Options
Collecting trends
LodiBrewFan
Posts: 564 ✭
I have been some what active on this board since around 2006-7 and I have noticed some trends in the collecting habits of the members here.
When I first became active on this board, the soup du jour of collecting then was the Set Registery Fever. This fever still exists today, it just seems that it isn't quite at the same level as it once was. Now, I maybe way off base on my diagnosing the decrease of the fever, it just doesn't seem that their are as many people chasing humpteen million different sets.
We had a TTM stage. There used to be about three or four threads about TTMs on the first page all the time. Now, one has to dig to find a single thread about any auto'ed older common. I always liked those threads.
Next, the wrestling phase. My least favorite so far. No knock on the collectors who have the passion, just not my cup of tea. However, I do have mad respect for their passion and that is what collecting is all about!
Unopened Madness! This is where we are today. Some have been focused on this for years, some are new to the game. It will be interesting to see how this trend goes. I have to take a back seat to this, for I lack the ability to NOT rip any unopened material to shreds.
Anyone willing to take any stabs at will be the Hot collecting habits in 2016?
When I first became active on this board, the soup du jour of collecting then was the Set Registery Fever. This fever still exists today, it just seems that it isn't quite at the same level as it once was. Now, I maybe way off base on my diagnosing the decrease of the fever, it just doesn't seem that their are as many people chasing humpteen million different sets.
We had a TTM stage. There used to be about three or four threads about TTMs on the first page all the time. Now, one has to dig to find a single thread about any auto'ed older common. I always liked those threads.
Next, the wrestling phase. My least favorite so far. No knock on the collectors who have the passion, just not my cup of tea. However, I do have mad respect for their passion and that is what collecting is all about!
Unopened Madness! This is where we are today. Some have been focused on this for years, some are new to the game. It will be interesting to see how this trend goes. I have to take a back seat to this, for I lack the ability to NOT rip any unopened material to shreds.
Anyone willing to take any stabs at will be the Hot collecting habits in 2016?
Scoreboard Malfunction
0
Comments
I love unopened vintage material and have for over a decade. I can't really understand the desire to own pallets of junk wax, but chaque un a son gout.
<< <i>Game Used Undergarments! >>
We've already had that. Its so yesterday....
(I knew I saved that pic for a reason
You also have to throw the signed rookie card boom into the mix. I haven't seen a lot of active discussion on that topic in a while.
1) agree that mid-range graded is a good place to focus on vintage across the board but especially in baseball, it's much more affordable than high ends so you can really collect and still presents plenty of opportunities for some really nice looking cards
2) i think we're likely to see 70s and 80s basketball HOFers tick up even further as those guys start to pass - we still have 40+ of the NBA 50 greatest guys around, but some of them are getting up there and so are the lesser knowns from that era - plus they're tough cards in high grades and they just aren't that plentiful anyway
3) I'm hoping that the cut up memorabilia phase is about over, there's nothing worse than taking nice game used jerseys and cutting them up into 1 inch pieces, and that all assumes the thing was actually game used in the first place (so many articles and "discoveries" of things not being what they were represented to be)
4) I've believed for 5+ years now that golf autographs are due to move much higher - I remember collecting the 2001-2004 UD and SP stuff back then, you could have Nicklaus/Palmer/Tiger autos for $150-200 each until you ran out of money. Those have moved up a fair bit since, if Tiger can get back on track toward that Majors record I suspect we'll recover any ground lost, and again the greats are getting pretty old now (Arnie 84, Gary 78, Jack is 74). I also think Major winners theme pieces (even if it's just signed cards of say US Open Champs) will start to find their way into more collections, the star power for the dollar is pretty enticing still. If you've ever tried to get Tiger or Jack in person, then you'll know how hard it is to collect this stuff.
5) Lower grade signed RCs of HOFers is something I see more and more of now, I suspect that holds true going forward. You'd never have put a Bart Starr signature on a PSA 8 or better RC, but a nice looking 5 with a signature is a really awesome piece.
6) I think some of the steroids era guys are an interesting look right now - guys like McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Clemens, etc. were not particularly easy signatures to get and they don't do a ton of signings now, and when they do turn up they are crazy expensive. Same for their cards, you could probably start accumulating some good high end stuff at decent or depressed prices. Just look how late 70s unopened is exploding right now, we're only 4-5 years away from hitting some of these guys RCs. Yes, production is super increased, but the high end is still the high end. I could see these things rebounding in a BIG way over the next 5-10 years if somehow people start getting in the Hall, or if grading standards get tougher it could nullify the increased production numbers.
Interested to hear from others
I
JUST
WANT
TO
FIT
IN.
Thus, I am going to wait for trends to start up, then rush in to buy the stuff and brandish it for props. Then sell it when the next trend starts up.
Instagram: mattyc_collection
The big bucks on the wax craze will bring out the scammers.
<< <i>I'm sure somebody is working on replicating BBCE wrap as we speak. >>
Unfortunately I agree with this statement. I don't collect or buy vintage unopened but if I did I would likely only buy from BBCE directly. Which is no different than before they started shrink wrapping product. How long till we see an ebay listing for 1979 topps baseball empty box, wrappers, gum, carefully removed BBCE shrinkwrap and a BBCE business card? Please correct me if I am not aware of something that would prevent this from happening. Edited to note that I can't even get regular saran wrap to work when trying to wrap a sandwich so dealing with previously used shrink wrap is likely not easy but the possibility exists for fraud in a big way.
Wrong backs Blank backs.
Through all of this time though, this forum centered on high grade vintage singles and set building; I suspect that will remain constant.
<< <i>
<< <i>I'm sure somebody is working on replicating BBCE wrap as we speak. >>
Unfortunately I agree with this statement. I don't collect or buy vintage unopened but if I did I would likely only buy from BBCE directly. Which is no different than before they started shrink wrapping product. How long till we see an ebay listing for 1979 topps baseball empty box, wrappers, gum, carefully removed BBCE shrinkwrap and a BBCE business card? Please correct me if I am not aware of something that would prevent this from happening. Edited to note that I can't even get regular saran wrap to work when trying to wrap a sandwich so dealing with previously used shrink wrap is likely not easy but the possibility exists for fraud in a big way. >>
Suddenly, the idea of keeping the already authenticated box in the original BBCE packaging seems like a good idea. I'd venture to say some type of BBCE hologram with a unique serial number will exist down the line? Heck, maybe do an AFA type thing for BBCE and put them in plastic tombs? Of course they'd have to update their website first!
+1 for bounce's #4, golf in general is heavily undervalued outside of early Bobby Jones in top grade.
<< <i>I'd venture that this forum will never be a "player collector's" oasis. >>
Except for Bo.
<< <i>What does ttm mean? >>
Through the mail, as in autographs.