Rookie Fever Out of Control!

[dantzig]

Title says it all, this is getting out of hand.

Today all started by someone warning me João Félix rookie sticker was sold out in Panini (the Nova Geração one, not the Última Aquisição).

Then I saw this in a facebook auctions group I'm in:



Then I remembered to check about Haaland UCL 19/20 sticker in Topps website and there you go, sold out too.



And we have so many more like Ansu Fati, older ones like Ronaldo or James, etc... The list could be endless, if even some non-rookie stickers/cards are being sold like that:



So now I have to be much more careful when I make my own sets. Before I start a new one, I have to check first if there's somerookie that might be sold out and potentially unable to complete the set.

This is will destroy our hobby if something is not done. Since every year we have some hot prospects, there will be many sets left incomplete.

Really hope both Panini and Topps start to pay much more attention to this and be ready to print more from these wanted stickers and cards, it's the only way for these speculative prices go down a lot. Seems Panini has already printed more for Haaland rookie sticker in Austrian Bundesliga, Ansu Fati rookie card is also "temporarily out of stock", according to Panini too. But it has to be done much, much more.

 

[LeicesterRob]

Another rookie out of control I saw this week was Mbappe (World Cup Gold sticker)... he costs 50 cents on Panini, but in one USA auction for 5 stickers it's up to £122 and another auction for one sticker it's up to £8 so far!

What's wrong with people!

 

[levivo]

Another rookie out of control I saw this week was Mbappe (World Cup Gold sticker)... he costs 50 cents on Panini, but in one USA auction for 5 stickers it's up to £122 and another auction for one sticker it's up to £8 so far!

What's wrong with people!

Hi,

Which mbappe sticker do you mean?

World Cup gold sticker? Which one exactly?

 

[dantzig]

Hi,

Which mbappe sticker do you mean?

World Cup gold sticker? Which one exactly?

He meant the World Cup 2018 Gold sticker, released in Switzerland. The very normal one, millions of them spread around the world.

 

[Ceesmk]

In France, same problem with MBappé 2017, and now with Camavinga for Foot 2020.

On Ebay, there is even the rookie sticker "Phenom" or "Top Rookie"; so, you think that he will be a future star (for example some players of the French League or the EPL, example William Saliba from Saint-Etienne, only 15 matches in French League...) and the sticker is already sold for more than 20 Euros...

 

[dantzig]

This is becoming ridiculous... I think the pandemic affected the brains of many too, because this "phenomenom" got out of control in last months.

Even now I got some random dude asking for Messi in WC06, when I'm just swapping/selling his sticker as any other WC06 sticker... It's not his rookie by far, but it seems now there's a rookie for every "department"... League, UCL, Euro, World Cup, Prizm, etc... And people are buying like crazy!

Some hours ago, I got german Panini shop newsletter and to my surprise, they were advertising there album+box from austrian bundesliga... and to even surprise me more, they were advertising with Haland picture, saying it was his first sticker and very wanted! So they're not only fully aware of the situation but they are also pushing people to buy boxes just because of him! This redirects me to another thread I created days ago: "how low can you go?" and Panini want his share... at least they were selling at standard prices and embark in this madness to sell everything they have.

Needless to say that these boxes are out of stock already, even though they say there "only five boxes per customer/household"... Are you kidding me Panini? Everyone will ask for five and for different addresses! Make it ONE, at least make it harder for multiple orders! I just hope Panini will also print much more Halands and keep doing so for all the upcoming rookies.

I wouldn't mind one bit if this didn't affect the hobby in general... There will be dozens of collections incomplete and it will keep many away from the hobby... Kids have no chance now to complete their late albums.

One thing I'm certain, if I still have any of those rookies, I will stop trade/selling them to help others complete albums, because I'm pretty sure all the "hyenas and vultures" will appear to take them away.

 

[Ceesmk]

Look at this...

Kylian MBAPPE RC rookie sticker Panini 2016-17 sealed pack | eBay

Les meilleures offres pour Kylian MBAPPE RC rookie sticker Panini 2016-17 sealed pack sont sur eBay ✓ Comparez les prix et les spécificités des produits neufs et d'occasion ✓ Pleins d'articles en livraison gratuite!

www.ebay.fr

 

[Ceesmk]

More suprising is that the rookie stickers of ancient great stars don't have the same value
Here is for example the real rookie sticker of Bixente Lizarazu (called Vincent Lizarazu, because Bixente is the Basque version of this name). Only 5 Euros...! But this sticker is rarer than the Camavinga 2020...

STICKER PANINI FOOT 90 N° 24 BIXENTE LIZARAZU ROOKIE BORDEAUX BAYERN | eBay

Les meilleures offres pour STICKER PANINI FOOT 90 N° 24 BIXENTE LIZARAZU ROOKIE BORDEAUX BAYERN sont sur eBay ✓ Comparez les prix et les spécificités des produits neufs et d'occasion ✓ Pleins d'articles en livraison gratuite!

www.ebay.fr

So the hyenes are really here to speculate, not to collect the rookies.

 

[dantzig]

Look at this...

Kylian MBAPPE RC rookie sticker Panini 2016-17 sealed pack | eBay

Les meilleures offres pour Kylian MBAPPE RC rookie sticker Panini 2016-17 sealed pack sont sur eBay ✓ Comparez les prix et les spécificités des produits neufs et d'occasion ✓ Pleins d'articles en livraison gratuite!

www.ebay.fr

The f***??? This is not some old Euro or WC pack... And pretty sure there's nothing inside, probably from some box he already got Mbappé from or it's already a manipulated packet.

FFS, I even got RIGHT NOW someone asking me for Gonzalo Plata sticker in Sporting CP! Friends, we're going to be rich, seems there's money everywhere now

More suprising is that the rookie stickers of ancient great stars don't have the same value
Here is for example the real rookie sticker of Bixente Lizarazu (called Vincent Lizarazu, because Bixente is the Basque version of this name). Only 5 Euros...! But this sticker is rarer than the Camavinga 2020...

STICKER PANINI FOOT 90 N° 24 BIXENTE LIZARAZU ROOKIE BORDEAUX BAYERN | eBay

Les meilleures offres pour STICKER PANINI FOOT 90 N° 24 BIXENTE LIZARAZU ROOKIE BORDEAUX BAYERN sont sur eBay ✓ Comparez les prix et les spécificités des produits neufs et d'occasion ✓ Pleins d'articles en livraison gratuite!

www.ebay.fr

So the hyenes are really here to speculate, not to collect the rookies.

Don't give them ideas

 

[Ceesmk]

Don't give them ideas

I have it in double, 2 times the Rookie Cantona sticker, and 2 times the Thierry Henry sticker. I think I can buy an appartment...

 

[dantzig]

I have it in double, 2 times the Rookie Cantona sticker, and 2 times the Thierry Henry sticker. I think I can buy an appartment...

View attachment 15872

Apartment is for lower classes man, go for Versailles!

Btw, I'm not against collecting rookies, I think it's a fair thing to collect, just like collecting from certain clubs or players... I have my share of rookies too, even ordered before from Panini as well when ordering other stickers and cards to complete my sets... but not on this massive scale we're facing now!

 

[dantzig]

Even now I got some random dude asking for Messi in WC06, when I'm just swapping/selling his sticker as any other WC06 sticker... It's not his rookie by far, but it seems now there's a rookie for every "department"... League, UCL, Euro, World Cup, Prizm, etc... And people are buying like crazy!

Yeah, no wonder that guy asked for the sticker:

Panini Germany 2006 - No 185 Lionel Messi | eBay

Panini - Germany 2006.

www.ebay.co.uk

And why not Ronaldo too:

Panini Germany World Cup 2006 06 sticker Cristiano Ronaldo #298 Cr7 | eBay

<p dir="ltr">Panini Germany World Cup 2006 06 sticker Cristiano Ronaldo #298 Cr7. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fresh from packet condition. <br></p> <p dir="ltr">Dispatched with Royal Mail 2nd Class Large Letter.</p>

www.ebay.co.uk

It's not their rookie sticker, but it's their first Panini World Cup sticker... Guess all count as rookie now, as long it's a "first something".

 

[Dieter]

The rookie stickers are idd out of control, but most of the time the prices drop again after their active carreers, so why would you spend so much...

 

[LeicesterRob]

Wait for it.... the Mbappe x5 Gold 2018 stickers that you can still buy for 50 cents each on Panini sold for $157.50 over the weekend! Incredible!

Even worse was the shipping of over $20 to UK for 5 small pieces of paper!

5~~2018 PANINI WORLD CUP/KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE) BASE ROOKIE Sticker RC #209 Gold | eBay

<p>5~~2018 PANINI WORLD CUP/KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE) BASE ROOKIE Sticker RC #209 Gold. Condition is Brand New. Shipped with USPS First Class Package.</p><br><p>Do not miss this awesome opportunity to get one of the best player nowadays... amazing addition to your collection ..</p><p>Any question...

www.ebay.com

 

[Dieter]

Wait for it.... the Mbappe x5 Gold 2018 stickers that you can still buy for 50 cents each on Panini sold for $157.50 over the weekend! Incredible!

Even worse was the shipping of over $20 to UK for 5 small pieces of paper!

5~~2018 PANINI WORLD CUP/KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE) BASE ROOKIE Sticker RC #209 Gold | eBay

<p>5~~2018 PANINI WORLD CUP/KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE) BASE ROOKIE Sticker RC #209 Gold. Condition is Brand New. Shipped with USPS First Class Package.</p><br><p>Do not miss this awesome opportunity to get one of the best player nowadays... amazing addition to your collection ..</p><p>Any question...

www.ebay.com

That's insane...

 

[Only Good Stickers]

I understand that the rookie sticker of Messi or Ronaldo is valuable, as they became the best of the world for some years. But here we are talking about rookies of this season, good prospects for sure, but their future is highly unknown. They might be playing in Real Madrid or in the second division in couple of years.
I find it ridiculous to invest that money on something so uncertain. This is a good business only for the sellers that take advantage of buyers stupidity. In this way they just destroy the collectors hobby, whose activity is to complete an album

 

[Dieter]

I think the growing interest from the american markt has his influence. There the rookie thing is already going on for years in baseball/basketball...

 

[dantzig]

Wait for it.... the Mbappe x5 Gold 2018 stickers that you can still buy for 50 cents each on Panini sold for $157.50 over the weekend! Incredible!

Even worse was the shipping of over $20 to UK for 5 small pieces of paper!

5~~2018 PANINI WORLD CUP/KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE) BASE ROOKIE Sticker RC #209 Gold | eBay

<p>5~~2018 PANINI WORLD CUP/KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE) BASE ROOKIE Sticker RC #209 Gold. Condition is Brand New. Shipped with USPS First Class Package.</p><br><p>Do not miss this awesome opportunity to get one of the best player nowadays... amazing addition to your collection ..</p><p>Any question...

www.ebay.com

It's like I wrote, seems rookie now comprises a lot of competitions and collections... More than 30 usd per sticker just because it's his first WC Gold sticker? Obviously they don't even know about how the sticker is still worth 50c in Panini (shouldn't take long though till it's sold out).

I understand that the rookie sticker of Messi or Ronaldo is valuable, as they became the best of the world for some years. But here we are talking about rookies of this season, good prospects for sure, but their future is highly unknown. They might be playing in Real Madrid or in the second division in couple of years.
I find it ridiculous to invest that money on something so uncertain. This is a good business only for the sellers that take advantage of buyers stupidity. In this way they just destroy the collectors hobby, whose activity is to complete an album

I'm fairly sure most will definitely not worth the money. In a long term, it's good for sellers, bad for buyers (unless they don't care how they spend the money) and even worse for general collectors. Kinda reminds me of those pyramid scams, where just the first ones will actually get good money and ruin the rest.

I think the growing interest from the american markt has his influence. There the rookie thing is already going on for years in baseball/basketball...

Most certainly that is a key factor why such demand for rookies in european collections. American market is designed to have rare cards with their high-end collections, european market is designed for complete sets, so it'll kill the hobby if Panini and Topps don't readjust to this new demand. We can't just say "go away rookie hunters", they will not with such easy money on the line... but if market now demands more rookies, then publishers should overflow the market with it until both sellers and buyers realize it's not worth it.

 

[Anmarvel]

Please, could one of you explain about rookie card/sticker? Is it the first card o sticker or is the first card and sticker in each collection? In Spain, they are going crazy with Ansu Fati cards and sticker! I can understand about Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo cards and sticker, but I cannot understand about Ansu Fati, Joao Felix, and so on

 

[dantzig]

Please, could one of you explain about rookie card/sticker? Is it the first card o sticker or is the first card and sticker in each collection? In Spain, they are going crazy with Ansu Fati cards and sticker! I can understand about Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo cards and sticker, but I cannot understand about Ansu Fati, Joao Felix, and so on

To my understanding, there would be just one rookie sticker and card. For example, Ronaldo had his rookie sticker and card in Sporting, collection Futebol and Megacraques 2002/03. Messi rookie was in La Liga collections too, sometimes also his Champions of Europe 1955/2005 sticker.

However, something has changed last months, perhaps when people started to be at home more due to pandemic... even though the very first rookie from a major publisher is still what's worth more, seems there's many now willing to pay a lot for different types of rookie... Best example I think it's Mbappé, where it's rookie sticker is in Foot 16/17, but we've seen absurd prices in:

- his first CL sticker in 17/18, still in Monaco too;
- his first World Cup sticker in 2018 (more in Gold edition);
- his first Prizm cards (even bases sell quite well!)

Then we have João Félix, where even his second sticker in Futebol 18/19 sold more than the first (it's a Última Aquisição, with less print too)... And I suppose spanish are also selling his first stickers/cards in Atletico Madrid, claiming it as their rookie in Atletico.

Haland now is what's even more surprising. Basically everything from him is selling for astronomous prices, but of course, his austrian Bundesliga sticker tops everything because it's his rookie sticker. Also his CL sticker sells quite well, many think it's his first sticker and so it's sold out too in Topps.