Can anyone give me some tips on how to start collecting baseball cards?

Question

I'm becoming a fan of collecting baseball cards after seeing my uncles whole collection of them.

So i've decided to start collecting them myself.

So i need/want to know how i can/should start.

From what packs to buy or to who to look out for. What cards are special and what types of cards i should keep.

-Arigatou

Answer 1

Hey sweetie! I finally found you!

If you really want to collect baseball cards then you can ask my cousin Chi. Remember him? He has lots of baseball cards and maybe he can give you some tips.

-Love Sakura

Answer 2

Many good answers here.....my advice start w a brand (I prefer Topps), or a particular year, or player or team and build from there.

It is also important to decide if you're doing this for fun & enjoyment or to make a profit. I agree w the previous answer who stated the industry has tanked as far as values are concerned.

I have over 100,000 cards, and acquired them mainly for fun & the relaxation I enjoy from building complete sets. As an example tho I built 33 complete sets of the Topps 88 set. At 50 cents a pack (those were the days!) it would take just over 50 packs to complete the 792 card set...That's $25.

Today I think that set retails for about $8-10, but you are unlikely to find any buyers. So as an investment.....(if I had put $25 in a savings acct earning 2% it would be worth about $38 today)

Instead I frequently donate cards to charitable silent auctions & little league teams to inspire young collectors.

Beckett.com is a good place to start learning & meet other card collecting fanatics.

No matter how you decide to proceed, have fun, meet new friends to trade cards w, drop me an email if you want other pointers or have specific questions. Long live Baseball!

Answer 3

Hey..I collect many baseball cards and I have been collecting them for about 10 years..Start out small..buy like 5 or 10 packs to start with..then every month buy 2 or more packs..you'll see slowly that your collection will grow..slowly and steadily it will..as for which packs to buy it's completely up to you..if you want old cards like from the 70s or 80s then thats up to you..I only buy recent cards b/c i have many cards from the 70s and 80s..in the 2006 packs, you will find many rookie cards, inserts (these are promo sort of cards), and also you will find inter autos (autographs..they look fake but they are topps certified)..the possibility of finding an insert auto is very slim..I've bought about 25 packs and found 1..that one is an Ian Kinsler autograph rookie card..It was awesome finding that card!..Look out for rookie cards too..look on eBay for low-priced packs..buy any Topps or Upper Deck cards..if u want to get recent cards get the 2006 Upper Deck pack w/Derek Jeter on the front!! Look out for Rookie Cards and be sure to keep your cards in good condition by using those plastic card sleeves..you can buy those at your local trading card store or on eBay for about 99 cents.
Good Luck!

Answer 4

Honestly, with the amount of product being put out these days, if your just starting, you would be better off specializing in something. I see the Twins logo by your name. Maybe collect Twins cards, Twins current and former stars. Decide if you want to collect for an investment or for pleasure.

If you specialize your better off not buying packs at all because out of a 10 card pack you may pull one Twin or none. Then what do you do with the others.

Torii Hunter probably has around 3,000-5,000 different cards of him alone, so getting all of them would take a lifetime.

Check my store at Bidville. You can pick up some Twins there to get you started. Check the link.

http://stores.bidville.com/shop/?index=12&storeid=10106&sellerid=979701192&cid=&st=3&pg=1&sd=0&dt=0&qr=Twins&bt=0

Answer 5

Honestly, I would say don't start collecting.

I'm sure your uncle had a great collection that he has spent years working on and spent tons of money putting together, but sadly the collectors card industry is in the tank.

My dad has a collection he started when he was 10 years old (he's nearly 50 now) and at it's height in the late '80s early '90s the collection was worth nearly $30,000...he checked it again a few years ago and the entire collection had fallen to a value of about $3,500.

Unless you started as a kid or unless you have some valuable cards you're already sitting on...it's not worth it to start collecting cards anymore. It sucks, b/c I had a solid collection but gave up on it when I hit high school...too expensive to maintain and add to my collection.

Answer 6

Focus on the teams and players who you cheer for and start off looking for cards of these players. Collecting takes being a fan to the next level, as it allows one to actually own a piece of the game and become closer to the players.

There are many different choices of product to collect, which provides something for all different levels of collectors. Prices can range from about $1 all the way up to $100 per pack. The higher the price point generally means the more content and guarantees of desirable types of cards within the packs. The choice is up to you, how involved you want to be in this hobby?

Look for cards from manufacturers that are officially licensed by the league(s) of your favorite sport, as these are the cards that are widely accepted and traded by collectors worldwide. The officially licensed products contain the legal use of league logo(s), uniforms, and photos of the players among many other aspects that collectors want on cards to assure the value of their collections in the future. Look for officially licensed stickers and indications on the pack or box before you buy, it's the only way to know that your product is authentic.

Much is made of a trading card's value, and in fact, every card produced has a monetary value associated to it. That value is based on many factors that include the player's popularity, the rarity of the card and product that the card is in, the condition of the card, and the overall demand that other collectors place on that card.

While it is generally assumed that cards are worth money, new collectors are better off collecting their favorite players and teams, as the value of the cards may rise and fall with the performance and/or popularity of the player. If you start off only collecting your favorite player or team, you are more likely to stick with them through the tough times when all of the band wagon fans jump off.

If you're getting involved in trading cards just for investment purposes, the odds are long that you are going to be able to make a continued and sustained gain on your assets. The unpredictable world of sports moves fast and furious, as players go into slumps or get traded to other teams, and the sports collectibles hobby being made up of mostly sports fanatics are in tune with the ups and downs and react accordingly. In fact, it can be said that those in the sports collectibles industry are like the pulse of public opinion on what is happening in the world of sports.

Trading cards are easy to find. The best place to buy cards are in local hobby card shops, where you have the advantage of viewing a variety of card products in person. This includes not just trading cards, but collecting supplies such as card holders, binders and much more. Store owners are there to answer questions and assist you with your personal collecting needs.

The best manufacturers are generally Topps, Upper Deck, Fleer, and Bowman.

Answer 7

You should ask your uncle which ones he prefers. Bowman and Topps are generally known as very good cards. Bowman Chrome, Topps Chrome, Bowman Sterling are really good ones to collect. If you really want to know about values, purchase a copy of Beckett or buy a subscription to beckett.com.

Warning, it is a lifestyle change as it is very time consuming.

Answer 8

If you are going to start collecting the best way to go is to buy them by the box. Buying packs from hobby dealers is the slow and expensive route.

Go on E-Bay and look at all they have to offer. You can even get specific rookies of your favorite players. The prices on box on E-bay are much less than any hobby dealer's price.

It's a great hobby and investment.

Answer 9

I have to agree with Big Trouble. You definitely want to buy them by the box if you are to seriously take up this very cool hobby.

And the best place to get hobby boxes at wholesale prices is on E-Bay. Your local hobby shop will be way more expensive.

Answer 10

Too bad you can't ask your uncle, could be a great bonding experience!