I have just logged onto the 'bay and noted that the Trading Card section has now reached the 1,000,000 items for sale mark.

Now, the question is, is our hobby expanding like topsy or is there now a flood of people quitting the hobby and their collections??

It's the Inkworks inventory.

I'll take it!
I'm only missing the rarer cards for my collections now.

If it means that I can pick them up cheaper, then let it go to 1.5 million

quote:

Originally posted by btlfannz:
Now, the question is, is our hobby expanding like topsy or is there now a flood of people quitting the hobby and their collections??

Things run in cycles. I'm just guessing, but I think card collecting is picking up again. I mean adults collecting non-sport cards, because sadly our hobby has not only outpriced itself for kids, many of the best new products have mature themes that are unsuitable for children.

I also think that the wave of dissatisfied collectors that wanted to dump their cards kind of passed for awhile. Either they did it or they didn't. Collectors may still be cutting back or re-focusing on what they buy because there are just so many more choices and only so much money to go around, but they are still engaged. And just look at the number of new card manufacturers within the past couple of years and the number of new products from old manufacturers.

So its only my impression, but I think we are in an up cycle right now, despite some very real problems that have not gone away.

quote:

Originally posted by btlfannz:
I have just logged onto the 'bay and noted that the Trading Card section has now reached the 1,000,000 items for sale mark.

Now, the question is, is our hobby expanding like topsy or is there now a flood of people quitting the hobby and their collections??

On my U.S. screen it's been up there for ages and hovers around 1.2 million. I think eBay suppresses listings based on your internet domain if one of the seller settings says they don't ship to your country. (When I research overseas sets, I don't see everything posted to ebay.co.uk, ebay.com.au, or trademe, even if I tick Worldwide.)