It Was Me

*the coffee had grounds in it this morning which leads me to waiting on brewing a Keurig cup, now that it's done, let's sit down and have a conversation*

This morning, Saturday July 11th 2020, I am here to admit to a heinous crime so please sit down with your coffee before you grab your pitchforks and torches and storm my castle. Please hear me out.

Here it is, I am the one who ruined Topps Project 2020.

Hold on just a few more minutes. I see you reaching for your pitchfork, well, your breakfast fork you are eating your pancakes or eggs with but please set it down for another minute.

*takes the first sip*

When Topps announced Project 2020 I had zero interest in any of the cards. None. I am not really one into art cards as I prefer action photography much more. As they began revealing card by card, I felt fortunate to not had wasted a single dime on any of them. The cards were hideous for the most part and the amount of them that sold was not surprising looking at them.

I didn't expect these cards to ever be popular.

However, that's when it began. The rise of Project 2020.

I kept seeing post after post after post of these cards selling for hundreds and thousands of dollars. THOUSANDS.  I had no idea why they were, but they were. Some say it has to do with the artists who created and promoted them.

It seemed week after week after week the cards were guaranteed cash and most were selling for ten times what they bought them for. Which is mind blowing. Buying and flipping those was where it was at in the hobby and if you weren't doing it, you didn't fit in. Only the cool kids flipped them.

Yet I still wasn't interested.

Or was I.

I have always been one to promote the hobby for fun. It's not about the money for me, I collect simply because it brings me joy. I don't sell. I don't flip. I hoard and enjoy every piece of cardboard that comes my way.

But, seeing those selling prices day after day on Twitter can get to you.....not in a good way.

*take a sip of your coffee, then picture one of those cartoons that had a devil on one shoulder and an angel on another which was me at that current time*

The devil on the left whispered in my ear, "Matt, you should buy the next release, it will be worth it. Pay the $17 and bring home the $500+ bacon baby!" Well, the devil sounded more like Arthur Spooner, aka Jerry Stiller, from King Of Queens (RIP to a legend). The voice was quite booming and alerting.

But the angel, soft spoken like Beyonce said, "Matt, don't fall for it. These things have a tendency to not work out. Stick with your gut and do what you have always done"

Then the devil poked in, "Remember that list of autograph Hall Of Famers you need or those set needs or remember that Non Sport auto you have been starting at for a year? It could all be yours, so GO DO IT. BUUUYYYYYYY"

"I am telling you, don't do it Matt. Don't waste your money. Go grab that Eli Manning card you want instead, you will feel better about it."

"THE MONEY BABY!! GO FOR THE MONEY!! IF YOU DON'T DO IT, YOU'LL BE DEAD TO ME! DEAD TO ME!!"

"Please don't listen to him. Repeat after me...the hobby is fun...the hobby is fun..."

"THE HOBBY IS FUN, BUT MONEY IS FUN TO. Think of all you can buy when you flip that!! Go buy the next one, IT'S A SHORE BET!"

*takes a sip of coffee, falls for the devil and gets ready for the downhill ride*

For the first time in my life, I went to the dark side and spent my $17.75 on the Topps PROJECT 2020 Card 88, the 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. by Keith Shore and felt good about doing so. The card wasn't the most attractive, but, that's not why I bought it. I was in it for the money! My first flip life experience and it was somewhat thrilling. So thrilling that after buying it, I made a list of other cards I would buy from the money I would make from flipping it.

I couldn't wait to get it in hand, have a buddy of mine list it, and see the cash flow in.

*takes another sip of coffee, could picture money signs in my eyes*

The only problem with that...well, 99,176 other people had the same thoughts as myself and had that little hobby devil sitting on their shoulder as well.

By far, this was the biggest print run of Project 2020 and only drove the first released cards up (you know the ones I ignored) as this one fell hard. In comparison, it was like buying a box of 1988 Score and trying to flip those singles for five times their worth.

Last week, I finally got that card in hand.

(I can feel him glaring at me and if this was a hologram, he would be shaking his head in disgrace that I tried to flipping him)

Card back.

*takes another sip of coffee, checks out kitchen window for readers to be storming his castle and locks the door*

And that's how I ruined the Project 2020 cards. I bought one with bad intentions and it was a hard lesson I had to learn from the Hobby Gods. And I cursed it for the rest of you as well. Once again, I am sorry.

Since the Shore Griffey, numbers of the cards following have dipped and so hasn't the flipping of the cards.

This will be a lesson I will be reminded of every day. Which is why I am keeping this card on my desk and directly staring at me. It won't happen again.

I guess the only positives to take out of this experience would be the fact I actually collect Ken Griffey Jr, that I won't ever flip again and I expect this card to be some form of iconic card for a long time. One that everyone will talk about and have cards over coffee with. (yes intended pun)

So please don't storm my castle. I apologize for ruining the flipping for everyone and I promise I won't ever attempt that again. I will stick to my hobby beliefs which are usually very firm and now because of this, will be even firmer like that twin mattress I had in graded school that was like sleeping on a rock.

You could also say this was a life lesson learned as well, don't change who you are to fit in. Stay yourself. It's the best self you can be.