The answer to this question is very simple. Yes, sports cards are still valuable and they are going to remain valuable for a long time.
In this article, we’ll look into why sports cards are still valuable.
Are Sports Cards Still Valuable?
Sports cards have always been a collector’s item, but with so many other forms of digital media and entertainment available, are they still worth collecting?
Sports cards are physical memorabilia of players and teams in sports that have been traded among fans and collectors. They are also an investment opportunity for the future as many older cards have become collectors’ items with values ranging from hundreds to millions of dollars.
Even though the world is shifting from physical to digital, sports cards will always be valuable. The cards are collectible items that can be passed down through generations. Some people also enjoy buying them just for the memories they bring back.
Regardless, sports cards will always have some value – and while prices can fluctuate, there’s still always a very solid base price.
Population is Key
A good way to determine the value of a sports card is by its population. Population refers to how many copies of that specific card exist.
If a card has a low population, it will be worth more money than if it had a high population.
For example, there are cards printed now where there might have 25 copies printed. These will be worth more than cards that don’t have a specific print run.
In the late 80s and early 90s, the hobby had something called the Junk Wax era – which basically meant that cards were overprinted. This meant that a lot of cards from that era are probably worth less than you’d think.
Another way population comes into it is when you get cards graded. For example, there could be thousands of a card printed. However, there might only be, say, a few hundred PSA 10s – making them far more rare.
You can find PSA population reports on their website, which is an incredible resource.
Soccer is a funny one when it comes to population too. Soccer cards usually have super-low population counts, because a lot of the old “cards” are actually stickers, and have been damaged, or stuck in folders over time.
FAQs
How Do I Know if my Sports Cards are Valuable?
Value can be determined by the player, team, and year of issue. As a general rule of thumb, a player’s rookie year is one of their most valuable cards.
The condition of the card is also an important factor in determining the value. Poorly cared for sports cards may not be worth as much as they would have been had they been taken care of properly.
Lastly, it is important to note that different cards are valuable depending on the sport played by the player – a, top end basketball card, for example will be worth more than a top end boxing card.
You can learn more about checking sport card values in this article.
What Can you do With Valuable Sports Cards?
The answer to this is not just “sell them”, although that’s not a terrible idea! There are a number of things that you can do with valuable sports cards.
Collectors are often willing to pay a lot of money for the most rare and iconic cards. But, there are other ways that you can profit from your collection without having to sell it. For example, you could trade your cards with others who have a similar interest in order to make some money while keeping cards in your possession.
I know a lot of people who buy an NBA card for a good price, but instead of selling, they’ll trade with another collector.
You could also sell the cards individually or in wholesale bundles on eBay, Amazon, etc., if you don’t want to do anything else with them and need the cash right away.
However, if you’ve got cards that could be potentially worth thousands of dollars, I’d suggest selling at an auction house. If you want to learn more about selling high end cards, read more here.