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#1 Pedro Cerrano

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 01:07 PM

Trying to get in on this hobby.  Any advice would be appreciated. 


Thanks!


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There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note

"Now OPS sucks.  Got it."

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#2 mweb08

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 01:15 PM

It's been over 20 years since I stopped collecting. If you're interested in some cards from the 90s, you can buy them from me!

#3 Pedro Cerrano

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 01:29 PM

It's been over 20 years since I stopped collecting. If you're interested in some cards from the 90s, you can buy them from me!

 

Ha, I am trying to learn the ropes -- sounds like you need to buy newer sets before the secondary market gets to them and find the young bucks.  Jasson Dominguez is all the rage right now!


There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note

"Now OPS sucks.  Got it."

"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."

"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty

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#4 SportsGuy

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 01:31 PM

There is a lot of money in it but the money is in the grading of the cards. (Literally sending them off to an independent company to grade the condition, authenticity, etc..)

I would like to get back into it with my kids once they get older and understand things better.

#5 mweb08

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 01:40 PM

Ha, I am trying to learn the ropes -- sounds like you need to buy newer sets before the secondary market gets to them and find the young bucks. Jasson Dominguez is all the rage right now!


Bowman rookie cards became a huge deal in the mid 90s or so.

This could be way off since I haven't paid attention in a long time, but the value of the cards was greatly overestimated when I was collecting, and I believe much of the reason for that was the lack of scarcity compared to cards from earlier eras.

#6 Mike in STL

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 01:57 PM

Trying to get in on this hobby.  Any advice would be appreciated. 


Thanks!

Don't waste your time. Buying packs or boxes of packs.

 

Cards used to be worth more because of their rarity. I thought a few years back about it because no one buys them any more, that if I did, would they be rare in 30 years and worth a small fortune...just like cards from the 60s were when I was was collecting in the 90s. 

 

Turns out the money is in complete sets, and card companies have like 700 cards to a set, plus 30 of this special card, plus 20 of that special one, and another 10 of this type and that type...then they come out with a 2nd series, or series B a few months after the series A, so now you're looking at probably 2000 cards to make a full set, and they need to be in fantastic condition, and they are $3 a pack for like 8 cards where it used be a dollar or so for a pack of 20 and a stick of gum. 

 

Basically I looked into it a few years back and it doesn't sound like a money making venture at all, if that's what you are looking for. I was very mislead as a child reading Beckett and thinking my 10 cent Cal Ripken's would be worth hundreds when I became an adult. Turn out they now worth 15 cents, maybe.

 

I have a box of just rookie cards I bought from a guy for $100 once. I haven't looked through in a few years, but I know there are a dozen Kershaws and Scherzers in there. I'll pull it out, google, and see if they are worth anything. Lookout for ads where grandma is cleaning out the attic and doesn't know what she has maybe. 


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#7 Pedro Cerrano

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 02:15 PM

Don't waste your time. Buying packs or boxes of packs.

 

Cards used to be worth more because of their rarity. I thought a few years back about it because no one buys them any more, that if I did, would they be rare in 30 years and worth a small fortune...just like cards from the 60s were when I was was collecting in the 90s. 

 

Turns out the money is in complete sets, and card companies have like 700 cards to a set, plus 30 of this special card, plus 20 of that special one, and another 10 of this type and that type...then they come out with a 2nd series, or series B a few months after the series A, so now you're looking at probably 2000 cards to make a full set, and they need to be in fantastic condition, and they are $3 a pack for like 8 cards where it used be a dollar or so for a pack of 20 and a stick of gum. 

 

Basically I looked into it a few years back and it doesn't sound like a money making venture at all, if that's what you are looking for. I was very mislead as a child reading Beckett and thinking my 10 cent Cal Ripken's would be worth hundreds when I became an adult. Turn out they now worth 15 cents, maybe.

 

I have a box of just rookie cards I bought from a guy for $100 once. I haven't looked through in a few years, but I know there are a dozen Kershaws and Scherzers in there. I'll pull it out, google, and see if they are worth anything. Lookout for ads where grandma is cleaning out the attic and doesn't know what she has maybe. 

 

Interesting you say that because a lot of the research I've done; ebay, articles, YouTube videos etc, show mostly people pulling a great card from a box and reselling it for more than the whole box cost.  

 

You just gotta get lucky.  

 

Some of these boxes are absurd.  A box of 2019 Topps Chrome Sapphire is like $350 lol.


There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note

"Now OPS sucks.  Got it."

"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."

"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty

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#8 Mike in STL

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Posted 04 May 2020 - 08:11 PM

Interesting you say that because a lot of the research I've done; ebay, articles, YouTube videos etc, show mostly people pulling a great card from a box and reselling it for more than the whole box cost.

You just gotta get lucky.

Some of these boxes are absurd. A box of 2019 Topps Chrome Sapphire is like $350 lol.



Yeah but how much is say a Fernando Tatis rookie card going for now if you happen to get one in the first $350 box you buy?
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#9 Pedro Cerrano

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Posted 05 May 2020 - 05:58 PM

Ordered two boxes on ebay of 1993 Topps Stadium Club, one is Series 1 and one is Series 2.

 

$50 total for both of them I think.

 

Mostly for nostalgia purposes.


  • glenn__davis likes this

There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note

"Now OPS sucks.  Got it."

"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."

"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty

@bopper33


#10 SportsGuy

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 01:06 PM

I miss collecting baseball cards.

Opening packs of cards was such a rush when I was younger.

#11 mweb08

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 01:31 PM

I miss collecting baseball cards.

Opening packs of cards was such a rush when I was younger.


Yeah, it's basically gambling for kids.

#12 TwentyThirtyFive

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 01:35 PM

On youtube Ive occasionally come across people breaking thousands of dollars worth of newer boxes. Cool to watch, but damn.

#13 Pedro Cerrano

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 01:38 PM

Yea it's been fun opening these.  Most are junk but for example I got a few $5 cards in a box recently that covered the cost, so I guess I "won" lol.

 

I'm excited for the first time I crack open a really nice card and can get it graded. 


There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note

"Now OPS sucks.  Got it."

"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."

"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty

@bopper33


#14 mweb08

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 01:50 PM

Yea it's been fun opening these. Most are junk but for example I got a few $5 cards in a box recently that covered the cost, so I guess I "won" lol.

I'm excited for the first time I crack open a really nice card and can get it graded.


I think baseball cards are somewhat similar to the acquiring talent in pro sports, especially the NBA. It's mostly about the star players or the top of the line cards. I don't really think there's much of a market for the "$5" card unless it's a rookie card of someone that surprises and becomes a star.

I remember being excited about pulling inserts that were worth like $5-$20 at the time, but I don't think they retained that value at all.

Again, it's quite possible that all this is outdated.
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#15 Mike in STL

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 03:59 PM

Speaking of outdated, anyone still have pogs? I have my tube packed away somewhere. As well as all 50 of the Simpson’s character ones in plastic protectors.
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#16 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 07:42 AM

ESPN: My priceless, worthless baseball cards
https://www.espn.com...rds-coronavirus


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#17 Mark Carver

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 09:18 AM

Here's what we use to do with baseball cards...

 


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#18 SportsGuy

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 02:21 PM

Here's what we use to do with baseball cards...

 

Ugh...the amount of money you guys lost....



#19 Pedro Cerrano

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 02:42 PM

Ugh...the amount of money you guys lost....

 

Yup, my dad collected cards when he was a kid (born in 1950) and his mom threw them all out one day after he left for college lol. 

 

Man.  


There is baseball, and occasionally there are other things of note

"Now OPS sucks.  Got it."

"Making his own olive brine is peak Mackus."

"I'm too hungover to watch a loss." - McNulty

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#20 mweb08

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 02:46 PM

But if they all treated those cards like we do now, they wouldn't be worth nearly as much.




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