• Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
  • Hot on Ebay
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Hottest Topps Living Set Auctions on eBay
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Nolan Ryan Cards
      • T206 Cards
      • 1952 Topps Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Stephen Curry Cards
    • Most Watched Football Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Soccer Cards
      • Panini World Cup Stickers
    • Rookie Cards
    • PSA 10 Cards
    • Sports Autographs
    • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
  • Search 268X60

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

Top Mobile

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
    • What’s Hot in the Shop
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Editor's Blog / Editor’s Blog: Strasburg Fallout

Top Banner 486X60

Baseball Card Exchange

Editor’s Blog: Strasburg Fallout

August 30, 2010 By Rich Mueller

“Tommy John surgery” and “You’re the Winning Bidder” were two phrases many eBay users were not hoping to see uttered within hours of each other last week.   Stephen Strasburg, the player who had been driving sales of 2010 baseball card products all season, will not return to the pitcher’s mound for at least a year.  The announcement left those who had been buying and/or investing in his rookie cards with a sick feeling.

And people had been buying them.  Oh, had they.

2010 Topps Finest Redemption Stephen StrasburgAccording to Beckett, over $1 million has been spent on Strasburg baseball cards this year, with the average selling price at over $66 per card.  Those numbers may have been skewed a bit by the much talked about Bowman Chrome Superfractor card, which sold for $21,403 a few weeks ago–not long after its first sale at over $16,000.  Still, it was clear that America’s collectors were believers.

Vintage card collectors scoffed.  “I told you so” was the other phrase Strasburg buyers probably got sick of hearing by Friday night. Buying Ruth and Mantle and Aaron and Koufax is always a safer bet.  It’s not for everyone, though…not even with the inherent risks.

There are some comeback stories, of course,  but it’s hard not to conjure up the list of pitchers who saw early promise derailed by injury.  David Clyde.  Mark Fidrych.  Brien Taylor.  Kerry Wood.  Mark Prior (having not one, but two dream prospects come crashing to earth within a couple of years of each other lends legitimacy to the Cub fan’s claims of curses).

Speculators bought Taylor, Prior and Wood back in the day.  All three were once in the ‘can’t miss’ category.  The amount spent paled in comparison to what was put down on  Strasburg.

So is it over?  Wasted money?

Maybe.

2010 Topps Million Strasburg rookie card The bad experience has probably soured some people who got bit by the baseball card bug because of Strasburg.  They probably won’t be buying again.

For others, though, it’s just a bump in the road.  By the end of the weekend, it became pretty clear that not everyone was staying away.

Two autographed Strasburg cards from Topps’ Million Card Giveaway sold over the weekend–one for $360 and the other for $339.  Both bidders appeared to have made their winning bid long after word about Strasburg’s ligament tear became national headlines.   Over 300 Strasburg rookies were still available–and receiving bids Sunday night.

Interest in his Topps Heritage card from the National Sports Collectors Convention giveaway had weakened.  Once trading for $55-75, some sellers were struggling to get bids at $45.  One sold over the weekend for $42…probably more than the seller could have expected after the bombshell.

The sports card industry got a big public relations boost from Strasburg’s early success.  Even the stories that made fun of the big money being spent meant people were writing about the hobby instead of ignoring it.  Topps products sold well with the promise of more on the way before the year was out.  Now, the buzz may not be as great and that won’t help a segment of the industry still trying to wade through challenging economic times.

While “investing” in modern era rookie cards is rarely wise advice, those who can’t resist sticking a few bucks into a prospect could sell what they have now.  Others will wait until next year and try to find a bargain, when Strasburg has completely faded from the spotlight, hoping he picks up where he left off.  The buy-and-hold strategy would probably be best for those sitting on a lot of Strasburg cards.  If the magic is recaptured in 2012, Strasburg cards could be even hotter than they were in late June.

It’s a big ‘if’.

But whether you’re a card collector or not, it’s something to root for.


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg

Related Stories:

Editor’s Blog: News and Notes

Bottom Mobile

Bottom Banner 336X280

About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]

Filed Under: Editor's Blog Tagged With: bit, Bowman Chrome, brien taylor, ebay users, Editor, rookie, tommy john surgery, Topps

Trackbacks

  1. Are Miguel Cabrera Baseball Cards Getting the Shaft? | Sports Collectors Daily | Sports collecting news says:
    June 7, 2013 at 4:20 am

    […] Bowman’s hype seemed to reach its zenith in June 2010 with the news that Stephen Strasburg’s 1/1 Superfractor sold for more than $21,000. […]

Left #1 200X50

What\\\

Left #2 200X150

Left #3 200X150

Right #1 160X240

Memory Lane

Right #2 160X240

Left #4 160X600

Right #3 160X600

  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

Right #4 – 160X240

Bargain Corner

  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $100
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards Currently Under $5
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards Currently Under $5
  • Pre-1980 Graded Basketball Cards $5 and Less
  • Pre-1980 Graded Hockey Cards $5 and Less
  • Complete Sets Under $10 with Free Shipping
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30
  • Rookie Cards Under $1

RSS Auction Report

  • Iconic Auctions February 23, 2019 Autographs & Memorabilia Auction In Progress
  • Bid Now On The Current Weekly Sunday Auction by EvansArchive on eBay
  • Landmark Mystery Fiction Collection of Otto Penzler Offered by Heritage Auctions in March 6 Rare Books Auction
  • Clemente’s 1972 All-Star Ring, His Final Baseball Award, To Be Sold in Mile High Card Company March Auction


Categories

  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Library of College Football
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Old Hockey Card Sets
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Shopping
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia
    • Around the Hobby
    • Sports Memorabilia News
  • What's Hot in the Shop

Sponsor Links

  • Buying Vintage Sports Cards
  • Game Used Jerseys
  • Every Athlete Autograph Event
  • 1952 Topps Baseball
  • Championship Rings For Sale
  • Vintage Basketball Cards
  • NBA Signed Items
  • Signed Sports Memorabilia
  • UFC Memorabilia
  • Autographed Baseballs
  • NASCAR Autographs
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cards
  • Player Pictures
  • Vintage Football Cards
  • Sports Card Boxes
  • Sports Collectors Store

Left #5 200X50

Sports Card Forum

Pages

  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 20 Hottest Barry Sanders Football Cards
  • 2016 Cubs Replica Championship Rings Don’t Cost a Fortune
  • 2017 Topps Definitive Collection Box Breaks, Most Watched
  • 50 Hottest Kareem Hunt Rookie Cards
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • About Us/Contact/Advertise
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Affordable Vintage Sports Cards and Collectibles
  • Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Best Derek Jeter Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Best Display Cabinets for Sports Memorabilia
  • Best Joey Votto Rookie Cards
  • Current Most Watched Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Eagles Super Bowl Champions Memorabilia Guide
  • Fanatics Under Wraps 2017 Next Level Edition Autographed Baseballs
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Great Gifts for Cubs Fans
  • Guide to 2018-19 Clemson Tigers National Championship Memorabilia
  • Guide to Houston Astros Championship Memorabilia
  • Guide to Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Memorabilia
  • Hank Aaron Cards on eBay
  • Henrik Lundqvist Rookie Cards a Strong Long-Term Play
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Hottest Lonzo Ball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Panini World Cup Stickers on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Hottest Topps Living Set Auctions on eBay
  • Hottest Topps NOW Cards on eBay
  • Hottest UFC Relic Cards
  • Hottest Xander Bogaerts Rookie Cards
  • LeBron James Lakers Jerseys Already Available
  • Links
  • Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
    • Hottest Michael Jordan Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Patriots Super Bowl 51 Champions Merchandise
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Test
  • The 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Kris Bryant Auto Saga: A Timeline
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top Selling Patriots Super Bowl Championship Items
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
  • What’s Hot on eBay
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Write About Your Sports Collection

Copyright © 2019 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Genesis Web Design by Wickam Group