How to Collect Baseball Cards

Collecting baseball cards can be an investment, but more importantly, it can be fun! Dive in and explore America's Pastime!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sports Cards Price Guides
• Clear Page Protectors
• Mylar Covers
• Beckett Sports Collectibles Subscription
• Sports Memorabilia
• Baseball Card Albums
• Baseball Cards
• Sports Cards
• Sports Memorabilia

1. Decide what you want to collect - new cards, old cards, cards from one company, cards of one team or one player. The options and varieties are endless!

2. Start with a local baseball card shop or local merchant if you are looking for new cards.

3. Branch out and explore card shows and conventions. They usually have hundreds of dealers selling cards and other memorabilia. Sign up to be notified of upcoming shows.

4. Create "want lists" of cards you are looking for. This can make your card "shopping" much easier.

5. Try auction sites such as eBay to purchase cards. You can definitely get some great deals. Subscribe to hobby publications such as "Sports Collector's Digest" or "Tuff Stuff."

6. Consider buying a price guide to use as a reference.

7. Remember to store your cards safely - sturdy pine boxes and/or mylar holders work well. If you want to "show" your cards or plan on looking at them often, plastic sheets, which generally hold nine cards per page, per side, are often best.

Tips & Warnings

• Befriend local merchants that carry baseball cards and ask them to call you when new shipments come in.
• Check out garage sales - you may get lucky!
• Collecting complete sets or cards of one player or team is generally the most popular type of collecting.
• Make sure to tell your mother never to throw your cards away - even after you move out!
• The price of cards is affected by many things. In general, cards are more expensive if they are in mint condition, are old, are in rare supply and/or portray a star player (especially if it is a rookie card).
• Pay attention to "condition." A card that is "like new" will be graded as Gem Mint. Card condition goes down from there, following this scale: Mint, Near Mint-Mint, Near Mint, Excellent-Mint, Excellent, Very Good-Excellent (VG-Ex), Very Good (VG), Good (G) and Poor to Fair.
• There is an alternative grading system, called the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). This is a third-party grading service that, for a fee, grades cards from 10 (Gem Mint) to 1 (Poor to Fair).
• Avoid storing your cards in extreme conditions - high/low humidity and direct light (sun or flourescent) can hasten the decomposition and reduce the quality of your cards.
• Set a budget before going into a card show or store - the buying frenzy can get carried away!
• If you're looking for on an online auction, you may find one set of items listed under "baseball card" and another set listed under "baseball cards."

[uncledice]

on 6/16/2009 As a former professional baseball having recently retired with the ability to say I had a half-dozen cards is nice. However, growing up in the 80's collecting cards was night and day opposite of the collectors of present day.Collectors of past collected thier favorite players as well a yearly sets. It was sacred to save your allowance and hit the Flea market on a saturday hoping to score some Seaver's, Ryan's,Boggs...Or buy an un-opened pack thats 10+yrs old anticipating getting that rookie card. From my recent experience its all about printing as many cards as possible, and then, after BP trying to get a player to sign the 25 cards you have of him, so you can then toss them on e bay and make a buck. Saw the same dudes every year doing the same routine. Well I guess it was more sentimental years ago, and a challege to have the top cards in the neighborhood to show off to your frien...

[ckozora4299]

on 6/12/2009 I have Dan Marino cards for sale and a Willie Mays for sale. Willie Mays card is from 1951 to 1993 upper deck then and now.his giants card.

[kingskippy]

on 5/15/2009 More than likely the cards you have stored for all this time have been damaged by the rubber bands. More than likely the card that is on the top as well as the card that is on the botton. If you want to straighten them out there are a few ways. But before you do, the first and most important thing is to take the rubber bands off. You can either stack them tightly in the box, which over time will help or individually put each card in a holder that you can purchase from stores like Walmart, Drug stores and or your local sports card shop. The only problem will be the cost. You might just want to do that with the better cards in the set for the have the highest value. IE. Eddie Murray, the Future Stars cards of Paul Molitor as well as Jack Morris and players such as Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Mike Schmidt etc and so on.

[ladysmith]

on 4/6/2009 I have a 1978 Topps collection that was stored in shoeboxes and most cards were in rubber bands. Most of the cards are still in great shape but they all are slightly warped. Any suggestions?

on 8/8/2006 When you buy cards, put them directly into a safe place, like a safe inside of plastic sheets. I keep my cards in a fireproof and bullet proof safe just in case of a fire or burglar.