📈Is the correction over? What cards look attractive with an upside potential?📈

[kipgen]

I don't think there's any harm in buying cards for players you like that you predict will do well later on and whose card prices will go up because of it. I love Amen Thompson. I think he's gonna get better every year and most likely his cards will get more expensive as he improves. On the other hand, I don't like Kobe. I'll probably never own a Kobe card. I do, however, recognize that other people love him and from what I've seen his cards do very well and have only gotten more expensive over time.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

All old news though. Not everything is fake. And not everything is authentic.

Real eyez recognize real liez.

Poetic.




You're a modern day sports card Pac.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

I still maintain that there is virtually no money to be made flipping cards. The people who claim to have made all this money benefitted from a once in a lifetime liquidity event (covid) and will do nothing but lose money going forward because they don't understand that they just got lucky and weren't actually flip godz

You're not 100% wrong in the fact that it's no longer about buying wax, ripping, grading, and immediately selling for 4x what you paid, or getting out in front of the right rookie QB or basketball superstar and having any sort of good chance that they 5x during the season (a lot of this is because of the new late release schedules, though), but here's how I've seen the ability to profit morph:

The game is now about having connections, knowing people, and identifying who are weak hands looking to sell and who are strong hands willing to pay. From there it's about finding cards of top level players that are almost to find and are being offered by sellers who are either interested in just getting a quick buck, or just are looking to get out of the card ahead. From there it's about knowing the big money PC buyers who are willing to pay more for it than what you have in it.

This is the method that still works. It's not easy and sometimes you go a long time without finding any moves to make... but when it works I can pay off big.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Poetic.




You're a modern day sports card Pac.

That's actually a profound (and dope) quote!

Wouldn't expect anything less from 2Pac though, rapper of the greatest song ever (Changes).

[kipgen]

Originally Posted by tjforce

You're not 100% wrong in the fact that it's no longer about buying wax, ripping, grading, and immediately selling for 4x what you paid, or getting out in front of the right rookie QB or basketball superstar and having any sort of good chance that they 5x during the season (a lot of this is because of the new late release schedules, though), but here's how I've seen the ability to profit morph:

The game is now about having connections, knowing people, and identifying who are weak hands looking to sell and who are strong hands willing to pay. From there it's about finding cards of top level players that are almost to find and are being offered by sellers who are either interested in just getting a quick buck, or just are looking to get out of the card ahead. From there it's about knowing the big money PC buyers who are willing to pay more for it than what you have in it.

This is the method that still works. It's not easy and sometimes you go a long time without finding any moves to make... but when it works I can pay off big.

This is true if you're talking about the blue chip guys at the start of the draft. Wemby, Flagg, Zion, etc, those guys are be sky high pricewise at the very beginning. If you watch closely though there are definitely guys with room to grow (I think Paolo is a great example considering his potential and the team Orlando is putting around him, relative to his card prices). Look at SGA or Jokic.

QBs are still possible to prospect in football but it requires you to delve into BUC and unlicensed stuff. By the time the actual rookie cards come out even the lower end guys are super expensive relative to what they've actually done (look at JJ McCarthy and Penix, one of whom didnt play at all and the other barely played, are still going for a ton)

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

I've been saying this for years.

The flippers only count cards they profited on and anything else is "PC"... which is just code for I'd rather never sell than take a loss. So of course from that perspective you can never lose

I still maintain that there is virtually no money to be made flipping cards. The people who claim to have made all this money benefitted from a once in a lifetime liquidity event (covid) and will do nothing but lose money going forward because they don't understand that they just got lucky and weren't actually flip godz

Interesting.

Just my most-recent flip:

6/20: Submitted $40 offer on a printing plate
6/21: Offer accepted, plate purchased
6/28: Plate received and listed on eBay. $150 offer received, countered at $200
6/29: Offer accepted. Plate sold.

I've only purchased a handful of cards/wax (including PC) since March, but 95%+ of them, I can have or can easily flip for nice (%) profits.

I won't list each one but here's a few examples:
- Example 1: Purchased a PC card for $3300 in March and can easily get a couple more grand on it (post-fees).
- Example 2: Purchased a case in April/May (2024 Topps Royalty Tennis, $1675) and can easily flip for a $3k+.

My "worst" purchases might be the 2022 Bowman Chrome Jackson Chourio 1st Atomic Refractor Autos (PSA 9 and raw) that I would either break-even or possibly lose a couple hundred on if selling today (purchased his 1st green refractor auto /99 that I flipped for a $500-$600 profit though, so overall, I'd still theoretically be in the "green" with the Chourio play).

Not saying that I'd make a living flipping cards but money can still be made doing so.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by volblorx8634

Gamers spend thousands on rigs, games, subscriptions, accessories. Various types of crafters on supplies and equipment. Lego-ers on sets to build. Concert goers on shows, merch, and potentially travel. Golfers on their thing too. All burn hundreds or thousands of dollars with some level of regularity simply doing something they love. Granted none of these are collecting hobbies, but I feel Iike card collectors treat the concept of spending money on a hobby that turns into nothing but the product or experience you enjoy as absurd, immature, and useless, but isn’t that just kinda the definition of a hobby?

I disagree. There are parts of the world where rare cards are like currency. Usually countries with wildly undervalued currencies or totally rigged stock markets. Ones with restricted outflow of the currency. Where capital must seek alternative investments and NBA basketball happens to be one of the most popular outlets.

If sports betting is the daily ticker tape of Wall Street, cards are the gold bullion. And Arena Cards or ComC are the spot trading in gold without actually owning the heavy metal. Except cards are light enough.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by Nomad

I disagree. There are parts of the world where rare cards are like currency. Usually countries with wildly undervalued currencies or totally rigged stock markets. Ones with restricted outflow of the currency. Where capital must seek alternative investments and NBA basketball happens to be one of the most popular outlets.

If sports betting is the daily ticker tape of Wall Street, cards are the gold bullion. And Arena Cards or ComC are the spot trading in gold without actually owning the heavy metal. Except cards are light enough.

Cards are great for money laundering!

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

I've been saying this for years.

The flippers only count cards they profited on and anything else is "PC"... which is just code for I'd rather never sell than take a loss. So of course from that perspective you can never lose

I still maintain that there is virtually no money to be made flipping cards. The people who claim to have made all this money benefitted from a once in a lifetime liquidity event (covid) and will do nothing but lose money going forward because they don't understand that they just got lucky and weren't actually flip godz

The problem with flipping cards is that, even if you are right, it's hard to profit or at least hard to get a big enough profit to make it worth it.

Look at SGA. MVP and FMVP. Title winner. Some of his Prizm PSA 10s seem to be around 50-60% higher than in the offseason. That's the kind of success people need to have in order to flip (at a small volume) to be successful.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Cards are great for money laundering!

If it comes to that. Though I would argue that this is the active ticker tape part of the hobby.

The non-liquid facet of the hobby is more like hoarding.

[hermanotarjeta]

Money can be made buying a card from one dude’s table and bringing it to another dude’s table at the exact same show.

Doesn’t mean you can make a living flipping cards to support a family.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by Nomad

If it comes to that. Though I would argue that this is the active ticker tape part of the hobby.

The non-liquid facet of the hobby is more like hoarding.

Especially when you are dealing with the currency called nesmiths!

[Boo]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Money can be made buying a card from one dude’s table and bringing it to another dude’s table at the exact same show.

Doesn’t mean you can make a living flipping cards to support a family.

If I set up a table to buy for 80% and then go sell everything at the 90% buying table, can I support my family?

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by Boo

If I set up a table to buy for 80% and then go sell everything at the 90% buying table, can I support my family?

Your family, no

Hermano's family, yes.

Most families, no.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Especially when you are dealing with the currency called nesmiths!

Nesmiths are ideal for hoarding at the moment, yes.

1. Name recognition went from a blip to almost household in a month. Check.

2. Few still recognize his importance on a team that came out of nowhere. Check.

3. "Wrong uniform" issue on rookies that takes cycles of general investor interest to work out. Check.

4. Set to be a co-leader on a team without its previous leader playing for a year (think Bane with serious contention goals). Check.

5. Limited available licensed cards, no cards for some years and no inserts past rookie. Check.

6. Already some early profit taking. $5 silver Prizm autos now at $30. Check.

That said, even the most hoarded holding has sell factors that must be considered as well. In Nesmith's case, its potentiality of serious injury the way he plays. And the fact that the more they know of him, the less fans may like him. New Yorkers certainly didn't appreciate his villain roll in game 1 of ECF.

I can relax and speak about this from the perspective of a hoarder because, given the way the "Nesmith Game" will be remembered 20 years on, the core value is defined. If there is any market, I could go out to a show and find a ready buyer for a unique collection tomorrow. If there is not, I am out.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by kipgen

This is true if you're talking about the blue chip guys at the start of the draft. Wemby, Flagg, Zion, etc, those guys are be sky high pricewise at the very beginning. If you watch closely though there are definitely guys with room to grow (I think Paolo is a great example considering his potential and the team Orlando is putting around him, relative to his card prices). Look at SGA or Jokic.

QBs are still possible to prospect in football but it requires you to delve into BUC and unlicensed stuff. By the time the actual rookie cards come out even the lower end guys are super expensive relative to what they've actually done (look at JJ McCarthy and Penix, one of whom didnt play at all and the other barely played, are still going for a ton)

Good point..

The opportunities are still there, it's just a lot tougher than it was 2019 and prior when it was easy to get your hands on wax at MSRP, grading was cheap, and stuff made it out earlier in the year.

But it goes along with the bigger idea that it CAN be done, it's just more difficult now than it was previously

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by Boo

If I set up a table to buy for 80% and then go sell everything at the 90% buying table, can I support my family?

No, if you’ve got nothing to start with you’ve got no money to buy those 80% purchases with.

[Nomad]

So in 2019, you could still pursue a general, buying wax strategy, as opposed to the infinitely higher risk of selecting a single player?

I imagine wax was so cheap, player breaks didn't even exist. Much less Wemby/Ant style spots segmented into a dozen card types.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

Your family, no

Hermano's family, yes.

Most families, no.

The exception is Eastbay’s family, who is starting off with a lifetime supply of baby formula as an advantage.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by Nomad

So in 2019, you could still pursue a general, buying wax strategy, as opposed to the infinitely higher risk of selecting a single player?

I imagine wax was so cheap, player breaks didn't even exist. Much less Wemby/Ant style spots segmented into a dozen card types.

Heading to Walmart/Target, buying what retail Prizm or Optic they had, sending the Zions, Ja's, RJ's, 2nd year Lukas, and 1st year LeBron Lakers cards to PSA was as good as printing money.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Heading to Walmart/Target, buying what retail Prizm or Optic they had, sending the Zions, Ja's, RJ's, 2nd year Lukas, and 1st year LeBron Lakers cards to PSA was as good as printing money.

Can't forget about Bol Bol, Kyle Guy and THT.

Great times.

[Nomad]

Good for the money, bad for the hobby. No wonder the long term prospects suffered. I mean, so many bag holders among the long term passive investors you really want in the game now.

Is there any way to repackage and sell like repacks en-masse that only include those players from 5 years ago who are still in the league and have potential at their price? I would buy some of that product, knowing a significant percentage will be in playoffs next few years.

Would spark interest in the fun fantasy sport element of the hobby.

I guess that would actually be one way for Panini to stay relevant. Conduct a massive buy-back, repackaging and printing of new unlicensed inserts to fill out packs.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

The exception is Eastbay’s family, who is starting off with a lifetime supply of baby formula as an advantage.

I have enough to feed my children and you.

Just let me know when you're ready to transition to cow's or oat/almond/soy milk.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

Can't forget about Bol Bol, Kyle Guy and THT.

Great times.

Hahah Bol Bol.

Tyler Herro too!

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Hahah Bol Bol.

Tyler Herro too!

Haha, I forgot the Herro!