Remember the time when you are just a kid and collecting sports cards is just for fun? What if we tell you that collecting sports cards can be profitable in terms of money too? And yes, we are not joking, many people take this as a hobby and later earn money from these cards. Not believing us? You have to just search in Google “sports cards collection hobby” and see it yourself. Collecting sports cards can be both fun and a good investment. If you are considering diving into the hobby for the first time, here are a few key things to consider when collecting sports cards and memorabilia.
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Sports Cards Memorabilia Collecting
Collect What You Like
The fun of collecting sports memorabilia cards is in the simplicity of collecting what you like. Some people collect cards of their favorite teams or players, while others like to focus on getting Rookie Cards or autographed cards. Of course, what you like can change over time. You may begin collecting vintage cards, but then find it fun to collect modern cards of today’s stars. There are nearly endless options when it comes to collecting, so try different things if you are not sure what you like yet.
Set a Budget
Collecting sports cards memorabilia can get expensive, depending on what you collect. It always helps to set a budget so that you know exactly what you can spend. This way, you can prioritize the cards you want to add to your collection. Setting a budget can also help you determine if you need to sell or trade some cards you have in order to get some other cards you want. Knowing exactly how much you can devote to your hobby can also help you decide what to buy, such as allocating money for packs and boxes, and other money for single cards.
Condition Matters
The overall condition a card is in matters a lot of some collectors, especially with Vintage cards. The major areas of condition to pay attention to our corners, edges, surface, and centering. Some collectors care more about certain areas than others. For example, you might care less about how well a card is centered and much more how sharp the edges and corners are. Be sure to examine the cards carefully before buying. This is best done if you can inspect the cards in person as opposed to buying online.
Rookie Cards are Usually the Most Valuable
A Rookie Card is the first official mainstream card of a particular player. Because it appears so early in a player’s career, many collectors view it as more desirable. So, Rookie Cards tend to be more valuable than cards issued later in a player’s career. You will typically see a Rookie Card designated as RC in price guides and sales listings. However, there are many sports cards memorabilia that are not Rookie Cards that still carry high market value.
Buy Individual Cards or Boxes
When buying sports cards, you basically have two options – buy individual cards, or buy packs and boxes. This depends on preference. Buying individual cards lets you pick exactly what you want, whereas buying packs or boxes can be fun because you don’t know what specific sports cards you will get. This can be more of a gamble, but it also makes you more familiar with sports card sets and special cards, including inserts, autographs and memorabilia cards.
