Yahoo Finance - cards booming

[etsmith]

One estimate says there are nearly 15 million millionaires in just the USA alone.

[Republicaninmass]

...and when everyone and their neighbor is citing how easy it is to make money buying and selling cards, the top has passed. Oh I hope the trend continues, but I've seen it too many times in sportscards, housing, etc

[Exhibitman]

If you have a long-time owned home in a major coastal urban center and a small retirement nest egg odds are you have a million dollars in assets


...but you sure as hell won't feel like a millionaire.

[Yoda]

Is it safe to say that the unreal appreciation of modern basketball cards has been lead by the Jordon rookie card? I don't really follow basketball much, but I did see that the Bill Russel rookie card just went for a juicy number so I guess vintage is prospering, too.

[Exhibitman]

John, it is all flying off the shelves: vintage, modern, vintage-ish. I sold a 61 Russell, a 72 Erving and an 85 Magic all for extraordinary prices...that have since been eclipsed. And there are a wealth of other cards that just leave me shaking my head. Any major player's RC in virtually any condition is moving briskly. A PSA 3 Russell RC sold for over 10K. it is just nuts.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

John, it is all flying off the shelves: vintage, modern, vintage-ish. I sold a 61 Russell, a 72 Erving and an 85 Magic all for extraordinary prices...that have since been eclipsed. And there are a wealth of other cards that just leave me shaking my head. Any major player's RC in virtually any condition is moving briskly. A PSA 3 Russell RC sold for over 10K. it is just nuts.

The Vintage market I somewhat understand though. Russell, Dr.J , Magic, Wilt, etc, are the premier names in the history of the game. What I find absolutely insane are the prices of modern cards. I've made a similar statement about a few of the modern baseball cards. Cards of players like Doncic and Giannis are hitting absurd prices. All for cards that are a producted of manufactured scarcity.

Getting back to vintage, I'm glad to see prices going up to a certain extent because it means the hobby's doing well, but I fear that we will eventually hit a point where the regular, every day person will be priced out of the hobby, at least when it comes to certain cards. I'm more of a collector, I'll like buying something and holding onto it. I'm going to be faced with some tough decisions going forward though, If I want to eventually get the cards that I've always had my eye on.

Sometimes it makes me wish I was older or had a time machine of some kind. What I wouldn't kill to have the opportunity to purchase decently priced tobacco, or gum cards of the Stars of the game. Hearing about times when 33 Ruth's were obtainable for a couple of hundred bucks does make me very envious. It is what it is, I guess.

[Orioles1954]

I work for Huggins & Scott Auctions which is attached to a card shop owned by Bill Huggins named House of Cards. Business is absolutely booming. The modern card market has brought in numerous twenty somethings and even an influx of African-Americans and women. This isn't just a middle age/baby boom hobby anymore and that is a good thing!