How to Start Card Collecting
Card collecting is a great hobby that allows you to connect with others and enjoy something fun. It can seem intimidating to start if you look at how many different cards there are to collect, but SNL Breaks is here to give you helpful tips for beginners. Let’s get started!
Beginner Card Collecting
Choose your Sport!
When collecting sports cards, the first thing you’ll want to do is pick the sport. You’ll want to narrow down your options for a variety of reasons. In the first place, it’s simply easier to start with a smaller pool of cards when beginning collecting. Think about the sports you’re interested in and go from there. It could be anything from baseball to football and more. Choosing a sport you know a lot about will make the collecting more fun as you’ll likely know many players and have a great time collecting and trading.
Moreover, each sport has its specific set of cards and rarities. Some sports have more unusual cards than others, so it’s important to think if you want your card collecting to feel more like a treasure hunt or if you’d prefer cards easier to come by. You should also consider the cost. Rare cards are going to be more expensive, but they will also constitute a more valuable investment.
With those factors in mind, choose a sport that speaks to you for card collecting.
Different Types of Cards
Now that you’ve chosen your sport, you can start researching the types of cards there are and see what to be on the lookout for. You can also decide how you want to go about collecting. Let’s dive into the different types of cards:
- Rookie Cards: First cards of a player in their first year in a set. Recent rookie cards have an “RC” logo
- Base: Regular cards that make up a collection
- Subset: A set within a regular set of cards, usually numbered
- Inserts: Card within a subset
- Parallels: A version of the base card with a serial number
- Complete Sets: Completed sets, usually with cards starting from before the 1980s; newer sets are harder to find
And more! There are also digital cards, relic cards, etc. However, this terminology should help get you started.
Worth of a Card
Many factors can affect a card’s worth, including player/desirability, condition, card defects, and if they’re vintage or modern. You’ll want to check the condition of your card as best you can by looking for signs of wear and tear. Depending on the age of the card and the way it was stored, there might be some deterioration, but you can research what type of wear is acceptable.
Consider checking in with the community at SNL Breaks, a group of like-minded card collectors that is always ready to assist you with all your sports card-collecting inquiries!
Card Collecting Made Simple With SNL Breaks!
Buying from a reputable seller is the best way to ensure you receive cards in top condition at reasonable prices. But most importantly, it makes card collecting fun! It’s easy to get caught up in the strategy and wanting the rarest cards, but remember that this is a hobby and something that should bring you joy, not stress. At SNL Breaks, we host weekly live trading card breaks on Facebook and cultivate a community of individuals with the same passion and hobby as you!
Check us out on our website or give us a call at 202-393-8930 today.