How to Start a Hockey Card Collection

Hockey card collectors can even rival baseball and football card collectors with their enthusiasm for gathering cards. As you start a hockey card collection, keep an eye out for new releases. They get scooped up quickly by eager hockey card traders, sometimes before they have even been distributed by the manufacturer.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Storage supplies
• Pricing guide

1. Start your hockey card collection with a set of team cards. Buying hockey cards by the team set is a fast way to build a sports card collection. Typically, you can get a set that includes one or two limited edition cards inside.

2. Sort your collection into groups. Create categories for your cards by way of singles, teams, rookies, vintage era, and favorite moments (such as a Stanley Cup win). This will keep your collection organized and add diverse.

3. Buy a subscription to a collectibles magazine or sports card pricing guide. Overall, pricing guides are commonly read by both sellers and buyers, as well as those simply looking for knowledge and enjoyment. Tuff-Stuff and Beckett are popular price guide publishers.

4. Achieve a good mix of cards in your collection. Slowly add rare and vintage cards as you build your compilation. Don't feel that you have to start out collecting only rare cards, but fill your collection with the latest players. Keep up with the sports news about popular rookies, acquisitions and player trades to different leagues. Many times these players can go on to achieve success and your collection will become more valuable.

5. Attend a sports card convention to get a better understanding about the pricing for rare hockey cards. These venues allow for opportunities to network with collectors and speak with owners who have catalogs of rare cards. This way, you won't overpay for something online or make a bad trade.

6. Acquire at least one hard-to-find hockey card after you establish your collection. A vintage Wayne Gretzky card, or one honoring another groundbreaking player, will lend authenticity and weight to your collection. Other rare cards include cards that were printed with mistakes, those from the 1920s and limited edition cards with few copies in print.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you start collecting cards, gather supplies to help you arrange them. You can have the best collection in the world, but if it's strewn about in your bedroom or garage it can get damaged. Place your hockey cards in storage boxes, card cases or plastic bins.