Here’s Two Things to Know if You Invest in Cards
Earlier this week, I was a guest on the XM Radio talk show NHL Morning Skate LIVE, talking about hockey cards, as well as the upcoming National Sports Collectors Convention. Host Mick Kern asked me an interesting question – one that I do not get asked too often.
He asked what I would tell someone if they asked how they can get started investing in trading cards.
I stressed to Mick that I am not really a guy who gives advice on how to invest in cards. Those of you who listen to the Puck Junk Podcast know that we don’t talk about what cards you should buy for investment reasons. After all, our tagline is “Collect what you like.”
And while I do buy and sell cards – hopefully to make a bit of a profit – it is really more of a hobby for me. I am a collector first and foremost. That’s why I focus on hockey cards at card shows, and not baseball cards, soccer cards, or Pokémon cards.
But Mick did ask a valid question, so I told him what my aunt told me 35 years ago when I really got into collecting cards, hoping that some may appreciate in value one day:
“Buy what you like, and you will never be disappointed.”
That is the best advice that anyone could give. If you like hockey cards, and want to make money, then buy hockey cards. Because if you end up not selling what you bought, you won’t mind being “stuck” with it.
If you are “in it only for the money,” then participating in a hobby like card collecting just for the bottom line will be a joyless endeavor.
So, if you like rookie cards, then invest in rookie cards. If you like vintage cards, then go with vintage cards.
I know a guy who does a card show every weekend. He specializes in vintage baseball cards. His table is always packed with binders of cards for people to flip through so that they can find the last 12 cards they need to finish their 1969 Topps Baseball set. He loves old baseball cards and loves his business model of helping others finish their sets.
My other piece of advice to Mick was this:
“Always keep learning about your hobby.”
Yes, that seems like such a trite thing for a teacher like me to say: keep learning. The hobby is growing and evolving, and you need to keep up with it.
If you want to buy and sell Maple Leafs cards, then learn what Maple Leafs card collectors like – and what they don’t buy.
If you want to invest in rookie cards, then know who the top new rookies are, and who the potential “diamonds in the rough” might be. Remember, NO ONE was collecting Tage Thompson or Jason Robertson when their rookie cards came out. A few years later, everyone wanted their cards. If you hop on a trend while it is trending, then you are probably too late to make a quick buck off of it.
My “investing advice” really sounds more like common sense – and when it comes to collecting or investing in sports cards, a little common sense really does go a long way.
Note: This article is an updated version of an editorial that originally appeared in Volume 3 – Issue 30 of the Puck Junk Newsletter. For stories like these, plus news and updates about hockey cards and collectibles, subscribe to the newsletter here.
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