Minor League Cards

dmurphy3mvp

We're considering buying an extremely large card shop (2700 square feet and packed, floor to ceiling), but what I can't get a grasp on is the inventory of minor league cards. Essentially, we would probably become the largest minor league dealer in the country. The inventory runs from the early 70s through the late 80s, has all the key issues over the years (Henderson, Ripken, Sandberg, Boggs, Gwynn, Elway, Mattingly, Griffey, McGwire, Maddux, etc.), and virtually untouched (straight from the manufacturer, as opposed to being acquired at the stadium.)

I know the minor league card market really caught on fire in the late 80s and early 90s (like everything else), but since then, it's really been a niche market, as TriStar and Just Minors keep the sector alive. The players featured during these years are all retired, so the market shouldn't be subject to wild fluctutaions. During my research, I'm constantly amazed at what sort of prices some of these obscure sets bring, especially because there are few minor league collectors compared to the total amount of baseball collectors. I assume it has to do with the extremely small print runs of the era, almost always under 5,000 sets. The pop reports for cards from this era (not including Griffey and McGwire) reflects how scarce these cards really are. There also seems to be a half dozen dealers throughout the country whose entire business is just minor league cards.

What are your thoughts on minor league cards, both as a sector of the market and for graded singles? I've been thinking about this for over a month, discussed it at length with Steve, and now I need some outside help. Figured this message board is the perfect place to solicit opinions, and since this is not a controversial topic, I would expect the discussion stays civil. Thanks in advance for your help.

fkw

Modern minor league cards from the 70-90s
the main problem IMO is only 2-5% of the cards are in high demand (stars), the other 95%+ are nobodies and have very little if any demand, ......far less demand than some common Topps cards of the era.

gameusedhoop

I would think that you'd have to figure whether or not you can turn a profit on the "big ones" with known values. If graded etc., would it be worth it? If you would do OK just moving the stars, then the rest is cake and can be wholesaled out to someone else. Or sold really cheaply just to move it.

Seems like alot of work for little gain if you can't make the above scenario work.

AkbarClone

Close to half of my baseball player collections are players that only had minor league cards. I collect quite a few of the "nobodies" as fkw termed them. The biggest problem I run into (besides the very limited number of sellers dealing with minor league cards) is some of the larger dealers of these cards will only sell team sets. I have occassionally bought a few just out of frustration in trying to get some obscure card--but really don't want those 15-25 extra cards everytime I need 1 or 2 obscure players out of a set. If there is a major future star in that same set--it really sucks, because they justifiably want extra coin because of the star--but I don't even want that star 99% of the time--just one of his unheralded team mates.

Luckily the sportlots sellers sell their minor league cards as singles--but there are rarely more than a few I need at any given time.

mosaic

I feel like I need the 1997 and 1998 Lansing Lugnuts team sets, but can never seem to find them. Did they make a 1996? If so, I need that too.

So, yeah... it won't be the biggest market out there, but for a completist like me that keeps striking out, you can probably make a decent profit margin from a team set that likely cost $2 wholesale to get (if that).

Josephcb09

Reed,

I just sent you an email

Joe

MinorLeagueSource

Contact me if you need some help.

csmtampa

Sell all the commons to Dave Weber, he is the king of minor league singles.

dmurphy3mvp

Thanks guys, for all the advice. If anyone has anything else to add, I could really use all the opinions I can get.

Ironmanfan

sounds like the 10th Inning in the Norfolk, VA area

EAsports

There IS a market for a lot of these cards. I collect former LSU players, and some of them only had minor league cards. I haven't batted an eye paying $2-3 for cards from the 70s and 80s, and .50-.75 for more current stuff. One man's trash and all that whatnot.

If the price is right, you should easily be able to sell the "big" items, either by set or by player. Sell team sets when the price is right, pluck the big singles out of some, grade (or not), list the remaining common cards at a much cheaper price then normally attainable, yadda yadda.

For the rest, you could Sportlots it, or better yet, create a separate website like minorleaguebbcexchange.com with a database of all the cards.

You owe me $100 store credit for that last idea, BTW.

dmurphy3mvp

<< <i>For the rest, you could Sportlots it, or better yet, create a separate website like minorleaguebbcexchange.com with a database of all the cards.

You owe me $100 store credit for that last idea, BTW. >>



If you upload all the info onto the website, the store credit would totally be worth it. LOL We have enough to deal with trying to manage one website, but your idea does have a lot of merit. I think I can speak for the rest of my co-workers when I say we aren't the most computer savvy bunch, especially when it comes to website design/maintenance.

I'm off to LA to check out a vintage deal next week, so hopefully when I return Steve and I can work on trying to finalize this deal.

lsutigers1973

Reed, you could hire me for 1 month. I will be there tomorrow and start sorting and getting them listed on the appropriate website. I am cheap. I will work for unopened wax boxes.