I'm bringing back a feature that I haven't run in almost seven years.
Beginning in July of 2009 and running through February, 2016, each month I would post the prices of Topps complete sets from 1969 through the present. I go back to 1969 because that is the first year of my run of complete sets.
I used eBay to determine the set prices. I would find the five most recent auction sales of the set and average the prices. The time to do it eventually was too much and I gave up the feature. I have some more available time now that I am retired, so I thought I'd bring it back.
I was shocked at how much the set prices increased over the past seven years. I know that the influx of collectors due to the pandemic caused a general price spike. I had no idea just home significant the increase was.
Take a look at that I found:
| YEAR | 1/22/2023 | 2/1/2016 | % change |
| 1969 | $1,729.81 | $787.21 | 120% |
| 1970 | $1,625.99 | $869.15 | 87% |
| 1971 | $1,782.90 | $704.01 | 153% |
| 1972 | $1,916.20 | $749.11 | 156% |
| 1973 | $816.80 | $361.60 | 126% |
| 1974 | $346.30 | $252.85 | 37% |
| 1975 | $786.91 | $195.48 | 303% |
| 1976 | $369.20 | $186.99 | 97% |
| 1977 | $264.69 | $135.70 | 95% |
| 1978 | $171.91 | $81.19 | 112% |
| 1979 | $157.35 | $77.51 | 103% |
| 1980 | $213.20 | $65.26 | 227% |
| 1981 | $68.18 | $28.02 | 143% |
| 1982 | $62.95 | $34.22 | 84% |
| 1983 | $85.50 | $26.95 | 217% |
| 1984 | $36.30 | $26.70 | 36% |
| 1985 | $28.30 | $17.70 | 60% |
| 1986 | $22.40 | $4.35 | 415% |
| 1987 | $10.50 | $7.00 | 50% |
| 1988 | $18.53 | $8.40 | 121% |
| 1989 | $14.09 | $7.26 | 94% |
| 1990 | $16.98 | $8.19 | 107% |
| 1991 | $9.47 | $8.59 | 10% |
| 1992 | $11.60 | $8.29 | 40% |
| 1993 | $52.48 | $13.42 | 291% |
| 1994 | $23.10 | $22.60 | 2% |
| 1995 | $24.90 | $22.24 | 12% |
| 1996 | $19.58 | $15.19 | 29% |
| 1997 | $32.30 | $31.79 | 2% |
| 1998 | $31.70 | $22.40 | 42% |
| 1999 | $26.30 | $21.44 | 23% |
| 2000 | $25.88 | $10.95 | 136% |
| 2001 | $68.00 | $42.64 | 59% |
| 2002 | $41.33 | $25.99 | 59% |
| 2003 | $34.85 | $27.71 | 26% |
| 2004 | $46.00 | $16.29 | 182% |
| 2005 | $40.40 | $33.14 | 22% |
| 2006 | $45.93 | $22.11 | 108% |
| 2007 | $31.32 | $27.47 | 14% |
| 2008 | $50.98 | $30.70 | 66% |
| 2009 | $75.40 | $41.80 | 80% |
| 2010 | $43.80 | $23.57 | 86% |
| 2011 | $110.80 | $27.79 | 299% |
| 2012 | $52.58 | $28.00 | 88% |
| 2013 | $70.66 | $34.19 | 107% |
| 2014 | $174.71 | $39.11 | 347% |
| 2015 | $47.50 | $44.79 | 6% |
| 2016 | $69.59 | ||
| 2017 | $136.20 | ||
| 2018 | $197.80 | ||
| 2019 | $94.23 | ||
| 2020 | $37.12 | ||
| 2021 | $22.16 | ||
| 2022 | $28.80 |
There are some pretty significant increase in prices! The biggest bump was with the junk-wax era 1986 set, which went up 415%. However, in dollars it was an increase of just $18. In actual dollars, the 1972 set would cost you almost $1,200 more. That's a pretty big chunk!
Overall, in February 2016, it would have taken $5,232.23 to get one of each of the 1969 - 2015 sets. Today, the same sets would run you $11,736.56. That's $6,504.33 more and an increase of 124%. Any financial people out there know how that compares to the stock market of the same time?
Welcome Back - One of the Best Features ever on any Sports Blog ever.
ReplyDeleteI should have continued my quest for the 1970 set about 8 years ago. looks like out of my price range now
The set from 1984 to 2000 are still pretty cheap.
I wonder what is driving the 2014, 2017, 2018 prices??
Nice to see this return!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the research!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed that 1993 is going for so much.
ReplyDeleteI assume for recent sets that you're defining a complete set as Series 1 and 2, but NOT Update? I can't imagine that a 2011 set which includes Update (and therefore the Trout rookie) would go for about $100. Is that correct?
Correct… just the main set, no traded or update.
DeleteWould be interesting to adjust it for inflation as well? According to the inflation calculator website, something purchased 2016 for $1.00, would cost $1.22 in 2023 so 22% inflation -- nearly all your % changes are higher than that though...
ReplyDelete