Tips For Collecting Baseball Cards
The key to collecting baseball cards is loving the game of baseball. It makes it a lot easier to do something if you love the subject you’re working with. That being said, you need to decide what kinds of baseball cards you want to collect. Do you want to collect by company name, by team, by player, new cards, old cards, rookie cards, sets or inserts.
The best way to start is to find a local shop that sells new packs, sets and individual cards. You can buy a box set from a certain year that’s never been opened. If it’s not opened it’s worth more money. Or you can buy individual cards of some of your favorite players. Of you could start out with rookie cards. Depending on the player, these can be very expensive. Or if you just want to buy some new packs and see what cards you get, that is fun too.
When you figure out what you want to collect, then you can go to trade shows or even online auctions. Be careful with the online auctions though, some people like to scam you. Make sure that whoever is running the site has a good policy to help you if you get ripped off.
This is very important. You have to store your cards. Don’t wrap them in rubber bands or just throw them in an old shoe box. You can get plastic sheets that hold nine cards and the sheets fit into a binder. If you have some real valuable cards, keep them in a fire proof safe or in a safe deposit box.
I have a question. How would I find out the value of some Swell Baseball cards I have?
Thank you, -Janet
Janet,
I have a post on just this topic, How to Find the Value of a Baseball Card. You should start with a baseball card price guide. Two of the most popular baseball card price guides are from Beckett and Tuff Stuff Sports Collectors Monthly. I would suggest you start with Tuff Stuff. Here is a link to the free Tuff Stuff Price Guide.
Take care,
Curtis