The Junk Wax Era- when did it start?

[tulsaboy]

Thanks, guys. That is a helpful analysis. Without anything better than simple observation to back up my opinion, I tend to agree. I feel like in the late 1980's and early 1990's, almost every dealer had lots of 87 and later unopened product available at modest prices. The 1985 and earlier (and sometimes 1986) was somewhat available, but much less so than the later stuff. Looking at the prices being asked (and received) right now for various product (and high-grade singles) for pre-1987 stuff, it seems that there is a pretty clear deliniation.

I have been astonished lately at the prices being realized even for 1979 and 1980 unopened and high-grade singles. I would think that there is a substantial amount of unopened product still available, but the prices make me wonder if that supply is rapidly dwindling.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[David W]

I agree with 1987 for Topps. Topps was still the company everyone wanted, Fleer and Donruss were afterthoughts.

In 1987 Donruss and Fleer were clearly not as popular and not sold nearly as much in big box stores and warehouse clubs. I'd go to Sam's Club and buy 2-3 boxes of 87 Topps, I don't recall them carrying anything else.

I'd be curious to know especially what Fleer's production numbers were compared to Topps, I bet a lot less.

By 1990 everyone had ramped the presses and Score had jumped in along with Upper Deck and Leaf, and from 1990 to 92 or so there was product everywhere. I had a small card shop for a year in a small town, and you really couldn't hardly give Topps away by 1990, they all wanted Leaf or UD.

That was also the time when 87 Fleer rookies (Bonds, Kevin Mitchel and Will Clark) became the desired rookies from the 87 sets, and were much tougher to find in the pre internet days. 88 Fleer was more sought after also than Topps. Glavine's rookie had a definite premium at the time in Fleer, plus the Billy Ripken FF card pushed 88 Fleer to the top.

Just my random ramblings and recollections.