Haven't collected in ten years - what is going on?!

gracecollector said:

There's this thing called the Internet now, it's brought collectors together, created auction sites, and just generally made finding the rarer cards much, much easier. I think it's just a fad though so things should be back to normal pretty soon.

But seriously, 15 major changes since the mid-90's

1) Companies realized they were pumping out too much sheer quantity. They cut back their print runs significantly
2) Rise of game-used and autos took over inserts and parallels as the "must have" cards
3) Pack prices rose to accommodate the nicer stuff being put into them and better production values. High pack prices drove kids away but appealed to older collectors, especially those with a gambling mentality
4) eBay and other online outlets made finding cards a lot easier, especially hard-to-find cards
5) Brick and mortar hobby shops have had to compete with online sellers, driving down wax prices but also forcing many shops to shut their doors
6) Companies created "manufactured scarcity," i.e. low serial numbered print runs on inserts, parallels, and 1/1 cards to keep consumer interest and pray on player and set collectors
7) Bowman chrome, fueled by the Pujols auto RC in 2001, became a sensation unto itself as the must-have first year card of players, and has spawned its own cult of followers and knock-off products (Donruss Elite, Razor, etc.)
8) Vintage continues to rise, fueled by the establishment of some premium auction houses
9) Base cards are basically worthless. Many collectors just throw them out, while others lament their downfall
10) Short prints in most products give a challenge to set builders
11) Guaranteed "case hits" help move boxes being busted
12) Card companies have resorted to deliberate errors and other unannounced gimmicks to help sales (Mantle Topps error, Pie-in-the-Face Yankees, etc.)
13) Topps has a monopoly on baseball, with the only MLB license
14) The economy has softened prices across the board
15) FCB was established, bringing a new age of enlightment during the hobby's darkest hour

Click to expand...

gracecollector said:

There's this thing called the Internet now, it's brought collectors together, created auction sites, and just generally made finding the rarer cards much, much easier. I think it's just a fad though so things should be back to normal pretty soon.

But seriously, 15 major changes since the mid-90's

1) Companies realized they were pumping out too much sheer quantity. They cut back their print runs significantly
2) Rise of game-used and autos took over inserts and parallels as the "must have" cards
3) Pack prices rose to accommodate the nicer stuff being put into them and better production values. High pack prices drove kids away but appealed to older collectors, especially those with a gambling mentality
4) eBay and other online outlets made finding cards a lot easier, especially hard-to-find cards
5) Brick and mortar hobby shops have had to compete with online sellers, driving down wax prices but also forcing many shops to shut their doors
6) Companies created "manufactured scarcity," i.e. low serial numbered print runs on inserts, parallels, and 1/1 cards to keep consumer interest and pray on player and set collectors
7) Bowman chrome, fueled by the Pujols auto RC in 2001, became a sensation unto itself as the must-have first year card of players, and has spawned its own cult of followers and knock-off products (Donruss Elite, Razor, etc.)
8) Vintage continues to rise, fueled by the establishment of some premium auction houses
9) Base cards are basically worthless. Many collectors just throw them out, while others lament their downfall
10) Short prints in most products give a challenge to set builders
11) Guaranteed "case hits" help move boxes being busted
12) Card companies have resorted to deliberate errors and other unannounced gimmicks to help sales (Mantle Topps error, Pie-in-the-Face Yankees, etc.)
13) Topps has a monopoly on baseball, with the only MLB license
14) The economy has softened prices across the board
15) FCB was established, bringing a new age of enlightment during the hobby's darkest hour

Click to expand...