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The smartest thing you can do in cards...

cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Don't open packs. Don't buy packs. It is the easiest way to lose money. You start opening packs you will almost certainly never make a profit. The guys with shops that opened lots of packs went out of business and went out fast. Probably wasted $30K on worthless packs from the 1980s to early 2000s.

Comments

  • corncobbcorncobb Posts: 516 ✭
    Lucky for me Ive never been in it for profit. Rip em All!!! The joy you'll get is Priceless.
  • mrmint23mrmint23 Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭
    Smartest thing you can do.......is ENJOY the Hobby.
  • gc1213gc1213 Posts: 154
    I think of what I've spent on BBCE and sometimes hate myself for what I could have purchased instead but man is it fun to rip. Some of my favorite cards have been the self pulled, self submitted cards that come back 8 or 9. I would take a self pulled 9 over a bought 10 any day. Just something about getting it out of the pack yourself. That said, I have serverly cut my unopened budget and am focusing on single graded cards. Still, the itch to rip comes around every so often and now i just buy less expensive unopened. Need that fix!!!
  • mikliamiklia Posts: 1,295 ✭✭✭
    i don't know about you guys, but now that we've gotten the first half of the tips I'm eagerly awaiting the bead advice.
  • Foo3112Foo3112 Posts: 1,961
    And they probably went out of business for selling cards over priced. Oh, and simply because they werent generating enough revenue.

    I agree that opening packs if very risky and seeing how profits seems to be your main concern, however, I'm not sure if your just upset because you havent pulled squat or maybe BBCE upset you in some way but I think that opinions or advice such as this is not the brightest thing to write on an open sports cards forum. Let people decide what they want to do. Im not saying that I dont agree with you but as others have mentioned, there is quite a thrill opening up packs and pulling out a 1989 Upperdeck Griffey rookie and a 1985 Topps Mark Mcgwire or even a 1990 leaf Frank Thomas. Even in 2012. To each his own.
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    This is pretty groundbreaking stuff.
  • itzagoneritzagoner Posts: 8,753 ✭✭
    sure it is. like a fat man falling from a ferris wheel.
  • ssollarsssollars Posts: 933 ✭✭✭✭
    I open stuff for the fun of it, I'm in this hobby for the fun it. Although it's always a thrill when you get the big hit, for me it's about the experience and not so much what the card may be worth.

    I find this especially true when opening a pack of something for the first time.

    Scott
  • jgrigalijgrigali Posts: 364 ✭✭
    HaHa...I really like the look of unopened packs and boxes...and from a tax perspective, its a way to hide some of your worth (I don't think pre 80s packs and boxes will drop much in value).
  • larryallen73larryallen73 Posts: 6,067 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I think most everyone understands this. But it's like saying "don't go to Vegas, it is the easiest way to lose money." People like to gamble. >>



    Well said.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭


    << <i>I quit buying packs and boxes for resale a long time ago. Why? Because I'll open them. It's like putting a bag of Doritos in front of me-- I'll finish the bag. >>


    But, like the Doritos, you ENJOYED it. That's what this HOBBY is supposed to be about. Now, if you were spending more than you could afford (I used to be a compulsive gambler) THAT is a different story. But if you get great enjoyment out of spending $150.00 on unopened and ripping them, why not? Going out to a nice dinner is going to cost you the same thing!

    EDITED TO ADD: I did not see where you said "for resale". HOWEVER, this response does pertain to what the OP stated.
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • 123Slider123Slider Posts: 851 ✭✭


    << <i>i don't know about you guys, but now that we've gotten the first half of the tips I'm eagerly awaiting the bead advice. >>



    Mike Navarro covered that a few years ago. Almost the end of the internets.
    The best pitch to start a hitter off with is always strike one.
  • JuggsJuggs Posts: 495 ✭
    I like to lose money....I will continue to rip.
  • cardsnbeadscardsnbeads Posts: 870
    I spent $800 on just 1996 spx for example and I sold a set with the 10 holofames and the Marino Record Breaker and Montana tribute for $45 and was probably luck to sell it. It was like $300 worth of packs. 1990 Pro Set anybody.
  • mtcardsmtcards Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭
    If everyone could open packs and make a profit, everyone would be doing it. I had someone putting sets of the 1991 "Vette Set" together and he asked me if I could find some boxes for him......I found 10 of them for $91.64 dlvd. You get 360 cards per box/100 cards per set, so basically 3.6 sets per box. 10 boxes = approx. 36 sets. He then proceeds to tell me after ripping them open, and finding one of the Andretti autos, that he should make out pretty well since he can sell the sets at $10 each. I asked him where he thought he could do it and he said, "the old price guide I had shows them at $10 each". I then told him that they go on ebay for about $3 each IF they even sell.......



    Its the old line of thinking that buying something for $6 and turning it into $30 is easy......if it was, EVERYONE would be doing it. Buy the packs and enjoy the hobby. I am so far behind from opening packs that if I busted open a Topps Retro pack with a 1952 Mantle in it, I would still be in the red
    IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO NOT SELL ON EBAY
  • markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    If no one opens packs, where will we get our cards?
  • mygottamygotta Posts: 1,652
    I enjoy the hobby of it. Although I also sell what I do not want, getting a little in return is nice as well. But collecting unopened material to possibly open on a rainy day makes it exciting for me. I have realized you get maybe 50% market value of what you paid (book value seems to pay well if that really happened, but it does not). Otherwise for me, I am just putting stuff away to eventually work on making sets, or getting nice pulls for myself. I dont like buying cards outright as much as finding them in packs. But both have their own rewards.

    That said, this business is no different than anything else.
  • llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭
    Something my Daddy always told me: If you take it out of the box, it's okay to remove the wrapper... if you plan on putting it back into the box, whatever you do... KEEP IT IN THE WRAPPER! image
    WANTED: Cincinnati Reds TEAM Cards
  • Foo3112Foo3112 Posts: 1,961
    You REALLY LOVE smiley faces llafoe
  • llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭


    << <i>You REALLY LOVE smiley faces llafoe >>




    image

    image

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    WANTED: Cincinnati Reds TEAM Cards
  • thenavarrothenavarro Posts: 7,497 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>i don't know about you guys, but now that we've gotten the first half of the tips I'm eagerly awaiting the bead advice. >>



    Mike Navarro covered that a few years ago. Almost the end of the internets. >>



    LOL, that's the day I realized there were a lot of YOUNG kids that see the boards and that we are not all middle aged men image

    Buying US Presidential autographs
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