[DrMitchJ]

Thanks for everyone's input.  I luck out when choosing a player that becomes great and increases in value.  I also have players that never got above $3 for RC.  Either way, I collect players that catch my attention.  Everyone can do it their own way...so I was not saying it was wrong or stupid.  I just wondered why.  Peace.

“Peace & Love, Peace & Love” Ringo Starr

I understand the question and understand the divergent answers. There isn’t one definitive reason. There are soooooo many ‘highly touted’ players coming through the pipeline that it’s hard to pick the winning horse out of the starting gate. Personally, every time I tried to ‘out guess’ everyone it turned into a big waste of time & money. Arismendy Alcantara, Casey Kelly & Ian Clarkin come to mind .... I bought heavily into these up & coming prospects and they're not even playing today. BTW,  I’ve got an awesome Collection of those 3 if anyone wants to trade  ... I should have waited for them getting to the Bigs first ... but prospecting is always risky.

[jack pfiester]

BUY LOW, SELL HIGH!

[ricelynnevans75]

I assume it's people trying to jump into the pool before the card possibly goes higher.  Nobody really knows what the ceiling will be on these cards so they're trying to get ahead of the game, even if it is higher than a few weeks/months ago.

Not a prospect card by any means but I purchased a '53 Topps card today that I could have gotten cheaper a few months ago but the specific players cards have been heating up as of late.  So while I paid more today than I could have previously, I have no doubt that this card will continue to go up over time anyway and wanted to get it now before it was out of my price range.

[kerryandbeth]

I assume it's people trying to jump into the pool before the card possibly goes higher.  Nobody really knows what the ceiling will be on these cards so they're trying to get ahead of the game, even if it is higher than a few weeks/months ago.

Not a prospect card by any means but I purchased a '53 Topps card today that I could have gotten cheaper a few months ago but the specific players cards have been heating up as of late.  So while I paid more today than I could have previously, I have no doubt that this card will continue to go up over time anyway and wanted to get it now before it was out of my price range.

So, you are leaning toward investing as a possible reason.  I agree with that to a point, but a person will never come out much ahead if they wait for price increases before they act.  I know there are exceptions based on timing as some go to $5, then a month later $10, then suddenly to $25 without much happening to cause it.  

When I open products with prospects, I keep the originals and trade the dupes.  After 3 years, I am willing to trade the originals not on my teams that have jumped in value.  That makes sense to me from an investing view.

[ricelynnevans75]

So, you are leaning toward investing as a possible reason.  I agree with that to a point, but a person will never come out much ahead if they wait for price increases before they act.  I know there are exceptions based on timing as some go to $5, then a month later $10, then suddenly to $25 without much happening to cause it.  

When I open products with prospects, I keep the originals and trade the dupes.  After 3 years, I am willing to trade the originals not on my teams that have jumped in value.  That makes sense to me from an investing view.

Oh I definitely believe it's a possible reason.  With that said, there are likely multiple reasons out there.  In regards to the "investment" reasoning, I think it's just when you get in.  Get in early and hope for the best.  Doesn't matter if you got in the day of a card/player release or waited a year.  If the card goes up then you've "won."  Prospecting to me is no more different than buying a Power ball ticket.  It's gambling.

I don't prospect.  I like vintage HoFers and have no issues with well loved vintage cards.  They will always go up in value.  While I collect for myself and target what I truly like, it's not an investment to me.  However, when the day comes where I kick the bucket, those cards should be a nice little payoff for my family should they choose to sell and if so, I hope they have fun with the money.  I'd prefer they attend a pro baseball game and then have an awesome backyard BBQ afterwards but whatever.  I won't be there anymore.

[waynetalger]

So, you are leaning toward investing as a possible reason.  I agree with that to a point, but a person will never come out much ahead if they wait for price increases before they act.  I know there are exceptions based on timing as some go to $5, then a month later $10, then suddenly to $25 without much happening to cause it.  

When I open products with prospects, I keep the originals and trade the dupes.  After 3 years, I am willing to trade the originals not on my teams that have jumped in value.  That makes sense to me from an investing view.

same for me but i hold mine for 10 years . reason being is they are now making cards of players still in high school, then 4 years of college then minor leagues then the bigs. one will never know. 
Example Mike Trout 2009 prospects and really didnt come into peoples radar until 2014 and started hitting everyones radar until 2016 or 2017 time frame.

I also remember Jeter Rc 1993 but didnt make star status until 1997

[zeprock]

For me, being a player collector, I don't like to jump on the "hype train" so I'll often wait a few years to see if a player really has staying power and if I think he can maintain superstar status and therefore stay on the path to the Hall which should be any player's "heaven" or where they should hope to be when they're done. I've blown it many times in the past by starting to amass huge collections of players that came up hyped and then slid into mediocrity (most recently some guy named Puig). I'm just now starting collections of Acuna and Ohtani and am very tempted on Tatis Jr. I'm also debating Bichette, Guerrero Jr., Devers, Bogaerts, Arendado and deGrom. Some of those players are going to be superstars 10 years down the road but I'm just not all in on them yet. Often times when I wait, a player's cards become "hot" and I decide if I'm going to collect him then I need to get them before they get out of my price range. I am in no way a prospector and my collection of 350,000+ cards will probably go for $50 in a yard sale after I'm gone. I collect because I love baseball, I'm sentimental about my card collection and it keeps me out of trouble.

[kerryandbeth]

I get cards that look good to me. So, when a new player shows up, I decide whether to collect that player based on many factors including card aesthetics.

Puig cards with memorabilia were awesome-looking when he first got noticed. I stopped collecting him when the inserts and parallels stopped. Same with Ozzie Smith.

Mariners colors are great on cards, so Griffey and Ichiro and now Kelenic are heavily sought out. I am picky which cards I acquire of my favorite Kirby Puckett.

Juan Soto, Cody Bellinger and Rafael Devers appear in many intetesting cards, and that makes collecting for me.