When was the end of Junk era?

[Jayworld]

Originally Posted by Tripredacus

I think the junk era is still going on, but that the entire feel has changed. The fact is now that base cards are seen as being about as worthless today as cards from 1990. Less so in some cases for regional markup. But the problem remains that today the insert card rules the roost, and the base cards are the junk. In the early 90s, all the cards were junk, with few exceptions.

I would tend to agree with this.

When visiting the local card shop, I regularly speak with the owner, and always ask, "so what's your best seller," or "what's moving for you right now," etc., and I find the answers enlightening. Basically, (from the owner's prospective), competition is good, and the fact that Topps is the only MLB licensee is not so good, and the fact that card packs, boxes, cases are increasing in price and the value that they contain are not increasing. Everything is based upon "hits" or "pulls," both terms that were foreign to me when I got back into the hobby in 2000 after leaving in 1985. So much had changed in those 15 years; cards no longer had gum in the packs, there were now insert cards with autographs, jersey swatches, bat pieces, baseball bits, shiny parallels, etc.

Seems that to keep the interest of "collectors," manufacturers have had to place random "hits" into packs to keep those that collect baseball cards buying the cards. I have tried on several occasions to try to get back into collecting modern cards, as I was a set builder from 1975-84, but I've found the cost too prohibitive to build sets, with the only exception being Topps Opening Day product, and even that product does not interest me; partly due to the design of the cards. I'm a graphic designer (of 26+ years) but all the Photoshopping, gradient effects, background texture patterns, etc. just really turn me off. The Topps Archives cards, as far as "modern" cards go, interest me the most because they mimic past sets that either were appealing visually or that I collected. The nice, clean designs of several sets of the 1970s (and 50s and 60s) speak for themselves; unfortunately, most collectors (according to the owner) don't buy modern cards for the cards themselves; they buy them for the "hits." Borrowing from a statement in another part of the forum I found appropriate, it's legalized lotto in a way.

I also find it interesting that the biggest sellers are the Bowmans and Bowman Chromes and the "throwback" modern cards, such as Allen & Ginter, Topps Heritage, etc. That suggests that those that are spending the money on new product still prefer the older cards, so if they buy new stuff, they gravitate to card designs that are vintage.

I, too, think the junk wax era continues, albeit in a modified form... Wasn't it nice to go to the local convenient store or 7-11 and purchase a few packs for under a dollar, open the wax (yes, wax) pack and thumb through the cards, and seeing what you needed while struggling with the extra sugary stick of bubble gum in your mouth?

Do I buy modern cards? Really, no. I've found that for the value of 2-3 new packs, I can certainly pick up something I really want, such as a Goudey or vintage Bowman card. If I really want the "thrill" of opening new packs, I buy Japanese baseball cards (the only modern cards I collect), as that is fun to me...

[Rich Klein]

Since Jay and myself frequent the same store --- I can add some more depth to his comments

In Al's defense -- he does have a TON of singles from 1981-present available for collectors and those boxes get visited on a regular basis. It's not his biggest seller but he does very well with them. And there are many collectors who do base cards and frequent those boxes

However, the bulk of his money and his collector interest comes from the newest packs and boxes. If there is a decent product, go into his store on Wednesday evening about 6 PM and ask him how many cases/boxes he blew through of the new product.

Jay: I think you would have just as much fun opening "retail blaster" boxes of a product you like.

Just MOO

Rich

[Jayworld]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Since Jay and myself frequent the same store --- I can add some more depth to his comments

In Al's defense -- he does have a TON of singles from 1981-present available for collectors and those boxes get visited on a regular basis. It's not his biggest seller but he does very well with them. And there are many collectors who do base cards and frequent those boxes

However, the bulk of his money and his collector interest comes from the newest packs and boxes. If there is a decent product, go into his store on Wednesday evening about 6 PM and ask him how many cases/boxes he blew through of the new product.

Jay: I think you would have just as much fun opening "retail blaster" boxes of a product you like.

Just MOO

Rich

Rich: Nice post. Al does have singles (mostly commons) from about 1965-1981, along with a smattering of 1950s Bowman and 1960s Fleer. His setup has expanded within the past 1-2 years from nil to approximately 3-4 thousand cards, which I think nice. Honestly, the only reason I go into the store now is to either buy supplies (Ultra Pro pages, albums, etc.) or peruse from the singles table. I have not found any modern product that I have liked, at least enough to collect and try to build a set, since I returned to the hobby in 2000. I have bought a few packs here and there of various product, trying them out, to try to "spur" my interest again in modern product, and it just doesn't "take." I end up selling or trading the new stuff for vintage.

Seriously, the only modern products I collect are Japanese baseball, Calbee, BBM, and Owner's League. The Japanese cards are WELL done, nice designs, and when you open a pack, you get...drum roll....cards. Not cut signatures, parallels, etc. It's been a refreshment to the hobby for me.

Still think that "Junk wax" (wax a misnomer) is still here, and hopefully, as echoed earlier in the post, perhaps Panini and Topps will put more effort in design and thought into their products rather than high prices and the emphasis on "hits."