tallica1981
Forum Replies Created
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Hi, welcome to the group. Drop some info about your relationship to the hobby. Who and what you collect and what your goals are connecting with other enthusiasts. There seems to be some really passionate and knowledgeable people here who are eager to conversate and offer suggestions if needed.
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I will try to share some maddux when i get home. Recently picked up his 1997 Flair Row 0
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Nice Pickups! I think Maddux is included in a group of 90s players that is set to start increasing. It’s started with griffey, and Bonds, but I’m hoping guys like Frank Thomas are soon to follow. I also think pitchers like Maddux, Clemens, and Randy Johnson are very undervalued in the hobby right now
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Congrats on the grades! I currently have a pretty large order at PSA that I am itching to get back. I have about 215 cards I submitted in May just before they closed value tiers. There is about 70 Jordans and a mix of Shohei, Kobe, Griffey, and a few others in there as well. Also did a Vintage sub that I am hoping to see some decent grades on.
Part of me feels like I’m about to get burned. They are really tough on grading the 90s inserts for Jordan. I need to get that order back so i can sell some stuff and afford to send more, lol. I already have a big stack building up to grade once they reopen the lower tiers.
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Absolutely loved the National this year! I posted my score a couple weeks ago when I got back, but picking up a beautiful 1953 Jackie was the highlight for me personally. Taking myself out of it, I loved seeing the excitement and growth on display for the hobby. It went from almost all middle aged dudes to a large increase in younger kids, families and women in attendance. All good signs for the hobby. I watch all the content I can absorb on youtube from many of the content creators out there. Always fun to see what shows up at nationals. I also thought it was really cool that they had a large Star Wars display with some amazing pieces. My friends and I were looking at the Darth Vader light saber hilt that was screen used and the lady came to us and told us the Luke Skywalker one just sold a few moments earlier for 3.1 Million! Crazy! I was so buzzed after returning home, I couldn’t sleep the entire night.
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For me, I think it’s important to have a couple of things. First would be a budget. Know what you have to spend and are comfortable spending. Sometimes there are things that can make you go over budget, but unless you find something too good to pass up, set a budget and stick to it. Second would be an idea of what you are looking for. If you are looking for a specific player, team, set, etc, focus on finding those and don’t get distracted by FOMO items that you may regret later. Plus, this gives you something to engage with the dealers about.
On the opposite end, i would say thing it is important NOT to have would be expectations. Don’t expect to find your holy grail. Don’t expect to find things priced under comps. Don’t expect dealers to move on their prices. All of these things can and do happen sometimes, but when you don’t have the expectation, it becomes a great experience when they do.
I would say if you find something you are looking for at a price you are happy with, grab it. More than likely, if you decide to explore the entire show before spending money, when you circle back, it will be gone.
I will say, I think most dealers (not all) look forward to engaging with customers. I would suggest talking to dealers and making interactions, not just transactions. Ask them how the show has been. Talk about current sports or the state of the hobby. Compliment them on their setup. If they have a nice case, beautifully organized with portable lights and nicely sorted value bins, let them know you see the time and effort they put in. This is how you make connections and how you get a richer experience from these shows, imo.
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Frank Thomas 1995 Leaf Statistical Standouts
I was 10 years old and went to a card show with my dad. We were exclusively Frank Thomas collectors and would travel to shows and shops all the time looking for Franks we didn’t have. While at this show in the middle of a mall, Dad bought me a pack of 1995 Leaf, which I immediately opened in front of the dealer and pulled the Frank Thomas Statistical Standout. The only thing I can equate it to is the hype you see when someone pulls a big hit on a break, only not quite as forced/cringe. I was a shy kid, so I didn’t freak out, but the dealer got super hyped and made it a really cool moment for me with my dad in the middle of the mall with a bunch of people around. I sent it to PSA about a year ago and it graded in order to protect/preserve it. I currently have it on my wall and it is the one card I will never part with.
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Both. I have my PC players that I want almost anything I can get my hands on. That would be Jordan, Frank Thomas, and pretty much anything Chicago bears. I also love iconic cards of iconic players. When the 2 meet, it becomes the pinnacle of joy in the hobby, imo. There was no one more iconic than Michael Jordan, and as a boy, no card more Iconic than the 1993 Ultra Scoring Kings. That is why that was my grail card once I got back into the hobby as an adult. Thankfully, I was able to pick one up at Nationals last year before they went insane
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Not really a “before the hype hits” thing, but I do have a pretty nice Chase Brown collection. He played locally around me for the University of Illinois. Also, i think he is due for a solid outing this year. When Burrow is healthy, he has great numbers, both for the league and for Fantasy. I could see him getting a bump soon.
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Man, I have some nice Shaq stuff, but I’m afraid to move some of it with his market on fire right now. I had his 1997 Platinum portrait that I sold about 8 months ago and I don’t even want to know what it’s going to hit in the coming months. I sold it for 600 bucks and I’m sure it will be multiple thousands very soon, if not already. Have some nice ones left, but will let you know if I decide to move on from them.
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Nice stuff, man. Out of curiosity, have you done the Disney “create your own lightsaber” experience?
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I’m praying for upcharges, lol!
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Honestly, Kyber said it beautifully, but I’ll just add a little info about my trip to nationals. I would consider myself obsessed with the hobby. It consumes all of my free time. The content I absorb, where my discretionary money goes, how I engage with my kids, etc all revolves around it in some way. However, I went to nationals with 2 of my friends. One is a Marine Veteran who has a lot of social anxiety, especially in large groups. When we first arrived, he nearly had a panic attack. He loves collecting one or two specific players, so once he calmed down and got focused, he settled in and had a great time. He is uncomfortable engaging with others at times, so when he finds something he likes, he lets me know and I will engage with the dealer and negotiate on his behalf. He has started to work on the process of negotiating at local shops and smaller shows, where he doesn’t feel as intimidated. Going with someone who also likes the hobby is something I would recommend, just to help you feel more at ease. If you don’t have anyone, hit us up next year and maybe we can meet up.
My other friend is brand new to the hobby. I mean, less than a couple months in by the time nationals rolled around. He has very limited knowledge and experience at shows and with talking with dealers, so I did all of his negotiating for him also, lol. However, at no point did anyone make him feel like he didn’t have enough experience or cred in the hobby to be there. There are no gatekeepers in the hobby, and if anyone tries to tell you different, please feel free to ignore them.
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Once in a blue moon I will pick up a card of a player I don’t really care about just to have a particular insert represented in my collection. For example, there is a good chance I won’t be able to afford a Jordan Net Assets, but I really wanted to own one to have in hand and be able to talk about with my friends, so I picked up a Joe Smith for a couple bucks, lol
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absolutely! Love seeing what others get excited about and love to show off the items that i am proud to own. I sometimes hesitate because I don’t want to come across as a showoff, but I will start showing off more of my cool things. Looking forward to seeing what others want to share also.