Do you worry about our hobby dying?

[1952boyntoncollector]

There are many people who say in 20 years there could be a problem in terms of keeping any value...noone will ever say 5 years..when its a point where people say 5 years then they would be selling asap like it was tomorrow....massive run to the bank

so basically like all worries....its either 20 years down the line or immediate.....i think we are all good for 20 years...

[Texxxx]

I am more worried about me being put under than the hobby getting buried. If the cards tank before I go then it just means I can buy a lot more.

[ooo-ribay]

I think it will die, but I don't really care, as I collect for enjoyment, not for investment.

[exitmusicgreen]

Very interesting thread. I'm a 31-year-old collector who returned to the hobby late last year after about a 21-year hiatus. I know I'm not the only one.. in particular, many "born again" collectors stumble upon the world of modern cards via searching for collectibles of their favorite players via ebay, then finding it odd that modern cards are selling at unimagined prices, then doing research. That moment when things make sense opens up a whole new world.

So I think modern collecting has a role in producing + sustaining future interest.

As some have pointed out, the allure of vintage can emerge given the oft-maddening unpredictability of modern cards. I still collect modern due to the excitement factor plus feeling very connected to the game's current crop of players. But my (tiny yet growing) vintage collection gives me equal, if not more pride.

[bravesfan22]

Modern card collecting is very popular. Prospects are what people collect the most now, well invest in i should say. However even the "investors" usually have a player or team that they collect as well. The prospect buy and sell usually is what funds their personal collection pieces.

If you get on the blowout cards board or just look at ebay at modern topps or panini certified autograph card prices then you will see the hobby is alive in kicking and this side of the hobby holds a wide age group. Also a big bonus is I see a lot of parents that are involved with the hobby sharing it with their kids and doing the hobby together. Which is great!

I'm 26 and i mainly dabble in modern cards but my love for the history of baseball brought me to this board and started to get me into vintage cards as well. I think as people around my age learn more about the modern cards they end up looking into the vintage cards and wanting to learn and maybe collect them as well so I would say as long as card collecting on some aspect is happening then people will always end up supporting vintage cards as well.

I think the biggest movement we may see is people getting into vintage football cards instead of baseball due to the popularity of the NFL and modern football cards but who knows.

Between topps, bowman, panini and leaf there are well over 20 baseball products out per year. Same with football and basketball probably has atleast 10 products if not more and people open these by the case not just the box. I actually think the hobby is getting more popular in recent years thanks to things like case breaks. So again I guess to sum it up I think as long as modern card collecting is doing well their will be a steady flow of new vintage collecters as well. Just like most things, you start with the new stuff but you always go back to the roots.

-Adam

[mrvster]

great perspective

[yankees23]

I'm 36 and like others, just started collecting again about 3 years ago. I don't think cards will ever in my lifetime become completely irrelevant. As long as there are a few collectors prices will always at least hold. Look at the prices nowadays compared to 20 years ago when there was so many more collectors...not a huge difference. Collecting of anything is booming now partly IMO because of the ease of buying online. I watched a collectors show recently featuring Corbin Bernsen and his snow globe collection. They valued his collection at like $600k. How many snow globe collectors are out there? If snow globes can keep their value baseball cards will be fine.

[SAllen2556]

The hobby won't die. Ever. There's way too many geeky people like all of us too enamored in the history of baseball and history itself. And that will never change. People like old stuff - they always have and they always will. Hell, people collect old barbed wire for crying out loud!

The big advantage kids have today is the internet and the instant access to learning. The history of the Detroit Tigers is a click away. And that allure is powerful. I can learn how Gehringer, Cochrane, and Greenberg brought Detroit its first world championship and soon enough the thought of owning a card, or a photo, or an autograph of that player will lure me in. In short, there will always be new collectors of old stuff.

And with the technology of today I can buy a card from a guy in Florida after examining it in a hi-res scan and then have it shipped right to my door, all at a competitive price.

The internet with ebay and sites like this have put virtual museums right in front of our eyes - expert opinions and access to research all included. And the technology will only get better. I suspect that one day in the future we will be able to accurately date cards and detect alterations as well as absolutely verify autographs, all for cheap.

Think about it, 25 years ago if you wanted to buy a '34 Charlie Gehringer Goudey card or a Mantle signed baseball, how exactly would you have gone about it? And how risky would the venture have been? Go to a show? Mail order?

Parting thought: I wouldn't worry (or care) if every card company went out of business tomorrow. I don't think it would have any negative effect on the value of someone's collection.