Tips You Should Never Ignore When Buying Sports Cards
Not so long ago, you could easily memorize what a set of sports cards came from. Those were the days when they were a handful per year. The inserts were sparse, and parallels were only known as lines in math class.
Today, every sport has dozens of card sets put out. Within such also are layers of other cards. The result here is that players have more cards than their brains can handle without help. Before you think of investing in sports cards, there are a few things you’ve to consider
Invest in what you’re sure about
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If you want to be effective in sports investing, you have to understand the sport well and the players you’re investing in. If you know so little about a particular sport and you want to invest in it to make money, then you’re setting yourself up for trouble. Even if you’ve some knowledge about sports, that doesn’t mean you spread yourself too thin. Invest in a sport you know very well than spreading the investment across multiple sports.
Focus on specific positions
Not all positions in a game are equal. You may be a good linebacker in football or a defensive center in basketball, but their upside in card value is usually limited. People are more interested in buying cards of the players that are always on the highlight. They tend to favor players that are scorers and not the defensive ones.
Where possible, buy graded cards
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Unless it’s a brand new release, cards you’re buying, look at graded cards for investment purposes- and a high grade like BGS 9.5 and above. If a card is not graded, the chances are that it’s not in good condition to get a good grade. Because of that, graded cards appreciate more quickly over time than their non-graded counterparts.
Invest in scarcity
Serial numbered cards are perfect for investing in, and to add scarcity, you can add autographs and premium patches. If interested in graded cards, check their population report on the PSA website to understand the cards out there with the same grade as the one you’re looking to buy.
Know the card you’re buying and understand the checklist
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If you’re a new collector or investor, you could be confused by the many versions of sets of each player’s cards. The insert sets and colors in each brand make it difficult to understand what you are getting. You want to check the price history to ensure that it’s in tandem with what you’re looking to buy. Compare photos and if the card is graded, read the details carefully on the grading label on the top. That will tell you the variation and the exact set.
Check out the checklist of the specific set you’re buying to understand the different variations. When investing in sports cards, go easy. Don’t get into it with a “get-rich-quick” mentality. It takes time to build your investment. Lay down appropriate strategies and get valuable cards. Most importantly, choose a reputable online sports card website that guides you on how to succeed in investing in sports cards.
