Fortunately the crazy prices can't hit every area of past product. Has this latest price boom caused you to focus on more affordable sets or inserts?

Personally, I have been focusing on the early imagine inc. releases as these were some of the first sets to have inserted autograph cards.

Never been a big fan of sexy model cards but have decided to make an exception for the Scream Queens sets.

Actually found a complete set of "You Slay Me!!" Monster Trading Cards with 3 autographs for $25. With the box!

One of the sigs is Bob Michelucci who led production for the company. He may have even started it.

Interesting question.

I wouldn't say that my collecting focus has changed due to prices -- then again I'm not a collector with a very specific focus.

While my focus hasn't changed I've bought in to some products I otherwise wouldn't have bought as much of -- Marvel Masterpieces is a good example. I mainly collect autographs and sketches, but I felt more comfortable spending money on this chasing autos and sketches because a lot of the other inserts were selling well. I did terribly on it -- bad strategy.

The thing that has changed my focus most in the last year or so is technology. I rarely previously collected Upper Deck products. Because UD products are accessible on ePack and COMC I collect a lot of UD products now.

I still collect the same things I always have. The big change in my habits is my box buying is waaaaaay down. Over the past year I don't think I've opened more than 5, and I'm struggling to recall doing that many. By the time products are released prices are plain stupid. I rarely get in on very early pre-orders until I have some idea what the set actually consists of.

Not really changed it. Because of the lack of value I stopped sampling random boxes a couple of years ago and focused only on key titles I liked. I have always looked for cheaper hit alternatives whenever available, such as autographs in secondary products. By in large the cards that have gone crazy are cards are thought were overpriced before they increased. If I didn't think they were worth it then, why would I want them now?

Having just looked at a sketch card of Supper Man (yes, that's how they've listed it) on eBay and the mammoth price they are asking, it looks as though a lot of people not in the know about the hobby have tried to muscle in without a clue. I've ordered 3 boxes of Picard whereas a couple of years ago, it would have been a case. I thought that the lockdown here (UK) would have given me an opportunity to fill gaps in older sets. Fat chance of that when some base cards are x5+ what they were a year ago and postage costs should really indicate that each delivery comes with a fanfare and someone in silken gloves handing you what has been wrapped in angel's breath.
Greed of the pandemic has saved me a fortune.

quote:

Originally posted by Graham:
postage costs should really indicate that each delivery comes with a fanfare and someone in silken gloves handing you what has been wrapped in angel's breath.
Greed of the pandemic has saved me a fortune.

I got a marching band with one US delivery lol

It's not changed my collecting habits but it has had me considering selling some cards I have that have rocketed in value ( or appear to have ) .

My own belief is that some of this is genuine and fuelled by collectors having surplus funds from not being able to go on holiday or spend money in shops , restaurants , and bars etc.

The problem at the moment in trying to get those inflated prices for the cards I have is that sales outside a sellers own country have fallen drastically due to the automatic taxes now levied by Ebay on top of the crazy postage fees . I have not bought anything from outside the UK in the last three months and have not had a single international sale in that period either .

The FOMO is growing a bit, I admit. There's one pricey (for me, anyway) card I'm debating, as in, am I going to regret not buying this in two years when it's doubled in cost?

It hasn't changed my buying habits one bit.

I still won't buy it.

I've been lucky because I was already focusing on bargains on oddball cards (mostly promos), paying the going rate when it looked like a card/set wasn't going to get any lower or when I knew it it was rarely offered. From what I've seen, even if I were a Marvel specialist, I would still be picking up cards roughly in the same price range they were two years ago but it would take more time to find those bargains. Even with all the increased interest, there are still underpriced cards out there with poorly-worded auction titles.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by JMH710:
The FOMO is growing a bit, I admit. There's one pricey (for me, anyway) card I'm debating, as in, am I going to regret not buying this in two years when it's doubled in cost?

Suppose its half the price in two years?

Just saying that most cards in normal times will plateau at some point. Maybe not normal times right now, but still few cards will never level off, and many have taken their big leap already. Any must-have, rare card should be secured early. That's always been my policy, but if I don't really need it and it's not that rare, I can afford to wait for a good price and am willing to lose it if I can't find one.

So to go to the topic, even though prices are crazy, I don't see that sound collecting strategies have to change. I think people who are buying and selling cards solely for profit have more to worry about trying to time it out correctly, without getting stuck with below cost inventory if prices decline. Card collectors will simply do what they always do, wait for their opportunity. Just MHO.

quote:

Originally posted by JMH710:
The FOMO is growing a bit, I admit. There's one pricey (for me, anyway) card I'm debating, as in, am I going to regret not buying this in two years when it's doubled in cost?

I personally have never regretted the cards I've bought . . . only the ones I didn't buy or the ones I've sold.

I would say no, I there are a few rare exceptions where I will pay more then the random number I come up with the value of a card is or stray out of my budget for. Example, I think two of the ugliest cards in the Umbrella Academy set are in fact the two rarest relic cards, Hazel and Cha Cha's termination letter and 5's Time Travel Notes. There is no way I will ever pay the price on them.

My focus has not changed. However, I'm picking up more cards at a faster pace. Cleaning out my watchlist.. and picking up deals on line. So far the price bumps have been light on what I've been buying. But week by week prices are creeping up on more and more things.

quote:

Originally posted by Triple-Frog:
It's not changed my collecting habits but it has had me considering selling some cards I have that have rocketed in value ( or appear to have ) .

My own belief is that some of this is genuine and fuelled by collectors having surplus funds from not being able to go on holiday or spend money in shops , restaurants , and bars etc.

The problem at the moment in trying to get those inflated prices for the cards I have is that sales outside a sellers own country have fallen drastically due to the automatic taxes now levied by Ebay on top of the crazy postage fees . I have not bought anything from outside the UK in the last three months and have not had a single international sale in that period either .

I've actually seen some real bargains for cards I've been looking for (for ages) but price is tripled by time postage/fees come into play.

quote:

Originally posted by hammer:

I've actually seen some real bargains for cards I've been looking for (for ages) but price is tripled by time postage/fees come into play.

I get this all day. There are loads of cards i would buy straight off no problem but one look at the postage costs and that is the end of that. It is becoming really difficult to buy anything at all.

I have my US purchases shipped to a collector in NY then he ships to me every couple of months, saves a fortune in shipping fees and allows me access to US only sales

quote:

Originally posted by wireside:
My focus has not changed. However, I'm picking up more cards at a faster pace. Cleaning out my watchlist.. and picking up deals on line. So far the price bumps have been light on what I've been buying. But week by week prices are creeping up on more and more things.

This is a great point -- I'm seeing more cards from certain sets pop up than I have in a long time. I haven't been as successful in buying them as the prices are creeping up. . . but there is more activity now.

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:

quote:

Originally posted by JMH710:
The FOMO is growing a bit, I admit. There's one pricey (for me, anyway) card I'm debating, as in, am I going to regret not buying this in two years when it's doubled in cost?

I personally have never regretted the cards I've bought . . . only the ones I didn't buy or the ones I've sold.

This was helpful, thank you. It made me think in another way.

I also considered Raven's point about the card being half price in two years... but the card in question is a Leonard Nimoy autograph, and I think that one is unlikely to drop so drastically. Thus, after much debate as I've never spent so much on a single card, I placed my order today. I spent more for a particularly nice autograph, and I can't wait for it to come in.

quote:

Originally posted by JMH710:
I also considered Raven's point about the card being half price in two years... but the card in question is a Leonard Nimoy autograph, and I think that one is unlikely to drop so drastically. Thus, after much debate as I've never spent so much on a single card, I placed my order today. I spent more for a particularly nice autograph, and I can't wait for it to come in.

Congrats! Over time, the value of Leonard Nimoy autograph cards will only go in one direction...and that's up. It's a testament to the popularity of Shatner, Nimoy, and Star Trek in general that the value of those two autographs have remained as high as they have considering how often they signed cards. But in Nimoy's case at least, he obviously is no longer signing and the plethora of autographs he once had on eBay is now dwindling as no more new ones are coming into the market. You made a solid purchase.