The Future of AFL Card Collecting

[banana]

After yesterday's Legacy news and a big 2024 from Select, I went to bed last night thinking about what the future looks like, specifically regarding many of our PCs.

Over the past 12 months I've seen some cards that sit proudly in my PC be slashed in value. Dustin Martin Showstopper for one comes to mind, a card numbered to 40 that would have commanded up to $1000 a year or so ago, sat on eBay for months at $599 and ended up selling for what I assume was much less. A similar card, Dustin Martin Gold Brilliance /35 - when released would have been one of the most sought after cards, commanding up to $2000 upon release - now with this years' Brilliance release it feels like it has at least halved in value.

Where do we see our PCs going in value? Obviously collecting isn't an investment exercise for any of us on here, but regardless it would be sad to see cards we have spent good $ on be diluted by consistent big releases.

 

[P-Dawg]

For the size of our market, is it becoming over saturated and compounded by inflationary pressures

 

[Lazlow]

After coming back just before Legacy last year I've been mostly just quietly observing, and to me the outlook is grim.

Accessibility is a big problem. Majority of people now rely on buying directly through Select, who have a two tier system. Anyone new joining the hobby or coming back from a layoff immediately run into the first hurdle that is SCC, a club that is only open for a window at the start of the year, and from what I gather, an almost job application like process.

Then you turn to card stores, which is basically a fools errand. Most stores that get stock (those listed by Select) either don't list it on their site, possibly offering up on Facebook, or simply sit on it for themselves to break. Then you'll see them offer up leftovers packaged with Footy stars.

So basically you have to set aside time to be at your computer for the public sale.

Then of course there's all the anecdotal stories of people having their orders cancelled with no rhyme or reason, while multitudes of listings go up on ebay by flippers before the product is launched.

Then there's the release cycle I've observed; the anticipation for info, the excitement at all these big hits and valuable cards, and then the inevitable disappointment because they got junk for $1000.

It doesn't seem like a whole lost of fun to me. I might be less bitter if there was a series 2 of old, something more accessible to the public, a base set, some sophisticated inserts, and a DPS, to offset the more juvenile Footy Stars.

But as it stands it all just looks like a joyless money pit.

 

[cmpava]

If value is the consideration then I think going forward collectors need to be more selective. Focusing on DPS/ rookie cards, Captain Sigs, HOF Sigs. Significant cards that will hold up in value long term. Too many run-of-the-mill short print cards ie Influential, Show stopper, Marquee etc that to me are just inserts with no significance that 10-15 years down the track won’t be sought after.

 

[BLOWN8]

There are only so many players on an AFL teams list, and only so many past players worthy of being on a trading card. This wasn’t an issue 10 years ago with 2 releases a year, maybe a third with Future Force, the spread was good. But with 5ish releases a year and stacked inserts per releases, I honestly think we’ve reached a point where players that I got excited about having a high end card previously I’m now just like “oh look, another Hodgey” lol. The market is absolutely saturated and I personally don’t like it like that. We barely get time to chase cards and relax and another release gets announced. Select don’t care because every release sells out.

 

[Bookman]

I agree and disagree. I think that as a collector, you collect because you want it and the over saturated market makes it easier to collect.

For price and value, I think it is not a card from last year or 10 years ago that is of value. I reckon it’s the 30 year old card that is where a collector sees their return on investment but you have to have bought it in the first few years. Why 30 years you ask, simple, most people cannot afford the thousand dollar price tags until they retire and that is when you tend to spend a bit more on those things you want from when you were a kid. Even an over saturated market today will not have many cards in great condition left in 30 years and even more so when there was limited numbers of that specific card on release.

 

[vansan]

Interesting reading guys I myself in the past 2 years probably this year more so have questioned where this collecting is heading
I have collected for over 40 years mainly NFL and AFL and feel there is to much and to quick
I totally understand select are selling out so why stop producing after all it’s a business without any competition really
Don’t get me wrong some of there releases are so much a better quality card than in the early days and look great
As far as the value in them that’s where I feel they have saturated the market just like supremacy which are beautiful cards
I would say within 3 -4 weeks of release prices not on all but a lot have dropped as collectors and non collectors need to recoupe funds for there own pc or a new release which is disappointing
So if u r selling you have a short period to cash in then on the flip side if you are buying I guess it’s a good time to wait a few weeks and get them at the lesser price
I miss the fun of collecting a rookie and hoping he becomes a star like I have done for many years in NFL but seems harder in AFL as it’s all hype
I feel sorry for guys paying mass amounts for daicos because this his peak a Brownlow won’t make his cards anymore valuable as they r already at a max
Just my 2 cents I will always collect and enjoy trading which is the best part