after the Boomers) have to make the big cash out or not decision. I am in that group at age 59 and am already starting to think about an exit strategy. If not cash out, am thinking they will just pass down their collections. Or cash out the bulk, but keep the cornerstones to pass down. Just theory, who knows.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Having diversified a little and bought some coins, I can attest that at least for me, the addiction turns out to be buying, not cards per se.

Agree. Recently bought a cool Houdini first edition book and hand signed note that I’ve gotten more of a kick out of than any baseball purchase I made in 2024.

[G1911]

Unknown. My want list is fairly small and not easily found, so it's really dependent on what crops up and who is willing to sell in my little area.

I spent about 34x in 2023 what I have in 2024, because it's all about what comes up and when, and I can't really plan for it, just wait patiently. I win either way, I get to cross off some cool cards and add them to my little sets, or save the money and spend more time on the research side instead.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Touch'EmAll

A lot of Boomers are now in their mid 70's. Makes sense for them the time is now to cash out - hence we're seeing a lot of stuff come to market. In another 10 years the guys who were kids in the 1970's (slightly after the Boomers) have to make the big cash out or not decision. I am in that group at age 59 and am already starting to think about an exit strategy. If not cash out, am thinking they will just pass down their collections. Or cash out the bulk, but keep the cornerstones to pass down. Just theory, who knows.

I would agree with this (same age group). I try to limit my collection to 500 cards so its manageable and easily passed down.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

I would agree with this (same age group). I try to limit my collection to 500 cards so its manageable and easily passed down.

Good approach. Unfortunately, I have not yet found that discipline.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Agree. Recently bought a cool Houdini first edition book and hand signed note that I’ve gotten more of a kick out of than any baseball purchase I made in 2024.

I probably buy as many nonsports cards as sports cards; same enjoyment but at a very small fraction of the price typically.

[Exhibitman]

I have no clue. What I collect is so esoteric that whether I can add to my collection is mostly happenstance. I am certainly going to keep weeding out stuff I don't really enjoy, that I know. I've been at that for a few years.

[JollyElm]

Look, there's still a quarter of 2024 left. Can we put off the 2025 stuff for a while? You're depressing me.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Look, there's still a quarter of 2024 left. Can we put off the 2025 stuff for a while? You're depressing me.

Au contraire, it's probably time for a thread about next year's National. Can't wait!!!! LOL

[drmiraculous]

I went with somewhat increase but wasnt sure if I should say substantial, I hope to finish out the Montgomery T210's, I only need the last three so while its not a big number it will sure feel substantial to me!

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Touch'EmAll

A lot of Boomers are now in their mid 70's. Makes sense for them the time is now to cash out - hence we're seeing a lot of stuff come to market. In another 10 years the guys who were kids in the 1970's (slightly after the Boomers) have to make the big cash out or not decision. I am in that group at age 59 and am already starting to think about an exit strategy. If not cash out, am thinking they will just pass down their collections. Or cash out the bulk, but keep the cornerstones to pass down.

So then all I have to do to get some real "bargains" is outlive most of my age cohort.

[egri]

I voted unknown. The prices on the cards I still need for my project have been untethered from any semblence of reality for quite a while now, and if there is a slowdown that others are seeing, it has not spread to signed 1953 Topps. I have a few other side projects that I've been keeping myself busy with in the meantime, but with a move overseas coming up in 2025, I don't anticipate any earth-shattering additions to my collection, but will be happy to be wrong.

[Eric72]

I'm looking to downsize a bit. Quality over quantity.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

Time for a poll! How do you see you collection changing (or not changing) in 2025?

Are you referring to dollar value or number of items? My answer to your question differs depending on which you are referring to.

[Snapolit1]

I am working on a complicated regression analysis comparing the relationship, if any, between the rise in card in prices with the frequency of comments about the smell of the REA catalog and the poor mailman who had to carry it up the front steps.

[BioCRN]

In card count, no, I'm only in the market for a 3 dozen or so cards.

In card cost, maybe.

Depends on whether I pull the trigger on a nice looking, low-graded N172 "Chicago" King Kelly...and the cost to make that shot.

...and a couple E107 "commons" on my wish/need-list.

Everything else I'm hunting falls well below the 4-digit cost barrier and it's a matter of actually finding the card for sale at a reasonable price.

[bnorth]

I went with substantially downsize. I have been doing it off and on for the last 20+ years. The plan I have been using for a few years now is sell off a lot of junk wax era cards and buy a Wade Boggs bat(s) with the money. I want to pick up a couple higher end bats in the next year if/when they become available. So need to greatly downsize the card collection.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by bnorth

The plan I have been using for a few years now is sell off a lot of junk wax era cards....

So no cards past 1989 for you I guess.

[LEHR]

I selected "somewhat increase my collection".

I'm not seeing any big price drops yet in the areas I mostly collect. Plus, I want to keep the ongoing focus on quality over quantity.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

So no cards past 1989 for you I guess.

LOL, no I have pretty much a little of everything except pre 1900. Just have a pile of junk wax era stuff.

[Bballer]

Slowly increase. Still somewhat wary of current price levels so spreading out purchases

[butchie_t]

A card here, a card there. And any new variations that Al posts......and I can find.

Mainly now Senators, Frank Howard, some variations a I come across them. Nothing else major for me for the foreseeable future.

[parkplace33]

Anyone change their minds since I posted this poll in October 2024?

I was Substantially increase my collection, but am creeping more towards no change. Just a lot of uncertainty these days.

[DeanH3]

No change for me. I have already started the consolidation process.

[Johnny630]

Enjoy what I have :-) I'm very blessed and thankful.

[Howe’s Hunter]

It’s not really not up to me how much it grows. I buy what I can when they show up.

[brunswickreeves]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I am working on a complicated regression analysis comparing the relationship, if any, between the rise in card in prices with the frequency of comments about the smell of the REA catalog and the poor mailman who had to carry it up the front steps.

Pair this with an Excel Histogram Analysis

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by LEHR

I selected "somewhat increase my collection".

I'm not seeing any big price drops yet in the areas I mostly collect. Plus, I want to keep the ongoing focus on quality over quantity.

Well, I've bought 4 items in 2025 and sold about 65.
I think my plan vs. reality was off.

It doesn't help that I'm just tired of the "clutter" in my collection, and it was announced 3 weeks ago that my company would cease operations by the end of April.

[scooter729]

Over the past 6 months or so, I've been trying to sell off some of the bulk in my collection. Perfect example - I've sold 10-12 of the 5,000 count boxes of 80s and 90s stuff, mostly on Facebook Marketplace and with decent success. (Most of them have had some decent cards and not purely junk wax commons - I've gotten $50 - $100 on average for them, which I think has been pretty good.)

Nice to get rid of some of the quantity - on a whole, my plan for 2024 and continuing in 2025 isn't to decrease the overall value of my collection, but just to consolidate it into a smaller number of items.