Well, Project 2020 cards seem to be dropping in price. This was the cheapest of the three cards I have bought so far and is the one with the second-lowest print run. (The card hobby doesn't always make sense!)
This card came from Jason from Dugout Classics who was the source of the second Project 2020 card that I featured on the blog.
Card Number 610: Topps Project 2020, 2020; #113
As with all the Project 2020 cards, this is an artists's reinterpretation of Tony's 1983 Topps rookie card. This one was designed by an artist based in the UK and for me it gives off a Hawaiian vibe, which is very fitting considering that's where Tony was playing just before his call-up to the major leagues.
One the back there is a biography of the artist, Matt Taylor.
I have a few theories why these cards are getting cheaper on the secondary market.
Firstly, I've heard that people bulk-ordered in the hope of getting valuable parallel versions and are now left with more than they need.
Secondly, I think the spike in interest coincided with a huge spike of interest in baseball card collecting. That bubble hasn't exactly popped, but recently it feels like I'm seeing people who launched into the collector's groups on Facebook suddenly announcing that they are not collecting any more and putting the collections they have accumulated up for sale. (My friend Gawain, who buys and sells collections, also says more people are wanting to sell because they have decided to stop collecting.)
Thirdly, these were available to buy on the Topps website and most people who wanted one will have bought one then. That means it's harder to find a buyer if people are trying to resell these cards. Unless someone is a fan of the artist, or the player (hello!), or has decided to collect the set as an afterthought, then it might be hard to find someone who wants one. That is bad news for people who bought them thinking they would always be able to recoup their money or make a profit. But it's good news for people like me!
Having initially passed over the Project 2020 cards, I now have three. I will probably add more as and when affordable ones appear.
Total: 610 cards
There will always be pros and cons to people leaving the hobby. I liked the fact that more people were into cards. It's just a shame that the majority were investors instead of collectors. Maybe now we'll start seeing cards on retail shelves... and maybe I'll be able to pick up a few collections when I eventually make my way back to the flea market.
ReplyDeleteThat's very much how I feel. In a couple of years time it will just be the people who were in the groups a couple of years ago. The good thing is nobody really values or cares about random 90s cards. They're chasing the latest embryo with a Bowman First First card.
ReplyDelete