It’s back!
Early 2000, the NBA card hobby sort of lost its footing here in Cebu. Maybe because of the recession, card shops and other related stores having these items one after the other withdrew their stocks from the shelves. Some eventually closed as interest from the target market waned.
By target market, I mean guys in their teens and early twenties, kids whose pockets have more disposable change than supermarket cashiers. A new fad made its presence felt that also did not spare my son and our wallets. If memory serves me right, the early 2000s was the advent of those techno-dinosaur Zoids and other related species.
Frankly, I’m happy that the card hobby has resurrected and had finally eyeballed several of the local hobbyist. Most were new faces, as far as I’m concerned, but they have in their possession high-end cardboards to drool for. For the moment, that’s what I’m gonna do, drool, as I am not yet willing to let go of an amount for a single card that can buy me a full-tank’s worth of gas for our 14-year-old vehicle or an entry level smart phone.
Every Saturday from 2pm onwards, the group meets at the Dunkin’ Donut shop at the second level of the Ayala Center and do their business there – buying, selling, trading. For all intents and purposes, beginners are welcome and yes, the group shares info and advices. The only thing they don’t share is profit.
A few card lingos still needs to be explained and understood so here’s some more:
Sequentially numbered – these cards are numbered in editions of 100 to 1,000, as in 1 of 100 or 240 of 500 and so on. Cards could also be numbered according to a player’s jersey number, like 1 of 23 for a Michael Jordan or 1 of 6 for a LeBron James. Cards sequentially numbered to a player’s uniform number almost always are higher ends, are rare and so freaking expensive.
Parallel Cards – it has the same photo of an athlete’s base card but features a slightly different design and printed in limited quantities. They’re usually identified as Gold, Platinum, Refractors, die-cuts, bordered, borderless and some are color-schemed.
Redemptions – these are cards randomly inserted in packs which can be sent back to the manufacturer for a prize or a memorabilia card.
Short Printed Cards – these are base cards printed in smaller quantities than other cards within the same card set. Short prints usually are of rookies, superstars and retired legends of the game.
As time passes, and depending on an athlete’s playing career, a card will either go up or down in value. To keep them in good condition, always place cards in plastic sleeves and store them in plastic top-loaders or card-specific albums. High value cards must be stored in snap-tight or screw-down acrylic holders. This will ensure your card’s condition and value. Since my late mother had a cabinet full of them, I store my loose cards in a Tupperware. Effectively keeps dust and moisture away.
If you have enough to splurge, buy in bulk or by the box. This will speed up your collection and likewise increases your chance of hitting high value cards. Individual players can be sourced thru hobby groups or online, but do check condition and authenticity. Like everything else (fake Nikes, fake Lacoste, fake husbands, fake wives), the hobby also have pirated versions and there are people who take advantage of newbies. Beware.
The rarer, the better, the more expensive. Check values periodically. It would also be better to have a list or data base to keep track of your collection. I had started this process and it’s a tedious job. It really takes time as I’m not exactly a techie and I’m doing it the old fashioned way – writing in a journal. Magsakit ang mata sa tiguwang.
Collectors mostly don’t limit themselves to one interest. Some in the Cebu group, aside from cards, are also into toys – action figures, die-cast cars, Coca-cola memorabilias and sneakers. If you do find interest in the hobby, check out this group. You know when and where. Enjoy.
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When members of our armed forces and the police gets maimed or killed in the line of duty, we don’t hear a squeak. When children are exploited, abused and in some cases murdered, we only hear whispers. China grabs our territorial rights, we’re simply indifferent. Here comes a womanizing comedian who had his face rearranged, the nation shouts. If this happened to an unknown, will the majority on this republic be as noisy as this? No, the silence would be deafening. Makabungol ang kahilum.
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