Author: Austin Cassidy
As Mario noted, my day job is with a small community newspaper. I recently rediscovered card collecting. It’s a pretty familiar story, the 28 (about-to-be 29) year old guy finds a few boxes and stray packs of (mostly worthless) cards in an attic or garage. They’re the ruins of a lost city, probably only 20% of an epic past collection that’s been long forgotten. Except, it wasn’t much of a lost city. More of a legend in someone’s mind.
Back when I was first collecting, my favorite teams were the Oakland A’s and the Atlanta Braves. Among my circle of friends, Jose Canseco and Ken Griffey, Jr. were probably the coolest dudes in the entire world.
So anyway, I dust off my treasures assuming that I’ve probably got some gold nuggets by now. I bust open some packs, and ultimately figure out two key things…
The first sensation was total disappointment. My couple of thousand card collection of Topps and Score baseball cards sucked – even back in 1991. And the handful of Bowman cards I still have are so bent up from being stored in the wrong size plastic sleeves that I might as well just throw them in the garbage. Apparently, it seems that I was collecting during a period when card companies were producing massive amounts of mediocre cards that hold almost zero value today. Yeah… awesome.
The second emotion was something entirely different. I missed collecting. I missed the smell of these little cards and the Christmas morning mini-thrill as I cracked open a pack. Hell, I even kinda miss the gum. (BTW, if anyone wants to destroy their teeth on some 20 year old gum… just let me know. I’m stocked!)
So that’s where my journey resumed. Except this time is different. I have access to the Internet and a credit card of my very own.
First, off to Beckett’s website. Then Google, which is how I wound up finding WaxHeaven. Then I bought a couple packs of basketball and football cards at Wal-Mart, just dipping my toe back in. Finally, after a few days, it was Google Maps to locate the nearest hobby shop — and luckily we still have three in my city. The owner of one told me that there used to be more than 10 shops here, but that the hobby is really moving online. He then gave me a card with his website on it.
Thus far I’ve just been purchasing bits and pieces, trying to learn as much as I can about the various brands, manufacturers and sports. And boy, have the cards changed! Comparing my 1992 Topps baseball cards to a recently purchased pack of 2007 Upper Deck basketball just blew me away. Even the CHEAP cards are beautiful these days.
The highest value card that I’ve pulled so far is a 2009 HIT Football Gold Autograph of Hakeem Nicks, numbered to 250. Beckett says it’s worth between $12-$30. If he keeps playing like he has in recent weeks, I wonder if that might even go a bit higher.
But anyway, that’s probably enough about me for right now.
I’m really excited to be undertaking this new adventure. Mario, through his more than 2,000 posts over the span of nearly 3 years, has built WaxHeaven into a trusted name in the card world. I’ll be thrilled if I become even half the blogger he was by the time I hit my 2,000th post (probably sometime in 2013). It should go without saying, of course, that Mario is welcome to come back and write guest posts at any time if the mood should strike him.
On with the show…
Welcome back to collecting. I have been reading this blogg for a couple years and never really posted a response before. So here’s to new begininngs. One thing i learned when i made my return about four years ago to collecting is throw that beckett away. That is so far off from todays true value of cards its pathetic. Its funny how products from just like 5 years ago arent even listed anymore. I know in the 90′s beckett was the bible to card collectors and look where all those values are today. Its funny when i rediscovered my childhood collection i had a whole stack of becketts from the 90s. When u compair what cards were valued at back then to what they are now. Big diffrence. Like i said before alot of the cards are not even listed anywhere in beckett now. If anything i use ebay to try get a ballpark figure as to what a cards value is. As for storing those old relics i call my childhood collection i have learned to sleeve my cards and place them in 800 count boxes. As a kid i would store them in binders.
1 post on the “new” wax heaven, nice article… Keep’m coming! Looking forward to reviews of new card company products and some contest!!! Are you South FL based like Mario?
Welcome to the game Austin. Following in Mario’s formidable footsteps is no easy task. This is a fantastic community with many loyal members who will open their arms to greet you. I look forward to reading your words and experiencing your take on the hobby. Best wishes!
Welcome back to collecting. You have some big shoes to fill but most important, have fun. Lets clear up one thing though. Cards are worth what someone is willing to pay at the time you are trying to sell. Dump the Beckett, head to eBay, go to advanced search, enter your card, look at recent sales, and take an average. THAT is what your card is worth, regardless of what Beckett says it’s worth.
Great to see that you got back into collecting – and you will be sharing it here Austin. Good luck with both, look forward to following your successes.
What VOTC said.
I get that you are new here, and I will be the first to welcome you back to the hobby. The problem has become that there are a ton of people just like you who have similar experiences, and that is the fact that the hobby has changed so much since you were gone. Your journey will be valuable to those people, and I think that is going to be tremendous to see it happen on an existing high profile site.
On the other hand, because of the blogger community and the shoes you are filling I would save yourself hours of reading comment after comment about Beckett, and actually just check out some of the stuff that has been written about it. We are all looking forward to Wax Heaven becoming a blog again, yet, I feel you have crawl a little bit before you can walk.
Good luck dude, let me know if you need any help.
Ditto on all the Beckett remarks. They are way out of touch when it come to their price guide. Mario proved they are useless when it comes to their articles too! Ebay and Wax Heaven is what I used instead of Beckett. I always felt a little better informed than the Beckett’s readers were. Good Luck!
Don’t listen to Gellman. The only things he knows about are biased, paid-for blog posts and spammy ebay links. Self-important hayseed.
Welcome To The Hood..
Im sure you will do fine brother..
P.S As far as Beckett goes DO what you like, and not what others think you should do.. Thats what makes this hobby so great..
Stop by and get acquainted sometime..
The Mojo Beard..
I agree with my man Mojo. Make your own mind up concerning Beckett and whatever. Don’t let those that love to hate everything bring you down their path.
I, too am just back in the hobby since collecting as a kid. There’s so much that’s new to me it can be overwhelming at times, but it’s been a lot of fun. Looking forward to learning with you.
Don’t abandon Beckett entirely. If you don’t know something about a card’s perceived value, that’s a start. Ebay gives you a small window of time so you can’t always get a good idea based on the prices there, either because there’s not enough info or it may have been a good or bad time to be selling a particular sport and/or player. Collect what you enjoy regardless of value because then your collection will be a hobby and not something you think of in monetary values.