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New Topps V Old Topps
runningman
Posts: 165
I really couldn't think of a better name for this thread but here goes. Since the market for baseball cards has declined since the early 1990's, are Topps products today printed in smaller quantities than the 70s, 80s, 90s ? Do you think in the future, near or far, we'll be regretting not buying and saving more modern Topps product as prices increase ?
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I also don't think you'll ever get the younger collecting focus as we had, and here's my thoughts why.....
When I was younger, we didn't have sport channels, the internet, and all these other avenues to follow my favorite players and teams.
Basically all I had was football cards, the Sunday paper, NFL today, books, magazines.
Successful transactions with: yankeeno7, raiderguy10, Beck6, CDsNuts, DaveP01, Dboneesq, Elemenopeo, gameusedhoop, georgebailey2, Goldlabels, gstarling, justmichael, etc
Working on.........
Tony Dorsett Master Set
1977 Topps Mexican FB (raw)
1957 Topps FB Set (raw or graded)
<< <i>I think it has to be much smaller quantities, but much better quality.
I also don't think you'll ever get the younger collecting focus as we had, and here's my thoughts why.....
When I was younger, we didn't have sport channels, the internet, and all these other avenues to follow my favorite players and teams.
Basically all I had was football cards, the Sunday paper, NFL today, books, magazines. >>
I'm going with this theory.
They call me "Pack the Ripper"
I also did Fleer baseball 1923 and 1959 to 2007.
With the exception of a few of the scarce oddball Topps sets of the 80s and some unique single card editions thereafter, and some scarce error variation cards, I do not think most of my post 80 cards would not bring what I paid for them if sold.
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
<< <i>so with few exceptions, most modern is totally worthless and always will be. >>
My worthless collection gets kinda expensive sometimes.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
With no competition from Fleer, Donruss or Upper Deck, Topps is pretty much the Federal Reserve on baseball cards. They determine the value of the card by how many is printed. But they cheat the customer, in my opinion. How?
They make a limited amount of, say, Topps Turkey Reds. And maybe a small amount of Topps Hertiage Update Set. And then a smattering of Topps Archives. While in general, the base set gets printed by the truck load. But the caveat to all of this is, even though, per set might be less than the 70's. the entire bulk of everything printed - Topps, Topps Chrome, Topps Heritage, Topps Heritage Minor Leagues, Topps Archives, Topps Update, Bowman, Bowman Chrome, Bowman Draft Picks, and a few odd and end sets throughout the year, far out do what was available from the 70's.
That is 9 major sets they release in the year! How many of these do you see at Target? Almost all of these. Which means, maybe not the special cards, but the basic card is getting printed to an undesirable degree. A 1980 George Brett card, his 5th year - is the only card available. This will be Bryce Harpers third year and he has about 1,000 different cards to his name. And the basic card is worth as much as Al Bumbry.
<< <i>That is 9 major sets they release in the year! How many of these do you see at Target? Almost all of these. Which means, maybe not the special cards, but the basic card is getting printed to an undesirable degree. A 1980 George Brett card, his 5th year - is the only card available. This will be Bryce Harpers third year and he has about 1,000 different cards to his name. And the basic card is worth as much as Al Bumbry. >>
You don't need to collect them all. Personally, I can't stand the "retro" sets like Heritage, Archives, Turkey Red, etc. The only Topps brands that I'll collect from are the flagship set and prospects from Bowman Chrome. If a Giants player slips through the cracks and ends up on one of the other sets instead, then I'll go get it individually.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>Does anyone think Topps could just fix this over saturation issue by reducing quality control, going to older card stock and go back to making an off center slightly out if focus card the norm and not a mint to gem right out if the pack? I know it would make most die hard collectors like myself ecstatic! >>
Isn't that what Heritage is?
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>I love heritage but the cards are still near perfect out of the pack. Open up a 81 topps or late seventies and pulling a centered well focused card is like finding a diamond in the rough. It would only help fuel the grading craze. Ever seen a graded 2014 common? If it where 81 topps quality you might. Just a thought >>
My experience with Heritage was a bunch of cards with corner and/or surface issues.
According to the pop report, three 2014 Topps Jonny Gomes base cards have been graded. !!?!?
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>I'm not interested in a debate it was just a thought relax. I'd assume most open packs of heritage and find well centered nice shape cards. On the other hand a 79 Smith in a 9 boarders on crazy to ridiculous price wise and a ten is out of reach to all but the extremely wealthy. It's obvious you like newer cards, hope you have a cardboard box full of gem mint Harpers! >>
Don't get me wrong, the only modern I collect are of Giants players, and even then I tend to avoid getting graded modern cards, or getting modern cards graded unless I think I can flip it for a quick profit.
But I won't argue with you about QA sucking in the 80s and earlier. But I still think that people who spend $$$ to get high grade commons are a bit more crazy than the average collector.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
I also agree with the sentiment that even though there are less cases being printed for a set, there just is so many different sets that it is still a flooded market. No you don't have to collect them all, but it does degrade the rarity or uniqueness of any particular player's RC. I chuckle when I think there is actually more of some retired veteran cards produced in one calendar year now than almost there entire run of their playing days.
<< <i>I think part of the problem is the perceived value of these cards right out of the pack due to a small print run. How special is a 1 of 1 when that same player probably has 100's of 1 of 1's and will only have more the next year. I understand that if Topps went back to older days and just produced regular sets collectors would rebel if only because the new norm is the likelihood if finding a crazy short printed card. It's an irreversible trend and the only recourse is to find a niche you enjoy. New Topps product is so redundant that I laugh when guys drop 500 on a box with two packs in it for cards that look exactly like ones from the last years issue. I mean how many Evan longoria autos have to hit the market for them to be worthless? >>
I don't get the appeal of all the rainbows. Sure I like having a refractor over a base, I just don't care for having 12 versions of the same card with different colors and /##s. Maybe just a regular, refractor /500, and a 1/1 for those high spenders. I see people now buy a box and throw out all the cards that aren't numbered of some kind.
<< <i>Wille, Mickey and The Duke >>
I'll admit that the first thing that came to mind when I read the above was:
Willie Mays, Mickey Mouse, and John Wayne.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
But in some ways the older packs are like that in a different way.
John