The Collectible Shift: Investing in Baseball Cards Amid Tariff Uncertainty

Hi Friends,

   Recently, we've seen a trend with a lot of interest in collectibles coming from some new buyers who would not usually purchase Baseball Cards and Pokémon Cards, so it led us to do a little bit of digging.

   What we found was quite interesting, and definitely makes a lot of sense, given the current market conditions, and the trepidation over the ultimate level of tariffs that we will be seeing over the next several months.

   Of course, Baseball Cards and other collectibles are a great investment, however, they are not a guaranteed way of increasing your wealth. This is important to put out there before we go further.

   There are a lot of great reasons to buy and invest in collectibles:

     * They are a great way to diversify your investments, to go along with any stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. that you may already own.

     * They are a "reach out and touch" investment (a tangible item) - a great investment for people who want to invest in a physical item.

     * Collectibles bring a lot of enjoyment outside of being just a potential investment. 

   It's important, though, to keep in mind that when you are looking to sell a collectible, there is the potential for you to sit with that item for a while before it sells. Of course, that depends on the item and the demand, but also, on the condition, and whether it has been authenticated and/or graded, if applicable.

   Furthermore, you need to consider any potential tax implications based on how long you have held the collectible before selling, so it is important to check with your tax professional regarding any of those considerations.

   Jumping back to where we began, several non-conventional buyers have began to jump into the market, turning collectibles into viable assets.

   A recent article in the New York Post ("Tariffs are driving investors to Pokémon and Mickey Mantle as trading cards gain credibility as domestic assets"), says that "Collectibles have emerged as a legitimate asset class: a $600 billion+ global industry, with trading cards alone valued at more than $15 billion as of 2024.".

   The article goes on to say, "As tariffs begin driving up the cost of imported goods, consumers are increasingly turning toward domestic assets already here — resale markets, collectibles and trading cards are seeing a surge in demand as investors seek out alternatives beyond the traditional mix of stocks and bonds".

   This is certainly the case with what we are seeing, and upon speaking with some of our newer "non-conventional" buyers, this is exactly what they have told us about why they are jumping into what is a new class of assets for their portfolios, and diversifying their portfolios with rookie cards, autos, graded cards, and more.

   The overall market will always re-invent itself, and morph, based on changing market conditions, and this is certainly what seems to be happening right now. Another exciting era in the hobby begins!

   Stay Tuned as things seem like they will be evolving over these next several months.


Thank you, and have a great week! 

Rob
CardboardandCoins.com


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Baseball Cards Years and Manufacturers Ranked by Strongest and Weakest Cardboard!

Hi Folks,

   For those of you that have been collecting for many years, or for those that collect vintage baseball cards, at some point in time, you might have noticed a trend among certain years of baseball cards, and among certain manufacturers. There are just some years of cards that are close to impossible to find with sharp corners, without paint chipping... cards that will hold up if you look at them the wrong way!

   For the sake of "Vintage", which I have defined as 20 years or older, I've ranked the Top 3 strongest cardboard years with the manufacturers, and I have also ranked the Top 3 weakest cardboard years with the manufacturers. Included in deciding these ranks are considerations of the wear and tear effects of what I call "Pokemon" corners (rounded corners), wavy edges, and easy creasing. Again, please remember, this is from my experience of collecting, buying, selling, and handling thousands upon thousands of these cards over the past 30+ years that I have been in the hobby.

TOP 3 STRONGEST CARDBOARD BASEBALL CARD YEARS AND MANUFACTURER:

1) 1983 FLEER: After a decent showing in 1981 and 1982 with their first 2 re-emergence years in the hobby, the Fleer set from 1983 is built to last. This is extremely fortunate, because 3 major Hall of Famer Rookie Cards (Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, and Ryne Sandberg) are included in this set, among many other major HOF Stars. There is something different and almost space-age to the 1983 Fleer cards, and they can "take a punch" and survive, unscathed. The Winner!!

2) 1991 UPPER DECK: Another set in the 3rd year of the company's baseball card set issue, the 1991 Upper Deck issue is made of quite a strong cardboard! Although they were certainly over-produced, there are still some great cards in this set, like the 3rd year Ken Griffey Jr. Card, as well as another HOF'er, Jeff Bagwell, with his rookie card in this set.

3) 1969 TOPPS: OK, I had to throw one in for Topps, and honestly, with 50 years of time on them, these cards have held up extremely well, but, whatever Topps did in 1969 did not last, because the 1970 Topps cards went downhill!

TOP 3 WEAKEST CARDBOARD BASEBALL CARD YEARS AND MANUFACTURER:

1) 1976 TOPPS: My absolute favorite set, as I remember going to a store as a 5 year old and buying a pack (I wish I bought a few cases...what was I thinking??). However, even with 1976 cards acquired via set breaks, which is where a majority of cards on CardboardandCoins.com come from, there is still a major inherent weakness to the corners and the paint on these cards, and errant creasing building from the corners inward. Unless they are stored in a sleeve and a top loader, avoiding any type of handling or exposure to air, these cards are tough! The 1975 Topps card stock was not nearly as bad, however the 1976 Topps and the following year, 1977 Topps, were the two worst, in my experience.

2) 1977 TOPPS: As mentioned above, this is another set that yields very easily to excessive handling, and also, to open air exposure. Paint chipping is more evident on the 1977 cards vs the 1976 cards, but these are slightly less susceptible to errant creasing.

3) 1970 TOPPS: After a relatively banner year for cardboard strength in 1969, the 1970 Topps became one of the most crease-likely cards that have been made. The cardboard is not necessarily super weak, but there is something to the internal structure of the cards that makes them develop stacking creases, as I call them (creases that build in size and spider out across the card). It seems the lower/earlier series of the 1970 Topps baseball cards are the worst (perhaps due to the lesser amount of handling on the higher series?)

   Aside from having to deal with the issues highlighted above, I would not want the composition of baseball cards to be anything but cardboard...but to the manufacturers, we ask; Please try to copy the formula that made the 1983 Fleer baseball cards the "Iron Mike Tyson" of the baseball card collecting hobby!!

   How has your experience been with the Cardboard treasures that we all know and love? I'd love to know!


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Have a great week, enjoy, and be safe!!

Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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Encore! Bitcoin Meets Baseball Cards: A Cryptocurrency Love Story

The Impact of Cryptocurrency on the Collectibles Market... 

(ORIGINALLY POSTED 12/22/2017. DUE TO MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO
RE-POST THIS BLOG ARTICLE, WE HAVE REMASTERED
IT AND SENT OUT THIS UPDATED VERSION) 

Hi Folks,

    For the sake of this discussion, I’ll assume you have some understanding of what Bitcoin is (a Cryptocurrency), or at least that it has become a popular new payment method

   The Hobby and Collectibles sub-category used to be the largest component of its parent category, the Antiques market Category. In decades past, people from all different walks of life compulsively accumulated large quantities of Antique collectibles. Baseball cards, sports cards, Pokémon cards, U.S Coins, and Comic Books (Sounds all too familiar for me!!). The market had been super-saturated first with collectors-turned-vendors, and then came the over-saturation by moonshot figures of overproduced products. The “Big Boom” of this ‘era’ ran between 1986-1993. During that time in the early 90’s, housewives covered their home furniture with Hummel miniature figurines, antiques and a variety of other shelf-sitters.  Their husbands collected U.S. Coins, vintage toys, and stamps.  Their daughters turned their rooms into shrines to porcelain horse figurines or seashells while their young sons avidly hoarded baseball cards, marbles, Pokémon cards, Comic Books, or G.I. Joe action figures.

   There was a push and shove in the market as time went by, and the faith and love in the Hobby and Collectibles sub-category began to wane, in part, due to the result of over-production and dissatisfaction with where prices had gone (more commonly, prices had not appreciated due to excessive production). People held firm to their pride and refused to settle for less than what they wanted in terms of specifically needed items. Another issue was that folks naturally want things done yesterday, and quite often, desired items were almost never in the locations where they were needed. Stores with antique collectibles that were sought after by many individuals were not being found, as many shops had little or no publicity and even those with some publicity were confronting other issues occurring in a flooded market with wide distribution, namely, lack of trust.

   “What could make our market soar again?” folks wondered. Even the big boys in the market were losing, as a result of the fog of this era, due to the way things were going. So what was the way forward they pondered? Many ideas were put forward , all in a bid to awaken the somber giant. Some ideas were simple, like to slash production and offer more exclusive sets. Some examples during this time was the Topps Tiffany elite glossy offering, which was mimicked by Fleer on one level and by Score on a similar level. The increasing use of the Internet was a shot in the arm for the collectibles industry and the ability to find what you need wherever it is located. Some other ideas were more forward-looking, and ideas began brewing and had not truly percolated until many, many years later.

Then came Cryptocurrency:

   Out of these days, there was a need for something more substantial and wide-spread and effective.  Cryptocurrency, or for example, Bitcoin (or BTC, which is the most popular of all Cryptocurrencies), had a slow start. In it’s infancy, you could barely buy a snack using BTC, even as it boasted back then to already be what it is popularly known as today, which is “the universal currency”. In the present day, Cryptocurrency boasts the most reliable, fastest and efficient way to make payment and receive your items.

   The interesting thing is that ever since its inception, there has not been one breach in the servers nor any incidents with unforeseen circumstances occurring, which would have forced many of us to think of Bitcoin as unsafe. Based on the topic at hand, public domain blocks are created for companies with strict registration patterns which can always be trusted, placing them in a position where they can not only be seen by the general market,  but also trusted by all that see them.

   Building on this, there are very impressive developments, with some major players now accepting Bitcoin, for example, Overstock, Expedia, and Dish, are among many other retailers being added daily. This has started to catch the attention of some major players in the collectibles/hobbies sub-market, and they have started following the same path. The results have been stunning in terms of their profit, ability to bring on more staff, and the new-found trust of customers, as well as the influx of customers strictly preferring to use Cryptocurrency.

   The result? The collectibles market is once again rising to its rightful place in the world markets, again, with the help of Cryptocurrency at the foundation of it all. Many of us in the same line of business, seeing the trust and the exciting positive outcomes stemming from accepting payments in Cryptocurrency, began looking into the feasibility of implementing it as another option/form of payment. 

   This brings us to an exciting moment for us, where we are officially sharing our own Cryptocurrency news:

   We here at CardboardandCoins.com are glad to announce that we have decided to adopt Cryptocurrency as a form of payment, with an option to use Coinbase or some other method, directly to our Paxful Wallet. We already accept PayPal, Amazon Payments, Credit Cards, and various other payment methods, in addition to Bitcoin (we are amenable to even accepting Ripple coin/XRP and a few other Cryptocurrencies...just ask). Remember, in addition to any coupons you use on our site, you still get 5% off additional when using Bitcoins/Cryptocurrency.

  How do you pay for your order using Bitcoin? When you arrive at checkout, look for the payment option titled,
"*** BitCoin Accepted *** (with a 5% price discount!!)"

  From there, it's just 3 Simple Steps to easily make a payment securely and instantly using Bitcoin (BTC)...

Step 1: Remit Payment for the cart amount, less 5% discount, to our Paxful BitCoin Wallet (address provided at checkout screen).

Step 2: E-mail us at info @ cardboardandcoins.com with your reference #, the items you purchased, and any discount codes you have used.

Step 3: We confirm payment, securely pack your order, and Ship your items. It's that simple!

   We've always had the pleasure of offering you the best of everything in the collectibles market, and are providing you with the platform of not only viewing what you desire, but also paying for it with no worries or concerns about the payment used, as the Bitcoin option is now live and working on our site during checkout. Now you can get all you've ever wanted for the right price and at the right time, all in one place. So don’t let anything hold you back from getting the collectible items that you love, whether it’s baseball cards, sports cards, Pokemon Cards, U.S. Coins, or Comic Books…it’s all accessible at your fingertips and on your own terms!!


REMEMBER:
Have a great week, enjoy, and be safe!!

Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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Tags:

bitcoin, btc, cryptocurrency, hobbies, collectibles, baseball cards, ripple, currency, coins, pokemon, comic books, doge, dogecoin

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20 Athletes Signing Autos Inches Away From Our Booth

Card Show Appearance w/HOF Players Signing Autos

Plus...a Special Gift from CardboardandCoins !

Hi Folks,

   I hope everyone has been well!

   We are happy to announce that we will be making an appearance at the National Card show, a twice per year card show with the venue set at Hofstra University on Saturday 4/21 and Sunday 4/22. For the 1st 10 people that come over to our booth and mention they read this post, you will get a very nice surprise (OK....let's not get silly here....you know it's cards). Yet, some very cool cards, and we are positive you'll love them!

   Preparing for this show has been exhausting. A while back, I posted about the top 10 things you need when selling at a card show but beyond that, you are literally putting prices on 18,000 cards, and that is as time-consuming as anything!

   So, who's signing?

   Well, Saturday is very Mets heavy and Sunday is more Yankees heavy.

   Saturday 4/21, the signers will lead off with Hall-of-Famer Roberto Alomar, as well as Dale Murphy, Jerry Morales, Lenny Dykstra, Jerry Grote, Cleon Jones, Pete Falcone, Junior Ortiz, Elliott Maddox, Endy Chavez, Boxing Great Mark Breland, Iran Barkley, and Marlon Starling.

   Sunday 4/22 will feature the Hall-of-Famer Tim Raines, and also Kent Tekulve, Ruben Sierra, Luis Sojo, MEGA Football Super-Star Lawrence Taylor ("LT"), Hockey Superstars Pat Lafontaine, and Butch Goring

   For those that are curious, we will have baseball cards and rookies of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Scott Kingery, Mike Trout, and much more, plus Graded Cards, also, all other sports, with players like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana, etc. We will also have some premiere U.S. Coins on hand (1909 VDB 1c, Silver Quarters, etc), as well as some hot Pokemon cards (Charizard, etc) and some high-end Comic Books (Fantastic Four #112, Amazing Spider-Man #252, etc). There is truly something for everyone.


Full details of the show are as follows:

April 21st and 22nd

Hofstra University
David Mack Student Center
100 Hempstead Blvd
Hempstead NY

300 Tables of Sports Cards and Memorabilia
Area's Largest Event!
Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Admission $10.00
Free Autograph for all Paid Admissions
Kids Under 10 are ALWAYS free.
Free Parking
More info at NYShows.org

   Don't forget to stop by and say you read about the show here on our Blog.
   If you're one of the 1st 10 that do, a gift awaits you!


REMEMBER: 20% Off + FREE SHIPPING
Just use code 20LESS at checkout on
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Have a great weekend, enjoy, and be safe!!

Many thanks and Regards,
Rob Eisenstein and your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
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GREAT NEWS !!

BLACK FRIDAY HAS BEEN EXTENDED....
UNTIL NEW YEARS (12/31)!

25% Off + FREE SHIPPING (on ALL ORDERS)

Use Code "25OFFHOLIDAYS" at Checkout:
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING & HAVE A
WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

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Use Code "25OFFHOLIDAYS" at Checkout at:
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Have a great weekend!!

Regards,
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* * * * * * * * * * *
FREE U.S. Shipping Always
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RE-POSTED BY DEMAND: The Essential Card-Seller's Guide - The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show

Hi Folks,

   As the Baseball Card/Sports Card season enters the busiest segment of the year, I have had more than 20 requests (I stopped counting at 20), to re-run a post I did last year that apparently was quite helpful to our fellow brethren in the Hobby. Here, at your request , is the Essential Card-Seller's Guide - The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show:


   I don't know about you, but I still get those first date jitters the night before selling at a card show. The thought of all of the people, and seeing some great friends and talking sports and cashing out a little, all shares the same headspace with the thought of all of those hours and being cut off from anything outside of my little table-zone. And then the stomach rumbling starts just from the thought of hunger!

   So, in order to combat this psychosis of mine, I made a list of the top 10 things you need to have in place and with you when selling at a Baseball Card show (or Sports card show of any kind, Coin shows, or even Comic Book Shows). These items are not listed in any particular order, with each one being quite an important part of a successful day at the show, but they fall into 4 categories: Technology, Human Beings, Goods, and Last Minute.

Technology:
1.   Internet Access; The worst thing you can do is find yourself at a card show and you have no pants on. The next worst thing is to find yourself at a card show with no access to your online price guides, eBay, your website, your home network, etc. Bad move. Make sure and verify that the venue has Internet access or WiFi. If not, I'll present an idea shortly in another item in this list. If they do have access, make sure you have all of your passwords, as well as your tablet, smart phone, laptop, and ALL power cables and chargers. Again; ALL power cables and chargers. Hint: Bring an extension cord in case the outlet locations are not convenient.

2.   Security; Look, for the most part, people are honest. But the few bad apples out there really screw things up for everyone else. Of course, you should cover the front of your table with an overlapping thick tablecloth, with your boxes weighting the edges of it down to avoid anyone from sticking their hands in for freebies. Your table should be set up with the high risk of theft items in the middle. I learned my lesson years ago when I had a 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie stolen right off my table. It was so busy at the show that I never even realized until re-inventorying that evening. That was pre-tech age, and now I suggest, if you have a little bit of tech savvy in you, to pick up a mini PC USB Camera that you can have record to your laptop or tablet, with ample hard drive space. At least you'll have footage to show to the venue and the police. Hint: Stay alert and stay present in the moment! Watch out for "distracters".....they usually come in pairs and one asks you nonsense question after question, while his accomplice swipes things from your table or underneath when your attention is being overloaded.

Human Beings:
3.   Never underestimate the power of having good table neighbor's when it comes time for that bathroom run. I suggest if you have friends who are vendors, make sure you have your tables all together in one spot so you can all repay the favor. I don't want to hear you had no friends, so you just brought an empty whiskey jug. Weirdo! If you don't have friends, make some with your new table neighbors and gauge your level of trust with them. Chances are, they'll approach you first for the favor!! The power of friends can also help with the WiFi issue, as you can invest in a WiFi Signal booster, have a chat with the Venue Security, and plug it in closer to the WiFi location, ideally half-way between you and the WiFi Source. Then, you guys will be online in no time. Hint: If you do this, please don't put up a sign that says, "Vendor Web Access, $39.95 one-time fee". It's enterprising and straight-up honest hustling, but just not cool to do! I'm such a tech-geek!

4.  You need a "Runner"; Check the availability of a "runner", such as your teenage kid, wife, husband, uncle's brother’s nephew's roommate, anyone who can run over that 1971 Seaver you have someone ready to give you 5x book value for. Anyone at all. Do you have a pet seal? Pay him with fresh fish after the show. Seriously, I've been stranded before. Plan ahead.

Goods:
5.   One Binder full of cards of the player or players signing autographs that day. Their popularity spikes on those days, and even mediocre players rise to superstars the day they sign autographs. You will sell a lot of these; Every one either needs one for signing, or wants to have one to be a part of the action.

6.   A notebook to track everything you sell. Just as I described earlier, it gets crazy, and sometimes you have 5-7 people looking at your cards, while 3 others are trying to hand you money. Remember I mentioned to stay alert? This will help you truly weigh out your Gross Sales, and also, it will help you document where each card went vs. wondering where it went.

7.   Top Loaders/Penny Sleeves/Bags/Business cards; Customer Service is key. I always say their 1st purchase is not the most important, but their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Build a relationship in a field we all love. Rules of thumb; Every card they buy under $10 gets a sleeve. Every card over $10 gets a Sleeve and a Top Loader. Sleeves are a penny each, Top Loaders are 30c a piece. It's a worthy investment. On multiple card purchases, offer them a bag. And every single person that buys from you or stops to look at your cards gets one of your business cards!

Last Minute Essentials:
8.   Change or Cash for Parking, etc; Scout out the venue and see if the parking is free, if there are meters, a garage, etc. Can you pay via Credit card or Cash? Do you pay for your table on show day? Make sure you have your credit cards you use for Shows and Cash +10, which I call Cash + 10% extra (If you need $100, bring $110).

9.   Snacks and Water; Trying to talk to someone while your stomach is grumbling is tough and even embarrassing, but even more importantly, it leaves you talking without any nutrition in you, and that can lead to "dumb-mouth". It sounds funny, but it can compromise your virtue; You might give an incorrect price or forget something. If I don't eat, my blood sugar tanks, and I kind of wander around until I realize, "Oh yeah, I skipped breakfast and now it's 3PM". Not a good image to set around your peers or potential customers. So I suggest that you bring with you enough snacks and water with you to hold you over during the show. Proteins like nuts and sugars like chocolate will suffice, or even better, pack some nice mini sandwiches you can chomp fast. This isn't a culinary dining experience. Also, it will get hot when the room is loaded with people, so hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water. Of course, you will have your group of table buddies we discussed earlier, but bringing snacks and water with you keeps you behind the table, and the less you have to leave the fort, the more sales you can make.

10. Hygiene: Nobody else will stand up and say this, but I've been at shows with sweaty vendors that needed to refresh. Folks, these places get crowded and very hot. for the sake of all things holy, use underarm deodorant, and it's fine to wear a hat, but there is nothing wrong with using some hair gel and styling it up. Remember, brush those fangs nice and white, because you want to flash those pearly whites a lot.

   One bonus piece of advice is confidence. Bring it. Nobody put a gun to your head to sell at the show. You chose this! It's your hobby, your business, and you know it backwards and forward. Be an authority, and make some friends and remember that the folks across the table from you are there for some of the same reasons. We have our own lingo and swagger, and think of it as a huge club meeting of like-minded folks.

   I wish you BOOMY Sales and much success!!

   Please also see my Essential Guide with the top items needed when you're attending a card show, which is located here: "The Top 10 Things You Must Have When Visiting Your Next Baseball Card Show".


Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
* * * * * * * * * * *
FREE U.S. Shipping Always
NO Minimum Order Size
www.CardboardandCoins.com


Tags: baseball, baseball cards, card show, cards, coins, comic books, Mets, pokemon, sports, Tom Seaver #baseball #baseballcards #cardshow #cards #ComicBooks #Mets #Pokemon #Sports #TomSeaver

A Message; Collectors of Baseball Cards, Pokémon Cards, Coins & Comics

Hi Folks,
   The Holiday season is right upon us, and I hope you've been enjoying yourselves, or at the very minimum, coping well with the crowds on the roads and in the malls.

   This is a special message for each collector of Baseball Cards/Sports Cards, Pokémon Cards, Coins, and Comic Books.

   To our friends who collect Baseball Cards and Sports Cards, hello my people! May your 2017 be bright, may the paint on your cards be glossy and shiny. May your Chrome cards be void of finger-prints. May all 4 of your corners be sharp, May 2017 be centered, with solid borders all around. May all of your grades contain the word "Mint". Just "Mint", with perhaps a Gem included, as well. May you stock up on the right prospect rookie card, but most of all, may your year be full of Joy!

   To the Pokémon Card collecting segment of our customers, who adore those glistening Ex Cards. I hope 2017 brings you nothing but Rare and Uncommon success, possibly even Ultra Rare. May your booster packs bring you many a Charizard, and may your decks be full of Secret Rares! Most importantly, I wish you a 2017 filled with Happiness!

  Are you one of our Coin collecting customers? Then I hope 2017 brings you pockets full of wonders, with shiny new undiscovered errors, and silver Washington Quarters. May the joy of Doubled-die errors fill your collection, and may you come across a 1914-d Lincoln Wheat Cent and a 1922 with truly no "d"! May you continue your numismatic ventures in 2017, and may it always bring a smile to your face.

   For those of you who are Comic Book collecting customers of ours, then I wish 2017 brings you only 1st Print issues in Mint condition, loads of vintage Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Superman, and other such great titles you so desire. May you have a close encounter with Action Comics #1, one that allows you to display it as your own! I hope that 2017 brings you crisp white pages, a glossy cover, and a wealthy story Stan Lee would be proud of!

   We love all of our customers and we thank you for making 2016 special. I am glad to hear from many of you regarding the quality of the items you received, and we aim to top that (somehow!) in 2017. I've said it before and I'll say it again; when you are visiting CardboardandCoins.com, we welcome you to relax and just be yourself. You're family, and you're always at home with Cardboard and Coins.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year 2017 to all of you!
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
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The Worst Advice About Baseball Cards I've Ever Received

Hi Friends and Fellow Collectors,

   They say it's good to dwell on the positive things in life, but sometimes, it's healthy to hop over to the dark-side for a bit and reflect on some of the wacky (but with good intentions) advice I've received over the years regarding baseball cards, from buying, collecting, investing, and selling. I'll share some of these events chronologically so you can appreciate the time and setting in which I was the recipient of these tidbits of advice.

   Well, about 30 years ago, my aunt and uncle used to come over to my house a couple of times per week, and they brought up the idea that I was spending too much time organizing my cards, building sets and preparing for and selling at card shows. They started hinting about how it might be best for me to start tapering down my collecting habit, since it might be hindering my schoolwork, and really, where was I going in life by collecting and selling baseball cards? Why was that bad advice? What a 15-year old should not do is talk back, so I decided to keep on with the cards, since I was carrying a 90 average and I always finished my schoolwork before working on my cards. Yakkity Yak, don't talk back! So, the breaking news on that advice they gave me is that the college degree looks great on the wall and I am proud of it, but that baseball card "habit" of mine has been working out pretty darn good. It's slightly evident to them and I make sure to slip a baseball card in their birthday cards and their anniversary card every single year. You see that? Baseball cards do bring smiles!

   During the years of 1986-1991, an era that some folks in the business refer to as the over-production or "junk" years, I had conflicting advice from some fellow collectors. I was warned by some as if I was to avoid the bubonic plague to not throw a single penny into cards until the printing press slowed down. Of course, I did not heed that advice. Good thing, because if you do a quick eBay search for 1987 Topps Baseball cards and select only "sold items" and eliminate Tiffany cards from the search, you will see some pretty high selling prices for cards that folks wanted to wallpaper their homes with. That is selling prices as both graded and ungraded. I'm stocked to teeth and now the waiting and patience is starting to have a value attached to it. Listen to your little voice inside.

   During that same time, I did take bad advice two times, and paid the price for it. The first time, I was advised by two collectors who followed the Minor Leagues very closely via publications that they ordered in those pre-Internet Stone Age times. They told me to put everything behind the 1988 Topps Mike Campbell cards. There was one bulk vendor, and I bought $100 worth, a lot of money for a 16 year old in 1988 dollars. Needless to say, Campbell flopped and I phased out those two woodpeckers from my circle!

   The second time, I had my eyes on a promising rookie coming up through the Yankees organization, by the name of Derek Jeter. I had as much info as I could find by making calls, but I needed to get in touch with actual die-hard followers of the Yankees, since I am a die-hard follower of the Met's only! I made contact with a friend of a friend, and this fella was like a book of everything Yankees. I quizzed him on the most obscure stuff I could find at the Library (do those still exist?). He knew his stuff cold, and knew all of the upcoming prospects. Bingo! I was now 21 and had a little bit more money to play with, and I was going to plunk down $750 as an investment. He was so dead-set against Jeter, saying he was injury prone, and was going to choke when he hit the Majors, and he set out some really reasonable arguments against Jeter. He seemed valid and I took his advice. Fast forward all of these years, and I am still quite upset with myself for that bad advice, because I was going to be spreading my purchases across the Rookie Cards of Jeter from all of the main card companies, and I had a guy who had 25 of the SP Jeter cards. Yes, 25, and they were going at $8 per card (slightly jacked up New York City pricing). Oddly, I lost Mr. Yankee Advice's phone number. It's still a mystery today as to how I could have lost it .

   So, as you can see, I dodged some bullets, but got caught between the eyes with some others. I remember a friend in the business warning me not long ago about mixing in (selling) Pokemon Cards and Coins, in addition to the cards. He failed to realize that many folks collect a couple or all of these items simultaneously, and if you can be the person helping them get everything they need in one shot, they'll come back again and send their friends, as well.

   Overall, as I said in the beginning, all of this advice was done with good intentions, but still, that was just some of the worst advice I've ever received about baseball cards.

   Ummm....anybody want to buy some 1988 Topps Mike Campbell Rookies?
Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show; The Essential Guide

Hi Folks,

   I hope everyone is having a fantastic week, and for baseball fans, I hope that your favorite team is where you want them to be, EXCEPT if they are in the same division as my New York Mets! Is there any more hair to pull out of this head of mine? Let's not go down that ugly road. It's so ugly, we'll call it fugly (umm, RTFM, lol!)

   I don't know about you, but I still get those first date jitters the night before selling at a card show. The thought of all of the people, and seeing some great friends and talking sports and cashing out a little, all shares the same headspace with the thought of all of those hours and being cut off from anything outside of my little table-zone. And then the stomach rumbling starts just from the thought of hunger!

   So, in order to combat this psychosis of mine, I made a list of the top 10 things you need to have in place and with you when selling at a Baseball Card show (or Sports card show of any kind, Coin shows, or even Comic Book Shows). These items are not listed in any particular order, with each one being quite an important part of a successful day at the show, but they fall into 4 categories: Technology, Human Beings, Goods, and Last Minute.

Technology:
1.   Internet Access; The worst thing you can do is find yourself at a card show and you have no pants on. The next worst thing is to find yourself at a card show with no access to your online price guides, eBay, your website, your home network, etc. Bad move. Make sure and verify that the venue has Internet access or WiFi. If not, I'll present an idea shortly in another item in this list. If they do have access, make sure you have all of your passwords, as well as your tablet, smart phone, laptop, and ALL power cables and chargers. Again; ALL power cables and chargers. Hint: Bring an extension cord in case the outlet locations are not convenient.

2.   Security; Look, for the most part, people are honest. But the few bad apples out there really screw things up for everyone else. Of course, you should cover the front of your table with an overlapping thick tablecloth, with your boxes weighting the edges of it down to avoid anyone from sticking their hands in for freebies. Your table should be set up with the high risk of theft items in the middle. I learned my lesson years ago when I had a 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie stolen right off my table. It was so busy at the show that I never even realized until re-inventorying that evening. That was pre-tech age, and now I suggest, if you have a little bit of tech savvy in you, to pick up a mini PC USB Camera that you can have record to your laptop or tablet, with ample hard drive space. At least you'll have footage to show to the venue and the police. Hint: Stay alert and stay present in the moment! Watch out for "distracters".....they usually come in pairs and one asks you nonsense question after question, while his accomplice swipes things from your table or underneath when your attention is being overloaded.

Human Beings:
3.   Never underestimate the power of having good table neighbor's when it comes time for that bathroom run. I suggest if you have friends who are vendors, make sure you have your tables all together in one spot so you can all repay the favor. I don't want to hear you had no friends, so you just brought an empty whiskey jug. Weirdo! If you don't have friends, make some with your new table neighbors and gauge your level of trust with them. Chances are, they'll approach you first for the favor!! The power of friends can also help with the WiFi issue, as you can invest in a WiFi Signal booster, have a chat with the Venue Security, and plug it in closer to the WiFi location, ideally half-way between you and the WiFi Source. Then, you guys will be online in no time. Hint: If you do this, please don't put up a sign that says, "Vendor Web Access, $39.95 one-time fee". It's enterprising and straight-up honest hustling, but just not cool to do! I'm such a tech-geek!

4.  You need a "Runner"; Check the availability of a "runner", such as your teenage kid, wife, husband, uncle's brother’s nephew's roommate, anyone who can run over that 1971 Seaver you have someone ready to give you 5x book value for. Anyone at all. Do you have a pet seal? Pay him with fresh fish after the show. Seriously, I've been stranded before. Plan ahead.

Goods:
5.   One Binder full of cards of the player or players signing autographs that day. Their popularity spikes on those days, and even mediocre players rise to superstars the day they sign autographs. You will sell a lot of these; Every one either needs one for signing, or wants to have one to be a part of the action.

6.   A notebook to track everything you sell. Just as I described earlier, it gets crazy, and sometimes you have 5-7 people looking at your cards, while 3 others are trying to hand you money. Remember I mentioned to stay alert? This will help you truly weigh out your Gross Sales, and also, it will help you document where each card went vs. wondering where it went.

7.   Top Loaders/Penny Sleeves/Bags/Business cards; Customer Service is key. I always say their 1st purchase is not the most important, but their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Build a relationship in a field we all love. Rules of thumb; Every card they buy under $10 gets a sleeve. Every card over $10 gets a Sleeve and a Top Loader. Sleeves are a penny each, Top Loaders are 30c a piece. It's a worthy investment. On multiple card purchases, offer them a bag. And every single person that buys from you or stops to look at your cards gets one of your business cards!

Last Minute Essentials:
8.   Change or Cash for Parking, etc; Scout out the venue and see if the parking is free, if there are meters, a garage, etc. Can you pay via Credit card or Cash? Do you pay for your table on show day? Make sure you have your credit cards you use for Shows and Cash +10, which I call Cash + 10% extra (If you need $100, bring $110).

9.   Snacks and Water; Trying to talk to someone while your stomach is grumbling is tough and even embarrassing, but even more importantly, it leaves you talking without any nutrition in you, and that can lead to "dumb-mouth". It sounds funny, but it can compromise your virtue; You might give an incorrect price or forget something. If I don't eat, my blood sugar tanks, and I kind of wander around until I realize, "Oh yeah, I skipped breakfast and now it's 3PM". Not a good image to set around your peers or potential customers. So I suggest that you bring with you enough snacks and water with you to hold you over during the show. Proteins like nuts and sugars like chocolate will suffice, or even better, pack some nice mini sandwiches you can chomp fast. This isn't a culinary dining experience. Also, it will get hot when the room is loaded with people, so hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water. Of course, you will have your group of table buddies we discussed earlier, but bringing snacks and water with you keeps you behind the table, and the less you have to leave the fort, the more sales you can make.

10. Hygiene: Nobody else will stand up and say this, but I've been at shows with sweaty vendors that needed to refresh. Folks, these places get crowded and very hot. for the sake of all things holy, use underarm deodorant, and it's fine to wear a hat, but there is nothing wrong with using some hair gel and styling it up. Remember, brush those fangs nice and white, because you want to flash those pearly whites a lot.

   One bonus piece of advice is confidence. Bring it. Nobody put a gun to your head to sell at the show. You chose this! It's your hobby, your business, and you know it backwards and forward. Be an authority, and make some friends and remember that the folks across the table from you are there for some of the same reasons. We have our own lingo and swagger, and think of it as a huge club meeting of like-minded folks.

   Please look for my Essential Guide with the top items needed when you're attending a card show, which is planned for in a future post.


Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
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Why Card Sleeves contribute to Low Population!!

Hello Everyone,
   Welcome to CardboardandCoins.com, a site that was created to join two great hobbies, Card collecting and Coin collecting.

   I've been in the hobby, or "hobbies" I should say, for close to 30 years. I grew up during a time when Saturday meant cartoons in the morning, bowling with the Cub Scouts, a trip to the arcade, and baseball cards on the way home. Later in the day, it was time to go through the big change bucket from the past week, and to sort through all of the years of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, and to put them in the Whitman folders I was filling for each type of coin. Yes, I was...and I still am...a proud dork!

   As far as baseball cards, I remember laughing at some of the cards from the 1983 Topps baseball set, and in particular, the Wade Boggs card (his rookie). Well, as the title of this post reads, let me explain and use the Boggs rookie as the perfect example.

   Just last week, I decided to remove some old school sleeves off some cards and replace them with the new Penny Sleeves. Simple enough, right? I get to good ole' Wade and the darn penny sleeve lifted up the first layer in the lower left corner of the card! Really? How could these little plastic slips cause such destruction? It makes me wonder that if this happened to me (it does happen from time to time), then think of how many others are having the same issue.

   Perhaps some of you were trying to sleeve a 1977 Don Money card, but then this mishap prevents the card from fetching a 10. The end result is the 1977 Topps card of Don Money (a lifetime .261 hitter) being more valuable than the 1977 Topps card of Rod Carew (a lifetime .328 hitter). Oh, bittersweet population. For those of you who are not aware of population, it means the total amount of a certain card that was graded a "10" for example, by a specific grading company. So when you see a low population of high-grades for a specific card, just blame the Sleeves!

   Now, the alternative would be life without the penny sleeves. Think of all of the cards out there with scuffed up surfaces and greasy finger marks. No thanks. Penny sleeves are very important, and when used properly in a controlled environment with some peer supervision, they can prove to be quite helpful.

   Remember: do NOT top-load your card without putting the card in a sleeve first. It pays to have an extra layer of friction to hold the card in place, or you might have the same incident that happened to me with the 1985 McGwire Rookie (It's too painful; I don't want to get into it, but let's just say cards slide out of top loaders when they're not sleeved). Cards also have a tendency to fall with precision accuracy right onto one of their 4 corners. I know what you are about to ask; Yes, it did happen to me. Learn from that sad incident. Sorry, Mr. McGwire. I know you'd probably pick me up by the throat with one hand. Umm, but please kindly refrain.

   So, with all of that said, welcome to our site. Going forward, you'll probably notice I refer to our hobbies as our "industry". In the coming months, we have a lot of surprises planned for you here, including some Blog posts written by (and also written about) some pretty influential folks in our industry. We are in talks with a few different webstore providers, and our inventory should start appearing on the site within a few weeks. Be sure to bookmark us and check back often!

   In closing, who's going to the National at Hofstra University in Long Island this weekend?

Best Regards,
Rob Eisenstein
www.CardboardandCoins.com



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