[dimarco73]

I'm sure there are more then a few on the forums that recall a time when there were so many cards so much of everything. With many different manufactures, and within those manufacturers so many different issues and with those issues so many more parallels of each card.
It was called the junk wax era. So much and too much.

Now days cards are suppose to be in shorter supply. But are they really?

In 2020 Topps is releasing 20 different issues. Base, Chrome, Gypsy, Heritage, Gold Label, Inception and on and on and on ...and on.

True there may be "limited" amount of cards produced so says the stamped serial number on the cards, but with 20 issues from Topps alone and within those issues many many numerous inserts, variations, parallels and similar. There are A LOT of choices to go around.

In 1989 there were 40 different Griffey Jr. cards produced
by 1998 there were 1,042 different Griffey's for the year and in
2005 it went to 1,113 for the kid.

In addition Griffey has 3,149 total auto cards to date, which is 31 years from his rookie season

In 2001 Pujols has 207 cards
2007 he had 1,671 cards

In addition Pujols has 1,943 auto's 19 years

2011 mike Trout had 274
In 2019 Mike had 2,475!! wow

In addition Trout has 2,966 auto's!! in 9 years

In 2018 Acuna Jr had 1,811 different cards for his rookie season.
He also had near 400 in 2017 prior to his rookie season.
2019 Acuna had 2,200 cards

In addition Acuna has 1,481 auto's in 3 years, Thats nearly half as many as Griffey in 1/10 the amount of time.


I truly hope the hobby stays strong with enthusiasm because pricing certainly does not reflect rarity, especially in the auto'd card segment.

I see more and more "investors" popping up on Youtube giving advice on what big dollar cards to invest in or keep eyes on.
There may be a few bucks to be made by flipping cards, but I'm not to sure we are not already up to our necks in cards, cards and more cards.
Auto's of any player are not rare but simply priced by the big hitters that buy up massive quantities of the product for resale.

Just my 2 cents...as i watch the world stand still outside from my fishtank

[kerryandbeth]

I give you a nod and a thumbs-up for your analysis of the hobby, as profits drive the industry into this crazy string of new products every couple of years (but with the same photos).

[jaykayzee]

I made a kind of similar observation about recent hockey releases. Now, hockey only really has Upper Deck, with Leaf making "unlicensed" items. However ONE UD hockey product has EIGHTEEN cards for each rookie. (base, multiple parallels, short prints, inserts, autos, auto parallels, auto inserts, memorabilia... you get the idea.)

[mistral38]

I recall years ago around 1996 or 1997 making a similar observation at the time you had 5 to 6 card companies Topps, Upper Deck, Fleer, Pinnacle-Score & Leaf - Donruss (Pacific wasn't really a major player at the time) I had made the suggestion that each be limited to 3 - 5 sets in varying Price ranges. Even t that time it was getting crazy. Now mind you I still long for the days of multiple licensed manufacturers as I think competition is healthy and promotes creativity.
As a result I rarely ever open packs (In the old days we refereed to it as wax) I still collect a few select sets each year and chase a couple insert sets out of habit (long time Elite Series guy) and of course buy way to much Bonds stuff (I am currently sorting about 15 years worth so I will actually say to much...for now)
I love the hobby but have learned to moderate cause lord knows card companies never will

[jplarson]

Now mind you I still long for the days of multiple licensed manufacturers as I think competition is healthy and promotes creativity.

Amen! The creativity piece is quite lacking. On the football side, the backs of cards are completely homogeneous now. Career stats are an afterthought and the picture on the front is reused on the back.

I love the hobby but have learned to moderate cause lord knows card companies never will

They act like Captain Kirk yelling at Scottie for more power and he's all like "I'm running the printing presses as fast as I can! Any faster and the ink will tear the paper apart!"

[mouschi3]

Excellent observations! I did a podcast on this very subject a month or two ago. Rest assured, we are not in another junk wax era - things are wildly different. Millions of the same card were being printed back then ... now millions of different cards are being printed LOL!

Certainly, a shift in mindset has to happen. When asking people why they left the hobby in the mid 90s during the mass exodus, they will almost all say because there were too many different kinds of cards to go after. As collectors, we were conditioned to get everything. The mid 90s made it impossible.

If you think it was impossible then, 2020 says "hold my brittle Topps gum".

Nowadays, we really do have to come at it with a "can't have it all" mindset ... and be glad there is such a variety. I think if we come at it this way, we will be much happier. No matter what though, the cream will always rise to the top (that is, the most coveted cards will always bring the most!)

On another forum, someone asked if they did good by trading a couple Bellinger rookies for a Koufax rookie. I *think* the value was similar. While Belli may have more short term upside, I think Koufax has more long term stability. There appear to be over 1400 different 2017 Bellinger "cards" that can be had ... Koufax? 1. Still, Bellinger could easily surpass current values, but it is interesting to ponder.

[kerryandbeth]

On another forum, someone asked if they did good by trading a couple Bellinger rookies for a Koufax rookie. I *think* the value was similar. While Belli may have more short term upside, I think Koufax has more long term stability. There appear to be over 1400 different 2017 Bellinger "cards" that can be had ... Koufax? 1. Still, Bellinger could easily surpass current values, but it is interesting to ponder.

This is an easy answer for me...a pitcher will always be less value than another player so it was a good deal getting rid of Koufax for Bellinger!

Honestly, I keep pondering putting up all my pitcher cards for trade or sale for just one good autograph of any PC player.

[dimarco73]

[/quote]

Honestly, I keep pondering putting up all my pitcher cards for trade or sale for just one good autograph of any PC player.

[/quote]

There are only a handful of pitchers that have held long term value and Koufax is one, Nolan Ryan is another. I always have a tough time pulling the trigger on trading vintage pre-70's for newer stuff, even auto's. And when it comes to Koufax, Mantle type it gets real overthought.
There will be plenty (boatloads really) of Bellinger auto's to come over the next 5, 10, 20 years but there won't be any more 1950/60's Mantle's or Koufax's.