Should We Go Back to Basics with Sports Card Collecting? A Hobby for Kids and Adults
Sports card collecting has seen a massive resurgence in recent years—especially among adults. From rare rookie cards selling for thousands to high-end grading services and investment-level purchases, the hobby has evolved into a serious business for many. While it’s exciting to see this growth, there’s a lingering question that’s worth asking:
Are we leaving kids behind in the hobby that was originally built for them?
The Rise of the Adult Collector
Let’s be honest—many of us who collected cards as kids in the '80s and '90s never really stopped loving the hobby. Now, with adult incomes and access to marketplaces like eBay and Instagram, we’re able to buy the cards we dreamed about as kids—or discover new ones entirely. It’s fun, competitive, nostalgic, and, yes, it can be lucrative.
But somewhere along the way, the kid-friendly side of the hobby has started to fade into the background.
When Packs Cost More Than a Weekly Allowance
These days, it’s not uncommon to see a pack of modern hockey or baseball cards go for $20, $50, or even $100+—and that's just retail. For kids who are still figuring out the value of a dollar (and who don't have credit cards or PayPal), this can be discouraging.
Gone are the days when you could walk into a corner store with a couple bucks, grab a pack of cards, rip it open on the curb, and swap with friends at recess. Today’s high-end boxes and exclusive parallels are exciting for adult collectors, but they’ve made it much harder for young fans to join in without a parent’s wallet.
Bringing Back the Basics: Why It Matters
It’s time to ask: Should we return to the roots of collecting, where fun, community, and accessibility mattered more than dollar signs?
Here’s what getting back to basics might look like:
Affordable packs at local stores that kids can buy with their own pocket money.
Entry-level products made for beginners, not investors.
Card shows with “kid zones” or freebie tables where young collectors can build their collections.
Collector clubs or school programs where kids can trade and learn together.
Less emphasis on grading and flipping, and more focus on storytelling, favorite players, and team loyalty.
Adults Still Belong—But So Do Kids
This doesn’t mean adult collectors need to stop enjoying the hobby. Far from it. Adults have helped preserve and expand the card market, and their passion is a big reason the hobby has stayed alive. But part of our role as longtime collectors should be passing the torch—creating space for new, young collectors to fall in love with cards just like we did.
It’s not about dumbing down the hobby. It’s about keeping the fun in collecting and making sure the next generation has a chance to discover the magic of opening a fresh pack of cards, not just watching from the sidelines.
Final Thought
The sports card hobby is big enough for everyone—from high-end investors to wide-eyed kids cracking their first pack. But if we want this hobby to last, we need to protect the heart of it: the joy of collecting for the sake of collecting.
So maybe the next time you’re browsing a card show or picking up a few packs for yourself, think about grabbing an extra one for a kid in your life. Pass along a few dupes. Share a story about your favorite player. Because at the end of the day, the best collections aren’t just made of cards—they’re made of memories.