Sports cards are valued according to what a buyer is willing to pay. Like any collectibles market, that value is influenced by supply and demand. But what factors can influence demand for a particular card? The list below begins to explore this question, but only scratches the surface of what collectors consider.
Player Related
MVP's - Number of MVP's won over the course of a player's career.
All-Star games - Number of All-Star games a player is voted into.
Championships - Championships won and record in those championships.
Single season records - Whether the player holds important single season records
Ex. Barry Bonds with 73 home runs in a season
Career records - Whether a player holds important career records
Ex. Tom Brady with 251 career victories or Bill Russell with 11 NBA Championships
Cultural significance - Did the player transcend the sport they were in?
Ex. Michael Jordan was a cultural icon outside of basketball).
Advanced Metrics (WAR, PER, Plus/Minus, QBR) - Whether the advanced stats support that the player is good
Future potential - For prospects and younger players, their chances at becoming an all time great
Hall of fame status - For retired players, are they in the hall of fame or have a chance to be voted in?
Team - Does the team have a significant market?
Ex. Yankees and Cowboys have a lot more fans than the Winnipeg Jets and the Oakland A's
Position - Does the market value the player's position
Ex. General rules of thumb: QB's are worth more than kickers in football; Forwards are worth more than goalies in hockey; Hitters are worth more than pitchers in baseball; Small forwards are worth more than centers in basketball
Historic events and significant moments - Was the player involved in an event bigger than themselves?
Ex. Bucky Dent or Carlton Fisk World Series home runs
Legacy - How does the general public look back on a player's career?
Ex. Strong legacy: Jackie Robinson; Weak Legacy: Karl Malone
Longevity - Did the player sustain a high level of performance for a long period of time? Were they around the game for a long time?
Ex. Ken Griffey Jr. played baseball over 4 decades (1989-2010)
Peak performance - How impressive was a player's highest performing stretch?
Ex. Randy Johnson won 4 straight NL Cy Young awards from 1999-2002
Importance to the era - How was the player received by the public during the era? What did they do to further the sport?
Ex. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's home run record chase in 1998 made baseball popular again after the 1993 lockout
Player Politics - Is a player vocal about their political affiliation?
Popularity - How popular is the player? Do they top the list of jersey sales? Are they featured prominently in ads?
Product Related
Players in the set or subset - How many hall of famers, all-stars, or popular players are in the set?
Popularity of the set - Do collectors think fondly of the set?
Quality of the set - Was the set issued in a memorable way? What card stock was the product printed on?
First year of the set - Inaugural sets set the standard for future releases.
Ex. 1952 Topps, 2012 Prizm, 1996 Topps Chrome
Quantity of sets/boxes/packs released - Was it a limited print run? Or was the product printed to the moon?
Continuity of the set - How many consecutive years has the product been around for?
Rookie year - What players had rookie cards featured in the set?
Parallel Related
First year of a parallel - Is this year the parallel's debut?
Continuity of the parallel - How long has this parallel been around for? Collectors tend to value the perennial parallels ahead of new entrants.
Parallel year of origin - Did the introduction of this parallel align with a notable set or popular player's rookie year?
Parallel popularity - How is the parallel generally received by collectors?
Serial numbered - A stamp indicating a limited print run for the parallel.
Hand numbered - A hand-written indication by the manufacturer that the card or parallel has a limited print run.
Introduction of a new technology - Use of new printing, design, or distribution techniques.
Ex. 1993 Finest introduced the first refractor
Color psychology - What's the color of the parallel and how does it make you feel?
Ex. Gold is often associated with wealth and fame.
Autograph - Has the player signed the card and has it been distributed in packs?
Hard signed or sticker autograph - Did the player hold the card while signing it? Or did they sign some stickers the manufacturer slapped on the card after the fact?
Autograph quality and condition - Is the autograph faded? Does it run off the card?
Blockchain - Was a digital copy also issued on the blockchain?
Card Condition
Numerical grade - Higher the grade, better the condition.
Grade within the grade - How does the condition of the card compare to other cards with the same grade?
Ex. PWCC Eye Appeal Designations, MBA stickers
Eye appeal - Does the card look nice? Is the registration strong? Are there print lines or other print defects?
Centering - Is the subject of the card perfectly aligned to the middle (Top/bottom and left/right)?
Grading company - What company graded the card? How does the market perceive the quality of that company's grade?
Slab condition - Are there scratches on the slab? Is the plastic crystal clear or is it opaque?
Population of grade and graded card
Provenance - Are you able to trace the card to its previous owners and the person who originally pulled the card?
Aesthetics
Team color match - Border or parallel color matches or complements the jersey of the player depicted.
Ex. Dallas Mavericks and Blue Prizm
Refractor - Does the card look different when viewed from different angles? How does it shine in the sunlight?
Die-cut design - Is the card the standard 2.5 inch by 3.5 inch rectangle? Or has it been punch cut into a unique shape?
Artwork - How is the player depicted? Is the illustration used high quality and interesting for collectors?
Photography - Is the picture used for the card a good one? Does it capture the player in a boring pose or in action?
Ex. Topps Stadium Club is famous for its usage of high-quality full bleed photography
Card design - What do the borders look like? Are there any borders? What colors were used and how has it aged over time?
Nostalgia - Does the design evoke warm feelings and good memories for the collectors?
Memorabilia
Number of colors of jersey/patch - Is the jersey featured a one color jersey (Napkin swatch) or a 5 color patch with stitching shown?
Game used or player worn - Is the memorabilia piece associated with the player? Was the item worn or used in a game?
Specific event used - Was the patch used in a specific event or game?
Ex. The 1999 Upper Deck Final Floor features a piece of the floor used in Michael Jordan's final game as a Chicago Bull from the 1998 NBA Finals
League certificate of authenticity - Is the memorabilia verified by the only the card manufacturer or is its authenticity also verified by the league?
Ex. The 2018 Gypsy Queen Bases Around the League Auto set features an MLB hologram with a number on it that collectors can look up see see what the game
Marketplace Factors
Scarcity - A card can be rare, but also highly transacted. Or a card can be relatively common (Serial numbered above 50) but never comes up for sale.
Mainstream coverage - Does the notoriety of the card transcend the hobby? Are non-hobby media outlets covering a sale of this card?
Float or active copies available at the moment - For common cards, how many copies are for sale at any given time?
Number of player collectors - How many collectors passionately or passively collect this player?
Global collector base - Outside North America, what's the player's appeal? Do fans recognize the players name anywhere in the world?
Exchange rates - Do exchange rates enable collectors to transact across currencies?
Number of set collectors - Does the set's popularity translate to a high number of people collecting it?
Number of team collectors - Does the team's popularity translate to a high number of people collecting it?
Ex. Soccer has more fans than any other sport on the planet, but the market demand is less than football.
Macroeconomic conditions - Do collectors have money left in their budget for sports cards?
Social media influence - Do hobby icons own and advocate for this card?
Documentaries - Are there documentaries or series that help tell a player or a team's story?
Ex. The Last Dance, Dynasty, Baseball
Collector demographics - Who collects these cards? Do they have a lot of money to spend on sports cards?
That's a Lot to Consider
You're right! And this is just the start. Its important to remember each collector values something a little bit different. The ardent team collector who looks to add a single copy of each base card of each player from their team across all products doesn't care about the number of MVP's someone has won. Just like the high-end scarce rookie patch auto collector doesn't care about a critically acclaimed gimmick insert set released a dozen years later. Discovering what you value and why you value it is a process to be uncovered, examined, and and continuously refined by each collector.
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