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Should You Bet on Sports Cards?

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By Adelbert Friesen

May 03, 2021

Back in the late 70s and 80s, it was not uncommon for people to collect and invest in sports cards. As a matter of fact, it was a way of life, when you enter people houses you see the shelves of their house lined with sport card binders, sports cards could be found in old shoe boxes, lined up to the brim, and every other nook and cranny of the house. For those who were smart enough, they bought some hard cases just to protect their most expensive sports card. But in the 70s and 80s, most of the sports cards were overproduced, so it didn’t yield much profit sadly, so aside from a few outliers, it most times its always a bummer.

Even back then following the trend has always been the norm as it is now, but investing in sports card should not only be about trends, there are a few factors one must be on the lookout for, factors like exceptional talent, record-breaking are some of the things one, must look out for.

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Investing in Sports Cards

The past five years have been a spectacular one for the sports industry, some auction sales that sold astronomically made investors start reconsidering their stance. Sports cards investing is back and it has now caught up with the digital age. The same way movie shows in the 70s and 80s are being rebranded is the same way the sports card industry is also being rebrand.

How Do I Know Which Cards to Buy?

Like any other investment, the more favorable the future seems, the more likely you are to earn a profit. If you want to invest in sports cards for the future, be rest assured that it comes with a fair amount of risk. Beginners cards always seem to sell a lot faster and they are also the perfect way to find your balance but it is still risky, the most promising athlete can still get injured, your favorite club might not win or score a goal. Sometimes it always seems smarter to invest in vintage cards, if you are a long-term investor and a sports enthusiast,  then a vintage card might be perfect for you.

Investing in a retired athlete is not completely a bad idea because retired athletes have proven themselves. Some of the factor that should be considered are factors like; if the athlete is well known, if they are a cultural icon, and what exactly makes them stand out.

Other factors to consider

When you want to analyze individual cards, check for the surface, creases, scratches, centering, and edges. Some of these grading companies train their staff to check all these factors in order to evaluate the condition of your card. It is important to have this at the back of your mind when you want to submit it. When you do not submit your cards for grading, they are called raw and they do not sell for much, but if you are still new to the game you can still consider raw cards.

Brand

You should not just buy from any brand, there are certain brands that are licensed for certain sports and those are the companies you should partner with because they inevitably influence the distribution of the card and the value of the card as well.

Volume

Just like the law of supply and demand, the fewer the cards, the higher the value. It is important to consider the amount of card that has been produced before investing, there are ways to track the amount of card that has been produced before investing.

It is not also a bad idea to buy a complete set of boxes of huge cards, in some situations a complete set can sell for a really good amount and some investors might also prefer individual cards and they may be more successful at it. If a card is autographed or if it has some unique signs, it might be that the card is rare and this will increase the value or the worth of the card. 

Where to Buy and Sell Sports Cards

There are a lot of sports card shops around in your neighborhood and you might not have been paying attention, if you look well enough you will find the nearest one to you. There are also online retailers that you can always patronize. Walmart and target eBay are good options to consider.

Why the sudden interest in sports cards?

Many millennial parents are transferring their love for sports cards to their children and this is one of the reasons for the recent interest in sports cards. The age of new investors also shows that the future of sports card seems promising, there are a few other reasons but the bottom line is that sports card is now trending.

Another reason for this recent interest is that investors now find themselves staying at home more often and trading cards seems exciting because it is a way of generating income, most especially if you already have some vintage card in your house. Most people find it exciting to spend more time in the comfort of their home and earn money.

Some investors have made money from bitcoin, cryptocurrency, sneakers, and a host of other things and they are looking to try out their luck with sports cards. Some investors missed out on some unique opportunities and they are not willing to let this opportunity pass them by, especially those that have vintage sports cards.

Some of the sports card producers are making use of the augmented interest to increase their prices and they are printing in smaller quantity, they often stamp this card with serial numbers and if they have the autographed card they sell it at a premium price.

Conclusion 

Sports cards are a good way to make money especially for sports enthusiasts but any investment comes with its own risk, but it is very important to carry out your due diligence before investing your money.

 

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