What would it take to collect modern cards again?

[grundle20]

I totally agree with OP. It would have to be something that made buying the packs have a lasting effect. There is a major flaw when you can just buy the factory set for way cheaper than trying to compile through the sets. That's basically how the entire concept of "trading" has gone kaput.

From a top-level view, here's the problem. People are buying packs because it's like gambling. They might hit a (refractor) jackpot or something. Everyone's in it for the money, which usually translates to, very few people actually make money...it's a lottery. The entire concept needs to return to buying and trading for the sake of liking the sport of baseball and its players in and of itself.

[powderfinger]

Let's forget about the "short print" cards as well. The last set I tried to build was the 2002 Bowman Heritage set which contained 439 card, 110 of which were "short prints." Because of the other inserts in the series, there were probably around 25 packs in each box that contained one of the 110 "short print" cards that were part of the regular series. Granted, I haven't looked very hard in the ensuing nine years, but I still need four cards to complete that set.

Give me the old-fashioned cardboard, a lot of portraits and posed images, a nice powdery piece of bubble gum and a 50-cent pack, eliminate all the things mentioned in this thread, and I might give it another shot.

[steve B]

I actually like some of the newer sets. Allen and Ginter, and the Gypsy queen from this year. The cardboard isn't shiny, but is more like a T206. I think inserts are here to stay, and that's not so bad. We had them in the 60's and 70's, so it's not really anything new. Some memorabilia cards I could do without, but for current players I don't mind at all. All they have to do is have the player wear a Jersey for one game. Older stuff I'd like to see them give away the complete item, even if it's in rough shape.

The old cardboard while nostalgic is pretty bad, the acids in it will wreck most cards from the 70's and 80's eventually.

Short prints have always been with us as well. Any of the sets with redemptions -George C Millers, US caramels, And most multi series cards had high # series Goudey in 33, 34, ... Or just plain short prints like in 41 Goudey.

We're down to one licensed company for baseball. Multiple brands, but still only one license. From what the local card shop says business has been excellent. Less confusion about what's been issued, and customers are still buying, some buying more. We'll see how long that lasts.....

Anyone remember the pre 1981 days when a Topps set that didn't match what we liked or didn't have a particular player would make us wonder why nobody else could make cards? And how exciting it was when there was a regional set in your area. For me, Chilly Willie discs and Papa Ginos discs.


Steve B

[Ladder7]

A frontal lobotomy.

Although massive overproduction is an obvious factor., The ego's and the buying of cheap foreign talent (Instead of American kids) is a turn off to collecting and going to games, imo.

Even Jeter, whom I'd quietly idolized... Has been somewhat the doosh lately.

[rainier2004]

I could start again with the aboved mentioned changes, but at this point I dont even think of modern players for cards I want. Ive been a vegetarian for 10 years and my cravings have changed dramatically over time...cards are the same way and I only crave vintage irregardless.

[vintagecpa]

I think if I could go back to the early 80's where you only had to worry about Topps, Donruss and Fleer, I'd probably still find myself buying a couple of rack pack for the heck of it. Even back then, most collectors realized the cards didn't have much value. It was simply mindless entertainment, much like playing nickle slots.

Fast forward 30 years, paying $4-5 per pack for cards that are just as worthless is the equivalent to moving from the nickle slot machines to the dollar slot machines. They both provide the same level of entertainment, but it costs a whole lot more to reach the same conclusion.

[alanu]

My main problem with modern cards is that while I still enjoy the game of baseball, there aren't that many players that I would like to collect and with players changing teams more often, there's not really a team I would like to collect.

About the newest cards I have much interest in are the 1989 Griffey cards and they are readily available.

[mawitzi]

I would buy modern cards if they had a simple set with an attractive set of on card autos. The last set I collected was the 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game.

[U240robert]

Originally Posted by vintagecpa

I think if I could go back to the early 80's where you only had to worry about Topps, Donruss and Fleer, I'd probably still find myself buying a couple of rack pack for the heck of it. Even back then, most collectors realized the cards didn't have much value. It was simply mindless entertainment, much like playing nickle slots.

Fast forward 30 years, paying $4-5 per pack for cards that are just as worthless is the equivalent to moving from the nickle slot machines to the dollar slot machines. They both provide the same level of entertainment, but it costs a whole lot more to reach the same conclusion.

Exactly. I haven't bought a modern card pack/set in ages.
I lost interest in the early 90's with the over population
of sets. The inserts are probably here to stay, which is too bad.
In the past we may have gotten inserts in cards but that
was a bonus. Now the inserts are the attraction, not the cards.
I've seen kids open up packs of cards just to comb through them for the inserts. Then dump the cards in the trash like it was yesterdays bubblegum.
I really think the card companies for the past 20 years have been pretty clueless. Too many people without any trading card background are now calling the shots.

[fkw]

Like the first few post mentioned...

If they actually still made "True Collector Cards" ie a card issued FREE with a product or service of some kind. None of this buy the cards w/o the product, in complete set form, etc. BS that ruined the hobby forever.

If they (Topps) would have just stuck with what got them there, bubblegum and cheap packs (under 50 cents each), more kids would collect and actually build set for a change...

[packs]

It would be awesome to see a manufacturer produce a set that is distributed over the course of say, 3 years, with all updates in the trade market made and released later in production.

Hell, bring back the cabinets too. Where is today's Carl Horner?

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by fkw

Like the first few post mentioned...

If they actually still made "True Collector Cards" ie a card issued FREE with a product or service of some kind. None of this buy the cards w/o the product, in complete set form, etc. BS that ruined the hobby forever.

If they (Topps) would have just stuck with what got them there, bubblegum and cheap packs (under 50 cents each), more kids would collect and actually build set for a change...

I'm not sure that's true. There are plenty of kids who spend several dollars per pack on Magic or other gaming cards. Such cards are just more interactive and interesting. The $1 Topps Opening Day product with gum and several cards just sits on the shelf.

[arexcrooke]

Originally Posted by Ladder7

A frontal lobotomy.

Although massive overproduction is an obvious factor., The ego's and the buying of cheap foreign talent (Instead of American kids) is a turn off to collecting and going to games, imo.

Even Jeter, whom I'd quietly idolized... Has been somewhat the doosh lately.

So would you rather have the best player play or would you rather have just Americans play?
that is perilously close to thinking before a certain #42 showed up on the scence.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by arexcrooke

So would you rather have the best player play or would you rather have just Americans play?
that is perilously close to thinking before a certain #42 showed up on the scence.

I understand both sentiments here. It's not a racist thing...I don't believe he has anything against hispanics(I could be wrong though). BUT there is MAJOR damage being done to this country's financial structure, and to an extent, the fact that WE are paying WAY TOO MUCH for "foreign entertainment" isn't helping matters. Now I'm not saying that foreign players shouldn't be worth as much as American players, but I'd feel more comfortable knowing that the money I'm giving these guys will continue to stay in the US, rather than be funneled to some other country, and diminishing the total amount of US dollars circulating throughout the US. Baseball has almost become "high dollar foreign aid"..

Personally, baseball wise, I'm fine with things the way that they are now. But economically speaking, we have to understand that there are ramifications for this country in the long run.