Check your old sports trading cards because sales are skyrocketing
LAUREL, Md. (WJLA) – It’s time to start looking for your old collection in the attic or basement.
Sports trading cards have never been more popular. The hobby is experiencing the strongest surge in its history.
According to Wilson and Nowak, the COVID-19 pandemic directly contributed to the surge in basketball card popularity. Although already on an upward trajectory the past few years, alongside other sports cards, it spiked while people were in isolation and quarantine and with no professional American live sporting events on TV from mid-March through late July.
The release of the first installments of the 10-part, Michael Jordan-fueled ESPN documentary The Last Dance aired in April, also creating a trading buzz. As far as sports intrigue went at the time, the series had a virtual monopoly of fans’ attention. According to eBay, Jordan trading card sales increased more than 370 percent following its release, and Jordan cards increased 307 percent on eBay from March to May 2020.
Although COVID-19 has crippled many businesses, the sale this summer of a Mike Trout rookie card for nearly $4 million suggests sports fans had found another outlet. Sales have skyrocketed, including a 130% increase for basketball cards.
Sports trading cards go back to the 1860s. Thirty years ago, sports cards were a billion-dollar industry.
By some estimates, the production of cards themselves topped $80 billion annually at the height of the boom in the early 1990s, the industry dropped significantly in the early 2000s and now it is back like never before.
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There truly are many, many examples but these should be somewhat relatable to general sports fans and in the case of Lebron, Jordan, and Trout, all of these cards were somewhat readily available early in each player's respective careers. Rodney Currence who owns Sports Cards Heroes in Laurel, Md says he distinctly remembers having the Lebron James rookies in his showcase for $20.00 during his rookie year.
Now...
* The Lebron James 2003-04 Topps rookie in PSA 10 (the highest condition possible) sold at the following:
- July 2019 - $300
- December 2019 - $600
- June 2020 $2,500 - $3,000
- August 2020 $7,000 - $8,500
* Michael Jordan 1986 Fleer Rookie in PSA 8 (this is Near Mint - Mint Condition)
- December, 2019 $3,000
- June, 2020 $8,500 - $9,000 (this was the peak)
- August, 2020 $6,000 - $6,500
- On a side note, this same card as a PSA 10 (pretty rare and highly desirable) sold in early 2016 in the $20,000 range and is now selling in the $90,000 range
* Luka Doncic 2018 Panini Prizm rookie PSA 10s sold for low $400s in May and are $1,800 - $2,000 now
* Mike Trout 2011 Topps Update, ungraded but in near mint to mint condition
- In 2017 the card was widely available under $100
- Spring of 2020 around $600
- one sold today for $1,300
Basketball, football, and baseball are all doing extremely well but basketball is seeing crazy increases and will probably be the new normal for some time.