Sports card collecting

[Eric15]

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO last night had a very interesting story about sportscard collecting. I was absolutely obsessed with it as a kid in the early 90s. My favorite places in Syracuse were Hot Corner in Liverpool and George's on the Northside.

I just assumed that the hobby was extinct because kids were more interested in social media and illuminated screens, but apparently, the market for sports cards is absolutely insane right now. Over the past generation, sports cards have actually out-performed the S&P 500. They interviewed a high school kid who has made a few million dollars by age 17. There are Giannis and Luka cards, for instance, worth literally 5 or 6 figures. And then the holy grail Honus Wagner card is worth millions.

My most valuable card as a kid was a John Stockton rookie card worth $25 and I cared for it like it was the Hope Diamond. Unfortunately, because cards from my childhood era were so overproduced, none of them have much value.

Does anyone here have any particularly valuable sports cards?

 

[GooseMutt]

I’m old and 30 yrs ago my mom was selling her house and found a few shoeboxes of my cards from 64-65and 1966.

many with rounded edges and some were actually in great shape. Probably about 200 cards in all ( in those days 5 cents a pack)

4 or 5 Mantles, Maris Rose Aaron Koufax and too many to name

Rookies I have Gibson, don’t know how I got that, and many notables during that time period.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I remember reading an article that cards and comics really boomed during the pandemic because people had cash on hand for collecting hobbies since they couldn't go out and do stuff.

I need to dig out my old cards and comics. When I was a kid there was a new line of comics called Impact that came out based on old Red Circle/Archie heroes. They were a lot of fun, and came at a time when real gritty comics were popular and Spawn came on the scene, so they were an awesome counter to that. Much more kid friendly but still cool and great stories and characters (Black Hood was amazing, for example). Anyway, I didn't collect every comic in the line as a kid, but as an adult I've found issues online for cheap and I think I have the entire Impact comics line. It only lasted for a couple of years and is a blip on the radar of comics history, but they were important to me personally and I take some pride in having the full line.

 

[CarolinaCuse]

My dad had the full 1952 Topps Baseball set until his mother got rid of it when he went to college in the 1960s. When Topps reprinted the series in1983, he went out and bought it. It's a proud part of my (now dated) collection of sport cards, which largely reflects the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Glad to hear the industry has endured and is doing well right now.

 

[chugg21]

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO last night had a very interesting story about sportscard collecting. I was absolutely obsessed with it as a kid in the early 90s. My favorite places in Syracuse were Hot Corner in Liverpool and George's on the Northside.

I just assumed that the hobby was extinct because kids were more interested in social media and illuminated screens, but apparently, the market for sports cards is absolutely insane right now. Over the past generation, sports cards have actually out-performed the S&P 500. They interviewed a high school kid who has made a few million dollars by age 17. There are Giannis and Luka cards, for instance, worth literally 5 or 6 figures. And then the holy grail Honus Wagner card is worth millions.

My most valuable card as a kid was a John Stockton rookie card worth $25 and I cared for it like it was the Hope Diamond. Unfortunately, because cards from my childhood era were so overproduced, none of them have much value.

Does anyone here have any particularly valuable sports cards?

The industry blew up during the pandemic and things have went way out of control. The highest priced modern cards have seen their value increase 5-10x in the last year, it's truly nuts. I guess people didn't have things to waste their expendable income on while trapped at home so card collecting on Ebay went bonkers. One of my friends got me back into it right around last March/April in collecting hockey rookie cards and I was able to buy a bunch around March/April and then sell them off 2 or 3 months later and get double what I had paid. Cards have to be graded by Beckett or PSA to be worth a premium now though. And those companies had to shut down for a few months because their backlog became insane. They were getting more cards to grade in a month then they used to get in a year and had no way to get through them.

 

[Fat tire 13]

Great thread - brings back fun memories

It really depends on what cards you own. I was obsessed as a kid, and my prime collecting years were 1988-1994. Any cards from then literally haven't appreciated a bit. A terrible investment if you consider inflation 1994 to today. The supply from those years was crazy with 3-4 main brands and tons of gimmicks (premium, larger format, etc.)

The rare ones and old ones have been much better investments. When I did save up, I splurged on some cards from the 1960s and 1970s. Never could afford a Mantle. That was the holy grail for my 12 year old self. I do have a couple Willie Mays cards, which probably are the most valuable ones in the collection.

I still remember my best trade. In 1990, I traded a neighbor 4 Kevin Maas rookie cards for a Cal Ripken rookie card (mint condition, with the two other players on it).

 

[Fat tire 13]

My dad had the full 1952 Topps Baseball set until his mother got rid of it when he went to college in the 1960s.

Wow - even in used condition, that is worth $200K today

 

[chugg21]

Great thread - brings back fun memories

It really depends on what cards you own. I was obsessed as a kid, and my prime collecting years were 1988-1994. Any cards from then literally haven't appreciated a bit. A terrible investment if you consider inflation 1994 to today. The supply from those years was crazy with 3-4 main brands and tons of gimmicks (premium, larger format, etc.)

The rare ones and old ones have been much better investments. When I did save up, I splurged on some cards from the 1960s and 1970s. Never could afford a Mantle. That was the holy grail for my 12 year old self. I do have a couple Willie Mays cards, which probably are the most valuable ones in the collection.

I still remember my best trade. In 1990, I traded a neighbor 4 Kevin Maas rookie cards for a Cal Ripken rookie card (mint condition, with the two other players on it).

Those 88-94 cards in raw format aren't very valuable but the Gem Mint 10s of star players sure have increased. My favorite card as a kid(and now) is the 1989 Score Barry Sanders Rookie. I used to buy 1 every couple months and have a bunch. The graded 10s have jumped from a couple hundred bucks a few years ago to $1500+ today.

 

[Orangezoo]

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO last night had a very interesting story about sportscard collecting. I was absolutely obsessed with it as a kid in the early 90s. My favorite places in Syracuse were Hot Corner in Liverpool and George's on the Northside.

I just assumed that the hobby was extinct because kids were more interested in social media and illuminated screens, but apparently, the market for sports cards is absolutely insane right now. Over the past generation, sports cards have actually out-performed the S&P 500. They interviewed a high school kid who has made a few million dollars by age 17. There are Giannis and Luka cards, for instance, worth literally 5 or 6 figures. And then the holy grail Honus Wagner card is worth millions.

My most valuable card as a kid was a John Stockton rookie card worth $25 and I cared for it like it was the Hope Diamond. Unfortunately, because cards from my childhood era were so overproduced, none of them have much value.

Does anyone here have any particularly valuable sports cards?

I actually still have a bunch but sold some. I sold a bunch of my Jordan cards as they always have a market as well as one Kobe which I should have held onto much longer. Probably have 30k in storage from mid 80s through late 90s.

Sadly my dad and grandfather had a whole trunk of baseball cards from the 40s through 70s in an attic and they got sold by accident at a yard sale in the 80s. Probably half a million in value or more that no one realized and let go.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Hot Corner was the best. I was definitely a card rat and my parents would drop me off in there on a Friday while they hit up Video King, and got Chinese Food. I’d just sit in there and stare at them. My treasured card when I was in elementary school was Chris Jones autograph rookie card since he was the local hero.
My best cards are mostly hand me downs from my brothers - handful of Clemens, Johnson, Griffey and Bonds rookie cards.

I wasn’t a ride kid so State Fair was more about food, cards and goldfish. Cheriehoop’s money was funneled to the card dealers that had roulette wheels of potential prizes. I do believe they gifted me an autographed card because of the amount spent one year.

 

[Eric15]

I need to dig out my old cards and comics.

I went through a progression as a kid where I collected sports cards, and then comic books for like a year, and then played Magic the Gathering for like a year, and then inherited my grandparents' coin collection and became enamored with that. I find old coins incredibly interesting and would actually like to get back into that hobby.

 

[Orangezoo]

I went through a progression as a kid where I collected sports cards, and then comic books for like a year, and then played Magic the Gathering for like a year, and then inherited my grandparents' coin collection and became enamored with that. I find old coins incredibly interesting and would actually like to get back into that hobby.

FYI I collect old domestic and foreign coins if you ever had questions. Been doing so for about 10 yrs. All started with finding an old collection of quarters and pennies I had as a kid and then randomly finding a bag of WW2 era coins in a house we rented.

 

[shandeezy7]

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO last night had a very interesting story about sportscard collecting. I was absolutely obsessed with it as a kid in the early 90s. My favorite places in Syracuse were Hot Corner in Liverpool and George's on the Northside.

I just assumed that the hobby was extinct because kids were more interested in social media and illuminated screens, but apparently, the market for sports cards is absolutely insane right now. Over the past generation, sports cards have actually out-performed the S&P 500. They interviewed a high school kid who has made a few million dollars by age 17. There are Giannis and Luka cards, for instance, worth literally 5 or 6 figures. And then the holy grail Honus Wagner card is worth millions.

My most valuable card as a kid was a John Stockton rookie card worth $25 and I cared for it like it was the Hope Diamond. Unfortunately, because cards from my childhood era were so overproduced, none of them have much value.

Does anyone here have any particularly valuable sports cards?

I have a Lebron rookie card that - depending on how it grades - is valued somewhere in the $5,000-$15,000 range. I have a Melo rookie, a Lebron/Melo/Wade trio rookie, an Iverson rookie and a Kobe rookie that all carry four figure values if they grade out well.

In near-misses, I have a Darko rookie, that if it were a Lebron, would be worth six figures. Hell, even a Carmelo or Wade or Bosh would probably be worth five figures. Alas, this card is barely worth the stock it's printed on.

 

[Eric15]

FYI I collect old domestic and foreign coins if you ever had questions. Been doing so for about 10 yrs. All started with finding an old collection of quarters and pennies I had as a kid and then randomly finding a bag of WW2 era coins in a house we rented.

That's awesome -- thanks. I have a lot of Indian Head and Flying Eagle cents. I think my most valuable is an 1857 penny worth in the $100 range. It's just surreal to think about who else held this coin before I did.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Glad no on has mentioned autograph collecting.
It's not really a hobby any more.
It is THE most fraud-filled business I've ever seen.

 

[Orangezoo]

That's awesome -- thanks. I have a lot of Indian Head and Flying Eagle cents. I think my most valuable is an 1857 penny worth in the $100 range. It's just surreal to think about who else held this coin before I did.

Nice. For me I have some clay Japanese Coins and then Silver Dollars from the late 1800s/Early 1900s all in that range of 70-150 roughly. A bunch of WW2 European coins I need to get appraised too. Lots of Buffalo Nickels, some indian heads, mercury dimes and so forth. It gets fun when your collection out paces your memory and you have to go back through.

 

[GooseMutt]

I’m old and 30 yrs ago my mom was selling her house and found a few shoeboxes of my cards from 64-65and 1966.

many with rounded edges and some were actually in great shape. Probably about 200 cards in all ( in those days 5 cents a pack)

4 or 5 Mantles, Maris Rose Aaron Koufax and too many to name

Rookies I have Gibson, don’t know how I got that, and many notables during that time period.

Told my wife about this thread and she went in our attic and pulled a box of rookies out. As I said I have many from the early 60’s like Palmer Carlton Rose 2nd year and others as I remember.

However, the box she brought down was a rookie box from the 80’s I total forgot about.

I bought these cards in card shops and they are all tight cornered and pretty well centered.

Examples:Boggs Mattingly Ripken Gwynn Sandberg Justice Bell McGwire Sax

What was really cool was I at the time got into the kick of buying unopened old wax packs from th 60’s 70’s and early 80’s and have a box of about 20 unopened packs. I remember paying 20-30 bucks for a single pack. I want to open them so bad but will pass on to family intact one day.

One of my worst investments was buying into the upper deck hockey French packs in 91

 

[shandeezy7]

Told my wife about this thread and she went in our attic and pulled a box of rookies out. As I said I have many from the early 60’s like Palmer Carlton Rose 2nd year and others as I remember.

However, the box she brought down was a rookie box from the 80’s I total forgot about.

I bought these cards in card shops and they are all tight cornered and pretty well centered.

Examples:Boggs Mattingly Ripken Gwynn Sandberg Justice Bell McGwire Sax

What was really cool was I at the time got into the kick of buying unopened old wax packs from th 60’s 70’s and early 80’s and have a box of about 20 unopened packs. I remember paying 20-30 bucks for a single pack. I want to open them so bad but will pass on to family intact one day.

One of my worst investments was buying into the upper deck hockey French packs in 91

Yeah some of those unopened packs and boxes go for stupid money.

1986-87 Fleer Basketball Unopened Wax Pack Jordan RC Year PSA 8 NM-MT | eBay

Where is my invoice?. Invoices are sent every evening around 11 p.m. PT. Do you buy collections?. These costs are your responsibility.

www.ebay.com

 

[GooseMutt]

Yeah some of those unopened packs and boxes go for stupid money.

1986-87 Fleer Basketball Unopened Wax Pack Jordan RC Year PSA 8 NM-MT | eBay

Where is my invoice?. Invoices are sent every evening around 11 p.m. PT. Do you buy collections?. These costs are your responsibility.

www.ebay.com

Holy moly

 

[shandeezy7]

Holy moly

A PSA MT-10 graded Jordan rookie from that pack sold for $738,000 back in January. That's why people will pay $4,000 for a pack despite the fact that it might just contain a bunch of Rolando Blackman and Tom Chambers cards worth nothing.

Goldin Auctions Auction Item 12 Basketball Cards 1986 Fleer

Auction Prices for 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Lot No: 12 - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)

www.psacard.com

 

[Fly Rodder]

I was into MTG early on, but just late enough to miss out on the Beta and Unlimited sets which were already going for like $2k. I thought that was ridiculous in 1995 when I could barely afford rent and I would just be using them to play in tournaments. I had some decent cards, including a couple of moxes, and a fullset of dual lands but sold everything back in the late 90s. I could buy a car with those now.

Unfortunately, I was a kid during the baseball card heyday of the 80s when Topps, Donruss, Fleer, and Upperdeck were selling so many cards that most of them were worthless because there were a billion of them.

My one card story was going to Cooperstown in the mid-80s and my younger brother bought like a 4-5 year old unopened pack of cards, tore it open and, without even thinking, shoved the gum in his mouth, chewed for a half-second and then realized that it just turned to powder.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

This thread reminded me of this btw (NSFW)

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

The Uncle Jimmy collection

 

[kirbivore]

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO last night had a very interesting story about sportscard collecting. I was absolutely obsessed with it as a kid in the early 90s. My favorite places in Syracuse were Hot Corner in Liverpool and George's on the Northside.

I just assumed that the hobby was extinct because kids were more interested in social media and illuminated screens, but apparently, the market for sports cards is absolutely insane right now. Over the past generation, sports cards have actually out-performed the S&P 500. They interviewed a high school kid who has made a few million dollars by age 17. There are Giannis and Luka cards, for instance, worth literally 5 or 6 figures. And then the holy grail Honus Wagner card is worth millions.

My most valuable card as a kid was a John Stockton rookie card worth $25 and I cared for it like it was the Hope Diamond. Unfortunately, because cards from my childhood era were so overproduced, none of them have much value.

Does anyone here have any particularly valuable sports cards?

I had the 1984 Mattingly Topps and 1984 McGuire Olympic card.

 

[kirbivore]

I actually still have a bunch but sold some. I sold a bunch of my Jordan cards as they always have a market as well as one Kobe which I should have held onto much longer. Probably have 30k in storage from mid 80s through late 90s.

Sadly my dad and grandfather had a whole trunk of baseball cards from the 40s through 70s in an attic and they got sold by accident at a yard sale in the 80s. Probably half a million in value or more that no one realized and let go.