80’s, 90’s, 2000’s – CMGSportsCardInvestments.com

Many of you know that in the late eighties my brother, Wade and I owned a sports card and memorabillia shop in Georgetown, Kentucky. To say we had a great time running the shop would be a major understatement. At the time we both had full-time jobs. We were both in the shop most evenings and on weekends we were setting up at card shows throughout Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. During the 1990 season we were doing a lot of shows in Ohio, and at night we were attending every Cincinnati Reds game we could. We took profits from the shows, bought the best "blue seat" tickets we could find from a ticket scalper and were as close to the action on the field as possible. As our good furtune would have it, the Reds made the World Seires that year and my brother and I were there for every playoff and World Series game that was played in Cincinnati. The Reds swept the highly favorite Oakland A's in the World Series that year, and 1990 is year that will always hold a special place in my heart. https://youtu.be/VCMfmaNDBAQ?si=WCQFtOL2308NoFNk We had no idea at the time, but we were in the middle of what is not commonly called the Junk Wax Era of sports cards. Today, it really doesn't matter we were able to see many Hall of Famers on the field, and the mories mean more to me than I could have ever imagined at the time my brother and I were making them! The Junk Wax Era of Sports Cards (1981–1996): A Boom and Bust Tale The period from 1981 to 1996 in the sports card collecting world is often referred to as the "Junk Wax Era." This name captures both the explosive growth in the popularity of sports cards and the eventual oversupply and devaluation of many cards produced during this time. What started as a golden age of collecting quickly turned into a cautionary tale of overproduction, speculation, and the bubble that burst. The Origins: Late 1970s to Early 1980s In the late 1970s and early 1980s, sports cards were transitioning from a niche hobby to a mainstream phenomenon. Major companies like Topps had been producing baseball cards for decades, but the hobby was still relatively small. However, as nostalgia grew among adults who had collected cards as children in the 1950s and 1960s, the market began to expand. By the early 1980s, sports cards became more than just kids' playthings—they evolved into a collectible commodity with potential long-term value. In 1981, the sports card landscape changed significantly. After years of monopolizing the baseball card market, Topps faced competition from new companies like Fleer and Donruss, which entered the scene after a legal decision opened the door to more manufacturers. This competition not only increased the volume of cards produced, but also contributed to innovation, as each company tried to outdo the others with designs, insert sets, and packaging. Those that are part of our Guaranteed Sports Card Profits beta group know, that despite of popular opinion, we routinely share with you how to buy these factory sets, break them down and process them and guarantee at least a 50% return on your invesment! Junk Wax Factory and Hand Built Sets on eBay The Boom: Mid-1980s to Early 1990s By the mid-1980s, sports card collecting reached new heights of popularity. In addition to the emergence of Fleer and Donruss, Upper Deck made its debut in 1989, setting a new standard for quality and marketing. Upper Deck’s cards were printed on higher-quality cardstock and featured holograms and more vibrant photography, attracting collectors eager for premium products. These innovations helped to further drive interest in the hobby, and cards became an investment vehicle for many people. During this time, card companies also expanded beyond baseball into other sports like football, basketball, and hockey. Michael Jordan’s iconic 1986 Fleer basketball rookie card, for instance, remains one of the most coveted cards from the era. Collectors were no longer just kids trading cards in schoolyards—sports cards had become a legitimate investment for adults. Speculators flooded the market, seeing cards as a way to make a quick profit, buying boxes in bulk and keeping them sealed, hoping their value would rise over time. The result was a card market that boomed throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. It seemed like every card had the potential to be a valuable treasure. Beckett price guides, which were the go-to resources for determining card values, showed prices rising year after year, fueling the idea that sports cards were a solid investment. The Oversaturation: Mass Production and Decline As demand for sports cards soared, manufacturers ramped up production to meet it. Unbeknownst to many collectors at the time, the market was flooded with millions upon millions of cards. Companies printed cards in such large quantities that scarcity, one of the key factors in driving up the value of collectible items, was all but eliminated for most of the cards produced during this era. It was not uncommon for certain cards to have print runs in the millions, making them easy to find even decades later. The result of this overproduction was a gradual decline in card values. Collectors who had hoarded cards, thinking they were holding onto gold mines, began to realize that their stockpiles were not as valuable as they had hoped. When everyone had access to the same "rare" rookie cards and star players, scarcity—and therefore value—plummeted. For example, even highly touted rookie cards, such as Ken Griffey Jr.'s 1989 Upper Deck #1, were printed in such vast numbers that many collectors are still sitting on boxes full of them, despite the over products the a the GRADED 89 Upper Deck Griffey card is very hard to find in PSA 10 and all of his graded rookies have shot up in value over the past two years. Thousands of Griffey card were produced from 1989 - 1996 from multiple manufacutes, but he continues to be one of the most popular and collected player in the hobby today. See popular Griffey Cards here. I personlly collect Griffey cards, and many others do as well. All Griffey cards will continue to rise in price and maintain the popularity for decade in the future. The Bubble Bursts: Mid-1990s By the mid-1990s, the sports card market had reached a breaking point. Overproduction, combined with collectors becoming disillusioned with the prospect of making profits, led to a collapse in card values. Many people who had entered the hobby for financial reasons, rather than for the love of the sport or the cards, abandoned it. Ken Griffey Jr. Rookies Sports card shops, which had popped up across the country during the boom, began to close in droves. Beckett price guides, once symbols of ever-rising values, now reflected the harsh reality that many cards from this era were virtually worthless. A sealed box of 1990 Donruss baseball cards, for example, could be purchased for just a few dollars, and even premium sets from Upper Deck saw steep declines. By 1996, the bubble had officially burst. The hobby was now a shell of its former self, with only die-hard collectors remaining. However, this period was a reset for the sports card industry, and it laid the groundwork for a future resurgence. The Legacy: A Mixed Bag Today, the Junk Wax Era is remembered with a mix of nostalgia and regret. For many, it was a time of excitement and enthusiasm—sports card shops were gathering places, and every pack opened felt like a treasure hunt. But for those who had invested heavily in the hobby, it also represents a missed opportunity, as many cards from the era are now worth only a fraction of their original perceived value. Still, some cards from this era have retained or increased their value. While the vast majority of cards from 1981 to 1996 are common and hold little monetary worth, certain key rookie cards, error cards, and limited inserts still command significant prices today. For example, the aforementioned 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card still holds value due to his Hall of Fame career and the card’s iconic status. Additionally, the lessons learned from the Junk Wax Era have influenced how cards are produced today. Modern manufacturers now limit print runs, introduce numbered parallels, and produce autographed cards and memorabilia inserts, all aimed at ensuring scarcity and value. The sports card market has also seen a resurgence in recent years, fueled by nostalgia, technological advancements like online sales platforms, and renewed interest from younger collectors. Conclusion The Junk Wax Era of sports cards remains one of the most fascinating and pivotal periods in the history of the hobby. It was a time of unprecedented growth, innovation, and excitement, followed by a sobering collapse due to oversupply and speculation. While much of the mass-produced "junk wax" from this era holds little financial value today, the lessons learned continue to shape the sports card industry. For many collectors, it remains a fond memory of a time when the hobby was at its most accessible, even if it was also the era of excess. https://youtu.be/qUx_-D1s748?si=Cnj77hJQNQadqn9M