My collecting journey from pack ripper to mainly vintage collector.

In this video, I talk about my collecting journey, how I became a vintage collector, and why modern cards scare me.

[@josephc5493]

I'm 50. Just got back into collecting not long ago and my main issue with the new cards is all the variations, its silly. Refractors, short print, parallel, image variation, on and on. I just want to open packs without needing a guide somewhere to tell me if the thing is valuable or not. So yeah, I've done the same as you. I'm collecting graded vintage and only those modern players who I like personally where I find a card I really love.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Well said, sir. What great insight. For me, the base cards got devalued with the parallels and inserts. Now, they have devalued the parallels and inserts by doing more parallels and inserts. It's madness. I like you can't even keep up! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@BaseballTimeTraveler]

You are spot on, Bill. Really appreciate and agree with your analysis. The '80s was my second phase of collecting. Never bought a card after 1987. No regrets. I have only been back in the hobby a year now, and all I buy is cards from my Baby Boomer childhood and pre-war. It has been a blast acquiring cards of those earlier eras, and the upside is there is no downside with those cards. Memories are priceless. Thanks for sharing your journey. You are on the right path! Take care, Rob.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching, Rob! I agree that the cards we grew up collecting are the ones that keep pulling us to buy. I guess that's why I still like to rip junk wax packs, knowing that most of what I pull is going to have little to no value. It's the memories tied to opening them when we were kids.

[@winksoda86]

Wow, this is the channel I have been looking for. I was born in 76 and collected during junk wax (for me 87-91) but started again a year ago. I’m thinking about going vintage later this year too. Glad I found you👍

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks a lot! I'm glad you found me too. I hope the channel brings a benefit to you. Thanks again.

[@sbswtnchoice]

Same here, born in 76. I collected with my one-year younger brother between 86 and 92. My older brother gave me and my younger brother his cards he collected between 1971 and 1978. Almost having given up on the hobby in the mid-2000's with giving my commons away I somehow got back into the hobby in 2007 with finding the vintage unopened pack market. I was able to get some cards between 1979 and 1985 to fill in the gap. I stayed away from modern cards until just recently because of Brock Purdy. I've just let new product (packs, hangers and blasters) that I've bought stay unopened to retain it's value so I don't even know if I had a Brock Purdy unless I bought a set of cards which I did with Donruss Football recently.

[@Darbobski]

New products are not designed with older collectors in mind. When it comes to the value of my vintage cards, I find that keeping the hobby alive is more important than keeping it engaging for older collectors. That may sound harsh, but my days of sitting with my friends as we trade our favorite players back and forth are long gone. I am fine with a younger generation finding their way into the hobby, even if it looks a lot different than it did for me.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I understand and respect that perspective. Our vintage cards won't be worth anything in the long run if there are no younger collectors that want them for us to pass them on to. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@area51sea]

@@billyballgamesportscards. There was no eBay back then, so if you wanted a card back you had to pull it. Maybe your friend had it and could trade for it or some card show or shop and they would jack up the price. So even though they were mass produced getting the card you wanted wasn’t that easy.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@area51sea Without a doubt. The sets were huge back then, so to put together a complete set of Topps, you had to open 2 or 3 boxes worth of packs.

[@timkingston7551]

I totally agree I just don't get how kids can afford all the inflated new price of packs.

[@Darbobski]

@timkingston7551 Kids can't. However, there is an entire generation of young investors who collect to flip or hold like a stock exchange. To me, it''s not as cool as when we were kids and just collecting for fun, but I'm not going to tell them what's fun to them.

[@TA-mu4jt]

It pains me to see all these young collectors spending hundreds, or even thousands on prospects! I was a collector during the junk wax era and saw all the instability and loss due to the volatility of the hobby. It was nice to see one of the sellers at Burbank Sportscard talking a young kid out of buying a $600 modern card. He told the kid I’ve seen all of the ups and downs of the industry and wouldn’t recommend spending that much on it. The honesty was cool! I personally collect now simply to reflect back on the 80’s to early 90’s. I’ve bought some of the vintage players like Koufax and Drysdale my dad used to speak so highly of. 👍Man…that Mark Grace was the chase card back in the day😂

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I feel the same way. Kids are soending huge money on cards today! Great insights. Thanks for sharing. I had no idea Burbank did that. That is very cool, and will hopefully keep that kid in the hobby long term. I buy cards I enjoy, players I enjoyed as a kid, and the legends I grew up hearing about. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@karendutra376]

I'm one of those older collectors. First set I really worked at was the 67 topps set at the age of 10. I started and stopped collecting 4 or 5 times over the years. Finally in 2017 I decided to stop chasing the new cards and went with the best advice I got on cards and bought what I liked. I am now 11 cards away from finishing a 1967 set.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

That's a great set. Congrats! I hope you finish it soon. I really appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@roelvelasquez9001]

Great video and you are sooo right...that topic has been on my mind for some time now. Than you much!!!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

No problem. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@timkingston7551]

So many good points Billy I was born in 76 and loved your comment about us Gen Xer's thinking we could fund our retirements with our junk wax cards. I have recently got back into the hobby and how it has changed. Thank you so much for warning kids and newer collectors about the highs and lows of the collecting hobby. It's unreal how much packs cost now I don't think it is right, as a kid I could afford to buy packs for .25cents-.50cents with my paper route money and it was great. Now as an adult with some money I won't touch these new Blaster boxes hangers and whatever they are trying to peddle me for $40 they are rip offs. How is a 10 year old supposed to buy the new stuff at their inflated sales price. It's really a shame I think. I don't even want to get started on the sticker auto's that the companies have new collectors convinced they are special and rare and are worth paying thousands of dollars for because the are numbered. It's B.S. anyway liked your thoughts on where the hobby is now.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for the kind words, Tim. I'm glad the video struck a chord with you. What you mentioned is a big reason I started focusing on vintage. Just like the junk wax era, there is too much of the new stuff out there. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@toyscardscollectables]

Hi there Billy. I think you make some wonderful points and it is always a great reminder and reality check to look at the likelihood that the vast majority of modern cards won’t have any long term value. That being said, I think you can take that into consideration and make some smart plays with modern cards if that’s your thing. While it might not be the smartest thing to hold onto a lot of these modern cards long term, I think a lot of people are making their money off quick flips of these cards. They spec on prospects get them graded and sell them off as soon as something happens in their career. The risk level for this kind of buying and selling is much higher and much more volatile than with vintage, but a lot of people are into it. The safer bet of course is vintage. I am for the most part a vintage collector too but I like picking up dollar box inserts of cards of current players I like with no expectation of long term value - I just like them. Cracking packs is never worth it. It’s always a better option to buy singles of the cards and players you are actually into collecting. As for 1980s junk wax…..that’s my generation too (I'm 43) and I have a nostalgic fondness for those cards that makes me happy to no end that I can pick up a lot of the old cards that I loved and collect all the huge cards from that era for 10 or 20 cents a piece. Those prices are established, they probably aren’t going up or down at this point - but they are still super fun to collect and won’t break the bank in doing so. Moral of the story - Don’t buy modern cards as long term investments - only short term flips. Buy 1980s cards because they are awesome and cheap. Buy vintage cards if you want a stable long term investment.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. You make great points, and I agree with you. Most ultramodern cards probably aren't going to hold value long term. I think that's why the flip game has really taken off since since before the pandemic. If it's what people like to collect, then it's what they should collect. Junk wax is a lot of fun for me and super cheap. Vintage and junk wax are really where my heart is as a collector for sure. Thanks again.

[@MacRoss781]

Rickey Henderson was the man! Big fan growing up in northern California during 80s and 90s ( born in '76) I started around 1986 collecting baseball, football and hockey. So yeah, the vintage cards is where my head is at for years!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

No doubt Rickey was a monster. I always wanted vintage cards growing up but just couldn't afford many of them. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@maxcribb815]

I'm a fellow Gen X-er (1973). You have really great examples of guys who couldn't maintain. Here's another: Donny Baseball, Don Mattingly. Rookie card was in '84 and he was the AL MVP in '85. Mind-blowing! Injuries plagued him the rest of his career and he was one of my favorite players ever...and I'm not a Yankees fan

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. It's much appreciated! It's unfortunate what happened to Don Mattingly, but he still had a great career, and a lot of people think he should be in the HOF. It's just really unfortunate that he wasn't able to stay healthy, or his number could have been up there with some of the best of all time.

[@maxcribb815]

@@billyballgamesportscards , for sure!

[@videoguy316]

What a stroll down memory lane. 82 is when I started. Love your collecting story Billy & share your take on modern. In 2020, I switched to fully vintage. Great video.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

That's around the time I switched, too. I can't say I'm fully vintage, though. I still love the junk wax stuff and have definitely gotten more picky with which modern players I add to my collection. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@kbraker510]

Topps archives from the first couple years were fun, Bowman Heritage and the Topps T cards and sets like that. I think the saturation of sets and the Grading companies helped dilute the hobby and turn it into speculation and big bucks to be made..

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I would agree. Just like the junk wax era. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@danbier5461]

Best take on it. Born in '76 started collecting in 87. I say junk wax was 87-95. Those were the years I bought packs from. '93 topps finest was the first really premium set. Like $15 a pack from the jump. I started collecting again but will mostly only collect 73-85. I had alot of '72 topps and '65 topps. Also 90's inserts I like. I'm buying the cards I couldn't afford as a kid. I scored a 84 donruss Don Mattingly rookie and his regular '93 finest. He was my favorite player. I'm going to a 200 dealer show in council bluffs in July. Looking to get 84 fleer Kirby Puckett rc.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Heck yeah, those are some awesome cards! I'm pretty much doing the same thing. I love the junk wax era cards, but I have a whole lot of it. I could never afford Topps finest back then for sure. I appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@scootscollectibles]

definitely a great way to approach the hobby. i enjoy all aspects of vintage, "junk wax" and modern. i look to add 1 or 2 vintage cards per month then work on my sets and then alway like opening up the flagship topps series 1, 2 and update hobby boxes every year. its fun and brings be back to when i was a kid opening up cards! thanks for sharing your thoughts and good luck with building out your vintage collection.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. It's all a whole lot of fun, for sure!

[@jayscards8640]

I just saw my middle school years fly past me! I got my first packs of cards in 1980 at the age of 8. Didn’t know too much about the game but I just loved them. It was until 1982 that I started to follow baseball and started to appreciate the game and the cards. Love those 81s!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Hey Jay, thanks for watching and commenting. I was about the same age when I started buying packs also. The first year, I for sure remember opening packs was 84. I still love all the 80s cards to this day.

[@rookiedog1]

I'm right there with you. In the 90's I bought boxes and was a set builder until 2004 when I left the hobby. Literally have 1000's of cards Bonds, McGuire, Sosa and the list goes on of the PED players that did so much to ruin the hobby. In 2020 I started back collecting my favorite team buying team sets and individual cards. I pretty much have collected every topps card from 1955 to 2020 of my team when I stopped because the checklist got so ridiculously huge. Now I just pick up individual cards I like and never buy packs. The cards you showed were in impressively great condition and a joy to see.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yeah, the 90s really became a mess within baseball and the hobby. I have such mixed emotions over the steroid guys, especially McGwire, with me being a Cardinals fan. A lot of the older cards I showed on the video, especially the junk wax and earlier cards I've picked up in the last few years. A lot of the cards I've had since I was a kid are in pretty rough shape. Who's your team? It's awesome that you have so many of your team cards. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@rookiedog1]

Became a Braves fan when they played in the 57 and 58 World Series. I live a 1/2 mile from the building I bought my first packs from in 1958 at 5 cents a pack. Of course those cards as well as my 59's 60's and 61's got thrown out by my mom. @@billyballgamesportscards

[@JKKollectables]

Kids approach to collecting is so much more different than what it was for us. Modern seems to be more associated with high risk and speculation while a lot of us older collectors are risk adverse. Tom Brady/Derek Jeter/Kobe Bryant/LeBron James are the first of the "modern era" that would classify as risk adverse. But everyone is targeting the new hot-shot rookies, the top draft prospects, all to chase the upside. With ultra-modern, I chase the serial numbered cards. At least those have finite production runs.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I completely agree. Think about all the rookies we speculated on in the 80s and 90s that were 3-10 dollar cards. Now, think about all rookies that aren't going to pan out that have 500 dollar Bowman's First autos. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ACollectorsDream]

Great to see the progress you’ve been making in your collecting journey. Great stuff, thanks for sharing

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching Orlando. It's much appreciated.

[@yankeesandgiants1886]

I think the hobby changed with the advent 1) multiple manufacturers in the 80's - Fleer, Donruss, Score, Bowman, etc. and 2) all of the parallel, special, relic, autograph, refractor, glow-in-the-dark cards in the 90's. I started collecting in the early 70s. There was Topps - one set- no special cards. The last pack I opened was 1988. When I got back to the hobby around 2005, I only collected cards from 1958 to 1974.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

The hobby definitely changed with the addition of Fleer and Donruss. In 88 and 89, it changed again with more sets added. Then it exploded with so many sets that you couldn't keep up with it anymore. Then, the explosion of inserts like you said. I've always been a pack ripper until 2020ish. I've gotten more joy from chasing the cards I wanted as a kid and could never afford them. When I get the urge to rip packs, I rip junk wax because I still enjoy those cards. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts It's much appreciated.

[@brianc9036]

Born in 87. Realized most my cards were crap in the mid 2000s. Started buying HOFers from late 50 and 60s sets for what I could afford from like 04-08. I enjoy those cards way more than boxes of junk from the late 80s and later. My personal experience is that 50-60s era baseball as just a golden age, there was usually only 1 set per season and one maybe 2 player cards per season. You could not convince me a 1955 Sandy Koufax even in poor condition isn't more beautiful than anything produced in the past 30-40 years.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Hey Brian, thanks for watching and commenting. It's much appreciated. I wish I had started buying vintage sooner, but it is what it is. I still enjoy stuff from the junk wax wax era, but I mostly buy it for the nostalgia of ripping it, and it's pretty cheap.

[@user-jm7nv3yc8n]

Love the video and your perspective. I was born in 71’ and I totally get what you are saying. Great job👍🏼

[@billyballgamesportscards]

That's awesome, thank you! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@concretebuddy59]

Nice video. I had many Joe Charboneau cards in 1981. I only buy very few newer cards, and I buy those individually.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Me too, and usually after, I'm pretty sure they are going to make the Hall of Fame as Ling as they stay healthy, Acuna and Mookie, for example. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@gatorfinancial]

I really enjoyed the walk down memory lane. We must be about the same age. I just found a bin full of my “most valuable” cards from the mid to late 80s and realized most of them didn’t pan out.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I sold a lot of the "hot" prospects and rookies back then at the LCS for usually 40 or 50 percent of Beckett value. The vast majority of those cards were worth more back then!

[@radicooldad5219]

Yeah Billy, Baby Boomer here 1965 and remember my first year of collecting in 75 Topps and I have been going through the same thought process, As much as I love ripping modern packs chasing low numbered and parallels of.the current star rookies, I know their value won't sustain over time maybe one, two or none of them from each year might hold value. I'm trying to put together a set from the year I was born 1965. For us the vintage hold a nostalgic feeling and those particular players like Mays, Aaron, Ryan and many more in the hall of fame have cemented their name in history and will hold their value over time. The key for collecting modern cards today is keep the ones you want for personal reasons in your PC and sell the hype! .

[@billyballgamesportscards]

It seems like we are in the same place in our collecting journey. The 65 set is gorgeous! I think with modern cards, if I grab any at all, I'll just buy singles of the players I want. But I'll continue to focus on vintage and the 80s and 90s. There are still a whole lot of cards out there I want. I appreciate your thoughts and you watching the video.

[@SmokeandBurn1]

I started back collecting a couple months ago after getting all my binders from my parents house. I have been grabbing Ripken jr base cards in PSA10. Kinda PC but also good investment as his stuff moves very well

[@billyballgamesportscards]

That's great. I say collect what you like. Ripken was an amazing player. Welcome back to the hobby! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ericsays76]

Awesome video, I was born in 1976 and I collected from 1987 to 1993. I was collecting during that junk wax era. I started collecting again briefly in 2013 and then started up again in 2023. All of those guys you mentioned brings back memories of my youth. I started posting videos about my journey back into the hobby. I only collect vintage now. I am going through a divorce and my soon to be ex wife threw away my whole collection in 2017. Now, I started over and I am starting from scratch but this time, the way I want to collect as a 47 year old not an 11 year old. I started to collect junk wax era cards again but with a twist. I started to buy all of the stars, semi-stars and HOFers cards from the junk wax era from 1987-1994....their cards with hand signed autographs on cards of that era. I just completed a 360 card album full of players autographs from that era. It was a pretty big undertaking and I literally scoured old Becketts to find those players that were considered stars, rookie sensations, and iconic players of that of that era that only our generation would remember. (and ones that I had forgotten about). Thanks for the trip down memory lane, my friend.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Sorry you lost your original collection. I lost mine, too, in 85 or 86. That's a really cool idea with what you started doing with your new collection. That way, you don't end up with thousands of extra cards you don't necessarily want in your collection, taking up space. Thanks for watching and commenting, and sharing your story.

[@ericsays76]

That was the other issue for me. Space. I had over 60k+ cards and 20 binders as well as 4 of those storage boxes with 5000 cards. And they were thrown away. I am staying at my parents until my divorce is final. So space is a thing. So, now it is simply collecting and putting them in binders. @@billyballgamesportscards

[@ARKards1]

Love this video! We couldn't agree more with your opinion on how to spend our hobby dollars. Awesome video and great strategy for building your collection!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, fellas. I appreciate you watching! Hope you're doing well.

[@BoringReviews]

This is such a great stance. Genius. You really gave me something to think about. It’s fun to rip but it is super expensive and I have yet to make it profitable and I have little interest in keeping the cards for decades. I’ve been there and done that.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I'm glad you got something out of it that's beneficial to your hobbying.

[@MatthewMcMillian]

Just found your channel and am glad I did as 2min into your video, I can tell I will love your channel. I'm a life long collector and like you I am a Gen. X'er. I was born in 1975 as well. I also want to say that the second you brought out that Fernando rookie and was saying if you don't know who this is, I laughed because I literally just 4 days ago had a guy in a facebook group post a picture of a Fernando 1982 Topps Record Breaker and he actually put at the top of the photo that he had just pulled the card from a wax re-pack pack and because it was a record breaker he wanted to know if anyone in the group had ever heard of the guy and was it just a trash card. I was like dude how can you call yourself a baseball fan and not know who Fernando Valenzuela is, and I told him just google the guys name and he would learn fast how good he was in the 1980s. His reply to my comment was that he didn't need some old guy to tell him if the player was any good , that he just wanted to know was it worth anything or should he trash it. That made me so mad. But I have to face it. I turn 49 this year and these young guys care nothing about collecting today or the game itself. They are only looking for a quick buck.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

You're right a lot of them are only looking for a quick buck. We wanted to learn the history of the game, too. A lot of the younger "collectors" don't want to learn the history of the game, and it's players, some do, but it's pretty uncommon. I never watched Rocky Colavito play, but I know how good he was and his relevance to baseball. Unless they play today, a lot of the younger kids don't know who players are. Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing.

[@BrianJPetro]

I certainly understand your point, and it makes perfect sense. I do, however, enjoy opening new packs just as much as I love collecting older cards. I'm an elder millenial (born in 1983) and collected when I was a kid during the spike of the junk wax era. Stopped in the late 90s and then picked up the hobby again during Covid (like many others). While the junk wax cards aren't worth much today, I still collected cards from the 50s - early 80s. Despite the fact that the junk wax cards aren't worth much, it is very nostalgic to me and brings back good memories of collecting with my father. I agree that the modern era cards may not be worth all that much in the future, but I'll continue to collect them and put the sets together while I have disposable income. Great video, and I admire/agree with your perspective.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Brian. The cards we grew up collecting will always be special to us more than likely. I respect your perspective as well.

[@ilovebaseballcards9334]

I got fed up with packs and prospect chasing around 2007. But similar story to you. First time seeing your channel. Great video ! I stunk at prospecting. I still have stacks of Eric Byrnes and Travis Buck rookies !

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you found the channel! Prospecting is really hard, so many of them don't ever do anything. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. I got lucky with Ken Griffey Jr. and still collect him 35 years later!

[@ken-pr2df]

You have learned some valuable lessons in the card collecting hobby!! Collectors will rarely get ahead dollar wise ripping packs or buying the new shiny cards!! Also don’t buy cards of players when they are hyped up when they are playing. Most of these cards will end up in the bargain box.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

No doubt. Sometimes, you end up paying more for players later in their careers, like when I finally started buying Pujols rookies. But we know what he is, and in the long term, it keeps me from spending bad money. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@vintagecardssteve8582]

For sure a lot of them do not pan out into HOFers and do not hold much money value, but all of those guys you shared from modern to the 80s have a spot in my binders and i enjoy seeing their cards. You shared a ton of nice ones. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Well said, Steve. I respect that, I guess I am less willing to spend 100 bucks on a hobby box of modern stuff and would rather buy 5 junk wax ear boxes for the same price. Appreciate the support.

[@vintagecardssteve8582]

@@billyballgamesportscards ohh yea. I agree. All my modern stuff I buy ungraded or box rummages at the LCS. I woukd rarely drop any serious money on modern cards. I dropped quite a bit on a wander auto psa slabbed, etc.. look where that got me. 😆

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@vintagecardssteve8582 Yes, if I had a lot of money in Wander, I'd be pretty upset, but it's a risk, and we know that. But there's a big difference between a 60 dollar vase rookie in a 10 and an expensive rookie RPA VS. a 2 dollar 88 Donruss Mark Grace rookiie going to zero. When I picked up that Topps Chrome Tatis rookie, it was worth 300 bucks. It went up to 600 and now it's about 40. That's serious money!

[@johnbialek1905]

Fun cards and awesome vid. Thanks!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@RipFan8]

Hi Bill. Excellent analysis and reasoning of why you switched your collecting journey. I certainly agree with you my friend. Talk soon pal.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, Stephen. I appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@victorquick3476]

Absolutely agree with you. I try to avoid packs these days. I buy a Topps factory set, get all the base cards for 60 bucks, and then focus on vintage.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

There have been a few years that I thought about buying the set but just haven't. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@victorquick3476]

If people want their modern cards complete sets are a much better value and much safer than packs and certainly hobby boxes.@@billyballgamesportscards

[@EvanA1978]

I feel the same. It comes down to those who like to gamble and chase and those who don't. Gen X'ers are likely to have more bills and families and are much more inclined to be more risk averse in their collecting. Lots of younger 'collectors' are going to bust out in the next few years.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

That makes sense. I would agree that most people become more risk adverse as they get old. Thanks for the comment, and I appreciate you watching.

[@SYanity]

Couldn't agree more and surprised more people don't speak out on this. In my opinion, one of the problems is that companies like Topps have way too many different brands (Topps, Topps Chrome, Bowman, Topps Heritage, The holiday cards (with the fake snow), Allen & Ginter, Stadium Club, and I'm sure I missed a few. Who collects all of these? This doesn't even include all of the parallels and other numbered cards.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

It really is crazy the number of sets they put out every year. Someone said in another comment that between Topps and Bowman last year, they put out something like 47 sets. Crazy! Thanks for watching and commenting. Much appreciated.

[@warrendinCLE]

Definitely hit a soft spot!. Good job sir!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, Warren. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@returntocollecting]

Great video Billy! I'm on the same page as you! I have boxes of modern stuff that I don't really appreciate and has tanked in value. I'm sticking with vintage (unless its a HOFer Junk Wax rookie card). Great lessons learned, bud! Thanks for sharing!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I like some of the newer stuff, but I won't buy any until I'm pretty sure the player is going to make the HOF. I can't have unopened wax. I enjoy ripping packs too much. Even if I already have a boat load of it, like 87 Topps. I have to open it! Thanks for watching Darren. Much appreciated.

[@cryptonite8495]

I'm glad you're dipping into the '60s and perhaps eventually the '50s. That Brock rookie is sweet! I feel bad for the guys whio spend $100,000 on an ultra-modern 1/1 auto refractor or whatever. I can't see how those will increase in value long-term, no matter how many Super Bowls they appear in. These prices are driven by the 1/1 and PSA 10 frenzies, which will fade (already have started to, actually).Their day-trading buyers dion't really care about that anyway. If it gets up to $120,000 briefly, they'll flip it.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I couldn't agree more. When I rarely buy a modern product, I just want to have fun ripping something. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jga59]

Interesting commentary. I'm a member of the baby boomer generation and when I first started collecting as a collector in the early 70s, there was absolutely no thought about what a card might be worth someday. You just wanted to get cards. In fact, stars weren't priced much higher than commons. The collectors that came after me grew up in an era where the potential monetary value of cards was an intrinsic part of the hobby. That was completely absent when I first started to collect. Nobody invested in prospects or anything like that. The Wagner card, unfortunately corrupted the direction of the hobby, in my opinion.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I think the Wagner definitely shifted focus more toward money in the hobby for sure. My grandma told me that in the late 40s and early 50s, they used to chew the gum and throw the cards away!

[@jga59]

​@billyballgamesportscards Lol. That definitely was a more innocent time!

[@TheNibNerd]

I'm a GenX and this video was amazing. I still colIect modern cards because I only collect Red Sox cards. I started collecting in the 80s and the "junk wax" cards will always be special to me.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love the Junk Wax era cards still also. I buy a lot of them. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@stevezeppieri]

This video is how I started thinking two months ago. I couldn’t agree more with every single thing you said.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I'm glad it resonated with you! Enjoy the journey wherever it takes you! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@rippingandflippingcards4135]

born in 76. started buying cards at 15 15.5 yrs old. started working at 14.5 and dad would take me to the local shows at the ground floor of holiday inns back then. stopped buying n selling around 18. got back into the hobby about 1.5 yrs ago. i am stuck moving forward of how hard it is to get any "value" outta new product. i am starting to mix in some vintage. I am starting to lean into completing some sets and oddball cool looking cards/sets vs rippin. i will rip this year, but way less this year. i think every collector goes thru changes as they go thru their life.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

No doubt you hit it on the head. You are similar to me in 2019 and 2020. Started buying vintage and gradually quit buying modern. The last new packs I opened were from 2020.

[@chrissieling8187]

One million percent true. Best advice I’ve seen on KZbin.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks a lot, Chris, for the kind words. That means a lot to me. It's difficult for me to keep my thoughts together in a video!

[@brucesprung6431]

One main difference between the junk wax and the modern card era is that the modern card era has short printed inserts and autographed cards that are desirable and have more value. I am not advocating that busting modern card boxes is financially more viable than buying singles. It's not. Each need to look at their own budgets and need to decide what's best for them. I like to buy singles and buy boxes both. To me just buying singles takes a lot of fun out of the hobby. My best cards (I know I am in a minority) were from opening boxes and packs. Very good video as many great points were made.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, Bruce, and I agree with a lot of what you said. I'm not telling anyone what to do with their collection. It was just a story about my journey. There are a lot of really cool cards in modern products, and I still have some in my collection. I just bought 2 2024 hanger boxes last weekend just for fun. Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

[@topps85401]

I was born in 72, learned my lesson by 1988. Been primary player collecting ever since. You’re missing the boat on rare 90’s inserts of top players. Those cards even in mid grade (PSA5) sell for thousands.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I know some of them are huge! I just don't know enough ab9ut them to feel comfortable buying them at this point. I want everything, but with my budget, I have to try to be more focused. You definitely figured it out before I did if you were a player collector in 88. I have always collected Griffey since his rookie year, but I have mostly been ripping packs until a few years ago. Thanks for watching and commenting! It's much appreciated.

[@markinnes4264]

I totally agree. Modern boxes and packs are a way overpriced and you won't likely end up with much of value. For those that still want modern players, just buy the single cards you want. A flagship hobby box should be about $60 at most.... and even then you will not likely break even. Modern pitcher cards are especially most likely to be worthless. Prospect cards almost always go down after they get called up. If you buy what you really like ... you won't feel burned if they go down.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching. There is a lot of wisdom in your comment. Pitchers have always been undervalued for sure. The way the game has changed, how will we even evaluate a pitcher moving forward. It may end up being that if they average 5 or 6 innings a start, they are really good. It's crazy what starting pitchers gave become.

[@DK3CHAMP]

There's an exception to the rule. I believe Ohtani already has surpassed Bo Jackson level status. Even if he were to totally bomb out, people would still talk fondly of the guy who was able to dominate both ways. I use Bo Jackson because his career was not that long. He got injured and never was the same player. Still, because of what he did in the NFL, and the MLB people still put a premium on his cards. His cards are more expensive than many Hall of Famers of that era.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Great point, and I agree with you. Ohtani is at a different level. People are already talking about him being a HOFer. Bo Jackson was the first 2 sport athlete and did it at a high level in both sports. Deion and Brian Jordan both played in the MLB and NFL, not at the same time for Jordan, but weren't at the level of Bo Jackson. We have never seen anything like Ohtani. Ruth quit pitching. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jonathonhappel]

You are right on on the modern stuff. Modern cards are similar to sports betting rather than collecting as it was in the vintage era. And Randy Johnson is a Top Tier dominant HOFer and his cards are very undervalued.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Randy Johnson is way undervalued for sure. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@jeffreyknapp74]

I love this content. I started getting back into cards around 2021. I was all over the place at 1st. I have bought a few packs from Walmart here and there just to open them and haven't been overwhelmed by the outcome. I'm collecting both modern and vintage in mainly baseball and football. Basketball, i'll stick with the older cards like Jordan and Barkley for instance. With baseball, I've narrowed it down to a few modern players (Judge, Ohtani, Trout, Vlad, Acuna and Alonso) Mattingly, Jeter, Ryan and a few others still makes up the majority of my collection. I do have a decent number of cards before 1980 and I just love the looks of them a lot more. These cards today just look like my kids bedazzled them and those aren't what I'm into even though they are worth a lot more money. I don't get it myself. I saw that you and i had a few of the same cards (Glavine and Randy Johnson)

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I haven't done it in a while, but I buy individual modern players I like. Some of the same ones you talked about in your comments. Very rarely do I like the looks of modern cards. I don't do a lot of football or basketball but I have some. I would like to start picking up some of the more iconic rookie cards of mainly football and hockey. Thanks for watching and commenting. Much appreciated.

[@mikethesportshistorycollec1947]

Great video, and wise words indeed!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, sir! I appreciate the support.

[@SportsCard-IQ]

Greenwell and Kal Daniels were two I chased all summer. Turns out McGwire and Clemens were where the money should have been spent.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

If we all had a crystal ball! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@danielbernier6095]

Lots of great food for thought in this one. Are we in this for the money or the nostalgia it brings on. There has to be a passion of the game to enjoy collecting. I find with me the more the new game leaves me, the more I remain tied to the game of yesterday year. That is why my own journey has taken me to vintage players who got me started. I hope that makes sense.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yes, Dan, it absolutely makes sense. I like a few of the players today but for the most part not as many as during the 80 and 90s. The vintage era players were like legendary characters to me growing up. Listening to older family members talk about Musial, Williams, Mantle, Bob Gibson, and all those guys, I grew up thinking they were almost super human.

[@deadlyredly]

you nailed it , great video

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@tomjohns5812]

Topps/Bowman alone had 47 different baseball releases in 2023, let that sink in. I agree with you and thanks for the video

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Wow, that's insane! I knew it was a lot, but I had no idea they did that many. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@stereomois]

Very good points. Everytime I read about someone spending 100's on unproven graded rookies, all I see is Topps/Panini/PSA running a scam. And I still do love having cards after collecting on/off for 40 years. I'm not into high end cards, so for me, flea market boxes are the best bang for the buck. I have too many missing years and sports I didn't collect so I can still find interesting things. As a kid I could only afford a pack or two. Now that I can buy boxes, I question why I should pay that much, but I'll still get the occasional pack now and then just to scratch the itch.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I'm with you. I love digging through dollar boxes at shows. If I'm going to rip packs and buy boxes, it's going to be from the junk wax era and the 80s if I can afford them. Thanks for watching, and I appreciate the comment.

[@chadtellevik5479]

That was a fun share. You make great points. Just try and have fun. Stay in your budget.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yes, for sure. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@thewellnesscottage]

Informative video, thanks

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@hookedonfishing2095]

there's still lots to be collected in the junk wax era that still holds significant value. Like the 91 Donruss elites, Donruss Crusades, Bowman International refractors, Skybox Precious Metal Gems. SPX Grand finales, Bat barrels, Bat knobs. Anything Game Used from these HOF sell for bank.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

You're right. There are a lot of awesome cards from that era. I love the Donruss Elites! I've never had one and have thought about picking up a Griffey at some point. Amazing cards. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@dwallrus]

Great advice. I worry for some of these kids. I started collecting again. I'm 63 I love the new look of modern cards. I enjoy older cards 50s 50s 70s. I started my 59 collection again. I use the same strategies. Like batting stances. Try to represent different years. Not out to make money. Like SF Giants as well.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Some of the kids are carrying around 5 figure cards! I was maybe carrying around some 20 dollar cards at most. What if you were 12 years old carrying around some crazy Wander Franco parallel or something a year ago? Crazy to think about.

[@mikegkelly123]

Rickey Henderson is my favorite RC I own. My dad bought it for me back in the 90s and I treasure it

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yes, it's a great card without a doubt. I'd like to upgrade mine for a nicer one at some point. Thanks for watching and commenting Mike.

[@mikegkelly123]

I’d like to get one in SGC. Really like the black base. Makes the card pop

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@mikegkelly123 That's definitely one of the reasons I prefer SGC.

[@royakard8536]

I came from roughly the same time to the hobby. I never sold anything, and recently returned. To this day, I still enjoy building junk wax era sets. My main love now is getting the iconic players from my youth. I'm crazy for 50s-early 70s era cards, but I have to be picky.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I'm the say way. I love the junk wax era cards still even though they have little to no value. I still get excited pulling an 87 Topps Bo Jackson. I love the vintage cards, too, but I can't afford much from the 50s, so I'm working forward from 60. Then, hopefully, I can go back and start getting 50s and prewar. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@happyblasters9781]

100% agree. Great video.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@happyblasters9781 much appreciated!

[@sammyweed4771]

Nice video. I agree. I’m 57 and that’s all I collect is vintage. Mostly Hockey. And mine are all Raw. Just like collecting players I like

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Me too. I would like to start adding some of the bigger hockey rookie, too, but there are so many cards I want. Thanks for watching and commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@sammyweed4771]

@@billyballgamesportscards yes sir. You have a good podcast. Thanks for showing and supporting Vintage. I’m a huge Red wing fan. Let me know if you like anyone from Detroit. I have a few Rookies. Rookies are nice. But I prefer a great looking picture of that player and most Rookies stink in that category. Lol

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@sammyweed4771 Sammy, that's very kind of you and much appreciated. I collect mostly rookie cards of hall of famers and players I like. I'm a Blues fan, but I collect all of them all. I have most of the late eighties and early nineties rookie, but I am looking to start moving back further into the 80s and earlier. Like into guys like Roy, Yzerman, Lemiux, and these types of guys. They get pretty pricey, though.

[@sammyweed4771]

@@billyballgamesportscards nice … I got Stevie Lidstrom, Fedorov, Probert DMack, and a few others. The Stevie Y was the only one that cost me 30$ all the rest I got for 25 cent. I have about a 1000 cards. Lots of Stevie Y . Mario and Gretzky s

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@sammyweed4771 awesome! Some of them get super expensive, graded even in 8s and 9s.

[@joerdiaz]

Nice video, 20-30 years from now will be interesting with all the graded cards.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

No doubt, especially with all the modern cards graded and people referring to it as the junk slab era. Very interesting indeed.

[@vintageonvintage817]

Great video Bill, it is a shame that cards of great players like Dave Stewart are not worth more but they are still great cards to have in the collection. If someone is looking for their cards to maintain value vintage is definitely the way to go!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I do enjoy cards of players not in the HOF, but it's amazing how few of them have any value! Dwight Evans, Steve Garvey, Dale Murphy, Bo Jackson, all of their rookies have some value. With Bo, some of his non rookies have some value. A few of the steroid guys do too but, it's really a shame they never stopped printing a lot if those cards.

[@bran7134]

Just got back into the hobby since getting out in the early 90's. Not gonna lie, at first I was stoked to reminisce the old stuff in my collection just to find out it's referred to now as worthless junk wax but then discovered there was pretty immediate returns on the new stuff but didn't quite know the full brevity of what that entailed. Man, all I can say in retrospect is that if you don't have it down to an exacting strategic science of knowing exactly what you're looking at before buying it then you're kind of throwing money to the wind. I know that many reading this will laugh at that, especially with the fact that many of you have been at this for a while and apparently love punching the laugh emojis when a newbie drops in to the group with something to say. I feel like the regular Joe blow who goes to Walmart or Target with thinking that they have any/much of a shot at any profit with blasters and fat packs are in for a rude awakening when they realize their collection is pretty much worthless without most all of them being numbered or the specifically hot parallel. I feel like unless you have hundreds of dollars ready to go to throw down on a hobby or mega box then you're setting yourself up to simply line the pockets of Topps and Panini while they laugh all the way to the bank knowing that 95% of the retail boxes are loaded to the brim with commons. But anyhow just when you think you got a big payout you realize there's a million different parallels/variations of said card and that's after you've spent 20 minutes trying to figure out what color design or pattern you're looking at. I'm kinda thinking at this point that card collecting is not for the faint of heart unless you're super lucky or an investor mogul like Packman or SCI Geoff who can afford buying up all the hobby boxes. Sorry for the long post. I still enjoy the great memories of the hobby and the feeling of the rips but am I wrong in feeling like the numbered cards and seemingly infinite parallels are slowly but surely ruining the hobby like the overproduction junk wax era did but just in a different form?

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I want to start at the end of your comment and work backward. I think you are not the only one who thinks there are too many parallels and variations. I look at it this way. A true 1 of 1 is a rare card. But 150 variations of the same card that are all 1 of 1s water it down. The scarcity is manufactured and getting increasingly watered down as production increases. That is what makes it harder to find "hits" so they just create more " hits". The more hits are out there, the less a hit is actually worth. I just dilutes everything, especially retail, because they want you to buy more expensive hobby and jumbo boxes. A lot of modern collectors are frustrated by this and have quit buying retail. Junk Wax- the right cards in the right grades still have value, but similar to today, most cards don't have a lot of value because there was so much produced. I still live junk wax and buy it when I get the urge to rip packs even though I know it won't have much value. In the Ling run, it doesn't hurt me to spend 2p bucks on a cheap box and have fun ripping it. Generally, I buy cards of players I like and cards I enjoy. So then value though always important to a certain point. Isn't the determining factor in what I collect. I hope that makes sense, and I addressed all your points. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@SeanHiggs]

Great Video..

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks! I appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@blueodum]

Gen X'er here. Randy Johnson is a Grade A/inner circle Hall of Famer. If his rookie cards were from the 1960s it would be worth a small fortune.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

That's probably true. Being a pitcher also hurts his value! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@SouthernFriedCards]

GenXer here. 👈 I have learned the same lesson. Thanks for sharing your story. Great video

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thank you. Thanks for watching and I appreciate the support.

[@darrylwillett8359]

Born in '69. I collect vintage and some modern. I buy cards of players who have proven themselves to be good players. I can't see me buying a box of cards hoping to hit a parallel or auto. Cheaper to buy singles. Wander Franco was a lesson that many should have learned when it comes to card collecting frenzy.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Well said. I usually also try to wait until players are more established now. Then, if I like them and think they have long-term potential, I'll buy a few of their cards. When I get the urge to rip packs, I buy a box of older stuff, usually junk wax, and open it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@MatthewMcMillian]

Also I agree with you 100 percent... About 10 to 12 years ago I did the same thing your talking about. I stopped buying anything at all modern unless I bought say a collection or something from someone that had modern in it. But I began to focus on only vintage which I loved since I was a kid anyway. I realized that it was a much better investment for my collection to buy a Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie that was even a PSA 6 which was selling for around $20 in that grade a decade ago. But it made more sense to me to buy a card such as that even if I already had a dozen of it, than to throw $20 at a blaster box and get a handful of commons and more times than not would not be able to sell what I got out of the blaster for close to what I paid for it. Long term I know a Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie in any grade is going to keep going up in value. It will not go down. He is a hall of famer. But Modern players its just too big a gamble and more times than not it doesnt pay off. There are guys today like the Cardinals have a shortstop named Mayson Wynn. I seen someone trying to sell an autograph of him in a group the other day that was serial numbered. The guy was wanting $50. Why would I pay that much even for an autographed and serial numbered card of a prospect who isn't even projected to be a superstar just projected to be a solid player. I would much rather do what I been doing for decades and spend that $50 buying some guys collection at a garage sale or simply buying a graded vintage card of a player I have loved all my life. Sorry so long but one other example , I collect Autographed Bob Feller cards. Now a lot of autograph collectors years ago didnt value his autos much because he had spent years being a great signer and his autos were easy to get. However I was a Indians fan living near Cleveland and so I collected his autos as long as they were already authenticated. Once Feller passed away all his autographed items went up about double what they were selling for before. But he is still nothing close to other star players of his generation like the Mantle's and the Yogi's so on. But the guy is a legend. He is a hall of famer. That is never going to change. He is no longer signing anything as he is deceased. So those cards will only continue to increase in value or at the worst hold their current value for years to come. To me I would rather invest in safe cards of legendary players and autos of legendary players. Than to be the next guy that is out there throwing $100 bills at Yoan Moncada serial numbered rookies because he is such a hyped prospect and then watching him never pan out, which he hasnt.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Well said. It definitely seems like we have the same thoughts when it comes to building a collection. I would love to have pulled Mike Trouts out of packs back in 2011! But for every Mike Trout, there are thousands of Eric Hosmer type dudes that don't live up to the hype. They become decent major league players that have no value, like Yoan Moncada, Gavin Lux, Luis Robert, and Wander Franco. I could go on all day naming those types of players. I appreciate you watching and sharing your thoughts.

[@basher3804]

With the prices on new products being as high as they are. The vast majority of your returns on investment is going to the manufacturer and not us the collectors. Prices on new product is outrageous and unless you hit a very low numbered RPA or one of the limited run inserts, you won’t get close to making your money back or even close to even. Going vintage is always fun as well. But I think you need to decide on what is your reasons for getting back into the hobby. Is it to collect, or is it to make money? If it’s the latter, your best option is to buy singles of the players you believe will be the next great superstar within the first couple years of their career and wait. I’ve found that the best time to sell the top prospects is immediately after those cards have been released because that is when the excitement is the highest. If not, you’re gambling on the future of the prospect. And it may take til the end of their career for their RC’s to reach max value. Buying vintage cards is fun. But if you’re buying those to make a profit. You’re already too late. You already paid max value for that card when you purchased it. Sure, those cards might increase in price gradually over the years but not to the point you’ll be able to retire off the profit.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting! You bring up some great points. I collect what I love, as evidenced by all the junk wax boxes I've opened. I also collect vintage because I have always loved those cards and players I could just never afford them until recently. I like a lot of the modern players but don't want to fork out big money for players that we don't know what they are going to be for many years. I'm not into gambling on hits. I'm never going to tell anyone how to collect. I just like talking about baseball cards. Thanks again for watching.

[@Nerdsplayingcards]

Thats why now its just fun to find common psa 10 cards

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Shoot, I usually don't even buy 10s. I usually buy 9s for 10 percent, the cost of a 10. Thanks again! Happy hunting!

[@VegasSharp]

Great video. I enjoy the hobby but pretty much everything I pull gets put on Ebay. Helps keeps costs down.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I understand completely. This stuff isn't cheap! I appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@user-tl7mj2bm4m]

There's a vid on the internet, which shows a disgruntled collector, putting his junk wax cards into a shredder. It's pretty hilarious...but it speaks VOLUMES.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Oh wow, I'll have to find that and watch it. He could've given them to me! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@LamarrVann]

Hey BBG, fellow X'er here from '67 era and mostly agree with your incites on modern day card collecting vs. vintage cards as I recall going down to the drug store to buy my packs in the early '70s and content to put sets together with the Big Red Machine being my main focus. You're reading my mind with not wanting to collect newer releases as there's so much to choose from only to lose out more often as Wander Franco comes to mind yet I was tempted to chase all the Elly De La Cruz's rookie releases and I'm glad I didn't in fact I don't think I have any of his official RC's as for me Elly emulates and wears the jersey #'s of Eric the Red Davis #44 and as you know for a while Eric was super star in the making and got to be injury prone sidelining his career and I fear the same for Elly's delicate frame. I don't buy modern stuff save for heritage is awesome for new releases either than that I stay in my lane with vintage and putting sets together in Nm condition.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I agree. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. If he continues to be a stud, I'll pick his cards up in 3,4,5 years. They'll probably be much cheaper then!

[@joeschmoe2011]

Great video. The junk wax era saw production numbers through the roof for Topps, Donruss and Fleer. About that time Score came along, maybe another or two - Classic maybe. Then Upper Deck entered the market. Then the companies started offering different releases the same year - from low to high priced. This hit the retail level and a few companies ended up folding. I still remember the day I saw Upper Deck SP selling at Walmart I always wondered whether the boom in production from the big 3 was to flood the market ahead of the new companies to cause them business trouble? Or whether the card companies realized the retail market was much bigger than they thought, and the new companies were also after this newly discovered market as well?

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Wow, I had no idea SP ended up at Walmart. I remember finding Pacific there. Everything got so crazy in 93 or so. So many sets! It really got overwhelming for quite a while. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for commenting.

[@ryanbauer8317]

you're probably spot on. i have way too much modern and probably need to stop buying it!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I'm not trying to influence anyone, really. I'm just telling my story. Collect what you're passionate about. I still live cards from the junk wax era even though they don't have much value. Those are cards of my heroes growing up, and I have a lot of memories tied to them. The main point is that the newer stuff has been produced at levels near the junk wax era.

[@brentonbaderdeen1857]

Great video

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks, Brenton! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@DrVanNostrand01]

This whole video can be summed up in two words. Wander Franco hahaha

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yes! No doubt! I've been using him a lot as an example lately. Thanks for watching and commenting. It's much appreciated.

[@jesusplaza51]

Fernando Valenzuela my favorite player of all time and Clayton Kershaw my second favorite.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Both are great players! Kershaw is a no doubt HOFer.

[@jesusplaza51]

@@billyballgamesportscards at this point I'm mostly collecting relics of Kershaw and other players I think they make less relics than regular cards like that I feel I'm getting somewhere instead of a million parallels.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@jesusplaza51 Yeah, that's awesome for sure. Especially if you can grab game used stuff.

[@brianphillips611]

Totally agree! I would rather purchase something that I know is cool and will at least maintain it's value. I am also on a budget and would rather get the cards that I want rather than spend $40-$60 and have nothing to show for it.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yes, that is my mindset as well! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@KollectingKaos]

Great advice, I pretty much gave up on cards in the early nineties, and have tons of junk wax from the eighties and nineties from buying collections over the years dirt cheap, my eventual plan is to pull the cards of key players and just dump the rest either super cheap or send them to a land fill or maybe with some I'll use them to start the charcoal on my grill, at least that way they will have some value. Right now they cost me more to store each year than they are worth.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I threw most of my commons away when I got back into baseball. I probably had 100 thousand commons taking up space. Now I just keep the stars and HOFers, rookie cards, and some of the other cards that I like. They still get bulky very quickly. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@KollectingKaos]

@@billyballgamesportscards I don't think I have that many, but I know I have at least 18 to 20 3200 cnt boxes, not all are baseball, I have football, hockey & nonsports also. The nonsports are tough, one day they are worth bank, the next week nothing a month later they are hot again...

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@KollectingKaos I would like to get more into vintage and iconic football and basketball cards, but there are so many cards I want, I'll never have them all.

[@KollectingKaos]

@@billyballgamesportscards Sounds like me with Comic Books

[@warrendinCLE]

Value is only the perception of the holder! But great stuff man!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Value isn't what Beckett says? 🤣 I'm kidding! I used to live by Beckett and couldn't wait for the new one to come out every month.

[@warrendinCLE]

@@billyballgamesportscards gave up on Beckett long ago. So unfortunate. I know it bugs Dr. B

[@yodapappacards]

Very good points new friend here

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks. I just found your channel as well!

[@davidallen2133wolfy]

Agree with you 100 percent thanks for the confermation

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thank you. I'm glad it struck a chord with you.

[@jeffjones8866]

Mookie Betts is the only hall of fame lock of those graded cards. Besides Don Mattingly non hall of fame players don’t carry much value after there career is over that is very true.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I'm a huge fan of Mookie Betts, but I think he isn't a lock yet. I think he becomes a HOFer but needs more career production to become a sure thing. I would add a few to the Mattingly category, Bo Jackson, for sure, maybe Dale Murphy of the nonPED guys.

[@mi777ke777]

Altuve, Arrenado, Trout, Betts, Freeman, lots of pitchers. I think Acuna will be a Hofer too. He had probably the greatest season I've ever seen all around last year. I love me vintage cards more than all the new stuff tho. I just picked up a Hank Greenberg recently.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I'm pretty sure the players you mentioned will be Hall of Famers. For pitchers, I think it'll be Scherzer, Kershaw, Verlander, and Greinke for sure and probably Cole. I'm not so sure about DeGrom. Greenberg is definitely a good one to have. I'd like to add one at some point. There are so many cards I want, though! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@mi777ke777]

@@billyballgamesportscards Agreed and maybe some more relievers like Wagner, KRod or Kimbrel, Jansen one day, Saving over 400 games is a feat

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@@mi777ke777 no doubt. I never really considered K Rod a Hall of Famer because I forgot he had 62 saves in a season! That's insane! I think Wagner gets in next year.

[@sneakyquick]

I am a pack ripper and love buying dollar bin cards. Now I am fighting that and going for vintage quality over quantity

[@billyballgamesportscards]

I'm with you. I'm actually think of starting to downsize. Frank Thomas' rookies are awesome, but I don't need 15 of each of them. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@mikegkelly123]

Great vid. Keep it up

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks again, Mike!

[@amihays7449]

I enjoy ur videos 👏👏💃

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thank you very much!

[@amihays7449]

I still say COLLECT WHAT YOU LIKE.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Me too!

[@caesarvalentin6332]

Exactly, I grew up in the Sixties so anything before 1970

[@vladimirkoval1042]

Im on your side thank you.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@jasonnash7323]

85,86 and 87 were my favorites.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

There are some great rookies in those years. Really, I love all the 80s sets! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@mlbolts72]

Great talk bout 80s and 90s cards. I've got bunches of those cards Good times collecting though. I was born in the 70s .lotsa those cards aren't worth much . I had fun collecting them ⚾️🏀🏉

[@mlbolts72]

Also don't have money to buy boxes so I'm gettin into breaksmore . Trying to score a nice card

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Yes, I had a lot of fun with those cards back then, too. Still do, really. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@mlbolts72]

Sad too that topps overproduction their cards 😢⚾️😳😵‍💫

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@mlbolts72 Good luck! I accidently entered a break on eBay a couple of years ago. I accidently bought Mark Grace in a break!

[@billyballgamesportscards]

@@mlbolts72 Without a doubt!

[@billflanigin9231]

I remember Kevin Maas and Mo Vaughn. Cards that are worthless now. The bar for HOFers has shifted. "Counting" numbers we grew up with (3000H, 500HR, etc) as a measure of greatness have been replaced. Look at Joe Mauer's election this year. I'm not against his enshrinement necessarily, but to be elected on the first ballot showed a huge shift from the past. Future HOFers might never again measure up to the greats of the past. Collecting vintage is more fun for me than chasing prospects. Chasing raw cards in high grades especially.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

There are so many prospects that happened to I could go all night talking about them. I'm with you on Joe Mauer. I look him up on baseball reference, and I'm really confused. He played first base half of his career but doesn't even have 1,000 RBI. None of the traditional HOF milestones. He won a lot of batting tittles and was a really good player, and I don't hate it. But like you, I'm confused by him. HOF elections will continue to shift toward analytics for sure. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.

[@jamesrivera4947]

"In the long run, we're all dead." --John Maynard Keynes

[@billyballgamesportscards]

True.