Welcome Back to the Hobby

Well after reading several blogs over the past few months, I decided to start my own. I recently got back into the hobby after about 15 years. When I was a kid there was no such thing as relic cards and we actually had a better chance getting struck by lightning than pulling an auto. I was completely amazed that you are able to buy a box for around $60 and were actually guaranteed a couple relics and/or autos. This is until I realized how many and how worthless they actually are for the most part. I still have a hard time understanding that I can pull a baseball rookie card and yet not even hear of them until 3 years later. I probably busted 6 boxes of Topps Chrome this past summer only to have 10 autos of people that I have to wait on for three years to see the value. While I do like to collect, I also enjoy going to the card shows and selling there too. It's my way of getting money from cards I don't really want and buying ones I do. I, like many people these days are on a limited budget. I have a 3 year old and we just found out two days before Christmas we're expecting another.

Getting back to the shows.

I've probably done my local monthly show for the last 8 months. I am trying to figure out what people are looking for at these shows. Out of the 8 shows, I probably only broke the $40 mark (table money) 3 shows. Only one of those shows I made over $100, and that's because I sold one card for $300. This past Sunday was the monthly show. I went again and bought my usually table. Now I have everything on my table from a 50 cent bargain box to cards that book well over $100. While most of my collection is from the last couple years, I also have cards that go back to the 60's and 70's. I always have the same people asking about the same cards and never pulling the trigger. Not that I'm priced high. I have a Walter Payton in really good shape, it would probably grade a 7 or 8, that I'm asking $160 for. I also have a 1969 Mickey Mantle in good shape (books for $350) I told one guy $80 and he said that the best he could do was $60. I just don't understand what is going on. Are they going to the show to just waste a Sunday morning? This is what I'm beginning to think. There is also plenty of people walking around. I'm just trying to figure out what I have to bring that people will want. Any ideas for me? I recently emailed Mario from Wax Heaven on this subject. He said he thinks it is Ebay that killed the hobby. I do agree, however, when my asking prices are about the same as Ebay it doesn't make sense.

Thanks for reading my first blog. I hope to update at least once a day.