How come sets from the mid 1990s are so cheap, but late 1990s are not?

Estil

Okay, I've just now in the past few weeks started to really get back into the hobby (now that my father finally brought all my sets back here from my parents' house). Now, how I collect is that I buy ONLY complete sets, and this is what I have so far:

Topps: 1980-2004
Donruss: 1981-1992
Fleer: 1981-1992
Score: 1988-1992
Upper Deck: 1989-1993
1952, 1953, and 1954 Topps reprint sets (from 1983, 1991, and 1994 respectively)
1991 Stadium Club
1993 Flair
1993 Finest
1994 Leaf Limited
1996 Upper Deck SPX

Now, I want to try to extend my run of Fleer up to 1995 (I'm also collecting the insert sets from 1994 and 1995 cuz I thought they, especially the 1994 insert sets were the most interesting), and I want to get the 1991-1995 Ultra sets because I love the design of the 1992-94 sets especially. Donruss and Score I want to go up to 1994 definetly, and maybe 1995 (the 1995 sets' designs weren't nearly as good IMO), and Upper Deck I'm not sure to continue with the more expensive regular Upper Deck set or the cheaper Collector's Choice. I'm also considering getting all three Topps Gold sets (1992-94, along with 1993-94 Black Gold) and the 1994 Score Gold Rush set cuz I like the designs and they're fairly cheap right now.

Now, back to my original topic. Luckily for me all the above sets are super cheap now and I have one or two guys who will sell theirs for like $10 each (give or take), but why is it that once I get up to about 1996 onward, they start booking for so much more (especially the Fleer and Upper Deck sets)? Did they really start making that many fewer cards in the late 1990s compared to the mid 1990s?

And lastly, are there any others here who like to make runs of their favorite sets like these?

RobMM77

I have tons of commons and stars.....LMK what you need and I may be able to help

Estil

<< <i>I have tons of commons and stars.....LMK what you need and I may be able to help >>



Well, I could really use the 1994 Fleer Tim Salmon set (1-12; I have the 13-15 send off cards) if you have one to complete my 1994 Fleer insert set (or whatever the proper term is for having all of their insert sets). I also need the 1994 and 1995 Fleer All-Rookie Team Exchange cards, because apparently when you redeemed one for the set, you didn't get the redemption card back.

helionaut

I think the problem you're seeing is a combination of a number of things:

1) From about 1995 or 1996 on, card companies had practically free rein to create as many card sets as they wanted, and that's what they did. It's not that they produced fewer cards by total volume, but they splintered what they did make from 1 set to 2 to 3 to 5 to 10 to 30. I think Fleer put out something like 33 distinct sets one year to set the record. Multiply that by the 6 companies making MLB cards and it was crazy.
2) The cost of products was going up due to the prominence of game-used and autographed cards, plus the cost of paper was going up and all that. And I'm sure card companies wanted to get back in, or further into, the black.
3) The strike of 1994 drove away many collectors and what had been a glut of card stores shrank to a relative few, so there were fewer outlets for companies to sell their increasing array of stuff.
4) The growth of short-printed subsets as a way to add value to a box.
5) The number of cards per pack and packs per box started shrinking.
6) The explosion of ebay and grading and rookie speculation and the high-dollar lottery-type hit changed the way most people collected. In short, I think most people stopped building sets.

It is a little odd that a high-end set like SP Legendary Cuts can be had for under $10 (which costs a couple hundred dollars to build by the box) but a great full-size mid-range set like 1998 Fleer Ultra costs, I don't know, $100 maybe with all the SPs if you can find one, but they are examples of this shift in the hobby.

Estil

Maybe the Ultra costs more also because it's a much more well known brand than SP Legendary Cuts (or at the very least, Ultra's been around much longer). I mean, with all the **** load of different sets every year, you pretty much have no choice but to just stick with the few sets you do like rather than try to get them all. And most collectors will choose the most well known sets, like Ultra, Finest, Flair, and so on.

ToppsCo1lector

Todays modern sets have a higher perceived value then 1980s-early 90's sets. They will further deprciate as well.

Estil

<< <i>Todays modern sets have a higher perceived value then 1980s-early 90's sets. They will further deprciate as well. >>



Good! Then I'll be able to extend my run past 1995 or so. Well, good for buyers anyway.

f2tornado

Late 90's sets tend to have more short printed rookie cards and sub set cards which drives up the overall cost of a set. The whole short print rookie and sub set stuff really took off in 1998 and continues to this day. Fortunately, most of the sets you mention could probably be picked up on eBay very cheap. The shipping costs might actually be more than what you bid.

Estil

<< <i>Late 90's sets tend to have more short printed rookie cards and sub set cards which drives up the overall cost of a set. The whole short print rookie and sub set stuff really took off in 1998 and continues to this day. Fortunately, most of the sets you mention could probably be picked up on eBay very cheap. The shipping costs might actually be more than what you bid. >>



All the more reason I'm trying to find sellers who have a lot of these sets at once so I don't have to pay so much for shipping. For example, I have one guy who has a 1993-94 Fleer and 1992-95 Ultra (except for 1993; hopefully he has 1991 as well). I wish there was a card store online or something that carries all these sets and more so I can order them all in one place. Oh, and don't forget the cost of binders/pages too! But it's worth it to extend my runs of sets or to start a new run.

I might also get the 1991-95 Studio sets; I always thought those were really interesting (like the early ones that showed the personal side of the players), especially the 1995 "credit card" set.

Jury's still out on whether I want to do the update/traded sets from the 1980s-90s though.