[Otters27]

Over the past year, I've really got back into sport card investing/speculating.

Probably spent somewhere around 40-50k on graded cards and sealed wax in that time....I made some mistakes but overall feeling pretty good about what I'm sitting on for the future.

What's the best sealed wax to buy?

[JAKEPEAVY21]

What's the best sealed wax to buy?

Higher end products where you have the potential to pull good rookies.

[jose21_us]

PSA isn’t taking any more at the moment, they are overwhelmed. Post some pics and I’ll tell you if they are worth grading.

Thanks I don’t have pics at the moment as they are all at my moms house. I know I have Jeter rookie,Arod rookie, Griffey 89 upper deck, Nolan Ryan 73 and 74 tops, and Pujols rookie card autograph with Bowman I believe. There is a ton more and also comic books.

[HockeyRocks]

What's the best sealed wax to buy?

Its all about the rookies. I've been buying sealed cases since about 2008. Mostly Topps football HTA regular boxes and Topps Football jumbo box cases. Also some Bowman and Bowman Chrome baseball and football hobby cases. I'm fortunate to be sitting on a case each of 2016 and 2017 Bowman Chrome Baseball.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Pricing continues to go higher. Getting pretty hard to get in at reasonable prices. Just my two cents.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

The 1969 Alcindor rookie is amazing. I can't wrap my head around how much $$ people will pay for a very banged-up card. This card graded 1.5, currently auctioning at > $1200:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Topps-...gZ1lF&LH_All=1

[Jayvegas420]

What's the best sealed wax to buy?

2011 Topps Update baseball

[ChuckyTheGoat]

2011 Topps Update baseball

Who is in there, Jay? Trout?

I admit to not following many of the sets from 1995 and later.

[Jayvegas420]

Trout
jd martinez
anthony rizzo
goldschmidt
Altuve
DJ lemaheu
...oh and the elusive Lance Lynn lol

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Trout
jd martinez
anthony rizzo
goldschmidt
Altuve
DJ lemaheu
...oh and the elusive Lance Lynn lol

I looked it up. Expensive as fuk.

[Jayvegas420]

Was the Best year to collect. Topps Diamond Anniversary Giveaway was addicting. I spend close to $1000

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Anybody have a good 1971 Topps baseball collection?

Wow, you talk about a set that won't stop mooning. People love the black-borders. So hard to get high-grades, b/c of the white chipping.

Great mix of big-name HOFers late in their career with an underrated rookie crop. Blyleven/Simmons rooks, but a great crop of tier2 rooks with Garvey, Concepcion etc.

Current prices are mania. Thru the roof.

[RockBottom]

Anybody have a good 1971 Topps baseball collection?

Wow, you talk about a set that won't stop mooning. People love the black-borders. So hard to get high-grades, b/c of the white chipping.

Great mix of big-name HOFers late in their career with an underrated rookie crop. Blyleven/Simmons rooks, but a great crop of tier2 rooks with Garvey, Concepcion etc.

Current prices are mania. Thru the roof.

I do. The best rookie is the high number Baylor/Baker/Paciorek rookie. If you're looking for graded, some of the commons graded bring in huge money. !972's may be harder as there are bigger names in the high series. If you are looking to invest, basically anything Topps put out from 1970-1976 in any sport has major centering issues. There are youtube videos of people opening vintage wax and see the conditions for yourself.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

I do. The best rookie is the high number Baylor/Baker/Paciorek rookie. If you're looking for graded, some of the commons graded bring in huge money. !972's may be harder as there are bigger names in the high series. If you are looking to invest, basically anything Topps put out from 1970-1976 in any sport has major centering issues. There are youtube videos of people opening vintage wax and see the conditions for yourself.

You're right. Any quality 1971 collection took a lot of effort.

Yeah, the Baylor/Baker is probably my favorite 1971 card. Two good players who also managed for some time, and Paciorek was an ok player who announced for a long time. That card price has escalated quite a bit.

As you say, most of the cards have at least one-way centering issue. Topps' lack of quality control extended to 78/79, too.

The High#/ShortPrint cards are just one more area where values explode. The Matlack RC is high price for a pretty average pitcher. The Sparky Anderson card is pretty nice.

Prices on Clemente, Mays, and Aaron have sky-rocketed. PSA 7's are nice, but PSA 8's explode.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Buying tip. Disclaimer: my personal tip, not investing advice. Make your own decision.

*I like 1990-91 Hockey. Great crop of rookies. Some Russians, as well as Americans/Canadians.

*Buying: 1990 score Hockey factory set. Prefer the Bilingual (Canadian) version.

Can buy for about $22. Score is the only set that caught Brodeur in the draft picks. Jagr, Modano, Sundin Rooks. Think some more could get to HOF in Roenick/Mogilny. Also, only Lindros rook, b/c he had an exclusive contract w/ Score.

[RockBottom]

Buying tip. Disclaimer: my personal tip, not investing advice. Make your own decision.

*I like 1990-91 Hockey. Great crop of rookies. Some Russians, as well as Americans/Canadians.

*Buying: 1990 score Hockey factory set. Prefer the Bilingual (Canadian) version.

Can buy for about $22. Score is the only set that caught Brodeur in the draft picks. Jagr, Modano, Sundin Rooks. Think some more could get to HOF in Roenick/Mogilny. Also, only Lindros rook, b/c he had an exclusive contract w/ Score.

They made a zillion of these.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

They made a zillion of these.

I was going to say the same thing.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

They made a zillion of these.

I hear u. That's why I specified Bilingual. But you're right.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

One other comment about the 1990 sets:

*I used to think the 1990 Fleer basketball was worthless. From the Junk Wax era.

Amazingly, those prices have gone up. Jordan card has a great photo. And the Rookie Sensations are fetching big prices.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

One of the soccer products I really like is 18-19 Donruss. I bought a couple 12 fat pack sealed boxes a few months ago and ripped one and am sitting on the other. There are a ton of quality rookies in there and is a great prospecting product(Foden, Vinicius Jr, Sancho, Mbappe, Havertz and many more).

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Went to a show today. Mostly lame:

1) Some dealers were way over-priced.
2) Young man's game. Younger dealers who are selling modern cards that I don't have much interest in.
3) Did find two dealers where I got some nice sales:

*Vintage dealer w/ mostly older cards. Nice offerings, he didn't have many Graded...which can be nice if you can find a bargain. Scored nice deals on Yount and Fisk rookies. Also bought a 2004 Fleer w/ triple RC for Eli/Rivers/Ben. Looks like a 9+, have to imagine that card keeps rising.

*Also found a coin dealer. Bought three Rosie Silver dime rolls. $100 each, which I thought was a bargain.

Will voice one minor frustration. When u attend multiple shows in the same region, it's 80% of the same dealers. Gets tired looking at the same lots, more fun to look at fresh offerings.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Will also comment on the grading prices. These prices are insane.

I understand how the grading price is a small % of cards w/ market value of $1000+. What about all the OTHER cards?

Talked to one dealer who had HGA slabs. Maybe that's the answer on lower-priced slabs. Hope HGA can quickly build a reputation.

[RockBottom]

Will also comment on the grading prices. These prices are insane.

I understand how the grading price is a small % of cards w/ market value of $1000+. What about all the OTHER cards?

Talked to one dealer who had HGA slabs. Maybe that's the answer on lower-priced slabs. Hope HGA can quickly build a reputation.

I wouldn't waste the time or money.

[DiggityDaggityDo]

[Fred The Hammer]

Weird coincidence. My Dad asks me last weekend if I heard about the guy that paid $5.2 mil for a 1952 Mickey Mantle card. I said yes, but I didn't know he was from here in Indy. My buddy then calls me the other day and says the guy is his nephew)) Same last name of Gough. My friend is from a lower middle class family so I'm wondering how some guy in his 30s has 5.2 mil for a baseball card? Turns out the guy invented some bidding app and then bought some apparel company called Dope. He's also an actor. Name is Rob Gough. He's worth $75 mil....so far. Not bad although supposedly he's an asshole and wouldn't pay his own sister much to work for him. Interesting though. He lives in Puerto Rico supposedly. Might be the next Bezos or Gates

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Question:

*What set has the record for MOST HOF Rookie cards?

Think about it. And I'll come back w/ my comments. PS, I don't know the definitive answer, but I know which ones are in the running.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Question:

*What set has the record for MOST HOF Rookie cards?

Think about it. And I'll come back w/ my comments. PS, I don't know the definitive answer, but I know which ones are in the running.

Off the top of my head, I'd guess the iconic 86-87 Fleer Basketball set.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Off the top of my head, I'd guess the iconic 86-87 Fleer Basketball set.

That's a good answer! It's on the short list, for sure. Especially b/c so many of those guys were hi-end HOFers, many of whom were on the Dream Team.

Gonna list 5 sets w/ a few asterisks:

*Two bask sets loaded w/ HOF RCs, partially b/c a break in the sets printed b4. Ergo, these were rookie CARDS that didn't necessarily line up w/ the rookie YEAR.

1) 86 fLEER bask. 12 HOF RCs, including the iconic Jordan and other superstars like Barkley, Olajuwon, Karl Malone, Mullin. The rooks made up for a 5-year gap in Bask sets made. (Note: the 84/85 Star cards normally aren't accepted as legit Rooks).

2) 1969 Topps Bask. 18 HOF RCs. Iconic set which includes the Alcindor rook, made up for 8 years w/ no set. Love this set. 99 cards, more than half (55, I think) are rooks.

Two sets that include a very high # of HOF RCs. But it's partially b/c they doubled up on Rooks AND draft picks in the upcoming class:
3) 1989 Pro Set FB. 14 HOF RCs. Rook cards of the likes of Cris Carter and Thurman Thomas. But in Series 2, they double up on Draft Picks w/ the awesome list of BSanders, Aikman, DSanders, DThomas, Atwater. Score was a little nicer, but Pro Set had two extra HOF Rooks: Randall McDaniel and Jimmy Johnson Coaching card.

4) 1990 Upper Deck hockey. 11 HOF RCs (including Jagr). Noting UD, but Score has a lot of the same names. Score had an exclusive contract w/ Eric Lindros, and they were the only set which nailed the Brodeur draft pick rookie. Note: Jagr is not yet in HOF b/c he has played forever. Upper Deck has a few rooks that Score didn't catch: Belfour and in the Hi-series...Fedorov, Pavel Bure, and Scott Niedermeyer (on Team Canada). Also includes 3 Russians (Makarov, Fetisov, Larionov) who weren't rookie-age but came over from Europe that year.

So, the above categories note gaps in the previous years and also hit the mark on draft picks etc. My choice for set w/ most pure HOF RCs. So, player who played thru rook season and then had rook card issued:
5) 1984 topps Football. 11 HOF RCs. Iconic w/ the two big names, Marino and Elway. I actually think this set might STILL be under-rated. Even without the two big names, it's a great set. Other HOF RCs: Eric Dickerson, Howie Long, Jackie Slater, Morten Andersen, Andre Tippett, Jimbo Covert, Dwight Stevenson etc.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

I ripped a 2018-9 donruss soccer fat pack box the other day and bought another one. This product is so stacked with good rookies. I might rip the one I just bought as well when it arrives tomorrow.