Are Your Best Collecting Years Behind You? (Viewer Responses!)

[@JunkWaxHero]

If you didn’t already, please let me know your thoughts!

[@TheBargainBoxer]

I’m 61. My best days are behind me. Pre-pandemic card prices will never come back. It’s all about money nowadays and the fun and innocence in this hobby are gone. The few youtube channels I watch (including yours) keep me interested in the hobby and card shows/card shops keep my collecting going. I don’t open product because I don’t have Jeff Wilson money, but singles are my chase cards. I build my collection 30-50 cards from a show at a time. Patience is the most important part of this hobby. It’s a slow drip, but I continue to enjoy the drip. Keep up the good work, Mike, and I’ll see you at the National next year!!!

[@JunkWaxHero]

Good comment!

[@jw2000]

I feel like my best days are ahead. This is the most secure I have felt as a collector as far as balancing my collecting with my overall life goals. I'm less affected by the fear of missing out, and the spree spending that plagued my re-entry into the hobby. I don't feed into the gambling aspect and am slowly working through a much shorter list of cards that really resonate with me.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Sounds like a great approach!

[@joeschmoe2011]

It's interesting how the ones that seem to have enjoyed collecting the most and have done the most with their collections are the ones who started early on their own (age 10-12) or were introduced to the hobby by their dad. These small things that grow over time last the best. It's the ones looking for the quick hit that seem most often disappointed. The hobby is way deeper than that. The hobby is a lot about remembering some certain player and game from years ago. The substance of the hobby is not about high end cards. It's about reading the back of some random vintage card and finding out something new. Then you remember when days were brighter, when life was a lot simpler yet had way more meaning.

[@joeschmoe2011]

I'll add that I think my best days are ahead. Just have to learn as I go and improve. Like I've said before : patience is a high barrier of entry to having a great PC.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Always a great commenter

[@RayJohnson-ds8hx]

Ahead of me I’m 66 and getting ready to retire in a week and focus more time on my huge collection I have that started when I was about 10 years old in 1968 and I still have all those cards thanks to my mom who saved them when I left home at 18 to join the military

[@JunkWaxHero]

Congrats on the retirement!

[@ghostrunnerco6791]

I’m strictly a baseball card collector based on the fact that it’s my absolute favorite sport Always kind of looked at the two as going hand in hand So as long as they keep on making good baseball players as well as cards of said baseball players i’m gonna be enjoying it👍

[@JunkWaxHero]

Great way to look at it!

[@XZOL445]

My best years are ahead of me. I'm saving up to buy all PSA 10 Mickey Mantle's from 1951 to 1969. I'm up to $145.95. Won't be long now.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Maybe next week lol

[@caolanhogeweide6555]

Yeah, in the early 90s when I started collecting, pulling Canseco's and Nolan Ryan base cards was a thrill. I stopped collecting in 1992 or so because I could no longer afford it. 50 cent packs became 1.50 and I just lost interest in the hobby. Got back into it in 2013 or so, just buying packs here and there and really got into it about 2 years ago. But recently, I mostly buy numbered cards, lots of Mojos and throw backs of my favorite players, now and in the past.

[@honson7]

Obviously, nothing can replicate the visceral experience you had as a kid. But, now, I’m wiser, know better how to get the best bang for my buck and I can CURATE my collection into whatever I want! I can buy all those junk wax cards from my youth that don’t cost much, but still make my heart skip a beat when I buy them today! On top of that, I can focus on hall of famers that I desire. We forget that we didn’t have all of these ways of buying as a kid! Because of the internet, we can buy so many of the cards we dreamed of, but may have never even come across in our local card shops! It is a GREAT time to be a collector, in my opinion! So fun. Thanks for your channel. You have inspired so much of how I collect today! I may never get my hands on a ‘52 Mantle or a ‘86 Jordan, but I can still have a ton of fun!

[@JunkWaxHero]

That's a great way to look at it!

[@BZARZAGZA]

I miss the nostalgia of collecting as a kid. Us neighborhood kids would get together & trade for hours. Then we would go play homerun derby. Card shows at the mall, reception halls, and spending my paper route money weekly at my local card shop. The 80s were the best!!

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@BZARZAGZA I miss wiffleball!

[@donniecanby9681]

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I enjoy watching KZbin and seeing other people sharing their baseball cards' viewing. It's never too late to build your collection dreams. Donnie- W.V. Veteran 🇺🇸

[@JunkWaxHero]

Thanks Donnie!

[@MJFAMILYTIMECARDS]

Donnie, Thank you for your service! We are fellow West Virginians! God Bless

[@carlmohr9941]

Gotta say the best days are far gone. I remember my first pack of 89 UD and thinking it was a trashy gimmick. I remember seeing a 93 finest refractor and felt like I was looking at a pile of diamonds. First pack pulled game used. First pack pulled autos. Those were the golden days of collecting that will never be seen again.

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@carlmohr9941 yeah I don’t disagree with that. But that’s why I focus on older cards

[@Philniekrofan35]

I'm 60 my best days are ahead of me. Can buy most cards I want. I just take my time and get what I want. I usually only by raw. Unless I get a good deal on a graded card. Still love collecting.

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@Philniekrofan35 love it!

[@1p4g]

My best days are ahead of me because this past 6 months or so I sold off my cards on comc, and now I have money for better things, no scammers, no fraudsters, no fanatics, watch less and less content, soon none, looking back I say what was the point in buying cards, and wasting so much money,

[@JunkWaxHero]

You will be missed!

[@wrespowr]

I'd like to think my best days are ahead of me. I collected as a kid until soon after college. Set up at a few shows during college and soon thereafter but then got out of the hobby until just after covid when shows started happening again. I'm in to the point of going to almost weekly card shows or shops and will set up at shows every couple months. It's tough though to figure out where things go from here. I only collect certain Braves (most of the current stars plus some of the early 90s stars) plus I have a big blind spot from late 90s until 2020ish to fill in. I have some money to spend but am also at the age of starting to wonder whether to continue acquiring stuff only to then have to figure out what to do with it all within the next 20ish years. It's fun but sometimes it is weird to explain to others that it's probably not worth the time & energy monetarily and again thinking about when I should move from acquiring mode to purging mode.

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@wrespowr a question a lot of us grapple with

[@jimbobrobertson3285]

Best days are definitely not behind me! Life is a series of choices, and I choose to collect. Regardless of who says what is good or hot. Plus prices are more reasonable compared to last few years. It’s ok to collect for value, I do it too. But if you want to collect all Louis Taint cards, that’s ok too!

[@JunkWaxHero]

lol

[@Bostnfn]

The best collecting years are ahead. I still see the hobby through the eyes of my younger self, in amazement that I'm able to reach for cards that otherwise seemed unfathomable. I'm currently working on a 350 item list to try and pick up by my 50th birthday in 8 years. It ranges from $2 items like an Edgar Martinez RC to a T206 Tris Speaker. I won't get everything on that list in the next 8 years, but it's going to be a heck of a lot of fun trying. Have a great Thanksgiving!!

[@JunkWaxHero]

Awesome goals! Good luck!

[@5714Collector]

Hi Mike, it was fun hearing all of the responses from your viewers. Thanks for sharing.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@CalebM2034]

I’m 27 and believe my best days are ahead of me. I’ve owned every type of modern card a basketball fan could want. And inevitably, I sold it off. The pickups are far and few between but I find excitement for the future because I built a Mount Rushmore of basketball rookies and I plan on chasing it. It may only be 1 pick up a year but if that pick up is a 1957 Bill Russell rookie or a 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain I think that will be just fine. Vintage seems to be the only cards I’d buy and never sell

[@JunkWaxHero]

Sounds like you have a great plan!

[@ryanmcclanahan8739]

Here's my 2 cents. My best days of collecting vintage is behind me for two reasons, 1) I started in Vintage as a 14 year old and have most of what I want. 2) It was vastly more affordable compared to today. And that's the part where I say the money has priced me out and has become not very fun. However, I switched from Modern to Vintage in 94, abd had to learn and adapt - and so has my collection. When one door closes, another one opens and I got into vintage Soccer, Cricket and other sports and non-sports other than Baseball. When it comes to Modern (the cards I grew up with in the 1980's), my best days are ahead of me because those were the cards I couldn't afford or obtain as a kid and now their very affordable. I don't know when I'll quit, maybe never, but I'll continue researching, writing and making youtube videos. One thing about being disabled is that it forces me to seek alternatives to my original plans and adapt to changes. This is also true for how I collect. I just wish it wasn't so tough for novices to get into pre and post war vintage. The market will shift in time when enough collectors say ebough.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Great insight! Thanks for sharing.

[@jakepeters1404]

On a serious note, your voice is stimulating and I love listening to your content!!!

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@jakepeters1404 thanks Jake! I appreciate that

[@ericlindenmuth7517]

My best days are behind me!! I am like Frank. I collect autographed HOF rookies. Prices are crazy!! It makes getting the ones you want tough...

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@ericlindenmuth7517 I get that

[@MbgFire2067]

Woo hoo! I’m famous now that my comment was one you featured…lol! I enjoy your channel as one of the few I watch regularly. I may be closing out my heavy pack ripping phase but I’m not out all together. I still have 1952 And earlier Phillies cards to find. I currently have all the base Phillies from 1953 to present so I’ll be going back farther now. Thanks for your content!

[@JunkWaxHero]

That’s really cool!

[@landonfuhrman]

I'd say the best is yet to come. One thing that sticks out to me is most that say its past them still believe card prices should be what they were 5-10-20 years ago, when those days are never coming back. Its the ugly reality that the hobby has turned into a business, but when money is involved, its bound to happen. Accepting that reality myself has made it easier to focus on the singles and sets I want to build for my pc.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Well said

[@CollectingNolan]

Best days are ahead. There are so many Nolan’s (and other cards) out there. Plus I love sharing the cards on KZbin. I’ve gotten to meet so many good people that share the same interests that it really has opened a whole new aspect of collecting to me.

[@JunkWaxHero]

That’s awesome!

[@miked9655]

To me it all seems so simple collect what you like and what keeps you interested. I get that price/money will always stop you from completing a collection but it depends what you're collecting and how you curate. I like history and stories of players so I can always explore and collect. Currently, collecting NHL players who defected from the Soviet Union or an Eastern Bloc nation, not gonna break the bank but gives me a great story to tell.

[@JunkWaxHero]

That's awesome! What a great collection niche.

[@tonylehman2417]

I think my best days are ahead of me. I collect a team (the Brewers) and enjoy the chase of going to card shows, on Whatnot, on Sportlots, and on eBay and finding cards that I need. It keeps me excited to find new cards of Brewers players--whether they are from the 2020s or are another variant of the multitude of the Brewers Police Cards.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Love the dedication to the Brewers!

[@stevepizzo6062]

I would say mostly behind me. Miss buying a junk wax box for .50/pack, lots of fun opening, sorting, making sets. There were less sets to focus on, I find myself too easily distracted by new parallels.

[@JunkWaxHero]

I get you. Parallel overload for sure.

[@MikeSherman-yt5nz]

Hey Mike. Love watching your videos and enjoy your enthusiasm for the hobby. I'm of two minds on this. I collected as a teenager in the 60's and picked the hobby back up in the 80's. I came back when I found out that my cards were never thrown out, and still in the garage in pretty good condition and were actually worth something (luckily my folks never moved!). I collect vintage sets back to the 30's but it's getting really expensive to get the few cards I still need even though I have more disposable income (Mantle and Mays rookies, Ruths and Gehrigs oh my!). The thing I miss the most is frequenting the local card shop. In the 80's and 90's there were a group of us who frequented Bill Carvalho's shop in Reading. We'd spend most Saturdays there talking sports trivia and other stuff and most of the time we'd never even buy any cards. It was just the camaraderie. The shop is gone along with most of those folks. It's still fun to pick up a card I need at a show or on Ebay at a good price but I'll always miss those days at the shop. Hope to meet up with you someday. Happy Turkey Day!

[@JunkWaxHero]

Great memories! Thanks Mike

[@mackeymintle66]

What’s @Collecting”? 😂. I felt scorched from the first Junk Wax Glut, but I made some good cheap choices that probably kept me in the Red. “Portfolio of Lawns”

[@jonscherr9264]

I would say I am neutral..... I can see both sides of the argument. In some aspects, I would say behind me. In that I can't collect like I did in the late 80s/ early 90s...... given that a box used to be $36 early 90s. Sure, people say "inflation," etc.... if you use an inflation calculator, in today's money vs early 90s, cards are significantly more expensive today. That makes it very difficult for a kid to buy packs and get something "special" (numbered/ auto ect), at lower affordable price point (getting an allowance). But also at the same time, I am now older (45) and can buy those junk era cards I always drempt about. So, to a degree, some of my best days are ahead of me. Currently working on collecting all 91-93 Donruss Elite and an authenticed autograph of each of the 92 Studio heritage cards (1/2 way there !!).

[@JunkWaxHero]

That's a great project - good luck with the autographs!

[@Vintage_Dave_T]

Physically, best days are long gone. In the Card hobby, best days are ahead. I collected in the late 50s and early 60s. I still have those cards and still have those memories. But unlike them, I can find any card I want online and buy it, even though some may be totally out of my price range. I get a lot of enjoyment finding cards of old stars, not necessarily Hall of Famers, that make me happy!

[@JunkWaxHero]

That's a great perspective!

[@Redneckclector]

Just like the song, the best is yet to come. I finally have the money to buy a lot (not all) of the cards I wanted as a kid. Plus, this KZbin community gives me folks to share it with.

[@deanwilson7070]

Mine are behind me,work, kids, mortgage, has greatly decreased the amount of money I can spend, and I’m ok with it.

[@JunkWaxHero]

I went through that but came out the other side.

[@Sportscardwhatever]

Best days are ahead. I have the disposable income to develop a collection I never could as a kid (Kobe) and my kids enjoy going to the LCS and growing their own collections (Jeter and Judge). I also buy a few boxes of sealed baseball product each year and collect them to open when I retire (25 years)… either a huge open party or maybe one pack a day. I have time to decide. 😂

[@JunkWaxHero]

That’s awesome that you can share the hobby with your kids!

[@Jumbo_Jimbo_in_Limbo]

I think it's a little of both honestly. Back in the junk wax era it was easier but more fun. We didn't know the cards were way over produced at the time. We were just excited we completed our team set or the more ambitious complete year set. There wasn't 47 and a half parallels of the same card or as many inserts there are now. Now you can tailor your pc to specifics. For example, I collect the Braves but more specifically Austin Riley purple parallels and other cool looking affordable cards. I think multi case player breaks are the way to go for pc players. Obviously, team breaks can be a good way to get a good chunk of the checklist for your team. My advise would be, look at the checklist of what's available for your team or player of the set you're interested in. Figure what your willing to bid and stick to it. Watch as many breaks or items as you can, there's always some that'll go cheap and you can snag a deal at the last min/seconds.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Very cool!

[@dacryptkeeper6836]

The BEST DAYS are behind me! Just the ridiculous prices alone is enough to say "no more!" Better than 95% of my collection has already been passed on to my son and grandsons, along with a few friends.

[@JunkWaxHero]

That's awesome that you're passing the hobby on!

[@Butkusman]

Great comments and I found myself seeing both sides for sure. I loved collecting when I was a kid but I am having fun again. I enjoy finding the good deals while looking through all the crazy overpriced options. It is what you make of it and I am making it fun. Enjoying the card collecting KZbin community. Didn't have that when I last did heavy duty collecting. Disposable income definitely helps. A lot more fun yet to come.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Awesome perspective!

[@stuke1976]

Like they say, the good old days are right now. 57 consecutive years in the hobby behind me. I've met a lot of great people, great athletes, had many of the sets and autographs I've ever wanted. Every day that I'm hunting for cards & memorabilia is a great day. I'll be retiring soon and look forward to that part of my hobby life.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Congrats on the impending retirement! Great attitude too.

[@stuke1976]

@@JunkWaxHero Thanks Mike!

[@GarySuley]

I got back into the hobby in June 2023 after taking 30 years off. Was so much fun at first getting caught up regarding grading and so forth. eBay has been the most frustrating part. You could have the same graded auto card but the sale price is hundreds of dollars difference. There needs to be some sort of legit “worth” on cards instead of just listing it as you please. The 20 year old rich kids flexing their multi thousand dollar cards just rubs me the wrong way. That and hobby “influencers” who can’t even pronounce renowned hall of famers names correctly.

[@JunkWaxHero]

lol

[@Johndeplume.]

Some great feedback there from subscribers, and some great stories! I'd firstly like to wish all your North American subscribers a Happy Thanks-Giving (and, of course, to you and your family, Mike). Hope you all have a great time, with the most important thing in this World: family and friends. Now, to answer your question, Mike: (Ahead, God willing) The longer you're in a hobby - any hobby - the wiser you should become (in theory). The wiser you become, the more you are able to contribute to your hobby in a meaningful way. I am chiefly an autograph collector these days, so I'll refer solely to that... I feel the older I've become, the more I've been able to focus my collecting into certain areas and, more importantly, consider the legacy my collecting will leave for future generations. The barrier of collecting is as high, or as low, as you wish to make it, or can afford. The joy, to me, remains just the same. You are only limited by your imagination, and autograph collecting affords you the opportunity to create your own pieces of history, free from being constrained by the designs of others. I pivot towards areas whereI feel the market is heading, as I feel a collection shouldn't remain static. I do this so my collection may resonate with a wider audience once I'm gone; but my primary focus is always collecting what makes ME happy. We are all merely custodians for the next generation. This has come into sharper focus in the last five years, after I reached two decades of unbroken years of collecting, and I've had time to reflect.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Very well said as always, John. Thanks!

[@johnmabie5266]

Ahead for me! I love the direction my collection is heading as I am curating a collection that I enjoy. Ii have stopped listening to/watchubg the doom and gloom influencers and really enjoy channels like this one that are really inspiring me to keep curating.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Awesome to hear!

[@garydaud1668]

Nice to see there are still a few Mark McGwire collectors out there! A very large part of my PC are Big Mac cards. It seemed natural since I live about 45 minutes outside of STL.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Awesome!

[@henrys3629]

People popularized certain cards and those sets are crazy. So, years ago I saw the Seinfeld American Pie card for $1 Now it's $50. Random ones like Sarah Palin from the 20th Anniv retrospective set is a $50 card, Putin is $20-200 and so on. Set building once commons is like eating dung. No good. You're doing a set build for 1.00 a card (once 10c) and wham $80 card???

[@muricancars797]

That dude can get a 68 Ryan for reasonable $? I saw a SGC 5 that looked like a 7 at “The Nash-ional” in Nashville. It’s the second biggest show in the country every year in October. One can also reach out to the Four Horseman Collector Club as they always have the largest selection of Ryan’s everywhere. I picked up 2x 69 Ryan’s for $150 and $200 and both are ridiculously clean. You can see one of those Ryan’s in my 69 set I have listed on ebay actually. What irritates me as of late is having flippers send me ridiculous offers based on their need to resell. That and of course breakers and the desire to slab everything. Reddit posts are littered every day with “should I grade this” posts. Anyways I enjoy the channel and especially the newsletter. Keep up the good work Mike. I pray you and yours have a good Thanksgiving and the Lord blesses you and watches over you and guides you in all your days. And that #64 of #76 Independence Day Ohtani RC gets decertified by PSA😂

[@JunkWaxHero]

Thanks for the kind words! Same to you. And I promise I haven’t forgotten. I do content based on mood. It needs to strike. It’s on my list.

[@DansVintageBaseballPC]

Great hair in that old photo. Talk about best days behind.

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@DansVintageBaseballPC legit lol

[@martincaidin4166]

No way Geoff Wilson would have pronounced "Charlie Hough" correctly.😚

[@JunkWaxHero]

lol good point

[@mickeyshea8013]

61 years old, my best days are behind me

[@jakepeters1404]

My best days are ahead of me got to get creative shop Goodwill storage treasures other platforms just got a roll the dice. You can get a lot of stuff for $1000 hobby box on certain platforms.

[@josephdilmore9067]

I always Love your content my friend! Keep up the awesome work!! And the guy who said youtube ruined things, im GUESSING he isnt talking about content like ours. When you search youtube the only videos that show up are breaks getting that 1in 10000 pull or people doing $10,000 Deals that 95%of normal people cant afford. Pretty sure thats what he means👍

[@JunkWaxHero]

Thanks Joseph!

[@forpetesake20]

arg! im mad at the hobby because i want the same thing as other people and they have more money than me. arg! im mad! 😂. i love it here and keep the sweet petes rolling!

[@ACollectorsDream]

Great video

[@JunkWaxHero]

Thanks!

[@tulsabeasley918]

I am not sure which of my card-buying eras is “best”. I enjoyed opening packs and building sets in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I have sold almost all of those cards. My collection is now very narrow, primarily vintage. Buying singles only. I have a lot of great memories and I have a lot of great memories to be made.

[@JunkWaxHero]

@@tulsabeasley918 awesome!

[@jakepeters1404]

I wish my name was Jethro lol

[@JunkWaxHero]

It’s a great name!

[@baseballdave65]

Before Covid I sold on Ebay for 16 years for fun. I had over 20000 feedbacks, only 2 negatives,lol...but Covid killed it. Ebay became overpriced and was always screwing with the sellers, so now I just watch videos and buy cards here and their. Still fun, but almost 60....getting old,lol. Have a safe Thanksgiving....you have a very enjoyable channel.

[@JunkWaxHero]

Thanks Dave!

[@iNeverHadMercy]

My Best Days of Collecting are MOST DEFINITELY ahead of me! Have been a dedicated collector for many years but now that I am older I can FINALLY afford to buy cards that even (5) years ago I couldn’t. May the hobby continue to grow and bring in more and more New Collectors 🫡💰💯

[@JunkWaxHero]

That's awesome!

[@Mikeygee99]

Like this follow-up videos to your survey! (Tinobaseball)

[@JunkWaxHero]

Nice!