jason mezrahi 
Sports certainly mean a lot to me – less in the aggressive, energy-driven ways that were important to me as a child – but in the lasting themes that converge in artistry, and teamwork, and humanity. The trading card hobby means a lot to me too – and I’ve been handicapping cards a lot longer than I was a trusted source on fantasy sports information.
The first set I ever put together was 1980 Topps baseball – the year with the Rickey Henderson rookie – starting with a bunch of beat up stacks I had acquired from packs, my sister’s pubescent boyfriends and my uncle Al, and eventually upgrading into a well-curated complete set that I collated by hand. PSA Gem Mint 10s of that Henderson now sell for $60K, and even PSA 9s (Mint) sell for $1,500 to $2,000.
It’s a great set featuring a simple design and has loads of guys who are now in the Hall of Fame. The cards are not professionally graded, but I’d say most of the cards are in “Near Mint” shape or better.
As trading cards evolved, so did the trading card hobby, and now it’s about a lot more than collecting a few packs or putting sets together. I sell a lot of stuff on eBay, and I sometimes use the proceeds to get more cards for personal collection or jump into some group breaks for specific teams and players (or random ones, in some cases) that I want.
This space – a place for us all to discuss the symbiotic relationship between fantasy sports and card collecting/trading/finance – will be a fluid one. Just like DFS adapting to the daily changes in stats and scores, of injuries and performance and opportunity, the trading card hobby has similar shifts – almost daily. We see the same players – like Justin Herbert – popping up on eBay for huge prices when they’re putting out monster stat lines.
The COVID-19 outbreak has been many things for us, both individually and communally, but it’s also been the backdrop for a dramatic spike in the prices of trading cards – from retail flippers who know when Walmart and Target restock their shelves (and outrageous prices for snazzy new releases), to vintage cards with a similarly enthusiastic following.)
Since WinDaily is committed to bringing you the best plays, we’ve added what’s been a very popular #tradingcards subhead on Discord, and we’ll be bringing you periodic updates on the card collecting biz – from new products we like to players we think it’s time to start adding to the collection. Ultimately, we’ll be helping you put money in your bank account and lucrative memorabilia in your hands – cashing in through WinDaily community selling and trading groups and by following our tips for selling cards online.
Collecting Corner will cover all types of sports and all types of cards. I’m particularly fond of baseball, football and basketball – but there are some really gorgeous hockey products out there for you puckheads, and there’s a whole new crop of stars on the PGA Tour who’ll be featured in Upper Deck’s upcoming golf releases.
We’ll discuss the hot players who occasionally see dramatic increases in their card value, from Talen Horton-Tucker after a big preseason game or a rookie QB after getting the starting job.
If you’re looking to get into the hobby, here’s a few things you can do:
Buy a graded card of a player you like (or think will increase in value) on eBay
“Raw” cards have not been professionally graded and usually cost a lot less before they are authenticated and graded by a third party company like PSA, Beckett or SGC. I usually start by watching the sold prices (you can filter to ”sold items” in the search field) of individual cards over any time period, or get in before there’s any hype about the player (if possible). Graded Luka Doncic cards were nowhere near the outrageous prices they are now, but he hadn’t quite yet emerged as a Top 3 NBA talent. Tyler Herro rookies were quite affordable before “I’m a bucket” became a popular catchphrase as he ripped nets in the NBA bubble and ensuing playoffs.
Get into a group break via social media channels or elsewhere online
I’m sure there are a few scammers out there, but most community break groups are reputable and vetted by trustworthy admins. You can check out one of my favorite communities over at Vintage Breaks – the Cadillac of breaking communities that offers lucrative bonuses and giveaways along with high-end newer products as well as lots of vintage cards – or find one of the many Facebook groups that stream the breaks live via social media. There are usually a few different payment options (PayPal Goods and Services, Venmo, CashApp) for the social media groups that offer some type of buyer protection.
Go to a card show (when it’s safe to do so)
Card shows have changed a lot since the early card collecting club days of the early 1980s – when my uncle would drag me into a church basement with a bunch of old men chomping on cigars and selling sharp-cornered 1950s and 60s Mantles for hundreds (instead of thousands) of dollars, but the idea remains the same. It’s a way to get hobby release boxes, packs and individual cards directly from dealers and with the added bonus of an in-person handshake elbow pound.
Hopefully things will change for the better in the next 12 months or so, but in the meantime, the trading card hobby is still a safe, lucrative and fun pastime that’s directly relatable to DFS and it’s ups and downs. We’re glad to be part of it, and we’ll be checking in regularly to offer our insights and advice on how you can be a part of it too.
