General Forum

Facebook marketplace, kijiji (more popular in Canada), Craigs List, MaxSold online auctions.  But for every good deal there are many that are trying to capitalize on the current market. All the stories in the media about record prices for single cards doesn't help.

My last find(s) were in Ottawa. $100 for 15,000 2019 to 2021 Topps (and a few Bowmans) cards.  I paid $20 for 42 Topps Inserts and $20 for 18 1975 Topps minis (he asked for $15 but for the trouble I made in getting them - story of two guys with the same first name). I knew going in that the 15,000 card lot would not have many RC, Inserts or parallels but there were a few and it brought down some of my sets to very manageable want lists, some of which have already been gotten here by trade.  Of course, all prices I quote are Canadian$.

I've been a pretty cheap buyer these days. It's not like I give low-ball offers to people, but I don't follow the trends of where prices are headed. I pay what I'm comfortable paying, and just look for good buys. That leaves me out of acquiring most newer cards or the "big money" items, but I couldn't care less. I don't need cards, and wouldn't expect any so-called investment in them to put a kid through colleges. I simply like looking at the designs and pictures/stats, so I can easily be entertained by junk wax.

Besides, money I don't spend on cards I can put into other hobbies like my music collection (which is usually my number one expenditure for disposable income on any given year anyway). I get a good laugh with my brother over how ridiculous prices are anyway.

Still, high prices are frustrating. I called out a local card store for his crazy prices , and gladly earned a block from him on Instagram. I think it's important to speak out and let novice collectors know how common many of the cards out there truly are. The other day, I saw a guy on facebook attempting to sell the following card for $15 CAD. 

https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/155/cid/74068/1991-Fleer-710-Ken-Griffey,-Jr-/-Barry-Bonds

I should have messaged him and told him that he'd be holding onto that thing for a LONG time .  I can play the likely conversation in my head:

Me: "$15? You expect someone to pay that for such a common card. I don't even know if the entire set is worth $15."

Him: "Well it would grade a 9.5 at least"

Me: "Then why didn't you get it graded if you're so sure?" 

I'd hate for a kid to get caught up in the investment end of it, and get suckered by people who don't know how to price cards.

Since most of my card purchases are from Target, I rationalized with myself that I should buy a hobby box from my local card shop since it will probably be the last card purchase for a long time.  So I spent 60 dollars on a hobby box of Opening Day.  Which I am pretty sure was overpriced, and when I got home I wondered to myself if I had just fed the problem.  I feel guilty spending money on myself normally so I felt extra guilty after this.  Maybe this is a sign of cardboard addiction.  But I figure 60 isn't too bad considering people are paying crazy prices for rack packs and blasters online.  I don't think I will be buying any more cards for the rest of this year more than likely.

I randomly stumble across these team lots on Ebay but, more often than not, the pricing per card isn't the greatest of deals. It does take awhile to find a seller that looks like they're just trying to move cards, not eye gouge. However, when I find a seller that has a low asking price and the shipping can be combined with other lots, I just delve into the seller's other listings and see if I can make the price per card make more sense. I then save any seller that seems to be worth looking into again because combing through listings can take awhile. Think about searching for '10 card lot', '25 card lot', or '50 card lot' and see what you find.

Mercari has some good deals.

I really hope the market crashes very soon because it is hard to get cards speaking that I am 12 years old.

With Wayne Gretzky cards breaking world record amounts and that only being hockey, its not going "down" any time soon. Its just suits and ties in the hobby now too and that makes us irrelevant. Look at the cards I have and I plan on starting to sell and do breaks and so on I just don't expect to buy a cigar boat with my profits but just enjoy myself, help out other hobbiests and maybe make enough to keep the wife happy. I had a fellow buy in for 10%, he's disabled but has a CPA so his knowledge and skill set is wickedly good. He can not make a huge amount of money due to his disability allowance but he too is not looking to become DJ Kalid, ROFL. The 1% are just taking over the hobby and they may just stick around.

I always thought the bubble would burst when COVID restrictions were lifted and things got back to normal.  We are still a ways off in areas of Canada but I read some states are fairly close to back to normal with bars and arenas open.  If the bubble doesn't burst once COVID restrictions are gone, and the regular gamut of entertainment options are available, then it'll be a slow leak of the bubble and higher prices will stick around for quite awhile.

Things are crazy in Australia too. I've been collecting AFL cards since 1987 and for the first time ever I missed out on a box from my usual retailer. Not bothering with buying a box at prices up to 4 times retail so just biding my time. I've been round long enough to know that I can get what I'm after if I wait. 
 

In Australia it's the 'investors' and breakers that are killing it for the traditional collectors. But just like everything if you don't adapt, you lose. Hopefully holding out is the best way to adapt.