What the hobby is becoming

[Peter_Spaeth]

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1474435

At first I thought these stats and charts were a parody lol. No wonder I feel left behind.

[mouschi]

Wow... that's eye opening

[Peter_Spaeth]

Not sure when the generational shift happened, but it clearly has happened. It's gem rates and social media influencers and apps and crypto and Prizm and modern modern modern. People like me and I suspect many of the old guard here aren't even on the radar screen. So be it.

[slightlyrounded]

Will this forever be known as the “junk-slab” era?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by slightlyrounded

Will this forever be known as the “junk-slab” era?

[Lorewalker]

And this is the stuff that makes up the majority of the 10 million plus backlog we keep hearing about.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Not sure when the generational shift happened, but it clearly has happened. It's gem rates and social media influencers and apps and crypto and Prizm and modern modern modern...

Many of today's hobbyists are cut from a different cloth, and that's OK. Let them obsess over Gem Mint 10s, parrot their Internet "celebrities" of choice, spend more time looking at cards on their phone than in hand, deal in volatile virtual currency, collect cards that might curl like a Pringle, and chase ultra-modern from morning 'til midnight.

Meanwhile, I'll obsess over well-centered EX 5s, listen to YouTube as background noise while getting work done, spend my time and money on cards rather than subscription services, deal in old-fashioned fiat currency, collect cards that might have been altered at some point, and chase vintage from morning 'til midnight.

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

...People like me and I suspect many of the old guard here aren't even on the radar screen. So be it.

I rather enjoy being under the radar.

[JustinD]

What kills me is 10 years ago I was selling the junk to make space and couldn’t move 1990 Fleer BB wax boxes at 5 bucks per because the shipping exceeded the cost.

I never thought the stuff would be worth anything. To be honest I still don’t think it’s worth anything but the slab junkies do.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by JustinD

What kills me is 10 years ago I was selling the junk to make space and couldn’t move 1990 Fleer BB wax boxes at 5 bucks per because the shipping exceeded the cost.

I never thought the stuff would be worth anything. To be honest I still don’t think it’s worth anything but the slab junkies do.

I need to find these slab junkies that you speak of. I have junk wax and I am not above taking as much of their money that I can to fuel my quest for older sets.

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by JustinD

What kills me is 10 years ago I was selling the junk to make space and couldn’t move 1990 Fleer BB wax boxes at 5 bucks per because the shipping exceeded the cost.

I never thought the stuff would be worth anything. To be honest I still don’t think it’s worth anything but the slab junkies do.

Yup +1

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Not sure when the generational shift happened, but it clearly has happened. It's gem rates and social media influencers and apps and crypto and Prizm and modern modern modern. People like me and I suspect many of the old guard here aren't even on the radar screen. So be it.

We would all have to hang up our spurs if that crowd ever became interested in our quiet corner of the hobby Peter. I don't know how many Jordan Rookies PSA graded last month, nor do I care. I do know that that PSA has only graded 99 examples of a 1921 Exhibits Ruth, ever.