The next five years- what do you see for the future of the hobby?

[Matthew H]

I understand most of your argument however I'm not buying into the baby boomers thing. Most people with enough disposable income to buy high end cards are little bit older than you or I, but I don't think it falls into a category of generation, other then post-war collecting nostalgia.

19th century, for example, can't possibly carry some connection to any current collectors childhood yet prices are very strong. Since coming to this board, I've learned that some collectors don't even like modern baseball.

So it seems being a fan of baseball isn't even a prerequisite to collecting baseball cards.

The people you describe, being buried in debt in the future, already exist. Yet you still can't get an E107 for a T206 price. There'll always be one guy with more money than the next guy, and he will be the one who has the better cards. No big deal.

[packs]

I think the link to 19th century and pre-war for the baby boomers comes from collecting their childhood cards. I was trying to say a lot of people my age didn't have childhood cards. And kids born now will probably have an even more narrow window into collecting 10 years from now when they get to the age I was when I started buying packs.

[Matthew H]

I think you might be judging too much based on your own expereance growing up without cards. The hobby was crazy at the time, Upperdeck was a new company and people were RC prospecting like crazy. My dad was a non collector yet he still took me and my brothers to card shows because it was what kids liked. I personally don't remember anyone without a card collection during my time as a kid, and I'm surprised to hear from someone that didn't collect them. Oh well, you can make up for lost time now.

[packs]

Hey, if you're right its collecting as usual. If I'm right, we get to afford all the cards we ever wanted. Seems win win. Or at least far from a loss.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Matthew H

Since coming to this board, I've learned that some collectors don't even like modern baseball.

So it seems being a fan of baseball isn't even a prerequisite to collecting baseball cards.

There are a few of us, and I am one, that don't care for MLB today. It's for a lot of reasons starting back with the strike in 94-95 and the subsequent canceling of the world series. That being said I have played baseball or softball for 45 yrs and counting. I still play softball twice a week. I love the game....just not MLB. I love collecting stuff, the lithography of our cards, their values are interesting.....and in a big way, the friendships made.... Our family goes to a few AA local games and they are great. I think part of my issue is that it takes several hundred dollars to take a family to a MLB game now, with everything included. I would rather collect old baseball cards instead of spending hundreds to see a lot of whiny babies playing the game I love, but I know I am in the extreme minority. Liking "any" baseball certainly is not a prerequisite to be on the board.

As for our hobby in the next 5 yrs, I see it being strong as usual. Now is a great time to be collecting some niche cards as they are quite low relative to past values.

[Matthew H]

Hey Leon, sounds like you're still a fan of baseball though!

I get the whiney baseball players theme, but I just can't share the same sentiment,,, being a Dodger fan. My opinion, the cost is next to nothing to going Dodgers games, its always been that way. Especially when comparing it to trying to go to a Lakers game. (although you do need something to bite down on when it comes to paying for parking)

Anyway, I didn't mean for my post to be mean spirited toward anyone, I was just making a point that there are people in the hobby that don't care for baseball but still love the cards.

-Matt

[rainier2004]

Im seeing 52 topps mantles often. I have always felt the floor will drop out of this card. He was my Dad's hero growing up, even though he was in Michigan. My father is 63 and covets Mantle cards probably more than anything else but Ive always wondered what happens after his generation is no longer contributing to the hobby. Personally, I could care less about Mantles, it is a somewhat common card relatively speaking and it seems more people shoot past that era straight to pre-WW cards. My its just my slanted view.

[ullmandds]

I was just talking to a patient about that very topic...the drop-off in demand for Mickey Mantle...esp the rookie card!!!

I totally agree!

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by rainier2004

Im seeing 52 topps mantles often. I have always felt the floor will drop out of this card. He was my Dad's hero growing up, even though he was in Michigan. My father is 63 and covets Mantle cards probably more than anything else but Ive always wondered what happens after his generation is no longer contributing to the hobby. Personally, I could care less about Mantles, it is a somewhat common card relatively speaking and it seems more people shoot past that era straight to pre-WW cards. My its just my slanted view.

Originally Posted by ullmandds

I was just talking to a patient about that very topic...the drop-off in demand for Mickey Mantle...esp the rookie card!!!

I totally agree!

Peter,
Which one will drop in demand Mantle rookie, or the 52 Mantle?
I believe the 52 topps mantle should drop below the 51 bowman mantle eventually, and closer to the 52 bowman mantle. I don't think it will happen within 5 years though.

[SetBuilder]

I don't think you need to have a "connection" to the cards/eras to collect them. We have something called the internet now where you can research old players and learn about their careers.

After all, 19th century collectors on this board, unless they happen to be 110 years old, can't possibly have a connection in the form of nostalgia to those players.