what do I look for in collectable baseball cards?

Question

I was given 30,000 brand new cards. They are from 1986-2005.

Answer 1

Buy (or subscribe online) to Beckett. Beckett has an annual publication (found in bookstores), plus a monthly and bi-monthly magazine.

You will want either the annual (which has the most card listings), or the bi-monthly (it's called Beckett Baseball Plus).

If you're making a list of the most priciest cards:

Make a list of the most valuable cards from each manufacturer and the year of the card. Enter it on a word processor (MS Word, etc.), and stick to the top 5 or 10 priced cards. (The prices are listed in the magazine).

If you want to do a complete inventory, then purchase Beckett Online and you have an instant checklist which you can mark as you tally the stuff you have.

SUPPLIES --

You will want to catalog what you have. The hobby stores sell these cardboard, rectangular boxes for a few dollars each.

This will save you a lot of time, so you'll know where to find everything you've opened. Mark the boxes (e.g. Upper Deck 1989, SP 1993, etc.)

You might want to put your favorite cards in a binder. Buy, then, the plastic sleeves with 3-holes. Each sleeve contains placement for 9 cards. This will keep your cards in excellent condition.

MONEY ASIDE --

If you're collecting for yourself, and not to make a profit, then, in addition to listing the best players, you obviously have a favorite team or player(s), right?

As you open your cards, make stacks (or place in those boxes) your favorite players. Believe me, if you don't have a system, you will spend a lot of time backtracking your inventory, and wasting your energy trying to remember what you have.

Have fun!

Answer 2

Use them to line the bottom of the cat's litter box - that's about all they're good for.

If you want collectible ones that will increase in value, go for older ones - pre-1978 in mint condition or as close to mint as you can find. For every one 1975 card that is around, there are 10,000 from this year.....for every one 1965, there are 1,000,000 from this year. Get the picture? The older the better.

After the card boom of the late 1970's - '80's died about 1992, the newer stuff wasn't worth diddly because everyone was hoarding it thinking they had a fortune - they've lost a lot of money.

You can buy unopened boxes of stuff from those years for as little as a dollar - just remember, because a price guide says a card is worth so much, its not worth squat until you can sell it for that. And if you can't its worth whatever you sell it for which in the case of the newer crap, won't be much.

Answer 3

Look for rookie cards and cards of hall of famers, Yankee cards are always hot. Be very careful not to bend or abuse these cards because those in mint condition will bring the most money. My friend would buy the whole lot from you by the way.

Answer 4

Look for hall of famers and ones that say rookie and star rookie also some of the older card have picture of guys in usa uniforms they are worth big time money. just keep them in mint condition have fun and when you are tired of them sell them on ebay or e-mail me i have a price book here i could give you an amount they are worth. Also you might get cards with authentic game worn jerseys and bats and gloves and autographs they are worth alot also.

Answer 5

holy ****, just given to you? damn.. i got maybe 15k but jeez dude.

look for the good players and good brands, buy a becket or other trading card price guide and look up the stars.

i've always wanted a decent nolan ryan card but i don't have one. i was never big into baseball.

Answer 6

In a word, rarity. Or all/every card you can get early in a players career./..when he turns out to be a star, you will have a valuable collection assembled at a low cost. (buy low...sell high).

Answer 7

star players and mint cards

Answer 8

Holy cow, buddy! 30K???????? OMG! Look for Rookie cards and dead guys.

Answer 9

Look for Barry Bonds cards and when you find them, send them to me. Thanks, Buddy