OT - Example of why card collecting is dying re: Topps

[Laxcat]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Leon and Matt can verify this since they were at my show last Saturday but we had a nice grouping of kids (in part because every outdoor event they could have been involved with was rained out) and I would say we had perhaps 25-30 kids who attended our show last Saturday.

Now same came with mom and or dad but others were with mom and dad but they were the collectors In either case, we were all encouraged to see so many kids

Rich

Correct. Here's a little story.

8 year old kid asks if I have any vintage Miami Dolphins cards. I point him to the boxes that have 60's and 70's singles. Kid is decked out in Dolphins gear he probably knew more about the Dolphins than the rest of this board combined. He spends about 10 minutes going through the boxes. All the time rattling off what he knows about the team. He bought about $5 or $6 dollars worth of stuff. With his money. Not the biggest sale, but that is not what matters. I ended up giving him a Mercury Morris Rookie. I told him he earned it with his knowledge.
It made me smile to see someone his age actually interested in sports history. I think that is why most of us are in the hobby. I know it's the reason I still collect pictures of guys I never saw play.

I think if we take the time, when the opportunity presents, to talk to the younger collectors and get them excited about not just the monetary value of these cards but the about the people and events that these pieces of cardboard depict then we will have a good hobby in the future filled witty people that are there for the right reason.

He reminded me of myself. In the heyday of the shows I was the little imp running around wanting to look through your vintage stuff slowly building my little collection that meant the world to me.

[rjackson44]

Max nice story if I told you the stuff I've given to kids 😀😀😀it brings me great joy

[bigfanNY]

My oldest is going to be 30 in a few Months and my youngest 28.In the past 2 years I have met a number of their friends and ALL of them say they collected as kids and enjoyed the experience. Everyone always asks if their 89 Ken Griffey Jr. card still has Value or their 85 Kirby or 84 Mattingly. They like us chased iconic cards that still hold special memories for them. I gave one a PSA 8 Griffey and he was ecstatic. I saw him a few Months later and he said to me like any good dealer the first one is always free (lol). He had gone to Ebay and bought a few more cards and even attended a local show.
I have no idea what the future holds but my experience tells me that Baseball cards continue to bring joy to people.

OT: Even without my Yankees I am looking forward to an exciting World Series.

Jonathan

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Laxcat

Correct. Here's a little story.

8 year old kid asks if I have any vintage Miami Dolphins cards. I point him to the boxes that have 60's and 70's singles. Kid is decked out in Dolphins gear he probably knew more about the Dolphins than the rest of this board combined. He spends about 10 minutes going through the boxes. All the time rattling off what he knows about the team. He bought about $5 or $6 dollars worth of stuff. With his money. Not the biggest sale, but that is not what matters. I ended up giving him a Mercury Morris Rookie. I told him he earned it with his knowledge.
It made me smile to see someone his age actually interested in sports history. I think that is why most of us are in the hobby. I know it's the reason I still collect pictures of guys I never saw play.

I think if we take the time, when the opportunity presents, to talk to the younger collectors and get them excited about not just the monetary value of these cards but the about the people and events that these pieces of cardboard depict then we will have a good hobby in the future filled witty people that are there for the right reason.

He reminded me of myself. In the heyday of the shows I was the little imp running around wanting to look through your vintage stuff slowly building my little collection that meant the world to me.

nice story, its not all about money like you said..5 or 6$ i would also have given the kid free stuff ..that's whats good about a hobby versus making money..as we are getting back to the hobby aspect

[darwinbulldog]

I received about 25 pounds worth of auction catalogs in the mail last week. My kids (ages 5 and 3) had built themselves a "garbage truck" out of pillows, chairs, and storage bins, and they kept using the auction catalogs as the garbage for their truck. That's it, folks. The hobby is sunk.