Does Anybody Trade Anymore??

[JollyElm]

I'm an old school collector who is always looking to trade. Yes, I regularly buy cards off of ebay and pick up a thing here and there off of the B/S/T, but I've always been a trader at heart. So, it is just amazing to me how little people seem to trade anymore. It just blows my mind!! Is that the case with everyone??

Although my threads constantly feature pretty great cards (I know, I know, that's open to interpretation), I can't remember the last time I actually completed a trade on this site. Instead, usually one of three things happen:

1) A person wants one of my 'high value' cards and offers me a couple of 1982 Donruss commons in return for it.

2) A person says they have nothing off of my need list, but (even though I specifically state in my thread that I don't sell anything) they offer me (add a ridiculously low, laughable price here) for my card.

3) A person contacts me and we exchange a couple of messages and/or scans and POOF!! suddenly I never hear from him again.

Are other people seeing this same paradigm shift in the trading landscape? And does anyone know of other sites where people are still actively trading?? I would really like to find some like minded collectors. (My sets are virtually all upgrades, so none of the oft mentioned lower grade trading sites would be applicable here, unfortunately.)

Feel free to add your thoughts.

[cardsfan73]

The only reason I don't trade very much is that I only collect St. Louis Cardinals & St. Louis Browns stuff. My collection is a lot more focused these days leaving me with very little to trade. I do keep an eye out for good deals on non St. Louis stuff that I might be able to trade or sell to acquire more Cardinals/Browns stuff.

[mrmopar]

Speaking from my perspective, having been a very infrequent trader since I moved from kid collector to adult collector, trading is just too much work most of the time. Unless you have very organized trade and want lists, it can be tough to find someone willing to offer you a need and at the same time have something they need and have it be a good deal for all parties. The more focused your collecting interest is, the harder it seems to be too.

Then there is the pack rat in me that makes it hard to get rid of anything, ever! It's easier to buy what I want and keep everything I have.

[DHogan]

Life got in the way the past two years for me. I would love to trade again if I had the time. Have you tried the Vintage Card Traders or Old Cards Traders groups ?

[4reals]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Are other people seeing this same paradigm shift in the trading landscape?

From my vantage point, this paradigm you speak of shifted a while ago. Trading requires way too much dialogue and negotiating to get to the end and have someone "disappear" or not agree on a deal. Nobody got time for dat! Personally, my head explodes when I have to squint and scan the huge lists traders/sellers post of available cards. It looks like jumbled blurry mess and my ADD tells me to move along and click on a post where a seller is only listing a few things at a time.

[Rich Klein]

That's why on those rare occassiona I trade -- I do bulk for bulk.

My cards of your team for cards of certain other teams. Uuually that evens out at the end. Yes, usually base but it's fun to go through singles of sets that sometimes I never had

Rich

[ALR-bishop]

I have always collected sets and have not done so by packs since 1969. As a result I do not have many duplicates for trades. I do not sell, I just buy. I think I recall asking you about buying cards off your site but you telling me you prefer to trade, so that left me on the side lines

On the few occasions I have attempted trades elsewhere, I found the attempts to find common ground too cumbersome. It is easier for me to just buy what I need.

I have been collecting since 1957 but have done little trading since the 60s

[bnorth]

I have a small group of long time friends that I trade with on a regular basis. I have found trading on a forum is really hard for several reasons. Card values are tough because everyone thinks their cards are made of gold and yours are worthless. Condition, some just want a card with nice eye appeal and then you get the condition freaks that look at every card with a loupe. Funny part is the condition freaks usually have no problem sending a card in less than mint condition but expect a gem mint card in return.

I love trading but finding like minded people to trade with is very hard.

[SAllen2556]

I think technology is the biggest reason-

With paypal, it's just so easy to sell and use the money on ebay or here on the boards. You can pay someone instantly and vice versa and not have to wait for a check or money order. And then using this fancy internet thingy, just go buy what you want.

I've sold several big lots of 70's doubles I had right here on the BST board. I get the money instantly and then go shopping! It's soooo much easier than trying to work out a trade. I mean, I would love to find the guy who would trade me a '34 Goudey Hank Greenberg for a bunch of '75 Topps minis, but it ain't gonna happen. Well, in essence, that's the type of thing I've been able to do by just selling.

Have you considered hauling your stuff to a local show and setting up a table? The way I understand it, dealers often trade with other dealers at card shows.

[cubsfan-budman]

i have started just buying what i want for my collection. that leaves me with very little vintage surplus.

sometimes i buy boxes of modern stuff, in which case i will trade the stuff i don't want...but i don't bother to do that on this board.

fyi jollyelm, you do have cool stuff to trade.

[JTysver]

There are plenty of traders.
I trade every week.

Your want list and condition requirements are very selective.
Since you seek higher end cards, rare cards and super stars, most people I know who have that stuff either have it in their main set (not dupes) or would prefer to sell it since it gets a premium return.
I have a few of the cards you need, but can't meet your shape requirements and I'm not planning on trading my main set cards for them since I'm trying to build a Topps run.
If you were to build with mid-grade set fillers and upgrade as you need to (I know a lot of traders who do that), that would probably open you up to a lot more traders.

Oh btw, Let's Go Mets!

[Leon]

You guys are making a lot of sense, quit it now or folks will start talking.

For me, trading is always on the table as I am not a set collector (not sure what I am right now). I only need to want a card more than the card I have and a trade can happen. I think everyone should be open to trade with a mindset like that. Lets say you have your main collection (nowadays known as PC or Personal Collection)... and it's great. Someone offers you a trade for something in it AND you want the offered card more, why not? There could be an infinite number of possibilities why someone would want to trade from a PC. All that being said, I haven't done a lot of trading as, a few have said, it's just easier to buy or sell something. Oh well, just some thoughts from a type collector who has had a PC and is working on another...

[eltoro2012]

I'm relatively new to the forums and have had a totally different experience here. Since joining the site, I've made at least 6-7 trades to help complete my 1959 Topps Baseball set. Of course, I'm relatively young (25) and haven't had friends in my age group who were interested in baseball cards let alone trading, so 1 trade would have been a step up. And the generosity of the members I've had the pleasure of dealing with is a major reason why I will continue to make trades on this site!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G730A using Tapatalk

[kailes2872]

I have not had much luck with trades. I tend to send higher grade material than what I get in return - and end up having to upgrade the item that I trade for (that was supposed to be an upgrade). Cash is the conduit. In the end, it is all a trade, cash just allows me to get the exact example that I need.

[DHogan]

Originally Posted by Leon

You guys are making a lot of sense, quit it now or folks will start talking.

I do ? That can't be me.

[SmokyBurgess]

For several years I have traded exclusively. I've found it both fun and exasperating. It's like overseas travel....torture and great reward.

More trades from the trading groups than on 54, but have met some great guys over the years. Always love to plug holes in a set. In the Spring, maybe I'll engage a bit more in trading.

[baseballfan]

fredscards.weebly.com

here is my need list, but I have cards to trade in roughly the same condition I'm looking for. I think that may be the problem people can't fit with condition on trades.

I would love to trade, but I think the condition of the cards are the major draw back. I have done trades, big trades, I once sent about 30-40 55 All American graded cards to Texas for about 6 T206 graded HOFers. not sure about the value on each side but I didn't have to sell my double 55 AA and got t206 cards I wanted in return, I think both sides made out.

I have checked your list several times but like others here don't have the condition your looking for but I keep looking non the less.

good luck
Fred

[David W]

If I am sitting in the same room with a pile of cards and you also have a pile of cards, trading would be easy and beneficial for all.

But trying to trade online with strangers would be difficult unless we were trading bulk lots, like maybe an 800 count box of 73 Topps in varying condition for an 800 count box of 75 Topps in varying condition.

Otherwise it's easier to just sell it on ebay or elsewhere.

[Republicaninmass]

Many of the advanced signed card collectors will only trade for cards they need.

[ALR-bishop]

How high is your pile David ? Maybe trades should be made in cubic feet.

[SMPEP]

The way I look at it ... I trade all the time.

I buy something new, and then go sell something on Ebay to pay for it.

To me, I just traded the cash as an intermediary to finish the trade.

Of course, I always seem to buy cards and then forget the part about selling other cards!

[hangman62]

Ive traded with SMPEP..and many others... would love to trade more...but its hard to match up..with card conditions, needs, trading stars for stars/ hi#s for Hi #s,etc..

Off top of head..here is a rough list of stuff I have avail for trade =

PLEASE NOTE - most cards low grade ( from awful to VG )

1911 T 201 - CMathewson/Birdwell, TCobb/Crawford
1933 Tattoo Orbit - commons,
1948 R346 Blue Tint - commons
1933 Delong - Bill Terry, commons
Berk Ross - Willie Mays,commons
60s Bazooka - Clemente
MP and Co - Hubbel,Ott,Reese,
Our Nat Gam ePin - Foxx
60 Armour coin - Aaron, Mantle
53 Johston Cookie s - commosn
62 T BB Bucks - Myas, commons
65T Emb - Mantle
65T transfer - Clemente
67T Pirate sticker - Stargell
54 DanDee- commons
67T Who Am I - Ruth
54 Red Heart - Musial, commons
64T coin - Mantle , mantle AS
73T candy lid - Brock
60 Bell Brand - Wils
65 F - drysdale game
54T Mays
68T action AS sticker - F.Robby
55B - Mantle,Aaron,
56T -Mantle,
63T -Clemenete
64T - mantle
65T -mantle
66T - complete hi# run 523-598
70T Bench
73T - Schmidt

Im not afraid of trading anything here......for stuff of equal clout

maybe to save time and cut right to the chase...instead of contacting me about " what shape is the 56T Mantle in ? ".... assume its G,F,P...and suggest something you have of equal value

Ral G

[Volod]

Hate to admit it, but I gave up on trading in 1953, when another nine-year-old in my rock-strewn schoolyard refused my offer of ten pack-fresh Bowman Color commons for his Warren Spahn blazer. He then shoved me out of his way and laughed all the way back to the classroom. I despised that kid for the rest of the spring and never did get a Spahn card from that set - until 1982, when I purchased one at a cardshow. Sorry, but that's my emotionally retarded reason for preferring sales.

[David W]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

How high is your pile David ? Maybe trades should be made in cubic feet.

I have a lot of cubic feet of 90 Donruss Fleer and Topps to trade someone

[midmo]

[TAVG]

i trade all the time on sportscardforum.com been a member there since 2010. have close to 200 transactions.

doing a trade at the moment 100 giants base for 100 cardinals blind trade

[mrmopar]

The blind team trades were fun for me in the past if you could find a like minded individual to trade and not fret over the small details. I actually made a lifelong friend out of it, but eventually you run out of cards if you are not buying in any quantity. I still converse with this person, but the trades are few and far between now, just because neither one of us buys new packs or any sort of bulk stuff. We generally buy what we want now.

[TAVG]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

The blind team trades were fun for me in the past if you could find a like minded individual to trade and not fret over the small details. I actually made a lifelong friend out of it, but eventually you run out of cards if you are not buying in any quantity. I still converse with this person, but the trades are few and far between now, just because neither one of us buys new packs or any sort of bulk stuff. We generally buy what we want now.

i have not bought any product from the past two years, however im sitting on a couple hundred thousand junk base from 1988-2013. the guy im trading with wasnt worried about year or brand so it works out perfect.

i have traded almost all of certain teams away though doing blind trades.

i love it because its a surprise, i have close to 5000 different cardinals and im always excited when i can find more to add to the collection.

[mrmopar]

You sound like the kind of person I sought in my team trades. Generally I was looking for a similar amount of cards and tried to have it be the same general era, if it even mattered.

For a while it didn't matter to me, but even with Dodger cards for anything else, you CAN eventually have too many 1988 Topps Shawn Hillegas cards!

[Jantz]

I like to trade and have had some good experiences doing so.

Just wrapped up a trade with one board member yesterday and currently in the middle of another with a different board member.

I try to build one modern baseball set each year and like a lot of people do, trade off my dupes for cards that I need.

Anyone reading this that collects modern cards, feel free to PM me. Its an open invitation, shoot me a PM with what you're looking for and I will let you know whether I have any of that player/team/product or not.


Jantz

[parkerj33]

Hi, I do lots of trades, mostly on CU with my fellow topps heritage collectors. It helps in that we don't worry about condition (its modern and assumed nm-mt or better). And the trade value of cards is pretty well understood (sps vs. commons vs. inserts, etc). They are a solid group and i have done well over 100 trades with those guys over the years. Some are posting here too occasionally, although not about heritage.

[pokerplyr80]

I'm not opposed to trading by any means, but find it difficult with what I collect and can't remember the last time I've made a trade. For me, it's much easier to trade my cash for what I want, and what I don't want for cash.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by parkerj33

Hi, I do lots of trades, mostly on CU with my fellow topps heritage collectors. It helps in that we don't worry about condition (its modern and assumed nm-mt or better). And the trade value of cards is pretty well understood (sps vs. commons vs. inserts, etc). They are a solid group and i have done well over 100 trades with those guys over the years. Some are posting here too occasionally, although not about heritage.

I have a few thousand Topps Heritage singles and am actively looking to complete the 2008 Heritage set. Please let me know how I can get involved in this Trading Post swap meet.

[NateMack]

I love to trade, I would much rather trade than buy! I have had hundreds of trades and I would much rather go out to the mailbox to find a couple envelopes of cards than just about anything else that comes in the mail these days!

[Exhibitman]

I trade all the time but you have to be willing to give quality to get it. Too many collectors want stellar cards for middle of the road items. That simply won't happen. If you want PSA 8 stars don't expect to swap PSA 5 cards for them unless you are willing to give a large advantage to the other side. Value is less relevant than marketability. I can always move a Hank Aaron card but I will have to work to sell or trade a bunch of Bert Blylevens and Don Drysdales, assuming someone even wants them. In boxing Jack Johnson Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali are the most popular fighters so I won't trade their stuff for a bunch of cards of fighters that only hardcore boxing people would know, even if the trade is technically fair.

[pawpawdiv9]

i done a few trades as well, even done some f/f deals of and on ebay and with sevral folks here. I guess the big concern is to have a solid group thats honest and you can trust.
The concern is, giving first i think. so in many ways, some folks here will ask for you to send first, which is understanable. Like what others said, its hard to find what both sides want, so in all, better with cash deals.

[JTysver]

Giving you a free bump since you are a Mets fan as well.


LET'S GO METS!