The Junk Wax Era

'My Collection'
Not too long ago my Mom had me take my collection of sports cards out of her basement. I had quite a bit and I knew they no longer carried much value - but I had a little safe with all of my really "good" cards in it. Something like 20 different Shaq rookies - some of them "super rare promo cards". I figured, "what the hey, lets see what I can get for the good ones on ebay". I found out - as many have before me - not much. In fact, not enough to make it worth the hassle of even trying to sell them. I went on to read and find out about "the junk wax era". Cards became so popular in the 80s and 90s that they were being run off the presses as fast as possible - and everyone(including me) saved them in absolutely mint condition hoping to cash in when they got older(just like some lucky old timers did who didn't put their cards in their bike spokes). The old cards are valuable because kids didn't save them in mint condition as collectibles obviously making them rare - I've read that there are still pallets full of unopened cards from the junk wax era around.

The moral of the story is don't go walking into a sports cards store all cocky-like expecting to become rich - the guy behind the counter has a basement full of worthless cardboard too.