[corbin21]

Well I did a little research and here are my findings. Number of cards for each Topps base set. 1995 660, 1996 441, 1997 496, 1998 503, 1999 596, 2000 523, 2001 791. So as you can see there was a definite drop in the number of base cards after 1995. So Topps might have produced less cards for less cards in a set. When you compare today's base 2013 at 661. I guess Topps did scale back in production for a few years after the strike. And buy the way I bought a 2013 Topps Series 2 Jumbo box today for $46.55. Which is very painful considering I paid over $90.00 for the same box in June...

[ricelynnevans75]

Actually, with the mass production of the 80s into early 90s, the hobby was at its most popular stage and was far from ruined. Once the newer "premium" stuff started to come out, that's when the hobby started to go downhill.

[cross4444]

I'll one-up you rice, cards were at their best in the 50's through mid-70's. Back then the only value a card had depended on if the kid down the street needed it for his set and he had a card you needed for your set. If you wanted an autographed card, you rode your bike to the stadium and got it autographed during batting practice. It'd be nice to live in a world where you could get a pack of cards for half a buck and not have to worry about getting "hits". Cards were still just as exciting back then, but now we're all so jaded that some people pay $400 for a box of Topps Five Star to achieve the same feeling that a kid in the 60's could get for a quarter.

[ricelynnevans75]

I'll one-up you rice, cards were at their best in the 50's through mid-70's. Back then the only value a card had depended on if the kid down the street needed it for his set and he had a card you needed for your set. If you wanted an autographed card, you rode your bike to the stadium and got it autographed during batting practice. It'd be nice to live in a world where you could get a pack of cards for half a buck and not have to worry about getting "hits". Cards were still just as exciting back then, but now we're all so jaded that some people pay $400 for a box of Topps Five Star to achieve the same feeling that a kid in the 60's could get for a quarter.

Yep, I agree fully with you there. I remember going into, well, pretty much anywhere and finding a box of Topps on the front counter. My father, who collected as a kid in the 50s, would always pick up a pack or two for my brother and I. Loved the gum and was always thrilled to find a card of a Red Sox player, especially Clemens. 1986 was the first year I was really "into" cards.

[seal006]

Of coure back then you got 36 packs/15 cards a pack. Those were definately the days.

[mgruber2]

Unfortunately mass production is still going on and will continue as long as we continue to buy up the product.

[seal006]

Unfortunately mass production is still going on and will continue as long as we continue to buy up the product.

Were not, the dealers are. Most dealers cannot keep their heads above water when they have to order a minimum of one case per product. What few LCS there are is starting to fade away.

[cross4444]

Overproducing means producing more than the sellers will buy. The goal for Topps is to print exactly (or obviously as close to) as much as the buyers will buy. Mass production is fine if there's a mass market, but what we're talking about is Topps producing way more than the market demands.

Unfortunately mass production is still going on and will continue as long as we continue to buy up the product.

[JRMdawg311]

Really? You thinks cards are mass produced? The interest in the hobby is no where near what it use to be in the late 80's/early 90's. Almost everyone collected cards back then and now it seems collectors are few and far between. I remember when #'d cards were in the tens of thousands and they were hard to pull. Now it seems like you get a low #d parallel in the hundreds in every few packs. Maybe that has to do with the increase of the sheer number of parallels for any given set.

Personally, I like variety in my collecting. I have no desire to complete EVERY set that's released. Being able to choose which sets I'd like to build and not be stuck to only 5 different base set varieties. Though I do wish Topps had a little competition and wasn't the only show in town. I agree with everyone that the simplicity of collecting is gone (the way it was back in the day) but then again there is much more variety which, to me, keeps the hobby interesting and fun. I don't know about you, but I could do without thousands of cheap base cards taking up space...oh wait I currently already have that problem.

I have no problem with five star. If people want to pay $500 for a pack of "hits," let em'. There seems to be a lot of people paying $800+ for a case just for the "hits" only to turn around and dump the rest of the product for pennies, thereby killing the base set and insert values.

It just seems to me that the battle goes on. Topps wants to make money and people want to get cards for cheap (that magically increase in value over night). The people I really feel bad for are the brick and mortar hobby shops . I'm surprised they still exist. I think the biggest problem for them is the middle-man or distributors they have to go through to get their product. Some of the mark-ups they pull of certain products are ridiculous. Another problem is Topps releasing more and more retail ONLY or online ONLY products. Not to mention the online competition from ebay, COMC or whoever else. But then again that competition makes it easier for me as a collector to get cards for cheap.

Bottom line is, in the old days, cards were never made to "increase in value" or "make money off of in the secondary market" they were just there to collect. It will never go back to that way unless you keep it that way for yourself.

[Phillies_Joe]

Bottom line is, in the old days, cards were never made to "increase in value" or "make money off of in the secondary market" they were just there to collect. It will never go back to that way unless you keep it that way for yourself.

+1. As far as I'm concerned, everyone else can chase the auto's and relics, though I think alot are awesome. Give me a nice clean card with great photography of action and I'm happy. Parallels don't bother me at all....what bothers me is the same picture thoughout the various products (sorry to sound like a broken record...I won't ever complain again) and the IMO stupid printing plates, which are tot. out of control. I'm PO'd when my "hit" is a printing plate. I do however realize others like them, so that's my problem.

OP....I think 1998 and don't think cards are being over produced at current levels. There may be an over abundance of sets if one tries to collect the whole kit and kabootal...most of us however have a niche we collect in ...either various sets, players or teams.