where to from here??

I think for me the last month has cemented my view that the hobby is going to fizzle away. I was perfectly ok with the inflated prices last year. Covid impacting supply and the Zion hype impacting prices although frustrating, made sense. But panini re-releasing 2019 Hoops on "premium" stock just to cash in on the inflated prices and hype has devalued those cards we've been collecting all year. And then seeing the prices of 2020 draft picks is just ridiculous. Draft picks hobby boxes going for over $500 yet the draft class isn't anything like last year and the players arent even wearing jerseys on the cards.
 
the hobby has been flooded with these "new investors" looking to make a quick buck. I will also be steering well clear until this blows over. A million dollars for MJs (not even true rookie card lol)
 
the hobby has been flooded with these "new investors" looking to make a quick buck. I will also be steering well clear until this blows over. A million dollars for MJs (not even true rookie card lol)

It's amazing. The amount of online card shops/breakers popping up is amazing too.

Not much bricks and mortar though, which i wouldn't mind
 
I used to share your view but I'm now convinced that this will only keep going up for the foreseeable future although maybe not at the current breakneck pace. People for whom money is no object have jumped in and they could conceivably make up 90% of the 'hobby' before too long. Cardboard may end up being the fine art of the 21st century. In my opinion only WWIII crashes the market or if all the investors leave en masse. I can't see it ever correcting in any significant way in any other scenario. Personally, I'm not real keen on the big time investors and the flow on effect their entry into the hobby has had on people who used to enjoy busting wax like myself but I'm very happy for all those 'average Joes' who have been in it for a long time and who are now possibly sitting on a small fortune. That is a nice thought. I wish I had purchased an MJ 86 Fleer PSA7 for $1200 just under 3 years ago( I strongly considered it as I was sometimes spending that amount on single orders of wax. It sucks that I have been priced out of most wax but there's not much I can do about it. I mostly do hockey on epack these days. Hopefully the investors stay away from that sport.

P.S. Prizm Draft Picks is absolute meh for the price. What has happened to NBA wax prices is just mind blowing. And given that Australia is mostly an NBA centric hobby you have to wonder what the outlook is if prices continue to climb.
 
Perhaps if all the big money goes into HOF/iconic cards prices for modern cards might drop off. It's probably just wishful thinking because investors are also buying up sealed wax to sit on. The current sitution must be of concern to Panini. They are making money hand over fist( and leaving plenty on the table) but what happens if a generation of youngsters gets locked out? I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they discuss their medium/long term plans - if they have any.
 
All very true.

I'm sitting on a bit of prizm, but it's way too expensive to stock up on. Most stuff is...and I am too weak to not open stuff I sit on. Prizm is the exception because of the price I paid

US flippers will be sitting on lots
 
Lol
Been a long time out of the hobby and I was blown away by box prices and what people are paying for cards these days
Hundreds of dollars for 90s base cards !!!