SGC Big News of 2023 - Pokemon?

[peanuts]

Originally Posted by BobC

This is actually quite predictable. The sports card market boom and surge resulted from the Baby Boomers hitting their middle ages, primarily starting in the 1980's, and resulted in things like the junk wax era that came to be and took over the market. At the same time, as the Junk Wax era was raging, wasn't it more often the adults that were now the ones jumping into and buying the majority of these 1980's - 1990's sports cards, and not necessarily their kids? Well, it is pretty well known that kids tend to not always follow their parents thinking and likes exactly. So instead of sports cards, a lot of those kids back then in the 1980's - 1990's got into Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and other such card and card game issues as well. So just as the 1950's - 1960's kids spurred the sports card hobby in the 1980's - 1990's, pretty much right on schedule, the 1980's - 1990's kids are now spurring the TCG (Trading Card Game) card surge that started in the 2010's, and is now carrying over to an even greater extent in the 2020's. Sorry Gomer, no "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" there.

So, for anyone that really wants to be a big-time future investor/collector, and possibly make a fortune in doing so, start paying attention to what today's kids are getting into that is new and just for them. And then wait about 20-30 years to see the prices of whatever it is they were into go through the roof as they try to rekindle their childhoods when they start going through middle age, and feeling their mortality. The problem is picking the correct few things that will stay with the kids from their childhoods and push their desires to own them again.

Things like Beanie Babies were always focused on adults to start off, just as NFTs are now as well. Thus, the chances of such collectible items to sustain and prolong their value over time, let alone have it grow, are somewhat small, at best, IMO. And the often quick collapse that can follow such collectibles trends is not at all surprising as a result either. And remember, there is no perfect way to always be able to pick the item(s) that will eventually come back to be highly valued. POGs are a classic example of a childhood toy/collectible item that possibly didn't stay around long enough at the start, or interest/reach enough children at the time during their childhood, to generate the overall interest that TGC cards have.

Food for thought!

I'm going to echo this as someone in the age demographic in question (late 20s). Most of my friends who are starting to grow their income rapidly aren't collecting sports cards – instead, I see folks picking up high grade holos/rares/promos from the original Pokemon sets, building out Alpha Magic collections, and getting old video games (though they often just get sealed boxes raw, not going for graded copies). A dear friend just dropped his annual bonus into a Beta Timetwister and our group chat was popping off for him. That's a grail card for our generation, in the way that finally getting a 51B Mays is for most of Net54's gen.

SGC are getting a foothold in a market that they're currently weak in and that makes perfect sense for them. They know that us vintage collectors are going to stick with their services, so their marketing dollars should be focused on building out a market share in a lucrative area.

[Vintagedeputy]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

At this point do you think it's worth their time and effort ? PSA overwhelmingly dominates the registry space. Maybe if they merge with CSG..idk.

I 110% think it’s worth it. PSA dominates the PSA registry space.

There are thousands of set collectors with lots of money tied up in SGC and who aren’t going to cross over for a PSA registry.

If you build it…

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by peanuts

a Beta Timetwister and our group chat was popping off for him.

I think this is some form of English. Google Translate was no help.

[peanuts]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

I think this is some form of English. Google Translate was no help.

LOL. Sorry, generational gap.

Magic the Gathering has an original set of 295 cards that came out in 1993. Beta was the second set, with 302 cards.

Timetwister is one of the best cards in the game, the "Power 9." Since each Power 9 card is a rare, there are only 3,000 Beta Timetwisters.

MtG cards are ridiculously condition sensitive, given that they were actively used to play the game (and in fact, certain cards, including Timetwister, have never been reprinted and thus originals are needed to play certain formats). For perspective, PWCC just sold this BGS 8.5 copy for $8400.
Big card, really tough to complete subset, condition sensitive - ticks all the boxes for millennial Magic nerds.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by peanuts

LOL. Sorry, generational gap.

Magic the Gathering has an original set of 295 cards that came out in 1993. Beta was the second set, with 302 cards.

Timetwister is one of the best cards in the game, the "Power 9." Since each Power 9 card is a rare, there are only 3,000 Beta Timetwisters.

MtG cards are ridiculously condition sensitive, given that they were actively used to play the game (and in fact, certain cards, including Timetwister, have never been reprinted and thus originals are needed to play certain formats). For perspective, PWCC just sold this BGS 8.5 copy for $8400.
Big card, really tough to complete subset, condition sensitive - ticks all the boxes for millennial Magic nerds.

Timetwister has been printed in six different sets, although only three of those are legal for tournament play:

(print runs approximate)

Tournament Legal
Alpha - 1,000 copies
Beta - 3,000 copies
Unlimited - 17,000 copies

Not Tournament Legal
Collectors' Edition - 9,000 copies
International (Collectors') Edition - 5,000 copies
30th Anniversary - print runs not known with certainty, released in 2022, product launch failed miserably so it's unlikely (but not impossible) they'll print more

As mentioned, they are condition sensitive. Additionally, some percentage of these cards are lost each year to floods, fires, angry soon-to-be-ex-spouses, etc.

[peanuts]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Timetwister has been printed in six different sets, although only three of those are legal for tournament play:

(print runs approximate)

Tournament Legal
Alpha - 1,000 copies
Beta - 3,000 copies
Unlimited - 17,000 copies

Not Tournament Legal
Collectors' Edition - 9,000 copies
International (Collectors') Edition - 5,000 copies
30th Anniversary - print runs not known with certainty, released in 2022, product launch failed miserably so it's unlikely (but not impossible) they'll print more

As mentioned, they are condition sensitive. Additionally, some percentage of these cards are lost each year to floods, fires, angry soon-to-be-ex-spouses, etc.

Aye, fair correction. I was only thinking in terms of tournament legal sets.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

I'll be surprised if CSG doesn't acquire SGC in the not too distant future and then make SGC its vintage division.

Interesting if this would happen. I had heard that PSA made a similar push for SGC a few years ago.

[Jay Wolt]

Why would SGC sell?
They seem to be doing well, so why would they bail?

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

Interesting if this would happen. I had heard that PSA made a similar push for SGC a few years ago.

We heard these rumors last year. I wonder if there is any truth to this?

[Johnny630]

Gaming cards graded for January. It doesn’t appear the Pokémon Special is getting much traction.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

Gaming cards graded for January. It doesn’t appear the Pokémon Special is getting much traction.

Interesting how CSG and their brother/sister card grading entities seem to be firmly in place as the #2 TPG now.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by BobC

Interesting how CSG and their brother/sister card grading entities seem to be firmly in place as the #2 TPG now.

They’re doing very well Bob….I think SGC is feeling the HEAT

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

They’re doing very well Bob….I think SGC is feeling the HEAT

I remember saying when CSG first entered the TPG market how with their corporate background, makeup, and support, along with the worldwide recognition they already had as an industry leader in the grading of comics, coins, and currency, they might just be the ones to finally bring some change to the grading of cards and actually challenge PSA. Of course, in a thread started on the forum announcing how CSG had just agreed to work with PWCC and grade cards for them, I tried to turn that thread toward a civil, intelligent, adult discussion about how from a business standpoint, that decision by CSG could actually be a good move by them, despite the negative publicity and allegations PWCC had hanging over them. But of course, right on cue the usual jack-off trolls on Net54 immediately jumped me, and started condemning CSG as basically being as guilty of the same crimes that PWCC is alleged to be guilty of, by merely agreeing to work with them. Of course, CSG hadn't really done anything wrong to anyone's knowledge at that point, but that didn't stop another of our "brilliant and intelligent" members from comparing CSG to the guy who fixed the toilets in the Death Star from the Star Wars movies. Guilty by mere association, and the poster even went further to publicly declare they would never have anything to do with CSG, ever! Seems CSG, and their brother/sister companies like CGC, are all still doing pretty okay without such an idiots' support and business after all, wouldn't you agree?

Now CSG does have their own Registry that is up and running, but not being a Registry person myself, have never looked into it and have no idea how it compares to PSA's registry, or the depth and volume that PSA's Registry may encompass. I really have no knowledge of PSA's Registry either, other than a LOT of collectors seem to live and die for it, and how it apparently can have a huge impact on market prices for cards. I had also previously said I could see it maybe being a smart move for CSG's parent holding company, CCG (Certified Collectibles Group), to possibly look into acquiring SGC as another subsidiary. It would immediately bring more cache and experience to the CCG family in the grading of vintage and pre-war cards, along with offering another option for CCG's customer base to choose another style of holder that many people in the hobby prefer. It would definitely seem to be able to add a lot more money and advertising to support and back SGC going forward as well. As one other poster pointed out, SGC's $15 per card grading offer for TGCs (Trading Game Cards) looks like an attempt by SGC to try and grow and expand their business, but which by the looks of those monthly submission numbers posted, isn't doing as well as they may have liked. That could be a sign that there is some vulnerability in SGC from a business standpoint, and a possible opening may exist to CCG acquiring them after all. I know if I was involved at CCG that I would certainly be bringing this point up to anyone else willing to listen. And then if such an acquisition was able to be completed, I would next push to expand the CSG Registry so that it covered and included all CSG, CGC, and SGC graded cards in it. Then I think you might start to see even more inroads going against PSA's current dominance of the TPG industry.