Kinda OT? Death of the Sportscard Industry as Reported by Sports Illustrated

[14 of spades]

Ouch!

 

Barry Bonds 1986 Topps Tiffany BGS 9.5

 

I'm pretty sure this thing was going for 10X that much in 2006.

 

Now it can't even sold for its previous sales tax amount...

[bocaratondefense]

The sports trading card industry is dealing with an uncomfortable present and an uncertain future. The sales of cards peaked in 1991 at $1.2 billion, according to estimates by Sports Collector's Digest, but slid to $400 million by the turn of the century and to $200 million last year.

 

 

That really is a shrinking industry.

 

What are the numbers for comic books? Was the peak for comic production and sales in the mid-1990s?

 

 

[benz]

i used to buy 1 case of premium upper deck basketball products per month. my wife told me why not use the money to buy comics instead. wise choice. =)

[14 of spades]

Cards from the 1980s on were just massively overprinted.

 

It's no surprise now they are basically worthless.

[capt_comics]

The sports trading card industry is dealing with an uncomfortable present and an uncertain future. The sales of cards peaked in 1991 at $1.2 billion, according to estimates by Sports Collector's Digest, but slid to $400 million by the turn of the century and to $200 million last year.

 

 

That really is a shrinking industry.

 

What are the numbers for comic books? Was the peak for comic production and sales in the mid-1990s?

 

 

Yes, late 1993 to early 1994

 

 

 

 

[dekeuk]

Ouch!

 

Barry Bonds 1986 Topps Tiffany BGS 9.5

 

I'm pretty sure this thing was going for 10X that much in 2006.

 

 

 

I like how the seller states the grading was done back when the grading standards were tougher, and that if it was re-submitted now the grade would probably be higher.

 

Sound familiar?

 

 

 

[MR.COMICBOOK]

Ouch!

 

Barry Bonds 1986 Topps Tiffany BGS 9.5

 

I'm pretty sure this thing was going for 10X that much in 2006.

 

 

 

I like how the seller states the grading was done back when the grading standards were tougher, and that if it was re-submitted now the grade would probably be higher.

 

Sound familiar?

 

 

 

Are you trying to hint if I have a cgc in a old holder and I resubmit for a new holder the grade will comeback higher?

[Claudio]

maybe it is time to get some more boxing cards I missed out on back in the day...

[the blob]

Cards from the 1980s on were just massively overprinted.

 

It's no surprise now they are basically worthless.

 

was this card really just one of 5,000? so, not really overprinted..if anyone still liked the guy!

 

I don't think the price drop on this card has anything to do with the death of the sportscard industry (which was "dead" in 2006 too), but rather, the dramatic fall of Mr. Bonds (which is kindah silly, because people have pretty much assumed he was on the juice since he his 73 homers and definitely when he broke Aaron's record).

 

 

one shop i go to has binders of cards for sale...people brought them in, the store bought them for 50 cents or whatever. one binder for $3 or something...full of late 80's Ripkens, Ryans, etcl...tons of Hall of Famers, but not only overprinted cards, but the cheap ones of the overprinted cards like the cheap score, etc. I've been temped just to have like 100 Ryans and Ripkens, but then I think better of it.

 

with that said, i do buy cards now and then up to like 1982, sometimes 83 for Fleer or Donruss, if they're HOFers or almost HOF, some team cards and we're talking like 10 cents or less each. i probably have a bankers box or two of 80s and 90s drek (mostly stuff my kid brother accumulated, who has no interest in them now) that i should probably try and get $5 for on ebay.

[dopy02]

I've been buying cards again for the last little while. I mostly stick to 50-70's hockey (pre 72 OPC or parkie) and baseball (58 topps) but I pick up the occasional RC or HOF'er.

 

 

I've been finding collecting card enjoyable and best of all cheap.

 

cool Ernie Banks card. nice find.

"Let's play two!"

[Reno McCoy]

I still dig buying sports cards. I've spent way too much money on them, but I'm just hooked. I know that they won't be worth anything once I buy them, but I still do it. I like collection Packers cards, what can I say? :shrug:

[bhhooks22]

I've been buying cards again for the last little while. I mostly stick to 50-70's hockey (pre 72 OPC or parkie) and baseball (58 topps) but I pick up the occasional RC or HOF'er.

 

 

I've been finding collecting card enjoyable and best of all cheap.

 

cool Ernie Banks card. nice find.

"Let's play two!"

 

What's that Murray card worth now ?

B~

[comicalgems]

I have about 100,000 cards I need to sell. They range in years from the 60s to the early 90s. I tried to Craigslist them with an OBO listing and the two guys that looked at them didn't even make me an offer.

[Ant-Man]

 

 

What's that Murray card worth now ?

B~

 

Beckett from 01/08 shows $20 - $50. I remember that one being tough to find well-centered.

[14 of spades]

Cards from the 1980s on were just massively overprinted.

 

It's no surprise now they are basically worthless.

 

was this card really just one of 5,000? so, not really overprinted..if anyone still liked the guy!

 

I don't think the price drop on this card has anything to do with the death of the sportscard industry (which was "dead" in 2006 too), but rather, the dramatic fall of Mr. Bonds (which is kindah silly, because people have pretty much assumed he was on the juice since he his 73 homers and definitely when he broke Aaron's record).

 

 

one shop i go to has binders of cards for sale...people brought them in, the store bought them for 50 cents or whatever. one binder for $3 or something...full of late 80's Ripkens, Ryans, etcl...tons of Hall of Famers, but not only overprinted cards, but the cheap ones of the overprinted cards like the cheap score, etc. I've been temped just to have like 100 Ryans and Ripkens, but then I think better of it.

 

with that said, i do buy cards now and then up to like 1982, sometimes 83 for Fleer or Donruss, if they're HOFers or almost HOF, some team cards and we're talking like 10 cents or less each. i probably have a bankers box or two of 80s and 90s drek (mostly stuff my kid brother accumulated, who has no interest in them now) that i should probably try and get $5 for on ebay.

 

5000 Topps "Tiffany" which is just like regular Topps, but has a different surface finish (more glossy).

 

The EXACT SAME non-Tiffany card was selling for about 10% the price of the Tiffany version, so for roughly 600-700 bucks at its peak (~2006). THAT card, his "regular" rookie, was obviously over-printed. But the "grail" was the Topps Tiffany.

 

I don't think the "fall" in prices was that people don't like Bonds. Agreed, 2006 was before the Game of Shadows was released, but the reason why prices went up so high in 2006 was cause he was in pursuit of the record. Ultra-HG Bonds RCs were selling every day on Ebay for exorbitant prices. In other words - the prices were HYPE-driven. The sellers were selling HIGH. Cause think about it - when Bonds had 720 homers, it was clear he would have the potential to pass Aaron. Wow! How much should THAT rookie card be worth??? You're buying the card of someone who may potentially be the all-time HR leader! It'll be worth so much later!! Of course, once he passed it, now everyone just thinks - ho hum. I'm sure the prices crashed shortly after he passed the record.

 

So prices went as high as they did for hype - then fell afterwards. Steroids or no steroids - that card should have some value. But not 6-7 thousand dollars.

[carcrawfordfan]

Cards from the 1980s on were just massively overprinted.

 

It's no surprise now they are basically worthless.

 

was this card really just one of 5,000? so, not really overprinted..if anyone still liked the guy!

 

I don't think the price drop on this card has anything to do with the death of the sportscard industry (which was "dead" in 2006 too), but rather, the dramatic fall of Mr. Bonds (which is kindah silly, because people have pretty much assumed he was on the juice since he his 73 homers and definitely when he broke Aaron's record).

 

 

one shop i go to has binders of cards for sale...people brought them in, the store bought them for 50 cents or whatever. one binder for $3 or something...full of late 80's Ripkens, Ryans, etcl...tons of Hall of Famers, but not only overprinted cards, but the cheap ones of the overprinted cards like the cheap score, etc. I've been temped just to have like 100 Ryans and Ripkens, but then I think better of it.

 

with that said, i do buy cards now and then up to like 1982, sometimes 83 for Fleer or Donruss, if they're HOFers or almost HOF, some team cards and we're talking like 10 cents or less each. i probably have a bankers box or two of 80s and 90s drek (mostly stuff my kid brother accumulated, who has no interest in them now) that i should probably try and get $5 for on ebay.

 

5000 Topps "Tiffany" which is just like regular Topps, but has a different surface finish (more glossy).

 

The EXACT SAME non-Tiffany card was selling for about 10% the price of the Tiffany version, so for roughly 600-700 bucks at its peak (~2006). THAT card, his "regular" rookie, was obviously over-printed. But the "grail" was the Topps Tiffany.

 

I don't think the "fall" in prices was that people don't like Bonds. Agreed, 2006 was before the Game of Shadows was released, but the reason why prices went up so high in 2006 was cause he was in pursuit of the record. Ultra-HG Bonds RCs were selling every day on Ebay for exorbitant prices. In other words - the prices were HYPE-driven. The sellers were selling HIGH. Cause think about it - when Bonds had 720 homers, it was clear he would have the potential to pass Aaron. Wow! How much should THAT rookie card be worth??? You're buying the card of someone who may potentially be the all-time HR leader! It'll be worth so much later!! Of course, once he passed it, now everyone just thinks - ho hum. I'm sure the prices crashed shortly after he passed the record.

 

So prices went as high as they did for hype - then fell afterwards. Steroids or no steroids - that card should have some value. But not 6-7 thousand dollars.

 

 

It was 80% the steroids and 20% the card market, economy and how much easier it is too obtain a Bonds Tiffany RC in BGS 9.5 because of trimming. That is why Sosa, Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Giambi and countless others fell in value. If you ever followed cards on thepit.com you could see the almost one day fall in value from stars as soon as things were officially announced.

[14 of spades]

It was 80% the steroids and 20% the card market, economy and how much easier it is too obtain a Bonds Tiffany RC in BGS 9.5 because of trimming.

 

Do you know what hype is?

 

You don't think people knew Bonds was juicing in 2006?

 

You don't think that of the tens of thousands of people who bought Bonds cards during his Aaron chase, that any of them suspected Bonds of juicing?

 

That is why Sosa, Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Giambi and countless others fell in value. If you ever followed cards on thepit.com you could see the almost one day fall in value from stars as soon as things were officially announced.

 

Of all these folks here, please tell me which of them have been "officially announced" as having used steroids.

[carcrawfordfan]

It was 80% the steroids and 20% the card market, economy and how much easier it is too obtain a Bonds Tiffany RC in BGS 9.5 because of trimming.

 

Do you know what hype is?

 

You don't think people knew Bonds was juicing in 2006?

 

You don't think that of the tens of thousands of people who bought Bonds cards during his Aaron chase, that any of them suspected Bonds of juicing?

 

That is why Sosa, Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Giambi and countless others fell in value. If you ever followed cards on thepit.com you could see the almost one day fall in value from stars as soon as things were officially announced.

 

Of all these folks here, please tell me which of them have been "officially announced" as having used steroids.

 

Thanks for the tip on hype. I have been collecting/dealing in cards for the past 20 years and know the market pretty well. I will assure you that the Bonds card started dropping in about 2002-3 when people figured out what was going on. McGwire, Sosa, Giambi and Clemens during the hearings and Mitchell Report. No one really knew the extent of the steroids until the end of these guys' careers and that is when the card market really started dropping. You also have to account for the economy and trimming as I stated earlier. If X card was a very hard 9.5 and then could be manufactured more and more as people learned how to do it, then the market comes down. It doesn't help when the players are icy cold and not going to make the hall.

[14 of spades]

It was 80% the steroids and 20% the card market, economy and how much easier it is too obtain a Bonds Tiffany RC in BGS 9.5 because of trimming.

 

Do you know what hype is?

 

You don't think people knew Bonds was juicing in 2006?

 

You don't think that of the tens of thousands of people who bought Bonds cards during his Aaron chase, that any of them suspected Bonds of juicing?

 

That is why Sosa, Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Giambi and countless others fell in value. If you ever followed cards on thepit.com you could see the almost one day fall in value from stars as soon as things were officially announced.

 

Of all these folks here, please tell me which of them have been "officially announced" as having used steroids.

 

Thanks for the tip on hype. I have been collecting/dealing in cards for the past 20 years and know the market pretty well. I will assure you that the Bonds card started dropping in about 2002-3 when people figured out what was going on. McGwire, Sosa, Giambi and Clemens during the hearings and Mitchell Report. No one really knew the extent of the steroids until the end of these guys' careers and that is when the card market really started dropping. You also have to account for the economy and trimming as I stated earlier. If X card was a very hard 9.5 and then could be manufactured more and more as people learned how to do it, then the market comes down. It doesn't help when the players are icy cold and not going to make the hall.

 

Dropping in 2002? Sure. Then it went back up in 2006 only to fall again at the end of 2007.

 

Thanks for mentioning the hearings. You're right - they were all implicated. It's more than likely they all juiced. But which of them have actually been found guilty? You might want to be more precise. Players mentioned in the Mitchell report.

 

There's no doubt the revelation of steroids hurt their player card values. But in 2006, Bonds Topps Tiffany RC was king.

 

And thanks for informing me of your 20 years of experience. Bill James has more experience than you - and he thinks these steroid users will make it to the Hall.

 

[the blob]

And thanks for informing me of your 20 years of experience. Bill James has more experience than you - and he thinks these steroid users will make it to the Hall.

--------------

 

not really relevant to the discussion though...card values that is...at least as of right now. maybe in 15 years it'll be put in perspective.

 

with that said, i have my doubts about big mac. the guy would go in basically based on 4 outstanding years when people think he was juicing (yes, he had a couple of other good years elsewhere, but without those 4 years, nobody would be discussing him -- and maybe at the end of the day people will believe he just used Andro --- which was legal and not yet banned). similar arguments could be made about sosa. these guys are basically frank howard without the steroids (a nice slugger, but not a HOFer). take Bonds 4 best years out of the equation (and replace them with years more in line with pre-juice numbers) and he's still in the HOF.