Bought a few packs for the first time in years...
brion8
Posts: 60 ✭✭
So over the past couple of months, I've started to get back into card collecting. I've primarily focused on buying PSA graded Gary Carter items on eBay for my Set Registry collection, with a few other random graded cards here and there. I rejoined PSA, sent in some '60s baseball with the vouchers and two different $5 special submissions of oddball Gary Carter items. I started collecting again because I'm making a little extra money and I enjoy the nostalgic feeling it gives me and the memories of my childhood. I'm not really in it to turn a buck here or there, but I do want what I collect to hold it's value, considering the amount of money I put into it.
As part of this process, I emptied out countless boxes from my attic of late 80's/early 90's cards and have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that 99% of all of them are just about worthless. At the time the cards originally came out, I got caught up in the "insert chase," buying and opening cases just to get a single card per pack. The amount of money I spent on that stuff...... oh, it hurts to think about. After a few years of this, I just got sick of it and realized this isn't why I like collecting cards. With that, I pretty much stopped collecting for probably over ten years, as I'm sure others did.
So over the past couple days and weeks, I've started to get the urge to rip open a few packs and see what the current products are like. As a quick fix, I went to Target and bought the following....
(2) 2006-07 Topps Turkey Red Basketball
(1) 2007 Upper Deck Heritage
(1) 2007 Bowman Baseball
(1) 2007 Press Pass Signature Edition Football
The five packs cost me $16. After opening the packs and admiring the cards, I went online to do a little research about what it is I actually bought. What I found is that the cards were nice looking and all, but since I didn't get any crazy insert/parallel/refractor/autograph/etc.. the cards themselves really aren't worth anything. For $3+ per pack, it's really like buying a lottery ticket, just like 10-15 years ago. I know I said earlier that I'm not in it to turn a buck, but value does add something to collecting.
The reason I bring this up is that my wife and I are expecting a baby boy in October and I thought it would be fun to buy him some cards or a set from his birth year. But looking at what happened to cards in the late 80's and early 90's, and the state of new products today, I feel that whatever I buy will just end up in the attic, waiting to be taken down in 20 years with that same feeling of "ugh, look at the money I wasted."
Sorry for rambling on for so long. I'm new to these boards and have enjoyed them immensely so far. I just needed to get this out. If anyone has some ideas of what to buy my son from his birth year that will hold it's value in years to come, I'd appreciate the input. (.... and we still haven't decided on a name, so input is welcome there too!)
Thanks!
Brion
As part of this process, I emptied out countless boxes from my attic of late 80's/early 90's cards and have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that 99% of all of them are just about worthless. At the time the cards originally came out, I got caught up in the "insert chase," buying and opening cases just to get a single card per pack. The amount of money I spent on that stuff...... oh, it hurts to think about. After a few years of this, I just got sick of it and realized this isn't why I like collecting cards. With that, I pretty much stopped collecting for probably over ten years, as I'm sure others did.
So over the past couple days and weeks, I've started to get the urge to rip open a few packs and see what the current products are like. As a quick fix, I went to Target and bought the following....
(2) 2006-07 Topps Turkey Red Basketball
(1) 2007 Upper Deck Heritage
(1) 2007 Bowman Baseball
(1) 2007 Press Pass Signature Edition Football
The five packs cost me $16. After opening the packs and admiring the cards, I went online to do a little research about what it is I actually bought. What I found is that the cards were nice looking and all, but since I didn't get any crazy insert/parallel/refractor/autograph/etc.. the cards themselves really aren't worth anything. For $3+ per pack, it's really like buying a lottery ticket, just like 10-15 years ago. I know I said earlier that I'm not in it to turn a buck, but value does add something to collecting.
The reason I bring this up is that my wife and I are expecting a baby boy in October and I thought it would be fun to buy him some cards or a set from his birth year. But looking at what happened to cards in the late 80's and early 90's, and the state of new products today, I feel that whatever I buy will just end up in the attic, waiting to be taken down in 20 years with that same feeling of "ugh, look at the money I wasted."
Sorry for rambling on for so long. I'm new to these boards and have enjoyed them immensely so far. I just needed to get this out. If anyone has some ideas of what to buy my son from his birth year that will hold it's value in years to come, I'd appreciate the input. (.... and we still haven't decided on a name, so input is welcome there too!)
Thanks!
Brion
0
Comments
Mike
Plus, they look great since they mirror 1950s cards!