Nonsense Newsletter No. 83: Spirit, Curation, the Classic 61 set, a downturn in grading numbers and More!
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In today’s edition of the Nonsense Newsletter John Dudley discusses the curation of a collection. I delve into the resurgence of the spirit of the hobby, and the Quick Hits section of this week’s installment will likely bring you to your knees — it’s that good! So, kick back, relax and enjoy your weekly dose of hobby bliss — the Nonsense Newsletter.
Contributor: John Dudley
Over the past few months (years really), I’ve seen a lot of debate over what makes a collector versus an investor (flipper if you’re being derogatory). I find most of the debates silly at best, and harmful at worst, as they often boil down to someone questioning someone else’s right to participate in the hobby.
There is one thing that separates the collectors from the investors or hoarders to me though and that is curation. Curation gives focus to one’s collection and really is a way to add personal value to a collection for no real cost. Choosing what to collect and then specializing in that area is a great way to enjoy your collection better. It’s what makes the difference between a hobbyist and a hoarder in my eyes.
I don’t mean that everyone should only have a narrow collection that only includes cards chosen by one’s own curation rules though. Many collectors have both a curated collection such as NFL HOF rookies and also a more general hodgepodge of everything the hobby has to offer. There is no shame in having a little bit of all the hobby’s goodies, but I think adding some focused collections can add some extra enjoyment.
Others, like myself, have multiple different collections going at the same time. For me, it is Topps 206 sets, Atlanta Braves, MLB HOF rookies, Topps Holiday sets, a gamut of insert sets, HOF autos, vintage Star Wars, and a couple of others I’m likely forgetting. I’m also always looking to add new collections.
Contributor: John McTaggart
Today, I’m going to spend my 400 words or so talking about something that has been lost in the digital age of trading cards — the spirit of the hobby.
Now, bear with me here while rewind the clock some to times before hunting for hockey cards, or baseball cards, or basketball cards, or football cards or whatever it was you were searching for within the hobby, consisting primarily of scrolling through phones, logging onto websites and sitting in front of a computer screen.
These were times when the hobby was less transactional and more conversational.
When friendly, and sometimes spirited, discussions and debates about card condition and fair market value were commonplace at local card shows and local card shops all over the country.
Before the term, “Comps,” was ever uttered within the hobby, and long before slabs were even a thing.
Now, I may be a little longer in the tooth than many of you, but I’m not that old.
I love technology, both on a personal level and a business level.
I’ve been in the sports card business since I was 14 years old, setting up at the aforementioned local card shows with my brother for years, putting myself through school buying, selling and trading cards, and then carrying that passion for cards over into my adult life, right up until this very moment.
Quick Hits
Grading News- Gem Rate’s May numbers are out and for the first time in ages, it is a big downturn for PSA. Their volume dropped 200,000 cards (or about the total of the other grading companies combined). Is this a new trend, or is this perhaps PSA getting rid of some temporary graders or changing procedures? No clue, but I’ll be watching the June numbers closely. You can too at Gem Rate.
Vintage- It seems just plain wrong to be talking about vintage cards and refer to 1998-99 Fleer Tradition basketball. But, that is what is happening here, and I’m feeling old because of it. Nonetheless, one of teh coolest subsets of all-time are scattered amongst these packs and it’s none other than the “Classic 61” insert. This super rare parallel was numbered to 61 and is among the coolest and most sought after subsets of the era. Read more about it here.
Pop Culture News- Upper Deck continues its run of Kevin Smith-themed products with a Chasing Amy set this month. I admittedly am a bit baffled by these products, but the Jay and Silent Bob Reboot cards got way more love than I’d have thought every time I saw them on social media. Upper Decks figured something out with the Smith movie-verse cards. As for me, wake me up when they get to Dogma.
Hobby News- Panini got into a kerfuffle over their redemption program. Water is wet. The new twist is that cards people are waiting for are being sold on eBay and at shows instead of being sent to the collectors waiting for them. While Panini would like to pretend this is a one-time problem (heck, they already pretend their redemption program doesn’t exist), I don’t think this one is going away and will gain traction. Read more about their shenanigans here.
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.