The world of sports card collecting changes every single day, always keeping those in the market for cards on their toes. Rookie cards in particular are a risky gambit, as an unknown player that showed up in that pack you just opened could turn out to be a sensation, while a projected next big star could stumble their way to a quick exit from the league.
As Pokémon cards have steadily increased in value over the years, collectors all over the world have been diving into the backs of their closets to dig out their shoe boxes full of childhood memories. Selling Pokémon cards can be so lucrative in today’s market that some people even see buying and flipping cards as a viable investment strategy. A booster box of first-edition Base set cards broke all Pokémon records when it sold for $432,000 in 2021. A single card — 1999 Charizard in gem mint condition — sold for a whopping $420,000 at auction in 2022. Ready to find out if any of the cards in your collection will enter that stratosphere? Here’s our Pokémon card selling guide to help you get started.
There are countless ways to buy and sell baseball cards online, and each one comes with unique pros and cons. Whether you’re looking to move a complete collection or hoping to find that one perfect card, there are tools out there that can help you get the job done. Some platforms focus on physical collectibles, while others take a more digital approach to the world of baseball card trading. Here are seven of the best places to trade baseball cards online.
The future value of a current rookie card is unpredictable, and that’s what makes them so exciting. Collectors can make informed purchases based on top prospects, but if an athlete’s career never takes off, that fancy piece of cardstock may never be worth much more than the material it’s printed on. On the other hand, as an athlete’s accomplishments build over time, those mementos of their first foray into professional sports can mean big bucks for their lucky (or prescient) owners.
Among collectors and sports fans, rookie cards hold a special value — both sentimental and monetary. If you’re hunting collectibles for contemporary players, scoring rookie cards worth money can be just as much about luck as it is foresight. It can be a truly profitable stroke of luck, too.
Timing is everything in sports: The difference between a game-winning homerun and a series-ending strike can be a matter of milliseconds.
The hobby of collecting sports cards is as much an institution as the games they celebrate. Some people collect cards to own physical artifacts of their favorite players; others invest in a chance to strike it rich with a rare card of a big-name athlete, often getting the card appraised to cement its status as a high-quality, must-have prize.
Feel like you’ve been watching the exploding sports card market from the sidelines long enough, and it’s finally time to jump in? Welcome. You’re about to join a fast-moving, fascinating, and — yes — occasionally overwhelming world, but thankfully you’re already in the right place. This guide will show you how to sell sports cards, as well as how to buy them, whether you’re online, on social media, or prefer the old standby of trawling stores and conventions.
What are the most valuable sports cards on the market? Collectors and appraisers consider several factors to determine which sports cards hold the most value. Whether you’re interested in baseball cards, basketball cards, or collectible cards for other sports, clearly defined criteria determine which are the most valuable for each category. Keep reading to learn what goes into the appraisal process — as well as our list of the top 100 most valuable sports cards that may make you wonder “how much are my sports cards worth?”
Sales of sports cards are booming. In 2020, eBay reported that sports card sales increased on their site by 142 percent over 2019 levels. By 2021, eBay said the number of sports card buyers had doubled, with much of the growth coming from “collectors, flippers and those who are turning to trading cards as another avenue of investment to diversify their portfolios.”
