Do pop reports factor into the cards you buy or how you collect?
In seeing how high the pop reports is for base set even in 1st edition I’ve focused collection goals to trophy/rarer cards where the pop report is say 1k -1500 max.
Has anyone else felt this way?
I haven’t used the pop report to determine collection goals. Looking back, it would have been a useful tool to determine which cards would be harder to find and might increase in value faster over time. Most collectors save the expensive cards for last.
I will add the pop reports helps confirm which Japanese mid era sets had unlimited or not.
I tend to not look them too much, but they were (and still are) useful to put things in perspective. There was a time when I severely underestimated the supply of many WOTC set cards and learning some data helped me to get back on track without overpaying for items.
However in the end I collect what I like, regardless of the pop report: it’s just a matter of prioritizing what seems scarcer.
Older cards in low pops have made me spend a lot of money on them to avoid attempting to source and grade the cards myself.
I used to consult pop reports more but now I rarely use them for set cards. I’ll occasionally refer to them to get an idea of why prices are the way they are but I try to avoid being married to them.
Prize and trophy cards are another matter, but that’s more a case of the overall size of the limited distribution as opposed to “how many cards exist in PSA X grade”.
No, not anymore. They can inform your perspective and provide additional context to popularity and supply with certain cards. But population of a given card is only one piece of a cards complexion. I’ve seen many people (myself included) get caught up in the numbers and pop reports.
I’ll echo some others sentiments by saying we need less spreadsheets and more binders full of cards.
Pop reports do not affect my collecting at all.
I buy what I like. If I don’t enjoy the art, the story behind a card, or its relation to other cohesive collecting goals (e.g., set collecting, species collecting), I will not buy it for my collection(s).
However, pop reports do affect my selling behavior (e.g., price point, auction vs. BIN vs. consignment, which cards I choose to speculate on).
Doesn’t affect me in the slightest. POP is for cards that have been graded and people crack slabs and resubmit to increase the POP of all/popular cards. I just buy what I like and never think to look.
Its great information in general but for collecting i dont want to care about it
I like looking at pop reports for set cards but mostly so I know whether 1ed or ued is rarer. Although I don’t avoid a collection card with a 1000+ pop, I’m certainly more drawn towards rarer cards and outside of my collection if I was considering buying a card with some “investment” potential, pop reports definitely play a role.
The only way pop reports affect my collecting is the way i prioritize my current list of cards im after. So for example if im looking at three different ones in a similar price range, i will typically grab the one with the lower population first. I feel like if im picking one right now, i have better chances of getting the others later. Population count doesnt affect anything else for me though.
I think that’s a natural progression for a collector with organic interests. After I started a couple of WoTC era sets I began to seek out other cool cards.
I personally love digging into Pop report data for pricing context of the sets that I collect i.e. legends, EBB, world champions pack
Yes but i look at psa 9 and more specifically psa 10 pop reports. I dont look at total
If a card i like is cheap, no research is needed at all
Since the card is cheap in the first place who cares. Just buy what you like
But if the card is expensive, i need to see the pop report
If im gona spend $5k on a card i need to see where things are going. For that i need the data
Nop … I don’t care of graded cards POP reports …
I don’t collect graded cards, I consider that POP reports might be inaccurate in some cases (slabs that are broken, cards that are resent, etc) … I just collect what I like and I try to achieve my own personal goals …
I think what might have an effect in collecting is how easy a raw card can be found on market … if it’s affordable, but is rare to appear on market, I put it in high priority for example …
I’d have to collect graded cards first to care
Yes. Exclusivity is the name of the chase.
There is a reason why people go for PSA 10s and Black labels because of exclusivity. Or rare promo cards.
Not really, I collect what I like. It is a tool that gives some additional insight on how rare a card might be but since nuance is dead and the market is full of untrustworthy and ignorant people, that doesn’t necessarily translate fully or at all.
Nope, I only glance at it to observe trends
Pop reports have never factored into my collection because there is no overlap between the exclusivity and distinction that they facilitate and my specific interests in the TCG.
I only check the pop report to debate people on e4 lol