I started vending at the beginning of 2025 and it quickly turned into a really fun hobby. At the time, I was working under the assumption that vintage prices would not explode that much overall in 2026. But now in 2026, prices have exploded way more than I ever expected.
Looking back, a lot of the cards I sold last year could easily have gone for 3 to 4 times as much today.
The thing is, I am not under any pressure to sell. I actually feel like many of my PSA 10 cards and popular vintage raw cards still have a lot of room to grow over the next few years.
So right now I am thinking about significantly reducing what I bring to shows. I am considering holding back my PSA 10s and my most valuable vintage cards and only selling them years from now when I actually need the money.
But that would leave me mostly with PSA 7 to 9 cards, my shrinking binder of raw cards, mid era booster products, and a few other items. And I am not sure if that kind of inventory really justifies the high table fees at shows.
For now, I will probably experiment at the next few shows and try different setups, especially since I am also doing this mostly for fun.
I would really love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Are you still putting out the same cards as before, holding back your best pieces, or just adjusting your prices in anticipation to maybe even above market?
I swear to god this sentiment only comes out during booms. Every time prices 3x, 5x, 10x, I see a bunch of folks saying that their cards have a lot of room to grow over the next few years. Are you sure that you won’t say the same thing in a few years time?
There is a Chinese idiom on greed that goes something like, “Eating what is in the bowl, while looking at what is in the pot.”
Although I am sure that your market sentiment is right (and there are some cards that I refuse to sell right now as well), please don’t try to fall into the pits of greed and miss out on benefiting yourself or your family in 2026. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, our health, our job, etc. Much can change in the market, in the world, and in our lives, so it’s best to prepare what you can at the moment.
I’m confident that you’ll make the right choices given your specific circumstances. Hope this helps!
Glad to hear you’re enjoying yourself vending, it is something that I’d like to try as well. Recently I’ve pivoted to selling my vintage and buying modern releases that have been forgotten for the moment.
Save your vintage, sell your modern as these will suffer the most in a downturn. Ill only buy modern psa 10s if the price is comparable to the cost of having the card graded. The POP of modern cards are extremely high, as are the prices. Its just not sustainable in most cases. There may be some modern that hold value, but overall these will drift lower.