I was coming across an article and it mentioned that from 1978 to 1988, sports collectible cards rose in value about 23 percent a year and by 1989 card collecting became a $1 billion dollar industry. Today it's only around $200 million a year. It mentioned how various publications encourage investors to buy rookie prospects. As many kids got into the hobby, they realized that they could only afford the cards since the early 80s due to the mass publication, and as such so many cards are almost as worthless as Pogs are today. I myself as a child would get various packs from my parents, and most of my cards are from 1986-1993, the peak of the hobby. I also have a few football/basketball cards from that era.

It seemed almost overnight in 1993-4, almost around the time of strike, collectors interest really began to fade, and prices have dropped ever since. I actually feel that now may be a good time to get into this hobby once again (if you know what to purchase, as those obscure '80s-'90s players will probably forever stay retro junk!

Actually, I was more of a sticker album, kind of guy.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RON9qbjIJD4/RwWbpmiqhWI/AAAAAAAAAHc/ERnonYsunGU/s1600/paninicover.jpg

I was coming across an article and it mentioned that from 1978 to 1988, sports collectible cards rose in value about 23 percent a year and by 1989 card collecting became a $1 billion dollar industry. Today it's only around $200 million a year. It mentioned how various publications encourage investors to buy rookie prospects. As many kids got into the hobby, they realized that they could only afford the cards since the early 80s due to the mass publication, and as such so many cards are almost as worthless as Pogs are today. I myself as a child would get various packs from my parents, and most of my cards are from 1986-1993, the peak of the hobby. I also have a few football/basketball cards from that era.

It seemed almost overnight in 1993-4, almost around the time of strike, collectors interest really began to fade, and prices have dropped ever since. I actually feel that now may be a good time to get into this hobby once again (if you know what to purchase, as those obscure '80s-'90s players will probably forever stay retro junk!

I started buying Hockey Cards and Baseball cards in about 1969 till the late 70s. I have kept most of them, but sold a whole bunch last year. I went to shows in the 80s and bought some cards at a great price (ex: I bought a Bobby Orr 2nd year card for 5 bucks in the late 80s, sold it last year for a few hundred.)

I have only kept a few..the most expensive one I have now is a 1971 Nolan Ryan card.

Yeah I went nuts and collected all the basketball cards I could get my hands on... I had some jordan cards worth hundreds of dollars... wish I sold them... cuz I hate the man but I held on to them hoping they'd go up... now I'll be lucky if I get $50 for them... basically I'm waiting til he dies.. sad.. but true!

Ah, the derivatives market for kids. The piece of gum that came with the cards was worth more than the cards themselves. Was a huge collector from 83-88, then quickly grew out of it. Had better things to spend money on at 14- girls and drugs.  ;D

Looking back, I'm surprised that adults were so into the fad as well. One of my friend's dad was hardcore. You could have done a home invasion and that guy would have let you killed him before giving up that Jose Canseco rookie card, which is probably worth a dime.

99.9% of sports cards are worthless. Realized this in the last couple years of collecting cards. Everyone and their grandma had Jim Kelly's rookie card, so how was it worth anything? It had a supposed value of 60-80 bucks at the time, but what those magazines fail to tell you is nobody will buy it. Not only did every kid have one or several of them, but so did all the stores.


The only cards I wish I still had are Jordan, Montana, and Rice's rookie cards. Had I known when I was a kid that Jordan's rookie card could have bought me a house 20 years later, I would have spent my entire life doing nothing but guarding it.

Yeah I went nuts and collected all the basketball cards I could get my hands on... I had some jordan cards worth hundreds of dollars... wish I sold them... cuz I hate the man but I held on to them hoping they'd go up... now I'll be lucky if I get $50 for them... basically I'm waiting til he dies.. sad.. but true! If you have Jordan's Fleer rookie card in absolute mint condition, consider yourself a lottery winner.

Other than Babe Ruth and those other ancient baseball legends, that is the "Holy Grail" of sports cards.

If you have Jordan's Fleer rookie card in absolute mint condition, consider yourself a lottery winner.



unfortunately no luck there...