The market for sports cards is highly speculative. It is usually subject to considerable uncertainty, and prices are determined by many complex economic factors, such as supply and demand. As a rule, however, a card is worth more when it is in demand and short supply. But other crucial factors can also come into play when determining which sports cards are worth more than others. And that’s the topic of this blog.
Cards of Important & Popular Players
If your player is important and popular, your card has the potential to be a valuable card. Rookie cards tend to have more value than regular base cards or cards from later in a player’s career, Also, autograph and memorabilia cards as well as short print and insert variations will tend to have more value than a regular base card. Cards will only have significant value if they check certain boxes. The more popular and successful the player, the more money their cards tend to command.
Sometimes the player’s performance will increase the demand for the card – but only sometimes! Even in this case, it is only a short-term increase in demand. Due to this, modern cards can be very volatile in terms of value. Like stocks, the price will increase or decrease based on player performance.
Rookie Cards
Rookie cards are the most popular cards of a player. The reason is obvious: no matter how long they continue their career, there will only ever be one rookie season. Card companies only have one season to create rookie cards.
Main Brands’ Cards
If you buy cards intending to do business, you’d better stick to the major brands. Sometimes some card brands make unlicensed cards with player images, not teams.
The major companies that produce sports cards are Panini, Topps, and Upper Deck. Panini is licensed for NBA and NFL cards while Topps is the primary company that makes baseball cards and Upper Deck primarily makes hockey cards. Each of the major companies make different products under their brand. The price point of the product itself will be a significant factor in the resale value of the cards. Some examples of high-end products include Panini National Treasures, Prizm, and Select. High-end Topps products include Triple Threads, Bowman Sterling, and Tribute, While higher-end products tend to command more value on the secondary market, there are products in all price points.
Rare Cards
The rarer your sports card is, the more value it potentially has. As an example, consider the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner card. It is extremely rare and, therefore, among the most expensive cards in the world. Decently preserved cards of this type can be incredibly expensive.
Old Cards
Not all old cards are valuable, but they tend to be more expensive than some modern cards for several reasons, including their condition, rarity, and popularity.
Cards with the best condition: as a rule, sports cards are evaluated by independent professional institutes and classified according to a number of parameters. These values make it possible to determine which card is worth more or less quantitatively. The higher the grade, the more valuable it is, of course.
Bottom Line
Whether you consider sports cards as a hobby or an investment, knowing where to buy and sell can be worth your while. Some of the most expensive sports cards can sell for six figures, although they are hard to find. As with almost any market, the rule of supply and demand applies to sports cards.
Should you want to sell your cards when demand exceeds supply (for a higher price ;-), contact us. American Legends will always buy cards and add them to its extensive inventory.
