2021 Gypsy Queen

[vinnieb]

How has the price of a hobby box increased over 50% in the past week (was $129.95 last week, is $199.95 now), before it's even been released? Is there any value at all in buying a box of these?

I was lucky enough to pick up two boxes of 2020 Gypsy Queen last year before the price gouging started, and, at about $90 per box, I still didn't get anywhere near that value back in the cards I pulled. Therefore, at nearly $9.00 per pack, how can you possibly expect anywhere near that value back in what you pull from this set?

And, yes, I know that you shouldn't expect to get a 1 to 1 price to value ratio when buying cards, but why are people willing to spend that much for this set in particular. I can make the same argument for a box of Topps Series 1 for $130, but that's a post for another day.

It seems like we are all stuck in the middle of a battle between the LCSs of the world and the flippers, where the flippers buy up all of the supply (hobby and retail) at one price point, throw it up on e-bay at 20-50% mark-up and the LCS then counters by pricing the items at or near the flippers price, and we all lose. And it sucks. It's not a fun hobby if you can't walk into a Target or Walmart and casually pick up a pack or two. Having to fight flippers and/or bribe someone at Walmart to get the stocker's schedule in order to maybe be able to buy retail packs the second they are put on the shelves is not fun. Having to pay a 25-50% premium to counter the flippers is also not fun. Having to say "sorry, no cards again today" to your kids every time you go to Target is not fun. I don't know, maybe I'm just a whiney little baby, but this seems unsustainable as an industry.

[Cubsfanp]

I've stopped buying non flagship/chrome due to the price increases. Specifically for Gypsy queen, in my experience they don't hold value long term. Sure, there are some niche collectors who probably enjoy it, but the mainstream crowds seem to be sticking with the standard issue sets.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by vinnieb

How has the price of a hobby box increased over 50% in the past week (was $129.95 last week, is $199.95 now), before it's even been released? Is there any value at all in buying a box of these?

I was lucky enough to pick up two boxes of 2020 Gypsy Queen last year before the price gouging started, and, at about $90 per box, I still didn't get anywhere near that value back in the cards I pulled. Therefore, at nearly $9.00 per pack, how can you possibly expect anywhere near that value back in what you pull from this set?

And, yes, I know that you shouldn't expect to get a 1 to 1 price to value ratio when buying cards, but why are people willing to spend that much for this set in particular. I can make the same argument for a box of Topps Series 1 for $130, but that's a post for another day.

It seems like we are all stuck in the middle of a battle between the LCSs of the world and the flippers, where the flippers buy up all of the supply (hobby and retail) at one price point, throw it up on e-bay at 20-50% mark-up and the LCS then counters by pricing the items at or near the flippers price, and we all lose. And it sucks. It's not a fun hobby if you can't walk into a Target or Walmart and casually pick up a pack or two. Having to fight flippers and/or bribe someone at Walmart to get the stocker's schedule in order to maybe be able to buy retail packs the second they are put on the shelves is not fun. Having to pay a 25-50% premium to counter the flippers is also not fun. Having to say "sorry, no cards again today" to your kids every time you go to Target is not fun. I don't know, maybe I'm just a whiney little baby, but this seems unsustainable as an industry.

It is unsustainable in the long term.

But in the short term, the governing factor is the $2 trillion increase in the money supply due to the Fed printing money to fund the stimulus.

That's what is causing price inflation in a lot of areas (sports cards, the stock market, bitcoin, etc.).

[no10pin]

I don't care how good the rookie class is, Gypsy Queen at $200 is a bloodbath.

[hairysasquatch]

Originally Posted by no10pin

I don't care how good the rookie class is, Gypsy Queen at $200 is a bloodbath.

Gypsy at 1/2 that is a bloodbath.

[vinnieb]

Agree with all the above, and it all seems right on, but then who the hell is buying all of this stuff at these insane prices?

Are we really left with the choice of only buying singles, which is boring, or paying scalper prices for this stuff in order to enjoy ripping it? I got back into this hobby earlier in the year, before COVID, and I thought it would be something fun to do with my kids, but I just can't justify $9 a pack for something like this, or even $5.50 a pack for TS1, which is supposedly the flagship release, for something where 95% of it is completely worthless.

Talk about a complete let down.

[mikejones]

Originally Posted by no10pin

I don't care how good the rookie class is, Gypsy Queen at $200 is a bloodbath.

I bought 2 cases of these (2020 topps gypsy queen)at $80 per on release day. Pulled some nice stuff but lost money. At $200, this will definitely be a bloodbath. Also, no one really cares for gypsy queen so the price is ridiculous.

[joe73]

Originally Posted by vinnieb

Agree with all the above, and it all seems right on, but then who the hell is buying all of this stuff at these insane prices?

Are we really left with the choice of only buying singles, which is boring, or paying scalper prices for this stuff in order to enjoy ripping it? I got back into this hobby earlier in the year, before COVID, and I thought it would be something fun to do with my kids, but I just can't justify $9 a pack for something like this, or even $5.50 a pack for TS1, which is supposedly the flagship release, for something where 95% of it is completely worthless.

Talk about a complete let down.

The crash can't come soon enough.

[YouTheManNick]

No wax in 21.

[OC22]

Economics are fun!

At some point, the people opening the packs will hit their limit and box prices will level off. Flippers have become a new layer of the distribution network, and each level wants to make their profit.

[tblood]

This is disappointing, deflating and defeating... I really hoped box prices would settle down this year. I have only purchased a couple boxes since Bowman released 8-9months ago. I rip for fun and to collect, not to flip. Even with ROI impacting my buying decisions less than others, these wax prices are brutal. I look forward to getting a few boxes of GQ every year but can’t justify or afford paying $200 a box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pixman1]

Originally Posted by tblood

This is disappointing, deflating and defeating... I really hoped box prices would settle down this year. I have only purchased a couple boxes since Bowman released 8-9months ago. I rip for fun and to collect, not to flip. Even with ROI impacting my buying decisions less than others, these wax prices are brutal. I look forward to getting a few boxes of GQ every year but can’t justify or afford paying $200 a box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nothing will settle down with the 0% discount rate and the fed handing out money like candy. Money seeks return and assets always overinflate as a result. And yes now hobby boxes are “assets” - sit on a case of certain products and in a year you can double your money in most cases. At least until the hangover comes and the money train derails.

[silverandblack]

Originally Posted by Pixman1

Nothing will settle down with the 0% discount rate and the fed handing out money like candy. Money seeks return and assets always overinflate as a result. And yes now hobby boxes are “assets” - sit on a case of certain products and in a year you can double your money in most cases. At least until the hangover comes and the money train derails.

Pretty spot on and the money train isn’t stopping any time soon, Biden just said he’s sending 1400 additional dollars to each person and he has the senate and Congress now so that’s all but a done deal.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by vinnieb

Agree with all the above, and it all seems right on, but then who the hell is buying all of this stuff at these insane prices?

Breakers, who then pass the additional cost of the box on to their customers, who being gamblers, are not too price-sensitive.

If you're buying a spot in a break hoping to hit a $500 card, whether that spot costs $10 or $15 isn't going to matter much to you.

But that covers a 50% increase in the box price for the breaker....

[Chrisyork33]

That’s a no for me dawg

Let the sneaker bois and Gary V degenerates gravel for the Queen

[vinnieb]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Breakers, who then pass the additional cost of the box on to their customers, who being gamblers, are not too price-sensitive.

If you're buying a spot in a break hoping to hit a $500 card, whether that spot costs $10 or $15 isn't going to matter much to you.

But that covers a 50% increase in the box price for the breaker....

I'm sure that has a lot to due with the secondary market exploding, I guess I would just expect LCS pricing to be different than flipper pricing, otherwise, the LCSs are just more sophisticated flippers (flipping from the manufacturers), with deeper pockets and better access to product. This whole push to "support your small business LCS" when they are screwing us here (there's no way the cost to them for a hobby box doubled from 2019 to 2020, right?) seems misguided and doesn't sit right with me.

Again, I'm probably just whining, but that seems to be my only recourse, aside from not buying cards, which , let's be honest, seems unlikely.

[YouTheManNick]

Originally Posted by vinnieb

Again, I'm probably just whining, .

I think if there's any aspect of the current state of card collecting worth whining about, it's the price gouging on wax.

Especially when it comes to something more niche like GQ. It's not a big breaker product. It's not a big flip product. It's more of a collector product. At these prices it's very likely that less will be opened and those cool collector cards that collectors want will just sit in sealed product.

Speaking for me personally, I LOVE the GQ chrome reds and supers and always chase a few of players I like. No way I'll be opening at these prices. Now I gotta hope that the cards I want find their way out of the limited product that will be opened and make it onto the open market. I'm sure I'm not the only one.