Nonsense Newsletter No. 128: The month of April, Comps and so much more!
In this week’s edition of the Nonsense Newsletter, John Dudley looks through the rear-view mirror at the month of April in the hobby. Meanwhile, I discuss one of the hobby’s trigger words — comps. Then, of course, the Quick Hits section is nothing short of beautiful this week (as usual). So, the time has come to sit back, kick back and enjoy the newest installment of the hobby’s greatest publication — the Nonsense Newsletter.
By John Dudley
I’m going to start offering BIG end-of-the-month reviews of the hobby. Each month, expect news about the biggest gains or losses in the hobby, commentary on the biggest story of the month, a preview of the upcoming releases, and perhaps the occasional surprise. Without further ado, let’s check out how April treated the hobby.
Big Movers of the Month
Stefon Diggs was one of the biggest gainers of the month with his Card Ladder Index jumping almost 25%. Collectors obviously love the idea of Stroud throwing him the ball and are expecting big things.
I don’t expect the gains to last though. The HOF has little use for wider receivers unless they are clearly the top guy in the league for multiple years. Guys who haven’t been a clear number one struggle to get attention in the HOF and the hobby. Diggs is currently in that category with players like Anquan Boldin or Torry Holt. Right now, I’d bet on Diggs not making the HOF and that means his hobby value is severely limited.
The other big mover this month is tennis in general. The sport saw a 28% bump in its Card Ladder Index. It had gotten hammered a bit too hard in the market correction so I’d consider this a correction to the correction. Tennis has had some recent releases from Topps that got widely ignored that might be worth looking at with prices on the move.
By John McTaggart
the subjects I’ve discussed, heard, seen or experienced in my nearly 40 years in this business, there are few that evoke more passion and fury than the term “comps”, no question about it.
I’ve seen grown men begin with a civil discussion and quickly escalate into a borderline brawl.
I’ve seen cards thrown across the table.
I’ve seen more middle fingers than I can remember raised angrily over this topic, and I’ve even seen an adult man spit on a trading card in the heat of a discussion about comps.
Here’s the deal though…. They’re necessary.
They really are.
So all of you who hate and find creative and convenient ways to twist these numbers — get over it.
Baseball cards are a commodity at the end of the day, no different than your house, than a share of stock, than a painting or sculpture.
The market determines value — period.
Quick Hits
Hobby News- Topps Heritage is getting the Mini treatment in grand style. Minis have long been parallels in Heritage, but this year Topps is doing a full product release for the Minis. It makes sense as 1975 introduced the popular Minis and this year’s Heritage utilizes the 1975 designs. Previous Mini sets have been extremely low printed, but I’m curious to see if this one might be more available.
Hobby News- The Depth of Darkness inserts have proven to be a hit for the often-ignored Topps Chrome Black. The cards use a shadow box effect to add depth. The cards have been noted for both their thickness and their stunning appearance in hand. Early sales have been high as collectors seem to have taken to the distinctive cards.
The Sports Card Nonsense newsletters reflect the opinions of only the authors and contributors. They are for informational purposes only and are not a recommendation for purchases or of an investment strategy or to buy or sell any assets.