How to Start a Sports Card Collection in 2023

Sports card collecting is an immensely fun hobby. In this video, I talk about a few tips I've learned along the way to help build a sports card collection in 2023, and beyond.

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Disclaimer: The channel is partnered with SGC, DCSports87, Drip Marketplace, Game Day Legends, and COMC.com. I'm a paying customer of Card Ladder. This Content is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

[TheSportsCardDad]

Don't forget to connect with me on IG at sportscarddad and Twitter, The Sports Card Dad!

[hisandhershobby]

My wife and I own a LCS is Wisconsin. I personally collect Raiders cards and have around 30, 000 different ones. I can honestly say that collecting Raiders keeps me in the hobby. I honestly dont care about investing. I sell cards kids can afford and that is really all that matters. We do $15 breaks so kids and get into it.

[ACollectorsDream]

Love it when you give shoutouts to other channels. Helps the community grow!

[risky]

As usual, sound advice and straight to the point. You pack a wallop in the first ten minutes and that’s why I appreciate you and your videos. Let’s all continue to keep the hobby strong. It will benefit all of us in the long run!

[michaelgolden]

‘This is YOUR collection’. Soooo important. And like you say, often good to think about what your goals are with the cards you buy…And Mike Baseball Collector and History Thru Cards all day…

[shawndolezilek]

WOOOO! I thought I was the only one who remembered Terry Tate, Office Linebacker!

[TJJulkowski]

Stay in your lane. Best advice I heard 30 years ago, and holds true today. So many products. So many price points, but everyone can have fun in the hobby and not piss off their SO.

[drewdurbin]

I only do topps stadium club baseball because I love the photography. Build as many parralel sets that I can.

[traceconger]

Thanks for the great vid. I collected baseball cards from '80-'86 and just recently got back into it. It seems the collecting world has completely changed and I feel like I've got to relearn everything. Your vid helped.

[HuddleCardCollection]

What is great about the hobby is that each person gets to make it what they want it to be.No one has to be a follower all can be leaders of their own hobby experience.

[royakard]

Enjoyed the content and joined the subbs quickly. I collected as a young man back in the 80s and never sold anything. I've recently decided to invest a little again back into those hall of fame players of my youth. Learning the wise way to do it again is valuable.

[returntocollecting]

Great advice! I appreciate that you cover all the key topics in 10 minutes! For me, budget (creating it AND sticking to it) and protection are key. That's what makes the hobby so great, everyone does it their way! Thanks for the great content!

[bhfromnh]

I sell everything but my PC (Bird/Jordan/Brady). Of course, everyone else PC’s them too.

[NYC-SA-Mike]

Great advice Dustin! One to add? If possible. Find someone willing to be your MENTOR. Focus and Budget reigns supreme as you've said. If someone asks "why" on Focus? IMO. It's a natural process for a newbie to try and "corner the market" on just about everything otherwise. And that'll be a "Budget Buster!" Take care and keep'm coming buddy. 👍

[Philly_Joe]

Thanks! RE card insurance coverage - Up your Home Owners Insurance with a replacement value not actual value policy for your cards. everything you own is depreciated on a yearly basis and with actual value, you only get a prorated value for damages. Replacement value gives you a current value to replace a ‘like’ item. So, if you have a PSA 7.0 1954 Topps Mantle destroyed in a fire, and you have a pic and documentation, if it costs $2000 to replace it, that’s what you get, not the $500 cost basis from 5 years ago. Pictures & Documentation are most important - I know from experience - a replacement value policy saved us from a fire 8 years ago.

[RoughneckSportsCards]

I was collecting in 1991 off and on for about 20 years, I want to get back into collecting just not sure what to buy. Mostly NFL and Basketball sets, my budget is about $200 max per box, any suggestions? Thank you for your expertise!

[chrisolivo]

Having a specific list of cards you want or a specific era is the #1 priority for any new collector. It’s so easy to drive the train off the tracks when you want to buy this, that and that.

I’ve was going to jump into vintage last year but it’s just too expensive. I love low grade vintage cards so the eye test isn’t the problem. I just feel that vintage has gone up so much, they priced me out.

I stay away from most ultra modern, with a few exceptions, because I’ve learned from past mistakes. So many players I speculated on got injured even though they were the chase cards at the time. (Drew Bledsoe, Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway were THE rookie cards to buy in the mid 90’s). All had a major injury that hurt their career. Or in Bledsoe’s case, getting hurt and being replaced by Brady.

What I settled for my collection is Hall of Fame rookies from 1979-present. Wayne Gretzky is my oldest card while Patrick Mahomes is my newest card. I love the 80’s/90’s/00’s rookie Hall of Fame cards because you can get them in an 8, 9 or 10 and you won’t break the bank (with the exception of Jordan and Gretzky). Plus I can say I have seen every player play his whole career in my collection because I started watching sports at 7 years old in 1979.

[sportscards]

I still haven’t been to a live card show. It is becoming more and more apparent that I need to though. Great call on all. Still think it is cool that you and your wife are working together on the budget for the cards. Great decision!

[paulpagoda]

I think an awesome way to start a collection would be to buy a few hundred dollars worth of 2018 Topps Update Hangers, and some penny sleeves, some top loaders, and a box of 200 card saver I box. One could just start by enjoying the process of opening a pack, sorting valuable ones and figuring put which cards are worth grading, and then grading those cards and using the profits for the more cards. I think this would help a new person in the hobby see the entire cycle of a card and Topps Update 2018 is a really solid product all around.

[Freakmeal]

Per usual very good content. A couple of quick disclaimers to add which I think you went through at least in part. The hobby is potentially addictive (especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns). I remember thinking $20 was too much to spend on a card, and now that seems like table stakes. Second, if a deal seems 'too good to be true, ' it probably is. Know that certain sets like the 1986 Fleer basketball and the 1984/85 STAR cards have been mightily forged. Make sure to consider a seller's reputation before buying. I do have a grace note though. I have a couple of specific collections like Olympics cards and Phoenix Suns cards and anytime I can augment those collections, it is a real kick. Keep on keeping on Sports Card Dad.