Let's discuss conspiracies and a billion dollar fraud

[Exhibitman]

OP is a rather broad brush. You hate the hobby and think everyone is a crook? Then quit. Life's too short. Buh-Bye.

The scandal doesn't affect my collection at all since nearly every alteration-worthy card I have was self-submitted over the years. My focus now is on cards of my childhood (the seventies) and I had a blast at the National this year assiduously avoiding graded cards. I hope to continue that.

The hobby is what you make of it. I collected when people were happy to get rid of old cards, I will collect long after the TPG scandals are old news (and hopefully the culprits are in jail).

[mouschi]

Don't let the crooks in this hobby ruin collecting for you. That would be like swearing off of cars because of the carjackers.

Our hobby is not just going to survive this; it is going to continue to thrive. Will there be a market correction in some facets of it? Surely, but our hobby is nearly 150 years old. It has survived so, so much.

People view sports cards as collectibles, history, crown jewels, investments, art, nostalgia and a way to get closer to the game. There is way too much to love about our hobby than to just walk away, though I suspect some will. But I'm a believer that more will come to it than walk away.

[samosa4u]

A few of you mention the market crashing - please explain specifically what you mean by this. Are you saying that one day I'm going to wake up and see the card prices come crashing down, like what happened to Bear Stearns and the other investment banks over ten years ago? If so, then here is what I have to say to you: DREAM ON!

Look, over the past twenty years, the US economy has gone through all kinds of crazy problems. Do you think when these things were happening, mid-grade 51' Bowman Mantles were going for $500 or even $1,000? See what I mean? Sure, there are cooling down periods, but then prices end up rebounding and reaching new highs.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

A few of you mention the market crashing - please explain specifically what you mean by this. Are you saying that one day I'm going to wake up and see the card prices come crashing down, like what happened to Bear Stearns and the other investment banks over ten years ago? If so, then here is what I have to say to you: DREAM ON!

Look, over the past twenty years, the US economy has gone through all kinds of crazy problems. Do you think when these things were happening, mid-grade 51' Bowman Mantles were going for $500 or even $1,000? See what I mean? Sure, there are cooling down periods, but then prices end up rebounding and reaching new highs.

agreed, and this isn't what I want either.

I just want collectors to stand up to this industry. That includes ALL the selling platforms and TPG's that don't give a S**t and are clearly crooked. You do that by not supporting their product or service and hurt them where it counts. In their pocketbook.

[commishbob]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

OP is a rather broad brush. You hate the hobby and think everyone is a crook? Then quit. Life's too short. Buh-Bye.

The scandal doesn't affect my collection at all since nearly every alteration-worthy card I have was self-submitted over the years. My focus now is on cards of my childhood (the seventies) and I had a blast at the National this year assiduously avoiding graded cards. I hope to continue that.

The hobby is what you make of it. I collected when people were happy to get rid of old cards, I will collect long after the TPG scandals are old news (and hopefully the culprits are in jail).

This.

Look, I hate to see folks getting scammed and unethical jerks making a killing with this. But I fail to see how this should cause me to give up on a hobby I've enjoyed for 60 years. My interests are in building sets I enjoy using raw and lower-to-mid condition cards.

If anyone is waiting for a mass exodus from the hobby by hordes of collectors due to the hits taken by high-end investors they are going to be disappointed.