Picture this: The year is 2020. You’re cooped up at home, anxiously watching the news. Then you check your mailbox.
A combination of temporary restrictions and extra cash, coupled with record low interest rates, produced one hell of an economic rollercoaster—and reinvigorated the sports card market in the process.
I was hardly alone in rediscovering my passion for trading cards during the pandemic. Seemingly millions of millennials dug up their old Pokemon to Patrick Ewings to see if they were in for agenerational payday. Before I knew it, I was headed to Target almost every week to scoop up packs, diving into r/basketball’s “Card Primer v2” to rediscover the art of collecting.
Approx. 500 blasters later, it’s safe to say I didn’t take the “just buy singles!” advice to heart—at least not right away. Yet even after years of buying and selling cards, I hadn’t drummed up the courage to attend a card show.
Well, my friends, I finally did it. And after attending the Chicago Sports Spectacular, I’ve certainly learned a few lessons.
Lesson #1: Consolidation Is Key
Before heading out, I rounded up a dozen or so cards I valued at $10–$150, stuff I didn’t mind parting with that others might be more interested in. After shopping my wares, and showing off this Patrick Williams quad patch auto (lol), along with my Pixel Hall of Fame x Rally Rd Honus Wagner cut auto, I hadn’t been able to convince anyone to take the bait. Where had I gone wrong?
Up to that point, my strategy had been simple: buy blasters, sell anything of value, and pick up $20–$100 singles for my personal collection. Following those guidelines had helped me build a nice collection of Chicago Bulls, Pitt Panthers, Manchester United footballers, and niche glue guys I’d followed over the years. But when you leave the kiddy pool and take a dip in the ocean, you’re going to see some sharks.
I wasn’t surprised to see cards valued at the cost of a sports car, but I was surprised that what I had believed to be low-to-middle-end cards were mostly considered garbage. I’d always known buying singles was the “smart” way to go, but I hadn’t realized how important it was to save up for cards worth $500 or more rather than hoarding a smattering of $50–$100 cards. Much like other areas of investing, consolidation is key. The unfortunate reality I found out at shows is that one $500 card is worth way more than fifty $10 dollar cards.
Now, card shows aren’t wholly representative of the Hobby; I make plenty of $10 sales on eBay, and there’s nothing wrong with a $15 piece of cardboard featuring DeMar DeRozan in a Bulls jersey. Collect what you love isn’t just a catchy slogan, it’s the truth!
Catchy truisms aside, take it from someone that learned the hard way: If you want to sell or trade your cards at a show, bigger is better.
Lesson #2: Pick Your Targets
In a Hobby with near-limitless options, and more being produced every day, it can be hard to figure out what cards you want, even if you know who you want to collect. Before the show, I made myself a quick list to avoid temptation and spend wisely:
- Mid-90s Jordans
- Matas Buzelis rookies
- Anything from my king, Bruno Fernandes
- Steven Adams rookies
So what did I leave with?
- 2012 Panini Preferred Booklet: Slam Dunk #1
- 2012 Panini Preferred Booklet: Rookie #10
- 2012 Panini Preferred Booklet: Awards #2
You’re probably asking how I got here. Back in 2014, I walked into nearby Bleachers Sports and spotted a 2012 Panini Preferred Booklet for the first time. Featuring some of my all-time favorite Chicago Bulls, I knew I had to have it. As much as I loved that card, more than a year later I hadn’t given any thought to completing the set. Yet lo and behold, I came across a booth at the show with a dozen of the 2012 booklets in a glass case. They weren’t the “best” cards at the show, but they were the ones for me.
And that brings me to my third tip.
Lesson #3: Cash Is King
The funny thing about holding one of LeBron James’ game-worn jersey patches is that it’s incredibly hard to hand back.
Thankfully, I’d followed the advice of a helpful FAQ and stopped by the bank before the show to take out some cash, using that finite amount as my budget rather than defaulting to my credit card. This isn’t to say that some of you don’t have more self control than I do, but it’s important to know your limits and have a plan (or at least the concepts of a plan) in order to make sure you don’t let your love for the Hobby get the best of you.
Takeaways: The Tools of the Trade
Card shows offer the opportunity to see collectibles you’ve only dreamed of, and I loved every minute of my time at the Sports Spectacular. But before I take on the Hobby’s biggest fish, I need to better understand the shape my collection is going to take so that I’m able to make moves—not be told to “keep it moving” by disgruntled vendors and collectors alike.
So what are my next steps? To start, I’m going to leaning into Mantel’s SLAM Score in order to figure out what the Hobby actually wants buy. Rather than stuffing some raw rookies into an old Amazon shipping box and hoping someone out there thinks as highly of Keyonte George as I do. Unsurprisingly, that means adding more heavy hitters to my collection, focusing on a small number of high-end cards instead of a large number of low-to-medium-end cards.
Guess I’m going to need a second (or third) job to make it to the top of the Hobby. For now, at least I have a plan.
