Are Baseball Cards Destined to Slowly Diminish in Value?

[mcap100176]

The Wall Street Journal had an article on youth baseball participation earlier this year:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000..._share_twitter

As someone who has worked in local government for 10 years, I can say without any hesitation more kids are playing soccer. Why? More action, cheaper and the games are shorter. When they kids are getting older and decide what game they like best (and what they are good at), they follow in that direction.

Concerning economy, it will recover. When there was the change from agrarian to industrial society, there was economic issues. We are in the midst of a change from industrial (manufacturing) to service delivery. People need to be retrained and re-educated.

Concerning cards, I see the market as more "collectibles" than cards. Show someone an REA catalog and they will read it cover to cover. It just takes a spark to get them involved.

The internet IS the marketplace. I got back into the hobby 4 years ago (I am 34) and have never been to a show or card store.

[joeadcock]

Michael

I appreciate what you say. I am not enthusiastic at all that unemployment will drop below 6%. In fact, I suspect long term it will stick around 9-10%, maybe worse.The healthcare system will no doubt have a huge negative impact on our economy. I know, I work in it all week. However, your positivity certainly at least gives me some hope. In the health care field(I dont know, you may work in it), we are not enthusiastic at all.

On the other hand, agree with Frank. I suspect prewar Baseball will only climb, though perhaps slowly.

[barrysloate]

Jeff- I think there are many post-war sets, such as 1949 Bowman, 1952 Topps, 1953 Bowman, and 1957 to name a few, that will always be widely collected. Will they be as popular as T206? Perhaps not. But they will have their supporters.

[Bicem]

Agreed Barry, there will always be collectors of it. I just think the # of those new collectors may shift a little towards earlier stuff after the baby boomers no longer collect.

[Jcfowler6]

My kids love baseball. I have lived in several states in this great union. I have seen towns that have 14 fields and so many people that want to play they don't have room for it.

I think we will see a steady increase in interest in this hobby. Everything is a mindset. If we say "the economy sucks" then the economy sucks but if we keep positive then things are good. We watch too much of those 24 hours news channels.

I think if the kids aren't playing pick up games then we should encourage them to do it. My kids beg me do take them to the park and play baseball all the time.

This is a hobby that tells a story. That's the part we must always remember. Teach this to everyone that will listen. Heck my wife couldn't tell you who Ty Cobb is but if she knows all about the Merkle Boner cause she liked the story when I told it to her.

The new card hobby isn't the same as what it was in the past. But in ways it is better. We have graded cards, we have blogs, we have ebay, and now some of us have money of our own to by what we want. Find the good things to focus on and not so much the negative.

Just my two cents.

Jon

[Bilko G]

Originally Posted by Jcfowler6

My kids love baseball. I have lived in several states in this great union. I have seen towns that have 14 fields and so many people that want to play they don't have room for it.

I think we will see a steady increase in interest in this hobby. Everything is a mindset. If we say "the economy sucks" then the economy sucks but if we keep positive then things are good. We watch too much of those 24 hours news channels.

I think if the kids aren't playing pick up games then we should encourage them to do it. My kids beg me do take them to the park and play baseball all the time.

This is a hobby that tells a story. That's the part we must always remember. Teach this to everyone that will listen. Heck my wife couldn't tell you who Ty Cobb is but if she knows all about the Merkle Boner cause she liked the story when I told it to her.

The new card hobby isn't the same as what it was in the past. But in ways it is better. We have graded cards, we have blogs, we have ebay, and now some of us have money of our own to by what we want. Find the good things to focus on and not so much the negative.

Just my two cents.

Jon

Great Post!!!!

[Rich Klein]

But one of the most important aspects of this discussion has already been brought up -- which is the cost of the new products for anyone to enter.

Let's face it, when most of us were young, the average cost to enter by buying packs was at the most 50 cents. Now, the only inexpsnive way to enter is through packs at a place such as target or walmart.

I'll do more later -- but this is a big 1st stop into this whole isue

Rich

[Exhibitman]

I agree, Rich. Another related issue is the extreme difference between worthless base sets and extremely valuable chase cards. The chase has always been a factor busting a pack--I can recall the thrill of finding a Hank Aaron instead of a Hank Allen in a new pack--but it has become so much more extreme over the years. Now, you open a pack of [expensive] cards, pull the chase cards, and throw away the base cards. For example, at the Baltimore National I busted a box of cards, pulled one chase card that I was able to flip to a dealer for the cost of the box, and walked away with a stack of worthless base cards. When we were kids and Topps was the only game in town, everyone collected the set. Even a double of a common card had its use as a trader. IMO the downfall of the modern card market was the creation of the factory set and the rise of the extreme insert card. Set buyers need not work a set and pack busters received items with no use or value that they toss aside [I think we've all seen pack busters at open tables at shows leave the base cards with the empty box and wrappers and walk away; I know I have seen that].