Anyone Else Feeling Marooned on Vintage Collector Island??

jingram058 · #1 08-13-2023, 11:32 AM

I guess I am in the minority here, in that I am not well-heeled. My Navy retirement and what I make working out here in "the world" allows me to get by. I don't have the spare money to buy thousand-dollar and up cards or attend conventions. Am I envious of you folks that can do these things? Sure. But as I state in my post above, trades, low grade and scrapbooks is how I participate in the hobby these days.

Republicaninmass · #2 08-13-2023, 11:49 AM

Happy to be selling into strength.

It's only stuff, but can translate into 1s and 0s that are accepted anywhere. My worry would have been if I passed away or needed to sell, the market wouldn't have cooperated. It's one less worry for myself and my family with the bulk of it sold.

chadeast · #3 08-13-2023, 12:29 PM

I agree with Adam's comments that you're in the wrong pond. Ebay dried up for me sometime around the end of 2021. I recall actively searching for most of 2022 with very little to show for it. Though there were still the occasional auctions, 90+% of what's left is BINs at unreasonably high prices with sellers who won't negotiate. I know, I've tried.

Like many of you, I've seen the same card for years just sitting there, with a seller that makes sure the card is always 50% above market whatever that may be. I haven't looked at Ebay in 2023 at all. I'm sure that I've missed some reasonable auctions, but I decided that it's just not worth my time.

Adam, I think you made a wise move to Encore auctions, I shifted almost all of my buying to the AHs (as well as net54 BST).

EDIT: Edit to add that if you're talking about prices overall, well I'll have to agree with you on that. I've accepted the new reality and punted on a number of collecting goals, consigning cards that I liked but didn't love to further fund the addiction (thanks Lee Behrens).

Jewish-collector · #4 08-13-2023, 12:36 PM

Remember this sports card & memorabilia hobby that so many of us love is very much about acquiring these things with money. Other hobbies (like sports, gaming, gardening, fishing, etc,...) are more about skill & technique. Sure, there are costs associated, but not like there is in this hobby. This hobby is supposed to be a way to reduce stress from your day job. The problem is the hobby becomes as stressful, if not more than your day job.

Fuddjcal · #5 08-14-2023, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Happy to be selling into strength.

It's only stuff, but can translate into 1s and 0s that are accepted anywhere. My worry would have been if I passed away or needed to sell, the market wouldn't have cooperated. It's one less worry for myself and my family with the bulk of it sold.

If there was someone who was on the autograph card craze early, it was you! Whewwwwww

Republicaninmass · #6 08-14-2023, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

If there was someone who was on the autograph card craze early, it was you! Whewwwwww

Thank you, thank you, I've been on the wrong side plenty as well!

raulus · #7 08-13-2023, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jingram058

I guess I am in the minority here, in that I am not well-heeled. My Navy retirement and what I make working out here in "the world" allows me to get by. I don't have the spare money to buy thousand-dollar and up cards or attend conventions. Am I envious of you folks that can do these things? Sure. But as I state in my post above, trades, low grade and scrapbooks is how I participate in the hobby these days.

Even those of us with cash to burn are feeling a lot poorer these days, as our cash doesn’t go very far. Even if you can afford it, you have to ask yourself whether it’s wise to spend 5 or 6 figures on it. All that cash could buy lots of other exciting stuff!

And even when you decide to parlay serious cash into cardboard generally, you keep asking yourself if this specific piece in front of you at the moment is really what you want to buy, or whether you should wait for something even higher on your wish list to come along.

Peter_Spaeth · #8 08-13-2023, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raulus

Even those of us with cash to burn are feeling a lot poorer these days, as our cash doesn�t go very far. Even if you can afford it, you have to ask yourself whether it�s wise to spend 5 or 6 figures on it. All that cash could buy lots of other exciting stuff!

And even when you decide to parlay serious cash into cardboard generally, you keep asking yourself if this specific piece in front of you at the moment is really what you want to buy, or whether you should wait for something even higher on your wish list to come along.

Or index funds or the equivalent.

Rhotchkiss · #9 08-13-2023, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raulus

Even those of us with cash to burn are feeling a lot poorer these days, as our cash doesn�t go very far. Even if you can afford it, you have to ask yourself whether it�s wise to spend 5 or 6 figures on it. All that cash could buy lots of other exciting stuff!

And even when you decide to parlay serious cash into cardboard generally, you keep asking yourself if this specific piece in front of you at the moment is really what you want to buy, or whether you should wait for something even higher on your wish list to come along.

Well said. I agree with this 100%

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