Gas prices and buying cards

[Exhibitman]

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.