The Declining Health of the Sports Card Trading Industry

During the 70′s and 80′s and even the beginning of the 90′s sports card collectors were reaping the benefits of a booming industry. Card sales were on the rise as each month Beckett was reporting record increases in card values. Card companies such as Topps and Upper Deck could not print fast enough to keep up with the demand from the public. There was even a point in time when hockey cards were almost worth their weight in gold. Card conventions were regularly packed with rabid fans eager to spend money to either get the old collectible cards or the new flashy inserts. To card collectors this time can be referred to as “the good times.”

Time has not been so kind to the card industry and just like the Pittsburgh Pirates it has endured nearly twenty years of losing, losing money, losing collectors, losing heart. Today you can head over to eBay and find in two seconds what would take the collectors of yesterday years to find. Not only that but you will be able to find cards at bottom of the barrel prices. Rookie cards of legends that would net in the several hundreds are now likely to yield $10-$20 dollars for your average seller. Names like Gretzky, Griffey, and Bird we’re now merely relinquished to becoming the bottom of local bar coasters around the country.

So what happened to this once beloved and powerful industry? Why did it peak thereupon quickly and crash so swiftly? It’s tough to pinpoint exactly but to start, many look to the government sanctions hammered down on the card industry during the Clinton years. During the mid-90′s it was no secret that China had it in for the card industry. Our government was keen to improve relations between the Chinese leadership and ours. Efforts were made to create a world economy putting China and the U.S. at the forefront of matters. Although relations were improved also economies grew, it came at a price.

Only a few hard years later would it be learned that the reasons for the U.S. government’s increased foreboding on the card industry was a direct result from the government’s dealings with China. Chinese officials would “play ball” with the U.S. government but only if the U.S. collapsed the trading card industry. This is the type of thing you would think you might catch wind of in back alley conspiracy theorist meetings. Over the years it seems that such things would not be so far fetched to believe.

As a card collector myself I can recall my own own memories of “the good ole times,” remembering all the great cards I worked so hard to get and treasure. Until the industry can find a way to accomplish its goals around the government sanctions against it though, that’s all it will be, just memories.

This piece is by Burt McGillicutty. Burt is an avid card obsessor and is employed by a Basement Finishing St. Louis contractor when he is not admiring his card collection. Burt is also a Basement Finishing St. Louis as well.