My thoughts on collecting...

[Exhibitman]

I just buy cards I like. I picked up a pair of 2019 Topps Update rainbow foil cards today: CC Sabathia and Keston Hiura. I like the way they look. If Hiura is the second coming of Ryne Sandberg, great, I have a nice one, er, three, since I pulled a yellow Walgreens out of a box and also got one of the 1984 Topps style cards in another box. If not, I guess I am out the price of a small latte on Hiura and I have what I think is a truly great card image of future HOFer Sabathia. I also picked up a bunch of 1996 Pinnacle inserts for eight bucks: A-Rod Thome Bagwell Walker. Three HOFers and a PED HOFer in beautiful tough inserts that used to cost 10x that. Gotta love that.

Last night I spent a couple of blissful hours reorganizing my modern raw collection and watching the Blade Runner Final Cut on Netflix. Way more fun than stressing out over whether my slabbed cards are altered.

[mrmopar]

I have always collected what interests me, nothing thinking outright about value in the present or future, although it is always a lingering thought in the background. Sometimes that aligns with what is popular, other times I feel alone (which might help me find more items for cheap).

I got sucked into the game used card excitement briefly. I didn't go overboard or try to buy anything expensive, just picked up a variety of mostly low end cards. I did put together the Dodger Blues set, because I liked it and it featured the Dodgers.

In the end, I try to buy them like they are inserts or parallels. The jersey could have actually been worn by them, and that is cool. If it turns out we were all fleeced on that aspect, I still try to enjoy the card for what it is.

I do have a couple button cards myself. They are neat and I hope they are buttons off a real game worn jerseys, but I won't freak out if they are ever proved to be not.

[Chicosbailbonds]

I think some of the early GU cards will continue to maintain some value, they were very hard to get (case hits even). The companies ruined them when they switched to event worn. People were faking the cards by placing store bought jerseys and patches in the cards that looked nicer.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by Chicosbailbonds

I think some of the early GU cards will continue to maintain some value, they were very hard to get (case hits even). The companies ruined them when they switched to event worn. People were faking the cards by placing store bought jerseys and patches in the cards that looked nicer.

I can't stand the event worn cards. I feel like they are a rip off by the card companies and too many people list them for sale as game used cards.

[Exhibitman]

It reminds me of the trade in saint relics. A first-class relic is a piece of the person. A second-class relic could be something that a person possessed or wore. A third-class relic is something that was touched to a first-class or second-class relic. So a GU card is a second-class relic. Much of the garbage the card makers are selling now has no discernible relationship to the player. I pulled a 2020 Heritage Clubhouse Mike Trout, flipped it over and read that the jersey swatch on the front is random and has no connection to Trout. Gee, thanks for the great hit, Topps. Can't wait to collect the rest of the set of pointless jersey swatches. Yeah, I'm running to eBay to bid on them now.