My advice would be, don’t forget this is a hobby and collecting is fun. Don’t get so focused on the investor side of things and forget about the collecting side. It’s great to invest and make money but it’s also a lot of fun to have a personal collection.
I laugh (and cringe) when I watch videos of people trying to do this when they don't even watch sports. They can't even pronounce the players names correctly, they think every top ten draft pick is gonna be a superstar and they overvalue average players on good teams and undervalue good players on bad teams.
Agree. I will never understand why people invest from outside of a sport they know nothing about. What kind of logic is that? I just watched a video prior to this one where a guy "invested" in a box of UFC Panini Prizm debut edition boxes (Hobby and Blaster). He didn't know half the fighters names. UFC videos here on RU-vid are the most atrocious when it comes to outside "investors" who somehow feel they are about to make money off a sport they know very little about. Pure speculation.
This makes me sad! I remember collecting for the hobby, not to make money! It was so much fun, opening packs is just the most fun you can have, but now it's all about money and who can make the most!
Yea, I think if you are doing purely for the money, the hobby isnt fun because we the collectors have to overpay for basic retail boxes from Wally World. I like to resell but I use the money to buy more lol!
@@juliocs5483 split between reinvesting , and using the money you make for something else. Do a 50/50 I wont touch anything wally land , and ive seen idiot's just throwing unopened boxes in carts to resell them with no regard for condition .
FLASH! Our whole society is all about the money. The lottery, Casinos, Sportsbooks. The day Sports got involved in gambling ruined all the sports leagues. Very few people can watch a game and enjoy it without having some action on the game. They will even bet against their team they root for if there is a chance to make some dough.
Your videos always bring me joy. Congratulations on your passing, I'm already praying for your future customer service, you bless their lives with your knowledge and passion!
Exactly right! I wasn't able to not open boxes when I was younger, I didn't have the strength :). Now that I'm older I do buy the boxes and cases BUT don't open them. Its rare when you buy a box and hit the one you're looking for
I know we are talking sports trading cards but a lot of what you said applies to everyday life. There are some life lessons to be learned watching this video!
well done- as some have said below- love the hobby and love the players. I'm a bit fearful- seeing kids buying 20k cards that very well could be worth 5k or less in a year. Everyone should take some money off the table and put into something more stable every time they turn a profit
4 on the paraell list I do agree with team colors but to maximize overall value buying cards with low number ssp /5 /10/25 is the most profitable way to buy paraell cards by far
Just collect what you like & do it for "the fun of it."Chasing trends just will leave you chasing your tail. Build sets w/your kids. Remember why you collected as a kid? Yes. You can get caught up in it. ('80 & early '90s)Now I see hidden gems. Want an investment? Buy blue chip stocks that pay dividends. Contribute to your 401(k). Pay down debt. Finally. I contributed commons back then to schools & gave away cards & packs in past Holloweens. Kids loved 'em.
I agree but bit sad people are forgetting this should be for enjoyment and not just money i loved cards at school because everyone had favourite cards and not because they were worth the most, money is just a bonus,these days people open packs and they arent happy with what they get because they arent the thousand dollar card
I ran a card shop from 1997-2002 & can tell u some horror stories of missed opportunities, I missed on pokemon cause I just didnt think it would be a long term thing, just another fad...I had chance to get 2 cases of 1st edition for under retail straight from distributor, passed...🥴 Also I had a chance to buy a 2003 topps chrome basketball case for literally nothing back in 2005..passed..😔 Had a chance to buy or trade for two 2001 Bowman Chrome Pujols RC autographs /500 back in 2002..passed. Do u see a reoccurring theme here??? Lol. Live and learn I guess. Just a couple of the many missed gold mines I passed on. Hope u enjoy the little bit of my misery in my sports card career. Happy Hunting!
In hind sight is easy to see the missed-opportunities. But during the time, it was purely a gamble. Don't kick yourself about it and nothing to learn from either. Otherwise, you would buy up everything and anything including 2-car garage filled with junk cards.
Just from being in the game for so long and already knowing all this. I could definitely see how a person with no knowledge coming in would get overwhelmed. However, the instagram community is awesome. They will answer questions and it's free advice
Outstanding video for a newbie like me. I bought about 500 cards in lots. I was looking for rookies that that achieved HOF. This was my plan. Now I buy singles. First I had to learn how to judge centering on the front and obverse of the card and good corners. On line it's impossible to judge the surfaces, except magnifying to see color conditions such as snow or color spots. So far, not so bad, but not perfect. It's videos like these are treasures. Thanks so much.
Thank you so much for this information! It answers a lot of the questions that have been swirling around in my head, as well as things I didn't know before.
As someone who started opening packs in the early 90's, I remember just doing it for fun. They had some awesome themed insert sets. awesome designs, the chrome/finest movement ushered in around 1993 and the fun of "Refractors". At that time If you got an autograph in a box it was really exciting. However, by the time 2003 came around it was simply about how many numbered autograph cards you could get in a box. Now I start this video and heard the term Sport's card "investor". It was used to be Sports Card "collector" but now people are just in it for the money. It's no longer possible to go in a card store and buy a few packs for $20. You're lucky if you find a set that has $20 packs. If you do there's probably 5 cards in it and a slim chance of an autograph.
Informative video. I just got back into the hobby myself about a month ago (haven't collected since the late 80's) and it seems like everyone else had the same idea I did about jumping in. But, I digress. But some of your "rules" are contingent on WHY you collect. Are you doing it for your own personal collection? Are you collecting to flip? A little of both? I am 95% for fun and maybe 5% to flip. For me, I am sticking with football only and buying what I like. Personally, I'm not a fan of the Prizm cards. I like the Donruss/Optic cards so I am going to stick with those. For the old school stuff, Topps, Upper Deck, Action Packed. I don't really care what's 'hot' or what sells better. At the end of the day, what's hot today may be cold tomorrow. But again, these "rules" only apply if you're in it for a PC.
Same boat, same timeline. The boom in card popularity had nothing to do with my renewed interest in collecting, instead it came from falling in love with baseball again. My timing couldn't have been worse, but I'm trying to stay positive. With all the different brands and the card variations and the prices, it's overwhelming. But I'm strictly chasing cards from my favorite team, rookies cards from players I like, and I have to like the look of the card. The last condition actually whittles it down a lot because I don't care for the look of most cards. Probably not a criteria for getting a great return investment, but the simplicity should hopefully keep it fun.
I have been in and out of the hoody for many years. What has served me very well is a simple concept. Stay in your lane. If you want to invest? Accept with any investment there is risk. If you want to collect, have an idea what product and players, and chase singles. If you like to rip. Accept you will miss more often than you hit. It’s life. To me the hobby is just that. A hobby. I don’t get too emotionally invested, but it is a place I go to relax. Enjoy.
I just started Recording My Personal Breaks just to share. Most the cards are up for sale also if folks want to reach out at any time. NOW... I’m torn on what to do with the 5 Packs of 2004-05 Topps Total NBA packs that came from a Box sale 15 years ago. I went through my stuff a month ago because card values have been going up and I realised I hadn’t opened 6 packs, LOL. Still factory Sealed. Welllllll... I have 5 Now... I Had to Open One. Not sure if I’m going to do a BUY IN format-Auction or Open them Myself. As a Disabled Vet a Close toRookie Card would be nice to auction or sell. I started collecting in 2003 when Lebron came into the NBA. Anyways... Thanks Again
Finally someone who speaks the truth. I constantly tell people to collect who they like and not to waste money on ripping boxes. A pack here and there is fun but don’t do boxes. At it’s current incredibly inflated prices right now you will never get your money out of it.
Helpful if you actually like the sports your dealing in. There's a ton of people who are into this like its the next big crypto and these are the people that will end up losing their shirts. Remember opening packs is like buying a lotto ticket - you may hit from time to time but the house will ALWAYS win in the end.
havent been in the game long but its been very clear to me on a few things: Dont Chase. Stay away from Hobby, retail, and breaks. Buy Individual. Buy #/. Buy Auto And if you can find a good deal then combine the #/, Auto with graded PSA 9/10. Also diversify the portfolio. I dont get why people go all in on one guy and one brand. Thats an outlandish gamble....The best thing to do is search high end cards National Treasures / Flawless / Immaculate, search buy lowest priced and go for them. I bought an Antonio Brown /84 for $5. Someone out there is going to buy it for $10, I have 0 doubt about that. Why Break? I'm not spending $200 for a CHANCE to win something. I'd rather spend $200 on something I KNOW I am getting. I've opened 3 boxes so far. Disappointed every time. I've bought probably 30 cards individually. Happy every time....Theres a reason companies are able to keep doing breaks. The house wins every time... Looking at Layton Breaks....$200 for two tiered random teams Donruss Optic Basketball. Thats $3,000 they are making. They are taking that $3,000 and buying the card you are chasing and selling it for $5,000...So much chasing, so many pipe dreams out there.
I got heavy into collecting baseball when I was 8 yrs old in 1991. Most of my time as a kid was at the card shop. I spent every penny I had on them, I would even ride my bike 10 miles to the recycling center carrying bags of cans to turn in for money to buy cards. My favorite player was Ken Griffey jr and chased after his stuff the most but collected all the other big names as well. I stopped in 2003 and then got back into it in 2017. Anyways, started pricing some of my 30,000+ collection from the junk card era and Im kinda surprised that a few are still worth some money. Im going to leave them to my son when I pass away. Hopefully 30+ years from now. 😆 I told him to give them to his kids if he wants to and they might be worth money as well as sentimental value. What do you think the value of current and older Topps cards are going to do since Fanatics bought them out?
@4:08 the data from Market Movers actually goes back more than 90 days. When a card is first added, it goes back 90 days. But there are several cards that go back over a year now and will build the data over time!
I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for the pack breakers, box crushers, and PSA submitters. Everything you said are 90% true for flippers and short-term guys. However for long-terms guys like me, I know what popular today won't be in 20 years.
Nice video. I did most of the things in this list prior to getting back in. No ComC, No Subs (yet). If one researches and plans how to buy, one should do the same on how to sell. Boxes and Packs are good for Bluechips, hotrookies and variations, figuring out which box or pack gives you the best per card value. (currently topps 2021 fat pack is the best value). So you can pull top rookies for less than .10 a card. I have several running target lists, the HOF prospects list is always fun, (Cano out, Soto in). One thing to mention about the pop report; It doesnt account for casebreaks, people who are not happy with the grade and snap the case. Its not rampant but a variable I'm sure PSA is aware of and trying to reconsider. The Pop Report is the separator for the industry, because of PSAs longevity they have a huge leg up on competition. Which is coming. So #11 - Check out other graders than PSA, cheaper, faster and rising is hobby acceptance. Thanks for the insight. subs and thumbs
The last thing is camping. Knowing when and who to hold and when to sell. I.E. Buy low hype, sell high hype. For instance, spring training is the time to sell hyped MLB rookies, before their value is rocked by the shores of baseball reality and buy Arozarena in the valley, his bat cant talk while his off field scars has plateaued his value. Most homeruns in postseason is what collectors will remember and hes gonna crush again in 2021.
I like stuff that I actually like AND will hold value whether sealed or opened. Prizm, Optic, Select. I stay away from basic DR, Hoops. They're just going to release nicer versions of the same freakin cards anyway (I'm talkin to you Optic and Contenders Optic). Which is why I save my money for those products which, if buying retail, are only 10-20 more per blaster anyway...oh, and wear gloves when handling the cards you're going to send in for grading...wipe down your surfaces with microfiber.
Watching people shaking while they open a box hoping to make their money back is kinda sad. It still can be fun but buying over priced boxes and having a stroke while opening isn't as fun lol
@@PowersSportsMemorabilia I lost my mind over a Shaq rookie as a kid when the card shop owner offered me $100 for it lol. I couldn't imagine pulling a card over 10k in value.
I just collect my favorite players from different sports when I was a kid. Autos and rookies. I have 27 so far, and only 4 cards to go. Gonna be awhile though, cause 2 of them are gonna be pricey for me😬
I'm not new to this hobby, but lately have had the fever to collect again. I've made so many mistakes. I WAY overpaid for a Lebron card, I WAY overpaid for Messi and Ronaldo cards, I blew money on a cooked 1986 Fleer basketball pack from eBay. Just those things, probably over 1 thousand bucks in mistakes. It hurts, but I still love the hobby and now I'm just chasing particular cards that I like.
I hedged on those 86 fleer ebay packs . Was tempted a couple times but never pulled the trigger . Spent money instead on a few nice high grade cards from that set that I will look to resell..
i say old cards buy certain ones because those players cant improve and not doing anything....get newer cards because any player can grow huge for whatever reason
@@PowersSportsMemorabilia yeah, they may never go down, but a pop 315 card would scare me if I was paying hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also not easy to tell how many are unopened as of now. I am heavily invested in the hobby, the current prices for 86 fleer are just shocking
If you’re buying as an investor and not a collector I suggest you buy retired Hall of Fame players. These new guys is all speculation and almost always turns out bad.
@@PowersSportsMemorabilia I sent my first PSA direct submission 2-3 weeks ago... so who knows when I’ll get those cards back 🙄. But anyway I will be checking out gem mint because I didn’t even know a 10day turnaround existed LOL. But I was looking for a PSA submission group but didn’t know who to trust! Thanks again!!!
Great video man. I think its silly that videos like this need to be made... but then I remember that not everyone has been balls deep in the hobby for 20 years lol. Some really good advice here for the new wave.
Another mistake is listening to other people. Collect who you like. Quit trying to make money and love the hobby. For me it's not about how much it's worth. It is an escape for me. Something to do after work.
Topps Series 1 baseball cards are the only ones I've really gotten my hands on butttt i have hit some really good cards outta them and have 1 330 base set with another 1 about to be made
NBA - Pros: Hits = high value, almost all cards/players quick flip for highest ROI Cons: Only Panini, almost all cards/players quick flip for highest ROI NFL - All about the QBs, Topps/Bowman college rookies UFC - only panini and low ROI MLB - Mostly Topps which is highest quality in card game, best scouting for quality hits and ROI, College and Pro rookies Always go for a Topps product when possible for highest ROI and best quality overall. Chrome and Finest are top of the list, Prizm for some Optic for others. I try to get a graded 10 base chrome-like rookie. If affordable, I go for the same but numbered/sp/ssp/parallel. Buying raw rookies, buy right after a release and the breaks are done. Shops will have tons of base rookies and others in raw form literally just pulled. Avoid buying boxes and never buy into a break. If you want to buy a box, try to save up and buy the higher end boxes that guarantees a hit. IMO, Panini is watered down and low quality. They worked with PSA to drive the market. Panini is a European company. Topps has Fanatics employees on their side. Topps has better photos and better scouting. More on card rookie autos. Panini is selling as much as possible to cover ground from the huge deal. Imagine being told you had a guaranteed auto and instead you get Panini points? The game isn't for collectors anymore.
The card game will soon go back to normality gotta have the right buyer and have patience in this game. All cards are being overpriced right now its jus like comics some stay the same price or some go up or down it's a risk.
Are the Topps 221 Lebron RC's that hard to hit a 10 on? Did the ones that you bought look like 10's once you received them? I sold my only raw one for $1,300 it looked very good imo but ive never had a card graded and I thought if it's a 10 then i guess I missed out on a chunk of $ but $1,300 was about double the asking price at the time I sold it. I stopped collecting in 2004. i was a big MJ and Kobe collector.
One of my big issues was not paying attention to shipping costs on ebay so I was paying $1 for a card and maybe $4 for shipping (still working my way up to the nicer cards)
Sometimes, the more PSA10's of a player, the better, if you have one. It means that card will be bought and sold many times and that makes the card go up in value. A great low print card, even a PSA 10, might not go up at all because nobody has any and its never sold, aka 2017 Rookie Hoggs Patrick Mahomes, an 11 card set, a One of One and 10 base cards, the 1/1 is graded 9 and there is only 1 of the 10 base that graded PSA 10, and it was never sold after being graded. They are all RPA's, the auto was on a piece of a football. Players about to brake all time records watch, Tom Brady- he will return next year just to brake the all time yards record and only needs 1200 yards to do it. Lebron James- now has another reason to play 3 plus more years, to catch Jordon and now Brady in chips and at least 3 all time records if he plays 2 more years. Not to mention Basketball is a global sport now. BTW, Brady and Lebron cards in their current teams jersey are the most sought after cards and cheaper because its at the end of their careers. even the RPA buying millionaires are chasing the PSA 10's of the Laker Lebron and Tampa Brady cards.
I honestly like the look of the panini certified 20-21 over this years prizm. Can’t imagine spending thousands on such a bland looking card with no auto or serial # or nba hoops flimsy cards. Sometimes the card wave is not the wave I’m riding in basketball. I just chase autos, mems and serial #d basketball cards but if I was getting a base it wouldn’t be prizm bc they don’t pop. The panini revolutions etc just have that flair or the donruss laser parallels are super fire
Everyone and their mother is trying to jump on the hype. People overpaying for garbage. Old school is booming the new stuff is dropping, glad I still have MJ and Kobe cards from 20+ years ago 😁.
@@PowersSportsMemorabilia absolutely as to why vintage is on the rise again. These new players are hyped, investors purchase the mother load to sell at a higher price. Same thing happened to the housing market. At the end of the day it's a hobby.
The answer to your question "what do I do with all these extra cards?" Is "keep them all". Ya never know. Trust me, I got rid of sooo many cards straight to the garbage bin, that now would have been at least 50-100 graded. Just keep them in a box and come back 10 years later.
