New to the hobby. Brand new. Slowly trying to learn about everything and I am starting to wonder if "Breaking Culture" has truly affected not only the price of boxes, but also hurting collectors? I am trying to be smart and remind myself that I do not want to join this hobby to "make money" but at the same time, I don't want to feel like I am throwing my money COMPLETELY away and it would nice to feel somewhat assured that there is decent value in some boxes.
Many have said hockey cards haven't quite suffered as much as other sports and Pokemon, but before I go out and buy a couple hobby boxes of Series One, I paused and started to wonder if a long-time collector has noticed a major shift in the hobby, and if it is worth it nowadays to be one of those nostalgic consumers who walks into a shop, buys a box or two and rips wax on their own.
Obviously it is almost never economical to open a box yourself, but is it at the point where it is borderline throwing away hundreds of dollars with little potential in terms of value? I do not mind just building a personal collection, purely for fun, but it is still something in the back of my mind. What would you recommend for a new collector in the hobby who wants a balance of fun and value? Do you recommend it at all?
