Sports Cards Collectors

[revi]

bossing kelan kaya yung iba dyan i popost sa ebay or sa JAE/Greenhills..??

 

By Thursday, some of the items here would be available in Greenhills.. Siguro, by Friday or Saturday, JAE (in Megamall) would also have new items already.. Sa e-bay, just check attyball23's "items for sale" from time to time.. Most probably Thursday meron ng postings..

[clydedrexler]

True opening cases is really a business consideration...

Anyway, it's good that we really have you guys busting those cases so that the Philippine market can still be flooded with NBA cards! Otherwise, not much is circulating around. Of course the downside is the competition just became tougher. Globalization! haaay! hehehe

[Vertu]

I will we are flooding the market but unfortunately, its a bearish market for cards this year. I have already cut down on orders for this season. The rookie crop is weak. Even in the US, Upper Deck is getting a lot of flak for bad products and too many redemptions.

 

I just hope na even with globalization, the 2 remaining companies should put their act together to salvage the hobby and not destroyit by putting up bad products or too expensive ones.

[cross215]

Chris Paul Exquisite Rookie Cards of sir vertu are stunning!!! Geeeezzz... all 4 cards in the hands of one lucky man. Hats off to you sir.

[clydedrexler]

Ya true. Those two: weak rookie crop and weak market are sure fire ingredients for sales flop. About the poor products and redemptions, they better improve on those as well....

Hopefully, things can pick up come playoff time. The hobby needs a boost. And next year's rookie talents look promising indeed. let's all hang in there.

maybe with the lull we can have some NBA card craze or promotion here at our own backyard. You can try create a stir. jsut a thought. hehehe Free NBA cards? sponsor an event at one of your stores and have all the collectors gather. Showcase your collection. etc...

[styx310]

Ya true. Those two: weak rookie crop and weak market are sure fire ingredients for sales flop. About the poor products and redemptions, they better improve on those as well....

Hopefully, things can pick up come playoff time. The hobby needs a boost. And next year's rookie talents look promising indeed. let's all hang in there.

maybe with the lull we can have some NBA card craze or promotion here at our own backyard. You can try create a stir. jsut a thought. hehehe Free NBA cards? sponsor an event at one of your stores and have all the collectors gather. Showcase your collection. etc...

 

 

Or better yet, why not make a "Live Auction Event" wherein card collectors like ourselves can gather together and bid on cards that you are selling. I think that would be fun and exciting!

[Vertu]

I have already done live auctions in the past and i used to open cards in the stores with hoardes of people watching but the down side to this is that due to the pandemonium in the store, we cannot properly price the cards. The smackers are in the forefront, so rather that the collectors get the prize cards, they are left dealing with the very persons that they dread.

 

That is why i have decided to open somewhere else rather than infront of buyers and collectors alike. Yun ang mahirap dito sa atin eh, my gripe is that i want to keep the hobby afloat here but with people still trying to put one over me in terms of pricing, nakakafrustrate at times.

 

Maybe next time when the market is a bit more mature. Mas marami kasing "businessmen" rather that real collectors.

[clydedrexler]

Yes, its true. you nailed it right there in the in the bud my friend. The hobby has to mature. But just a thought I guess partly it can be a chicken and egg thing. I mean maybe the reason why collectors/hobbyist are not going to those places (hobby shops) anymore because they couldn't find the cards they're looking for or they're just simply don't have time to deal with smackers or just plain discouraged.

I mean eversince the NBA lockout years ago and the slow but sure decline of NBA card colletion here in our country, there are still serious collectors out there or collectors who are "on leave."

Precisely, the proliferation of smackers becasue they become runners for these collectors who have one or more of those reasons mentioned.

Nevertheless, we should not stop and be discourage from our goal...that is to keep the hobby alive. I guess we'll have just to keep on doing what is right and hope we can have the desired effect in the long run rather than just wait and do nothing...

[Vertu]

I agree that one goes with the other. Yes i miss the days when i would go to the store in greenhills and see it filled with people. I miss talking will most collectors, exchanging ideas and wasting the afternoon away.

 

Now it has purely become a business. I know it have turned my hobby into a retail business but like most, i am still a collector by heart.

 

Hopefully next year will bring in the renaissance of the card collecting... Para everyone happy

[bonito99]

hit back!

 

93 topps finest RC Chris Webber!

[clydedrexler]

Ya, missed those days too. Everything was so simple and so much fun then. Crowds just gather and trade. Had a field day just being with like-minded hobbyist. Well, times change but we can always do some things to bring back the old days.

Of course, honestly there's really nothing wrong with doing honest to goodness business. It's part of life. Sometimes one has do a little bit of buying and selling so you can support your expenses. Besides, some of the cards that you might be willing to trade others have nothing to offer but to buy and that's for their collection. So nothing to explain really. Important is we jsut do what we do for the love of the hobby and with integrity and honesty.

[psa10]

Makikisingit lang po. I don't think we'll see a resurgence in the card collection hobby anytime soon. The issue here is the price of the packs. High price equals to no buyers. No buyers equals no cards. If you have no cards, you won't even have any RCs or inserts. As of now, 90% if not all of the inserts, RCs, and what-have-you's all come from one source. I can't fathom the the day when he/they stop opening packs. It will sure be the death of card collecting here in Manila. Imagine, the only place where you can get the cards you want is either to trade or purchase it from overseas. I miss the days when Topps Finest packs go for 100pesos only and Fleer is 40pesos. (Yes,yes, I'm that old). Well, I guess we can owe it all to inflation and depreciation. Whatever factors there may be, it sure is not the lack of interest from hobbyists. Right now I only contend myself from picking up the thrash (thrash cards) of these Bosses. At least, walang makikiagaw. If someone is interested in RCs from this year's batch, I got a whole load of 'em..and I'm happy with what I have.

[launchpad]

for me, the philippine card collector died due to the people who made this hobby so much of a business.

 

dati we use to buy box and boxes til we discover some stores here in manila does repacking of the cards. mapapansin mo na ung packs minsan parang extended ung size if hindi man ung packaging hindi na maayos. minsan pa try to press the pack lightly so as to expand lang ung gitna makikita mo na hindi sya sealed totally.

 

the frustrating of all is the box said in one box there is one type of card, 4 of this type pf card and 8 of this type. or even some 1 box has a jordan in it. pero pagbili mo wala naman if not kulang.

 

dyan namatay ang basketball cards sa pinas. kaya huli hindi na kme bumibili.

[revi]

for me, the philippine card collector died due to the people who made this hobby so much of a business.

 

dati we use to buy box and boxes til we discover some stores here in manila does repacking of the cards. mapapansin mo na ung packs minsan parang extended ung size if hindi man ung packaging hindi na maayos. minsan pa try to press the pack lightly so as to expand lang ung gitna makikita mo na hindi sya sealed totally.

 

the frustrating of all is the box said in one box there is one type of card, 4 of this type pf card and 8 of this type. or even some 1 box has a jordan in it. pero pagbili mo wala naman if not kulang.

 

dyan namatay ang basketball cards sa pinas. kaya huli hindi na kme bumibili.

 

Sad, but true!!! Ewan ko kung bakit nangyari ito.. The high pack/box-prices has already taken its toll on the hobby, and we have these so-called businessmen who ruined it more.. I have had my own experiences like these and you can just imagine how I felt at that time.. Getting smacked is one thing, but getting robbed is just terrible.. :cry:

 

But let us not be discouraged.. Medyo isolated cases na ang mga ganitong pangyayari nowadays.. If not wala na..

 

I am glad to say that the Hobby is still alive.. Many people have said that the hobby would die in the PI because of high pack prices, but I am telling you, collectors are still there in the cardboard industry.. And their collecting fire would always be there.. This is enough to make the this hobby alive.. The smackers/runners would not be there if there ain't no collectors to give their acquisitions to di ba? Umunti man ang mga totoong collectors dito sa atin, the hobby would still be alive dahil meron namang papalit sa kanila eh..

 

Vertu and I are posting pictures of the stuff we opened because we want to encourage newbies to collect and the old-timers to start collecting again.. Its not really a mission, but we want to bring back the FUN in cardboard collecting which is actually the essence of the cardboard industry..

Edited March 15, 2007 by revi

[kupalking]

malabo na siguro bumalik yung basketball card craze nung 1990's bihira nalang talaga mga true collectors sa ngayon, iilan na nga lang hobby na nagbebenta ng NBA cards kasi buti di naluluge

[pau_gasol]

Noong 2003 ang dami bumalik sa cards hehe.. grabe Lebron nun hehe sobrang tataas.. kung pwede lang ibalik ung time kahit bosh at melo lang sisimutin ko sa greenhills dati.. imagine wade auto rc year 1000php!! deym!! hehe Bosh rcs can be pick up for 100php for less.. Josh Howard RC autos less than 300.. grabe batch 03... Boris Diaw Exquisite AU RC for 1000php!!!!!!!!!!!! di ko binili kaso cnu ba siya nun at that time dba huhu

[clydedrexler]

psa10, launchpad those are important and valid observations. But I also agree with Revi that nowadays these are more of the exceptions. I guess part of the downside before when there were so many cards and it was very cheap there were many irregularities and cheating as well. The skyrocketing of the prices of cards have certainly deterred many would be duppies. Besides, colelctors are more informed and mature now. Ultimately, this whole hobby thing is of course a business proposition. I mean think of the millions of dollars Upper Deck and Topps earn... but as long as there are people who love colelcting memorabilias of players they like then as what you guys said supply and demand.

It's true that Vertu and his co-partners in the business are the greatest source of cards here in the PI but I know of colelctors that still open boxes onece in a while. In fact, soem collectors have surmised that maybe that since Vertu is opening all those boxes that has encouraged others not to open boxes anymore instead just wait for whatever cards vertu and company has to offer (no offense to vertu of course).

As with what paulgasol intimated...well that's the beauty of the hobby. the joy of seeing those players rise from the doldrums and ascending to NBA folklore. That's where colelcting and believing in a player of your choice becomes such a fulfilment. The financial returns are added bonus of course.

With regards to Kupalking's point...having one outlet that sells NBA cards sure makes it a monopoly. So maybe Vertu can consider selling boxes and packs too to encourage hobbyist to buy by bringing down the prices some more.

[Vertu]

Great observation guys. I agree gone are the days wherein packs were so cheap that even bakeries were selling them. Remember Upper Deck even came out with PBA cards. That was the hay day of card collecting here. Patch or jersey cards lang happy na ang tao.

 

The Yao and Lebron years brought back a sort of resurgence of card collecting, but that was also the time that Upper Deck saw it as a huge investment opportunity. As Clyde said, chicken or the egg, 03-04 saw the advent of better and expensive cards but it also destroyed the middle to lower market. Wala ng collectors choice, or topps (regular) or fleer ultra, I think these card companies should stop and think of what they really want the hobby to become. Di na fun ang collecting, it now has become investment driven.

 

Its hard to balance between being an investor and a collector. I still am 1st and foremost a collector. But due to the high costs of cards and to bring cards to the market, i have to think of a profit margin too.

 

I used to sell packs and boxes, but i have a gentleman's agreement with the owners of Courtside who are my good friends that i will not eat into their market. They have control of the box and packs market while i do the retail, this way we create a balance. I sometimes get my cases from them as well if my delivery from the US is delayed by customs or DHL.

 

Honestly, there are cheap cases in the US but these are not the high end 1s. Dalhin ko man dito yung cases, Filipino mentality na luma, walang maganda, di mapagkikitaan, di yan gagalaw. Look at courtside, they have so much packs from years before, its just gathering dust on the shelves.

 

This is now a new market phenomenon, not only in the Phils but even in the US. Look at the beckett boards, ang dami nagrereklamo na din at the prices of the packs, box and box breaks.

[martin_d_martian]

i have, kevin garnett & kobe some of them are inserts

[clydedrexler]

I see. Thanks for that enlightening comment on the gentleman's agreement between you and the courtside people. Hope they are not selling it at a very high margin. hehehe.

Anyway, the skyrocketing prices of packs are really a big hurdle...

[clydedrexler]

I see. Thanks for that enlightening comment on the gentleman's agreement between you and the courtside people. Hope they are not selling it at a very high margin. hehehe.

Anyway, the skyrocketing prices of packs are really a big hurdle...

 

Guys just want to share my latest acquisitions. Got it all from the US. Talk about globalization and the limited opportunities of getting Drexler cards for my collection here at our own backyard! Hope I can get some cards from you Vertu! hehehe

[clydedrexler]

Guys just want to share my latest acquisitions. Got it all from the US. Talk about globalization and the limited opportunities of getting Drexler cards for my collection here at our own backyard! Hope I can get some cards from you Vertu! hehehe

 

I always been wanting to have a numbered to 22 Significant Numbers or Endorsed Numbered card, well I got one (see picture from the previous post)! Its 20/22. Note the 98 Legacy as well. First legacy of 98. I got all three legacies of 97.

Below are press pass auto and press pass dual.

 

I always been wanting to have a numbered to 22 Significant Numbers or Endorsed Numbered card, well I got one (see picture from the previous post)! Its 20/22. Note the 98 Legacy as well. First legacy of 98. I got all three legacies of 97.

Below are press pass auto and press pass dual.

 

And...

Edited March 16, 2007 by clydedrexler

[psa10]

Vertu and I are posting pictures of the stuff we opened because we want to encourage newbies to collect and the old-timers to start collecting again.. Its not really a mission, but we want to bring back the FUN in cardboard collecting which is actually the essence of the cardboard industry..

 

 

That sure is one big task, nevertheless, I would support your cause very much. I guess one of my observations is that the venue for card traders nowadays are very limited. Its probably down to Robinsons Galeria and Vmall. I missed the days when each day of the week has its won gatherings in different places (Ever Gotesco,SM South,SM North Edsa....even Cash N Carry). You can take your pick. Nowadays, its Saturdays only. Too bad for me I have work on that day. Best I do is to text my buy orders to my friends who are there. If only someone would organize a forum for us card collectors (hobby and business-minded alike), I'm sure we can all learn to live and have fun together. Too bad we can't have any sub-forums here huh.

[psa10]

Just wanted to share what I got last week -- Topps Red Turkey headache.

 

Sir Vertu, nagbukas kayo 2 cases, right? Well, I wasn't able to form ONE set out of those 2 cases. Pinagtyagaan ko na yung Red parallels and I'm still short of 3 cards! It was no joke going thru the boxes at Vmall. Our necks were getting stiff already. Not unlike UD, the most it takes to have a set is 3 boxes. Either way, it was fun and I enjoyed the experience. Sayang, it would have been nice to brag that I may be the only one to have a set of Red Turkey in Manila, but that is not to be.

 

Any idea what and when the next release is?

[cross215]

Haay... i was one of those die hard nba card traders in laguna area, 80% of my cards are came from trades, pagsikat pa lang ng araw punta na agad kami ng mga tropa sa shop na for almost 2 years kami ang laman(yeah!), then suddenly biglang pamahal ng pamahal ang per packs... for a students like me back then it affects me catching up w/ this hobby, i stop collecting last 2003, coz 7/10 packs i bought had a very lame cards inside a 300-500peso pack... maybe im just unlucky? In short... i just cant afford this hobby anymore... coz i dont have the moola to spend for this hobby, now im keeping all my cards w/me for remembrance of the Good ol days...