Money in the Hobby

[ZiggerZagger]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Or collect what you enjoy, with funds your family will not need...

This, exactly this.

It's kind of titillating to speculate on the future of the hobby, sure.
I'm sure that's why we're all reading this thread. A bit of drama is always... well, dramatic.

Sure there are demographic trends galore out there, and who knows how they'll turn out to affect the hobby for better or worse.
But as many have said, I also have the collecting gene, as I'm sure nearly everyone on this board does. The urge to collect won't go away no matter the generation, although we can't predict what the focus of that collecting will be.

We have an amazing hobby with a great history, and I hope it thrives. As others have also said, my personal mantra is to only spend funds on cards that are not otherwise needed. There's really no anxiety with that approach, just the thrill of the hunt.

Would I be disappointed if I woke up tomorrow and my collection wasn't really worth anything? -- yes. Would I regret having collected? -- no flipping way.
Honestly my biggest beef with our currently healthy market is that I'd like to buy a nice T206 Bat Off Cobb in midgrade and it will now cost me another 50% more because I dilly-dallied over the past few years...

[Leon]

Collectors should generally be comfortable with the value in their collection, whatever the circumstances might be. If you feel you have too much tied up in it it is easy to right-size it. It is way more fun when it isn't financially burdening, not that any of us would ever do that.

To reiterate others, I don't think baseball card collecting will die off in any of our lifetimes. That said there are fewer and fewer 50s-70s Topps set collectors, just starting sets, and there is an overabundance of those cards in low to mid grade. If I had millions of those I might be a little concerned.

.

[aconte]

To reiterate others, I don't think baseball card collecting will die off in any of our lifetimes. That said there are fewer and fewer 50s-70s Topps set collectors, just starting sets, and there is an overabundance of those cards in low to mid grade. If I had millions of those I might be a little concerned.

I agree with Leon's comment. I even think this is true for higher grade cards
from the 50s to 70s that are commons or mid level players. I would definitely
care if I had money I needed down the line tied up in commons.

[Rich Falvo]

I would love to build more 50's to 70's sets, but the fun in that was going to shops and shows with my want lists and working the set. Now, there are very few shows and shops around here anymore. It's not nearly as much fun trying to build a 700 card set buying the cards individually or in small lots online.

[joshuanip]

Originally Posted by Rich Falvo

I would love to build more 50's to 70's sets, but the fun in that was going to shops and shows with my want lists and working the set. Now, there are very few shows and shops around here anymore. It's not nearly as much fun trying to build a 700 card set buying the cards individually or in small lots online.

Yeah it sucks to not have shows, can't window shop and congregate like you use to. Man, I still remember the nationals in the late 80's. There were lines just to get in. And the HOF autograph lines took 1-hour plus (and was a fraction of what they are charging now). Hell, anyone remember the tri-star convention where all the autos were FREE: Campanella, Ali, Namath, Jim Brown, Koufax(?a bit foggy?), list goes on. What a show. I remember my whole family lining up to get admission (auto ticket), rubbing that stamp off our hand, and getting another admission ticket... hahaha, those were fun days.

Obviously our industry has changed, the internet removed transaction costs and improved availability. TPGs providing authenticity and standardized grading, you no longer have to be in person to buy high ticket cards. But the result of that is no longer the need for dealers to pay for booths because it doesnt make economic sense for them to spend on travel, T&E, and booth costs when they can just sell on the internet. And many other dealers changed their stripes from selling vintage to modern pack/box volume (and now to breaks). So what we got remaining is us collectors and dealers who truly love vintage collecting, otherwise they wouldnt tie up their working capital.

The industry is changing, but I think its evolving into something better... because another aspect of admiring cards, is being able to share what we have with others and discussing about it. With message boards, blogs, tweets, facebook groups, we can do that and instantly find people who share common connections on loving cards, old and new. And the popularity of TPG has created a "flytrap" so to speak for this new ecosystem. I am excited with where the hobby is heading, so no doom and gloom here from me...

Except, it pisses me off more the only show relevant locally I can't go because my son has his first dance tonight and I am hosting my old friend to stay over tonight. And tomorrow I have a 40th birthday party to go to for another friend. Higher power up there wants me to save money.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by Leon

Collectors should generally be comfortable with the value in their collection, whatever the circumstances might be. If you feel you have too much tied up in it it is easy to right-size it. It is way more fun when it isn't financially burdening, not that any of us would ever do that.

To reiterate others, I don't think baseball card collecting will die off in any of our lifetimes. That said there are fewer and fewer 50s-70s Topps set collectors, just starting sets, and there is an overabundance of those cards in low to mid grade. If I had millions of those I might be a little concerned.

.

I get what you are saying, but the 1960s Topps sets are what I enjoy...commons and all. I have tried other avenues of this hobby but have circled back around to this. I generally work on a set at a time, nothing terribly high grade. This is just a hobby for me, and what I spend on the cards is not a factor in my family's lifestyle. Someday when I am dead and gone, whatever my daughters can get for them will be a bonus.