OT - Example of why card collecting is dying re: Topps

[Exhibitman]

Various points:

Let's give the vintage card snobbery a break. Most of the modern collectors out there are not 'day traders' looking only to make money. There are many enthusiastic, committed, passionate collectors who like modern cards every bit as much as some of us like T206s [which I personally find boring, but I digress]. Having a pissy, superior attitude towards them isn't the way to make the vintage side of the hobby attractive.

None of us know what the next 5-10-20 years hold. We don't need to know that in order to make some pretty accurate assumptions about the hobby as a whole. The times will vary, technology will change, but the basic habits of people don't change. Card collecting took off in the 1970s and has been a big hobby activity ever since. It used to be shows and stores and collecting clubs, now it is eBay and internet auctions and chat boards, but the basic activity remains the same: chasing cards, socializing, and slinging $hit with friends.

The doom and gloom always seems to focus on some past peak moment for the hobby: the 1991 National, the insane prices some cards fetched, the billion dollar modern market, etc. The peak of the hobby was a fad, it wasn't sustainable, and it wasn't what any of the experienced hands at the time were into it for, so citing that peak as evidence the hobby is dying isn't realistic. As long as collectors collect stuff and teams play sports there are going to be collectors collecting sports cards. We may not see 100,000 people at a National clogging the aisles for goodie bags--I hope--but 30,000-40,000 hardcore collectors seems to be sustainable.

[rhettyeakley]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Various points:

Let's give the vintage card snobbery a break. Most of the modern collectors out there are not 'day traders' looking only to make money. There are many enthusiastic, committed, passionate collectors who like modern cards every bit as much as some of us like T206s [which I personally find boring, but I digress]. Having a pissy, superior attitude towards them isn't the way to make the vintage side of the hobby attractive.

None of us know what the next 5-10-20 years hold. We don't need to know that in order to make some pretty accurate assumptions about the hobby as a whole. The times will vary, technology will change, but the basic habits of people don't change. Card collecting took off in the 1970s and has been a big hobby activity ever since. It used to be shows and stores and collecting clubs, now it is eBay and internet auctions and chat boards, but the basic activity remains the same: chasing cards, socializing, and slinging $hit with friends.

The doom and gloom always seems to focus on some past peak moment for the hobby: the 1991 National, the insane prices some cards fetched, the billion dollar modern market, etc. The peak of the hobby was a fad, it wasn't sustainable, and it wasn't what any of the experienced hands at the time were into it for, so citing that peak as evidence the hobby is dying isn't realistic. As long as collectors collect stuff and teams play sports there are going to be collectors collecting sports cards. We may not see 100,000 people at a National clogging the aisles for goodie bags--I hope--but 30,000-40,000 hardcore collectors seems to be sustainable.

Adam, I completely agree.

[iowadoc77]

I have 2 boys, age 10 and 13. We hit our 3rd national in a row this year. It is the highlight of the year for them. They love cards and they have a dozen friends that they trade with. They fill up our porch with their cards, telling stories, trading, etc. they are more into football cards and love to open new and shiny and we have a great LCS in Des Moines that we go to and see kids there all the time. Their 2 favorite pickups from the national- a Mike Ditka rookie PSA 5 (13 year old Bears fan) and a 1965 Len Dawson tall boy (10 year old Chiefs fan). They were ecstatic about the vintage cards. I am a baseball guy and they were excited to look at the cards I wanted to see and helped me pick up some nice T206s and a T227 Cobb. They were thrilled to get Jan Stenerund and Frank Whites autographs.
All of these things are just a snapshot from our experience but I am hopeful. It's a great hobby and I hope it stays around.
Will be a bummer to miss the National this next year. We will have to find another show to go to.

[Orioles1954]

Those who are speculating that the hobby is dead, I encourage you this Halloween to give out modern "junk" cards to neighborhood kids and see their reaction....it is usually gold!

[steve B]

I collect pretty much everything, as well as stuff that's not cards.

My daughters have been interested off and on in cards, not a surprise since they're 3 and 5. I gave my oldest some of the security inserts from one of the modern sets a couple years ago. I figured they'd make good drawing materials. After a few minutes she came back and said " daddy I have a card for you" I figured she had found either a card that got away on one of her adventures in making me put the box I left in reach back into number order, Or had one of the cards I'd given her. Yes, they get all the off condition 80's stuff too!

But what she had was a card she'd drawn for me. Not bad, it had a border, and a figure with a bat, sort of. and even a scribble that might have been the team name. It also had a few creases and a stain.

Still, it went straight into a toploader

She collects stamps too, currently red and green ones she puts into the book I made her. They're organized in a checkerboard pattern, making a surprisingly nice collection.

She hasn't asked for sports cards, but has asked for a few packs of my little pony cards, and frozen stickers.


The earliest mention I can find of collecting stamps being a dying hobby was from around 1892, and complaints about "unnecessary modern junk " go back at least as far as 1869! considering that's only 29 years after the first stamp was made I figure the card hobby is doing pretty well.

Steve B

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

Those who are speculating that the hobby is dead, I encourage you this Halloween to give out modern "junk" cards to neighborhood kids and see their reaction....it is usually gold!

Great idea!