05/18/2021
Investing is such a interesting and controversial topic, and it’s very likely that no two people would create the same portfolio. There is Real Estate, Market based investments like stocks, Crypto, which i spoke of earlier, and collectibles.
Here today i want to speak on collectibles, specifically trading cards, and tell you where i think the money is, and also where i personally would put or have put my capital.
Sports Cards: These are lower tier hot, but that still underestimates their interest, and volatility. Their value is based upon card rareity, contains memorabilia, and quality of athlete. A Lebron James auto RC has auctioned for millions, while a Greg Oden auto RC may fetch $20-30 for someone who covets it.
Pokémon: These are at the top of the mountain, and the most at risk for speculation. People are buying boxes, and sending the whole thing in for grading, which permanently keeps its condition, but creates a lack of natural atrophy that occurs when boxes or packs are opened. Unless a card is known to be of a low print run, you can expect hundreds of thousand of copies to exist which means it could could take a decade or more to see substantial gains.
Magic: the Gathering: Established in 1993, and continuing strong today with multiple set releases per year. Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited Cards are where high rollers play, where one card can easily fetch $5-10,000, and sealed product clearing $70k. Mid-to-late 90’s sets like Homelands, Ice Age, and Fifth Edition have little to no value on individual cards, but sealed Booster packs and boxes have skyrocketed in relation to card value, fetching $500-$1000/ea, easily. Arabian Nights and Revised continue to be the most undervalued sets, and are inline to see growth in the next 5-10 years. Newer Sets like Core 2021, and Ikoria were secretly short printed and look like solid 3-5 year investments when a box bought for around $110-120/ea can be expected to climb near $300/ea in that window, providing almost a 200% gain in just a few years, blowing any stock away.
..And finally the new man on the Block. First released in 2019 “Flesh & Blood”, has released four core sets to date, the latest “Monarch” i’ll get to. Alpha sets in original Rathe are fetching $7-8000 per box, Arcane is commanding $4-5000 per box, and Crucible $1-2000 per box. Newly released Monarch has been an insanely hot product with average box prices 4-5x MSRP. This set has already produced a handful of cards selling north of $500/ea. Monarch will be the litmus test for the future of FAB. If the set is strong in power, and reasonable in quantity, they’ll be here for the long haul, and every set will see a jump in value because of it.
My Final thoughts: I am not a player of any of these games, nor own any sports cards of significance. I have started building a position in MTG Duel Decks, Revised Dual Lands, and Ikoria Boxes. the later two i will continue to buy into. To date i have purchased 4 Boxes of Flesh and Blood “Monarch”, at a price point of $420/box, and will look to add 1-5 more based on price and availability. Opportunity like this does NOT happen often, folks. This box is going to be a $3-5000 box in 24 months. DO NOT pass this up if you can build a position, you’ll regret my update when it happens. Very seldom can you increase your money 7-10x. See you soon.