I believe there has been an overemphasis on print quantities and population reports within the last five years or so.
The aim of this article is not to be negative; on the contrary, I want to offer a different perspective to promote appreciation and respect for all genres of collecting.
You see, at first reaction, it would be easy for me to just spout off and accuse today’s hobbyist that “all you care about is the money!” But if I’m being honest, money has been a part of the equation for many decades now.
There’s a card show documentary out there that can still be viewed on YouTube that focuses on dealer interviews. In this video, filmed in 1990, one can see card show dealers using terms like investing. A bit of complaining even how the younger generation is only interested in modern-day products, players, and making money. Sound familiar?
Not much has changed.
My point? The age-old dilemma of collecting -vs- flipping -vs- investing. And an even bigger problem is the mindset that says if you don’t do it like me you’re doing it wrong.
However, when we sit down and review the buying and selling behaviors of these three genres there are stark similarities.
What has changed is the over-emphasis on scarcity, print runs, and population reports. Which comes off as kinda selfish. A true spirit of collecting has been corrupted by less is better and too bad for you if you don’t have one.
It’s all over the place, too. There is no clear path. Some believe that anything under 1,000 is scarce. Others believe /250, while others say /99 at least, and yet others say /50, /10, /1 you get the picture.
How about those PSA Pop Reports? This seems to be the most important thing of them all. So we hunt for those low numbers, snap out, and re-grade if necessary.
We will trade or sell everything we have to get that elusive card that factors in scarcity, desirability, and secondary market values.
Once Upon A Time
We must tread lightly when overhyping the money side of the hobby. It wasn’t all that long ago, in the late ‘80s and early '90s, when we were led to believe that sports cards were our way to the golden goose. The goose laid something alright, but it wasn’t a golden egg, Lol!
We had another overhyped era between 2000 and 2004. The hobby puts too much emphasis on the money aspects of the hobby, not collecting. In both examples, a mass exodus of hobbyists left altogether because we were priced out, myself included.
Collectors quit collecting, card values plummeted, and investor types lost interest as well. How did we get here? Our priorities got mixed up. We lost the very essence of why we do this to begin with.
You see, in its purest form, we “collected” our favorite team(s) and player(s) or to piece together a complete set. Monetary values were secondary, and we sold our dupes or unwanted cards so we could purchase other cards.
Today, selling cards has become the priority so we can earn a full-time income from it. Collecting is foreign, and some openly admit that they are not in it for collecting but only to buy and sell.
PROS & CONS of the Money Game
PRO - increased visibility and interest in the hobby
PRO - leads to opportunity for everyone to profit
CON - potential alienation of casual collectors
CON - market speculation that leads to market bubbles
CON - increased activity of scams
CON - overshadowing of the nostalgic factors
Can you see the fine line we’re on? Can you see the importance for all of us to be good stewards of the hobby?
Pop Reports: The SHOCKING Reality
Here are some shocking realities about the pop reports and print runs. I recently looked at some population reports on a couple of key cards while simultaneously searching for how many times these cards were sold in a 30-day period.
1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr RC
As of August 8, 2024, PSA shows this card has been graded 107,527 times
30-Day Sales: this card has sold 1,181 times
Averages to 39 times a day
2023-24 Panini Prizm #136 Victor Wembanyama RC (base card only)
As of August 8, 2024, PSA shows this card has been graded 28,634 times
30-Day Sales: this card has sold 3,111 times
Averages to 103 times a day
Some in the hobby may be scratching their heads, thinking how can this be? Why would anyone send the base RC of Wemby in to get graded? Base cards are garbage. That Griffey Jr card has a high print run and pop report. People must be dumb, as I’ve heard it said.
How can this be? You ask. I can answer that question. Hold onto your hard hats now you ready?! Because there are collectors that don’t care about print runs! Many, dare I say, the majority of collectors don’t care about PSA Pop Reports!
I believe that a card's true value or significance is based on a player's accomplishments and should be more based on how many memorable or nostalgic moments the player has produced in his / her career.
Base rookie cards of Tom Brady, Albert Pujols, and Lebron James are plentiful, too. Go check those values. Go check those pop reports; they defy the logic of today’s standards.
What We Can Do About It
So here is a good question to ask. How do we find and maintain a balance between the financial aspects and traditional collecting values?
Focus on cards that have a personal significance, not just monetary value
Sports card collectors, investors, and flippers should all have a level of love for the game. How do we buy sports cards of a sport or player we don’t like or know anything about?!
Celebrate both high-end and low-end cards. Respect each other's genres of the hobby because they are all significant. Investors and flippers need collectors, and collectors need investors and flippers. We all need each other to make this ecosystem strong. Again, let’s RESPECT all aspects of the hobby!
Stay in your lane - there are products for every budget. If you prefer low-print runs and population reports, stick to National Treasure, Flawless, Dynasty, or Transcendent products.
Learn to appreciate the historical context of a player or card. The story of the ‘89 Upper Deck Griffey RC is amazing, as it tells how he became card #1 and the game-changing product that was Upper Deck in 1989.
Until next month,
Victor, The Rookie Card Specialist
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