I'll give my thoughts but will give some insight into my unopened collection first. My collection is significant, maybe not in value but definitely in quantity. I started around 2014/15 and basically try to get one of everything possible (mostly retail or lower end hobby). But, when you do this for multiple sports, the number of packs adds up quickly. I easily have 1,000+ unopened packs from what feels like everything under the sun.
Now, my opinion on this.
Since the price increases from Panini, Topps, etc at the retail level, my collecting has tapered off. When it was $20 a blaster I could easily justify the price because I was getting 4-10 packs per blaster for that $20. However, now that many Panini blasters are $35, I cant justify that price. While, I'm not a hit seeker, I still like to somewhat get my money's worth in some shape or form. But, when you increase the price of a box by 75%, it's that much harder to get your money's worth.
I also collect toys and wrestling figures. Many of those figures were roughly $20 pre-pandemic but have now since raised to $22-24. That I can justify and it doesn't hurt the wallet as much. So, more of my money has been put in that direction.
Unopened wax will always be a thing. I just think the pandemic-era stuff has nowhere to go but down. Retailers are not selling boxes like they once were and I'm even seeing lower prices at card shows. We had the boom. Next is the bust and it's just a matter of time.
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