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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
Become a part of the growing sports card trading community
Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies will teach you how to start or resume collecting, how to trade, sell, grade, and protect your cards. This is a comprehensive yet easy-to-read breakdown of the sports card hobby and its many nuances. You’ll learn the basics and get up to speed on the recent influx of new brands, companies, investors, influencers, and technologies that have completely reshaped the community. The popularity of sports cards as an alternative investment is at an all-time high, and this Dummies guide helps you budget and make smart trades. The anatomy of a sports card, spotting card damage, grading scales, buying safely, using trusted marketplaces, building your collection, pricing and selling your cards, avoiding scams—it’s all in here. Become a savvy card collector, the easy way.
- Learn the ins and outs of trading sports cards as a collector and an investor
- Determine the value of your cards and discover where to find rare deals
- Stay safe while buying and selling from local dealers, with online marketplaces, and at in-person events
- Become a part of the collector community
Beginners of all ages who want to start (or resume) collecting sports cards can find all the must-know info in the pages of Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
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Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
How This Book Is Organized
Foolish Assumptions
Conventions Used in This Book
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting the Scoop on Sports Cards
Chapter 1: Sizing Up the Sports Card Craze
The Psychology of Collecting
Getting Lost in the Cardboard. (It’s a Good Thing.)
Chapter 2: The Evolution of Sports Cards through the Decades
Where It All Began
Pre-War and Vintage
The Modern Era
The Ultra-Modern Era
Part 2: Checking Out the Many Traits of Sports Cards
Chapter 3: The Anatomy of a Sports Card
What Makes a Sports Card?
Exploring the Printing Process and Product Configuration
Understanding the Packout Process and Distribution
Chapter 4: Understanding Product Checklists: Base Cards, Parallels, Inserts, and More
Learning How to Read (the Checklist)
Spotting a Base Card and the Rainbow of Parallels
Inserts and Design Madness
Chasing Autographs and (Maybe) Game-Used Memorabilia
Chapter 5: Different Sports and Their Nuances
Basketball cards
Baseball cards
Football cards
Hockey cards
Other notable sports
Chapter 6: Key Manufacturers, Brands, and Products
Licenses make all the difference
Key baseball card sets
Key football card sets
Hockey cards
Other notable sports and key sets
Chapter 7: The Importance of Card Condition — From Printing to Grading
Physical Aspects of Cards
Card Grading
Part 3: The Basics of Buying and Collecting
Chapter 8: Deciding What Kind of Collector You Will Be
Setting Your Collecting Goals
Picking Your Personal Collection Themes
Chapter 9: Buying Basics and Building Your Collection
Buyer’s Market
Online Marketplaces and Retailers
Take It to the (Auction) House
It’s Always Personal
Great Deals (Aren’t) Hard to Find
Displaying and Storing Your Collection
Chapter 10: Navigating a Card Show Like a Pro
Don’t Forget the Essentials
Navigating the Chaos and Making a Deal
Card Show Etiquette
Chapter 11: Finding or Building a Community
Using Social Media to Find Your Community
Networking at Events to Grow Your Community
Chapter 12: Resources to Grow Your Hobby Knowledge
Free Industry Resources
Community Content and Other Media
Chapter 13: The Dark Side of the Hobby
Too Good to Be True
Personal Responsibility and Managing Your Budget
Part 4: Flipping, Investing, and Turning a Profit
Chapter 14: Investing in Cards While Attempting to Turn a Profit
The Basics of Sports Card Investing
Building Your Business from Scratch
Chapter 15: Three Ways to Profit
The Quick Flip
Short-Term Speculation
Long-Term Investments
Chapter 16: Properly Valuing and Selling Your Cards
Sales Data Matters, but There’s More to the Story
Becoming a High-Quality Seller
Part 5: The Part of Tens
Chapter 17: Ten Unwritten Rules Every Collector Should Follow
Have Fun and Collect What You Love
Don’t Let FOMO Drive Your Decisions
Set a Budget and Stick to It
Respect How Others Collect
Be Reasonable When Trading
Ship Cards Like You’d Want Them to Be Shipped
Understand the Cost of Doing Business
Support Your Local Card Shop
Look to Pay It Forward
Never Stop Learning
Chapter 18: Ten Tricks to Building a Great Collection
Find a Collecting Theme, Identity, or Style
Set Realistic Goals, but Dare to Dream Big
Be Patient and Play the Long Game
Use Data and Other Resources to Find Great Deals
Curate Your Collection Periodically
Consolidation Can Help Win Holy Grails, but It Isn’t for Everyone
Go Off the Beaten Path and Search for Hidden Gems
Develop a System to Store and Display Your Cards
Find Hobby Friends and Collecting Groups
Learn from Your Mistakes
Chapter 19: Ten Iconic Cards Every Collector Should Know
1909–1911 T206 Honus Wagner
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth
1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle
1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky
1980 Topps Bird/Erving/Johnson
1986 Fleer Michael Jordan
1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr.
2000 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph Tom Brady
2003 Exquisite Collection LeBron James
Glossary
Index
About the Authors
Supplemental Images
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
FIGURE 1-1: 1865 Brooklyn Atlantics card
FIGURE 1-2: T206 Ty Cobb PSA 7
FIGURE 1-3: 1989 Hoops David Robinson PSA 10
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: 1888 Gardner & Co. Studio cabinet card
FIGURE 2-2: 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, SGC A
FIGURE 2-3: 1914 Cracker Jack Ty Cobb, SGC A
FIGURE 2-4: 1933 Goudey Ruth, PSA 4
FIGURE 2-5: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, SGC 9.5
FIGURE 2-6: 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky, PSA 8
FIGURE 2-7: 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan, PSA 10
FIGURE 2-8: 1989 Upper Deck Baseball
FIGURE 2-9: 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch A...
FIGURE 2-10: 2009-10 Stephen Curry National Treasures Rookie Patch Autograph, B...
FIGURE 2-11: 2019 Zion Williamson National Treasures RPA, BGS 9
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: 1887 Allen & Ginter Cap Anson, PSA 1.5
FIGURE 3-2: 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson (front), SGC 7.5
FIGURE 3-3: 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson (back), SGC 7.5
FIGURE 3-4: 2018 Lamar Jackson Zebra Prizm, BGS 10
FIGURE 3-5: 2020 Topps F1 Dynasty Max Verstappen, PSA 10
FIGURE 3-6: 2008-09 Topps Chrome Gold Kobe Bryant, PSA 10
FIGURE 3-7: 2019-20 Panini Chronicles Luminance Bronze Ja Morant, BGS 10
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4-1: 1952 Topps Willie Mays, PSA 8
FIGURE 4-2: 2022 Topps Heritage Bo Bichette card back variation, PSA 8
FIGURE 4-3: 2013-14 Prizm Silver Giannis Antetokounmpo, PSA 10
FIGURE 4-4: 2020 Panini Gold Prizm LeBron James
FIGURE 4-5: 2018 Panini Prizm Tiger Stripe Luka Doncic, PSA 10
FIGURE 4-6: 2021 Panini Donruss Downtown, PSA 9
FIGURE 4-7: 1996–1997 Flair Showcase Hot Shots Michael Jordan, PSA 10
FIGURE 4-8: 1998–1999 SkyBox E-X Century Dunk ‘N Go Nuts Vince Carter, PSA 10
FIGURE 4-9: 2019 Panini Kaboom Gold Patrick Mahomes, BGS 9
FIGURE 4-10: 2015-16 Panini National Treasures LeBron James logoman card, BGS 9
FIGURE 4-11: 2020-21 Panini National Treasures Patch Autographs Anthony Edwards...
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: 1948 Bowman George Mikan, PSA 8
FIGURE 5-2: 2008 Rittenhouse WNBA Candace Parker, PSA 9
FIGURE 5-3: 1948 Leaf Stan Musial, PSA 3
FIGURE 5-4: 1965 Topps Joe Namath, PSA 9
FIGURE 5-5: 2004-05 Panini Megacracks Lionel Messi, BGS 5
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: 1996 Flair Showcase Hot Shots Michael Jordan, PSA 10
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: 1948 Bowman George Mikan, PSA 8 (off-center)
FIGURE 7-2: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, PSA 1.5
FIGURE 7-3: 1914 Cracker Jack Ed Walsh, SGC 1
FIGURE 7-4: Altered 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle
FIGURE 7-5: 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractor Tom Brady, PSA 10
FIGURE 7-6: 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractor Tom Brady, BGS 9.5
FIGURE 7-7: 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractor Tom Brady, SGC 10
FIGURE 7-8: 2000 Bowman Chrome Tom Brady, CSG 8
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: 2014 Joel Embiid Prizm Rainbow Lot
Chapter 12
FIGURE 12-1: 1990
Beckett Basketball Card Magazine
Chapter 14
FIGURE 14-1: 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Refractor Autograph Mike Trout
FIGURE 14-2: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, PSA 1
FIGURE 14-3: 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle, PSA 6
FIGURE 14-4: 2017 National Treasures Holo Gold Patrick Mahomes
Chapter 15
FIGURE 15-1: Market Movers data tool
FIGURE 15-2: 1954 Topps Hank (Henry) Aaron, PSA 5
FIGURE 15-3: 1951 Bowman Willie Mays, PSA 7
FIGURE 15-4: 2009 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry, PSA 8
FIGURE 15-5: 2004-05 Mega Cracks Lionel Messi, PSA 10
Chapter 16
FIGURE 16-1: 2019 Zion Williamson Prizm Silver, PSA 10
FIGURE 16-2: 2019 Zion Williamson Prizm base, PSA 10
FIGURE 16-3: Market Movers pricing tool
FIGURE 16-4: Card Ladder pricing tool
Chapter 19
FIGURE 19-1: 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, SGC 2
FIGURE 19-2: 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth, PSA 7
FIGURE 19-3: 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson, PSA 7
FIGURE 19-4: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, SGC 9.5
FIGURE 19-5: 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky, PSA 10
FIGURE 19-6: 1980 Topps Larry Bird/Julius Erving/Magic Johnson
FIGURE 19-7: 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan, PSA 10
FIGURE 19-8: 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie Ken Griffey Jr., PSA 10
FIGURE 19-9: 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket Autograph Tom Brady, B...
FIGURE 19-10: 2003-04 Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch Autograph,...
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Glossary
Index
About the Authors
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Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Media and software compilation copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2024932428
ISBN 978-1-394-22505-7 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-394-22507-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-394-22506-4 (ebk)
Introduction
Welcome to Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies. Maybe you’re new to the hobby and need a road map to get started. Or maybe you’ve been a casual hobbyist for years and want to level up your collection. Either way, this book has what you’re looking for.
Card collecting is a hobby that many sports fans interact with early on, even if only briefly. If you’re reading this book, chances are you or someone you know has opened a pack of cards at some point in your life. The hobby has become more and more complicated over the years, however, and can be overwhelming for anyone new or those jumping back in after a break.
Beyond collecting, sports cards have also emerged as popular alternative assets for those looking to invest their money more creatively. While there are some fundamental differences between stocks and cards, the prices of cards can fluctuate daily just like stocks, sometimes drastically. And like stocks, some cards are considered blue chips — relatively safe, long-term bets — while others are like small cap stocks with huge risk and potential huge reward.
About This Book
The point of this book is to help you become a better collector. What that means is completely up to you. Each chapter features tips to get newcomers started and tricks that even the savviest hobby veterans may have missed over the years.
Designed for collectors of all kinds, this book takes complicated concepts and confusing terminology and delivers them in a way that’s easy to understand and easy to implement. And remember, this book doesn’t need to be read chronologically to be useful. You can skip from one chapter to the next, searching for what you need at that exact moment. Consider this a reference text. If you can’t quite remember what something means, dive back in and find your answer.
Packed with everything from the history of sports cards to advice on navigating a constantly changing hobby, this book is meant to get you excited about collecting while giving you the tools to thrive.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is meant to give you the tools to become a savvy collector, even if you’re starting from scratch. We explore the history of sports card collecting and its many eras while teaching you about the key sets, brands, and players that have defined the hobby over the last century.
You’ll also learn the different ways to collect and how you can apply those to your own journey — ideally in a truly fulfilling way. With a little patience and a willingness to learn, this book helps you accelerate your journey from novice collector to seasoned veteran.
Part 1: Getting the Scoop on Sports Cards
The hobby has undergone countless changes since the earliest sports cards were collected back in the late 1800s. Basic tobacco cards have been replaced by an endless lineup of refractors and variations, and cards once fit for bicycle spokes now sell for millions.
Part 1 of this book explores the history of sports card collecting and the psychology behind why we collect. This part will also cover the rise in cards as alternative investments, iconic cards and collections, and what to do if you’ve rediscovered your old collection.
Part 2: Checking Out the Many Traits of Sports Cards
Gone are the days when an entire season might see just a single sports card release and each player may only have a handful of cards at most. In the Ultra-Modern Era, a variety of manufacturers produce dozens of products each season, and players have thousands of different cards. In Part 2, we cover the basics of card designs, the production process, product checklists, and the major differences between the major sports and their key releases.
Part 3: The Basics of Buying and Collecting
Collecting sports cards requires making at least a few purchases, and you’ll want to do plenty of research before spending a dime. In this part, we cover how to decide what kind of collector you want to be. After that, we give you tips for building your collection according to your unique budget and goals. We also arm you with tricks for navigating card shows and making deals in person if you plan on getting out of the house.
Part 4: Flipping, Investing, and Turning a Profit
Buying and selling cards can be a great way to make money for those willing to put in the time and effort. Even if you’re a collector more than an investor, selling cards can also be a great way to consolidate your collection and trade up into bigger and better cards. In Part 4 of this book, you learn how to use data to properly value your cards while developing the basics for flipping and investing to turn a profit.
Part 5: The Part of Tens
Part 5 is all about an easy read. In Chapter 17, you find unwritten rules that every new collector should know going in. In Chapter 18, we give you tips for building a great collection without going broke, and in Chapter 19, we show you the cards that will absolutely make you go broke — the best of the best the hobby has to offer — and tell you the interesting stories behind what makes them great.
Glossary
You’ll find that the sports card hobby is filled with various abbreviations and odd terminology. Although we try to provide plenty of context around many of the terms used in this book, we’ve selected a number of items to describe further in the glossary. Refer to this section as often as you need.
Foolish Assumptions
To be accessible to as many collectors as possible, we won’t assume many things about you. We do, however, assume some of these things are true:
You are brand new to the hobby and need help navigating it.
You’ve been a collector before and are re-entering the hobby after taking time off.
You’re looking to make money buying and selling cards.
You’re hoping to learn tips and tricks to make your collecting life easier.
Conventions Used in This Book
To help you navigate through this book, we use the following conventions:
Italic
is used to emphasize and highlight new words or defined terms.
Boldfaced
text indicates keywords in bulleted lists.
Monofont
is used for web addresses.
Sidebars, which look like text enclosed in a shaded gray box, consist of information that’s interesting to know but not necessarily critical to your understanding of the chapter or section topic.
Icons Used in This Book
This book is packed with so much information that sometimes we like to highlight specific items that are especially important. You won’t want to miss these:
This icon underscores a valuable point to keep in mind.
These are practical and immediate remedies for becoming a skilled collector.
This icon highlights common pitfalls you want to avoid.
This is detailed information you may find interesting but unnecessary when you’re just getting started as a collector (or returning to the hobby after a hiatus).
Beyond the Book
Find out more about card collecting by checking out the bonus content at www.dummies.com.
You can locate the book’s Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com. Search for “Sports Card Collecting & Investing For Dummies” and you’ll find handy hints and tips.
Where to Go from Here
This book is designed to give you the tools to be a great collector. But collecting sports cards is a hobby, and the reality is that you decide what being a great collector is. You aren’t doing this right if you aren’t having fun. Even if there’s a more efficient or proper way to collect, having fun and enjoying this experience is the most important thing. Never forget that, as the adage goes, collect what you like.
Although this book is designed to cover as many aspects of collecting as possible, feel free to consume it as you need and to skip over parts as you want. If a chapter or part doesn’t apply to you, skip ahead, and use your time elsewhere. Choose your own destiny.
If you’re just getting started, feel free to begin in Chapter 1. If you’re a savvy collector who wants to dive into investing, jump over to Part 4.
Now, dive in — wherever you like — and start reading. We hope you learn something, but more importantly, we hope you have fun.
Part 1
Getting the Scoop on Sports Cards
IN THIS PART …
How we fell in love with collecting.
Sports cards through the eras.
Chapter 1
Sizing Up the Sports Card Craze
IN THIS CHAPTER
The psychology behind why we collect
Why cards can be considered investments
What to do when you rediscover your collection
It’s hard to narrow down when humans first started collecting things, but evidence suggests it could have been more than 500,000 years ago with the recycling of discarded stone tools.
There’s evidence humans may have also collected things like shells in caves that date back 40,000 years, and of course, there’s evidence that items were collected and placed in temples and tombs in regions like ancient Egypt.
Humans, it seems, have long been collectors of all kinds of things. Through the years, items like coins and other currency have gained additional worth beyond the original value, artwork from classic painters and sculptors regularly stars in the most exclusive auctions, and even classic cars are chased to fill garages of the rich and famous.
Today, it’s fair to call sports cards some of the most popular collectibles, and the sales track record backs that up. Million-dollar sales for important cards have recently become a regular occurrence, and the popularity of cards sold through retailers like Target and Walmart grew so fast and furious during the COVID-19 pandemic that many stores were forced to limit sales to specific hours, if they didn’t halt them completely. For some stores, the sales weren’t worth the Black Friday–like chaos.
In this chapter, we explore why we collect sports cards and why the trend has gained popularity again in the 21st century.
The Psychology of Collecting
Humans have a long history of collecting things, but why do we do it at all? A research study investigating 500,000-year-old tools speculated that they were collected to preserve the memories of their ancestors. Another study in the 1980s found that some adults collect for reasons such as wanting to complete a series or creating a visually appealing display.
The research shows that sports cards seem to check all the boxes.
Why we collect sports cards
The different eras of sports cards are covered more in Chapter 2, but the Library of Congress considers the earliest known card to be one commemorating the Brooklyn Atlantics baseball team from the 1860s (see Figure 1-1). From there, sports cards have evolved from simple marketing materials during the tobacco era to luxurious items that feature high-end game-used memorabilia and autographs.
Regardless of their physical attributes, sports cards have almost always provided all the makings of a great collector’s item. First and foremost, trading cards help chronicle the past. Most cards feature the player’s stats from previous seasons and may even offer a short story about an important moment in their career. Want to reminisce about past seasons of glory? Take a trip down memory lane with a binder of cards, and you can easily lose hours.
The best cards are often visually striking, too. Iconic sets like the 1909–1911 T206 are beloved today more for their design than anything else (see Figure 1-2). Some are rare, but many can be easily found cheaper than you’d expect. Cards are then conveniently organized into numbered sets, just asking to be completed.
United States Library of Congress
FIGURE 1-1: 1865 Brooklyn Atlantics card
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 1-2: T206 Ty Cobb PSA 7
What likely makes sports cards especially collectible, however, is their ability to bring fans closer to the teams and players they love so much, and this has only gotten stronger since autographs and game-used memorabilia were introduced during the modern era. According to a 2023 Statista study, 75 percent of Americans considered themselves to be sports fans, and buying a little piece of cardboard with a player on the front is an easy and gratifying entry point to demonstrating one’s fandom.
A new (not really) kind of investment
The sports card hobby is typically associated with collecting cards for fun, but there is also a long history of using cards to make money as an investment. We cover more about buying and selling cards for profit in Chapters 14, 15, and 16. Although some collectors can almost be described as hobby purists — they buy and collect strictly as a hobby — a large percentage of the community regularly sells cards for a variety of reasons using a variety of methods.
It’s also important to know that, despite what many collect-first hobbyists may argue, investing and selling for a profit is not a new concept introduced during the Ultra-Modern Era. Some of the most basic concepts within the hobby prove this is wrong, too, and you don’t need to look any further than card shops and card shows. These businesses certainly may have been founded out of passion, but it’s hard to argue that people are committed to that extent while losing money. Although selling cards as a business may be more prevalent today than in the 1970s, it’s hardly a novel concept.
One could argue, however, that cards used as high-end alternative investments have increased in popularity in recent years. Again, savvy industry people have bought and sold cards for extreme profits for decades, but the introduction of cryptocurrency and the rise in other digital assets as investments have made investing in alternative assets more popular than ever before. For some, it’s better to have a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle on their desk than an Andy Warhol above their fireplace, and the definition of what is considered “art” has evolved to include more than what you’d find in the Louvre.
Getting Lost in the Cardboard. (It’s a Good Thing.)
From the nostalgia and the fandom to the thrill of completing a collecting goal, there are so many reasons to collect sports cards. And one of the most fun things you can do with collecting is to get lost in it. If you’ve collected before, dive into a stack of cards and run wild with the stories and memories they bring back. If you’re new to the hobby, consider going online and spiraling down a rabbit hole of stunning Instagram accounts and interesting YouTube videos. After all, that spiral is often what keeps so many collectors hooked.
Rediscovering your old collection
The sports card hobby is cyclical, both in its overall popularity and in how collectors individually participate. The hobby tends to go through phases of extreme popularity before dying down for one reason or another and reemerging later. For example, after a long run of popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, the hobby stalled after the Junk Wax Era — a period we cover more in Chapter 2. Decades later, the hobby exploded to arguably the height of its popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic because many were forced to spend more time indoors and stumbled upon their old cards.
Individual collectors experience cycles, too. Many are introduced to the hobby as children, and after years of collecting, they may take a break to pour their time and money into different things during their late teens and 20s. The disposable income that sometimes comes with mid-career success or introducing the hobby to their children can restart the cycle.
If you’ve recently rediscovered your collection, these next tips are just for you.
The lay of the land
Getting back into collecting can be extremely overwhelming if you’ve just dusted off your old collection. There’s a chance that it’s been years since you’ve looked through it, and some of the faces you once collected may have been mostly forgotten.
Depending on how long you’ve been away and whether you’re still following the same sports and players you used to collect, you may need to read up on the game’s current stars or do some research on some of your old favorites and how they panned out. You’ll use this info to get organized later.
You can take two routes to determine the value of your old collection. First, you can put the time in yourself using data tools like our own Market Movers, which we cover more in Part 4. You can also look at completed auctions on marketplaces like eBay to see what something recently sold for. If doing it on your own isn’t the best route for you, consider visiting your local card shop and asking if they’d help organize or appraise your collection. Some shops offer this, and some don’t. The ones that do may still want an idea of what you have before dedicating time to it. Many will also only appraise your collection if you have a legitimate interest in selling some or all of it.
We cover how to properly value your cards more in Chapter 16, but it’s important to know now that price transparency has come a long way in the last few years alone. Although magazines like the Beckett Price Guide ruled for decades, there’s now a variety of tools you can use on your own.
The disappointing news for many collectors is that most cards, aside from the rarest copies of the best players of all time, aren’t worth much. Unfortunately, those Hoops David Robinson rookie cards you stockpiled in 1989 won’t be your ticket to early retirement (see Figure 1-3). Nevertheless, rare gems are rediscovered daily in old childhood collections. So, while the odds may be long that you’re sitting on a goldmine, it can pay off big if you’re holding something in high demand.
Get organized
Many who dive back into collecting often find that their childhood version of themselves didn’t exactly follow the playbook for preserving the value of their cards. Whether it’s poor organization or, even worse, poor storage practices, things often go wrong when the person running the show is 12. Now is either the time to fix things or give yourself a pat on the back for thinking ahead early on. If you’re new to the hobby, consider this an opportunity to start the right way.
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 1-3: 1989 Hoops David Robinson PSA 10
Reorganizing may seem daunting, but many collectors look forward to it. We cover collecting for nostalgia purposes in the previous sections. This is where it comes into play. Ideally, you’ll be sorting your old collection into new categories as you sift through it. Players that were once stars may now go in a “commons” box while some of those top prospects have now earned a penny sleeve and top loader. Organizing your old collection may be the most time-consuming part of the process, but there’s a very real chance that it’s the most fun.
If you’re thinking about a collection reorganization, consider flipping to Chapter 8, where we cover the different types of collectors. It might be too early in the process, but there’s no better time than now to sort your collection properly if you know you will prioritize a certain team, player, or sport.
Keep building or start selling
Once your old collection is sorted and reorganized, it’s time to determine what to do with those cards. Keeping them all and just putting them back into proper storage, which we cover more in Chapter 9, is perfectly fine. You can continue building your collection on top of what you’ve previously owned or shift gears completely. This is also when you should consider selling cards you no longer want. If you have something in mind to buy, these old cards could be put to better use as a starter fund for your new collecting goals.
Tips for finding cards you will (or won’t) love
We cover the different types of collectors extensively in Chapter 8, but you can start exploring all that’s out there whenever you’re comfortable or feeling inspired, if this is your first experience with the hobby. If you see something appealing, don’t hesitate to do a little research and spiral down the rabbit hole with that card and others like it. If you’re diving back in, you’re bound to fall in love with a design again when sorting your collection, and we encourage you to explore whenever you’re excited. Along with your old cards, below are a few places to get you started.
Card shops and shows
Searching for cards online will yield a much larger selection, but there’s more than enough to get you started at your local card shops and card shows. Navigating card shows is covered more in Chapter 10, but one tip to know now is that they are great resources for things you haven’t seen before.
Be sure to keep a death grip on your wallet until you know exactly what you want to collect, how much those things should cost, and how much you can reasonably spend. If you wander into a card show like a babe in the woods, some dealers there will happily lead you to the slaughter.
If you see something cool, ask the dealer what they know about it. Card shop owners and card show dealers are often some of the most knowledgeable people in the hobby, and they are typically happy to share some info with you. Even if you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, feel free to visit these places early on to see what inspires you. Don’t worry about specifics; simply allow your eyes to draw you to something exciting.
The web and beyond
Exploring the hobby online can really help you find your focus. We cover card communities in Chapter 11, but right now, you can just get lost in the photos. New and returning collectors alike will find a whole new world of cards once they get online. Whether it’s Instagram or Facebook, there are collecting communities for just about every team and most of their key players. There will, of course, be plenty of collectors with tips for buying or selling stars like Tom Brady, but for every superstar, there will be someone with a shockingly good Seneca Wallace collection.
Chapter 2
The Evolution of Sports Cards through the Decades
IN THIS CHAPTER
Exploring the first known sports cards
Understanding the many eras of cards
Major events that shaped the hobby
Like the sports they depict, cards have a long and complicated history with many twists and turns. Compared to their earliest iterations, sports like baseball, basketball, and football are nearly unrecognizable compared to today's versions. Cards are no different. Where increases in speed, power, and athleticism have completely reshaped how games are played through the decades, massive improvements to printing technology and new and unique creative concepts have turned sports cards into a billion-dollar industry.
In this chapter, we explore where sports cards started, how they evolved through the decades, and where the industry might be going from here.
Where It All Began
Based on its legend and record-setting prices, you might believe that the 1909–1911 T206 set, featuring the iconic Honus Wagner, is among the earliest sports cards created. You’re right and wrong. Across the long history of sports cards, you could consider the early 1900s as some of the earliest cards. But to find the true start to the sports card hobby, we must go back even further to the mid-1800s.
Exploring the 1800s and the first cards
The format and spirit of today's cards weren’t established until the mid-1900s, so there’s minor debate about what’s considered a sports card. At the time of this writing, the Library of Congress considers the earliest known sports card to have been produced in 1865. Celebrating the Brooklyn Atlantics’ run of New York City championships in the 1860s, cards featuring the team were given out to fans as souvenirs. The design was considered a visiting card, or carte de visite, and featured a photograph attached to cardstock. Beyond sports teams, visiting cards saw a run of popularity as people put together collections of portraits featuring friends, family, and even famous individuals.
Cabinet cards
The 1860s also saw the gradual takeover of cabinet cards from visiting cards. Cabinet cards (see Figure 2-1) featured larger photographs and cardstock, making them ideal for displaying in, you guessed it, a cabinet. Cards from this era, as well as the tobacco era, were also often displayed in scrapbooks. As expected, the glue used to attach cards to the pages often had long-lasting effects, making finding cards in great condition extremely difficult years later. These cards also almost exclusively featured portraits, where the minor debate about sports cards comes into play. Do sports cards need to feature the sport being played, or does a portrait of an athlete count?
It’s worth noting that this period also saw an increase in cards featuring all types of subject matter. From animals and athletes to war heroes and presidents, cards featured interesting imagery, often as part of a promotional campaign. These types of advertisements helped lead the way into the tobacco era.
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 2-1: 1888 Gardner & Co. Studio cabinet card
Tobacco cards
The tobacco card era is possibly the most famous of the sports card eras, featuring cards used as advertisements in packs of cigarettes. Much smaller than cabinet cards, tobacco cards actually served several purposes. Of course, they were collectors’ items and motivated buyers to buy packs to complete their set. These cards also provided a stiff piece of cardstock to help support the cigarettes and prevent them from being easily crushed or destroyed.
The 1909–1911 T206 set (see Figure 2-2) is the most famous of the tobacco cards and holds tremendous value, especially in good condition. Important sets from the late 1880s even include brands that still exist today, like Allen & Ginter and Gypsy Queen (now produced by Topps) and Goodwin Champions (now produced by Upper Deck).
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 2-2: 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, SGC A
It’s important to know that while cards like the T206 Honus Wagner are incredibly rare, that isn’t the case for all tobacco-era cards. In fact, tobacco cards aren’t difficult to find at all in most cases. They are, however, difficult to find in good condition. Low grades of many early tobacco sets can be purchased for a few hundred dollars, but you often see prices escalate significantly as the condition improves.
Pre-War and Vintage
The eras of sports cards are often broken down into large date ranges, with pre-war cards and vintage cards currently making up the largest range. Pre-war cards refer to cards made before World War I, while the term vintage becomes a little trickier.
As years pass, the meaning of what is considered vintage can change — we often see this with different eras of music. For this book, we consider anything prior to 1980 as vintage.
Colors, stats, and a sweet new hobby
While the cabinet cards of the late 1800s largely featured photographs with black, white, and cream colors, the early 1900s saw major improvements to the printing process that delivered vibrant colors. Along with tobacco products, cards began being used to promote products like candy and gum. In fact, many of the most iconic card manufacturers have roots as confectionery companies. Though mostly associated with cards today, Topps originally began when four brothers turned a struggling tobacco business into Topps Chewing Gum in 1938. Fleer may be best known to collectors as the creator of Michael Jordan’s 1986 rookie card, but the company is also credited for creating bubblegum in the 1920s.
While working for the Frank H. Fleer Gum Company, Walter Diemer accidentally created bubblegum while tooling around in his lab during his breaks. Dubbed Double Bubble, Diemer’s creation was made pink because it was the only food coloring available in sufficient quantity at the time. To this day, Double Bubble is pink. Thankfully, an earlier Fleer version of bubblegum, called Blibber Blubber, was scrapped before going to market because the concoction was so sticky that turpentine was reportedly needed to remove it from one’s skin.
American Caramel and Cracker Jack
Often overshadowed by the T206 tobacco set, the 1909–11 American Caramel E90-1 is an important release in its own right. Featuring a similar design to the T206, the E90-1 had a much smaller checklist and was included in packs of caramel candy instead of cigarettes. Along with a rookie card for Joe Jackson, the set featured baseball heroes like Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Cy Young.
You might know Joe Jackson as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, whose name lives on in infamy because of his involvement in the 1919 World Series Black Sox Scandal. Jackson and some of his White Sox teammates were found to have colluded with organized crime figures to have thrown the series, giving the win to the Cincinnati Reds. The 1988 movie Eight Men Out, based on the book of the same name by Eliot Asinof, is about the scandal.
Soon after the American Caramel Company debuted, Cracker Jack (see Figure 2-3) joined the fray with a series of cards in 1914 and 1915. Best known for their bright red backgrounds, Cracker Jack cards also gave collectors a short biography on the back — cards from this era typically used the entire reverse for company promotion. Because they were packaged with the popcorn snack, cards were often found stained by syrup and sugar. A thin cardstock also made it difficult for cards to avoid significant damage in the packaging.
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 2-3: 1914 Cracker Jack Ty Cobb, SGC A
1933 Goudey Big League Gum
Few releases are considered to have better eye appeal — even compared to ultra-modern products — than the 1933 Goudey Big League Chewing Gum set. Released as Americans were still battling the Great Depression, the set paired portraits and action shots with a beautiful lineup of colors. The 240-card set featured stars like Jimmy Foxx and Joe Cronin, as well as a missing Nap Lajoie (who was added in 1934).
Featured on card numbers 53, 144, 149, and 181, the Babe Ruth variations are some of the most recognizable cards in the hobby (see Figure 2-4).
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 2-4: 1933 Goudey Ruth, PSA 4
The early Bowman, Leaf, Fleer, and Donruss entries
A variety of card sets were produced during the first half of the 20th century, but production slowed during World War II as paper and other materials became harder to produce. The first major baseball card release post–World War II came from Bowman in 1948, which featured a 48-card set with rookie cards from stars like Yogi Berra, Warren Spahn, Ralph Kiner, and Stan Musial. Founded in 1927 as Gum, Inc., the Bowman brand introduced trading cards in the 1930s, including the key Play Ball sets from 1938 to 1941, before halting production for World War II. The 1948 set featured black-and-white photos before Bowman added color to the backgrounds and team uniforms in 1949. Bowman used full color for the first time in 1950 and scored big in 1951 when it delivered full-color rookies for Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.
Bowman remained Topps’s primary rival during the 1950s until its final release in 1955. Topps acquired — and promptly discontinued — Bowman in 1956 before finally reviving the brand in 1989. Since 2000, Bowman has served as the primary brand featuring baseball prospect and rookie cards.
Shortly after Bowman released its 1948 set, confectionary company Leaf International issued its first sets of cards — this was also the first post-war set to feature cards in color. Despite Leaf’s short stay in trading cards, 1948 Leaf Baseball is best known for featuring rookies for nine Hall of Famers, including Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, Satchel Paige, and Warren Spahn. Leaf also produced football cards in 1948 featuring Sid Luckman and Bobby Layne, and boxing cards including Sugar Ray Robinson and Rocky Graziano.
It’s important to note that Leaf International has no connection with Leaf Trading Cards, founded in 2010, or the Leaf name used from the 1980s into the 2000s.
It’s not difficult to argue that 1986 Fleer Basketball is one of the most important sets of all time, though the brand began more than 100 years before as a confectionary company in 1885. Fleer debuted its trading cards in 1923, and the cards from that set remain extremely rare. Typically referred to as the W515 strip card set, it featured 60 baseball cards and 10 boxing cards. Fleer made its football debut in 1960 and covered the AFL rather than the NFL.
Fleer also helped lift the Donruss brand into the sports card market in the early 1980s. Founded in 1954, Donruss began making hard candies before diving into trading cards in the 1960s. The company would produce entertainment cards throughout the decade and eventually lucked out when Fleer sued Topps in 1975 over its exclusive baseball rights. After a judge ruled that Topps had illegally obtained exclusive rights, Donruss was able to produce its first sports set with 1981 Donruss Baseball.
The Donruss brand then took several twists and turns in the following decades that included a merger with Leaf International and an acquisition by Pinnacle Brands in 1996. Playoff later acquired Pinnacle, which manufactured cards under the Donruss, Leaf, and Score brands. (Playoff acquired Score in 1998.)
Arguably, the biggest shakeup to Donruss came in 2009 when Panini acquired the Donruss Playoff brand to create Panini America.
1952 Topps and the modern sports card
For many, there is no set more important than 1952 Topps Baseball — and these collectors have a decent argument. This wasn’t Topps’s first set, though. Topps’s first cards came in 1948, dubbed “Magic Photos,” before introducing baseball cards with a limited set in 1951. The first full release in 1952 would go on to change everything.
The Topps Magic Photos baseball card set featured 252 sepia-toned cards, measuring just larger than today’s postage stamps (7/8-inch x 1-7/16-inch). Of this massive set, just 19 cards depicted baseball players. The cards were “magic” because they were blank until exposed to sunlight, which developed the photo. The card backs included short trivia questions.
The 1952 set was larger than anything Bowman had done in both set size and physical card size. The 407-card checklist was much bigger than 1952 Bowman’s 252-card set, and a larger card size was more in line with what collectors are accustomed to today. The combination of bright colors, team logos, and robust statistics on the reverse helped create the template for what we see today, and many collectors consider it the birth of what we consider the modern sports card.
The 1952 Topps Baseball set also features one of the most valuable cards of all time. Though it isn’t his rookie card (that’s his 1951 Bowman), the importance of Topps’s 1952 release has made the #311 Mickey Mantle (see Figure 2-5) arguably the most iconic sports card ever. You can read more about Mantle’s Topps debut in Chapter 19. Despite the set’s importance, it wasn’t a complete hit at the time. This set was released throughout the season in six series, and interest in it slipped toward the end of the baseball season. Sealed cases were dumped into the Atlantic Ocean to create warehouse space.
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
FIGURE 2-5: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, SGC 9.5
