Baseball cards have been a beloved hobby and collection item for decades. The thrill of opening a pack and seeing what player or memorabilia card you pull has kept fans engaged for generations. With the rise of online card breaks and the popularity of vintage cards skyrocketing in recent years, the baseball card market has seen immense growth. For the average fan or collector just getting into the hobby, individual packs or boxes of current year cards can be quite expensive, especially from specialty card shops.
This is where discount retailers like Big Lots have found a niche in offering affordable baseball card options. In recent years, Big Lots has stocked various baseball card products at bargain prices. From value packs to complete sets to memorabilia boxes, fans can find deals on cards from the past several seasons. While the selection may not rival the extensive offerings of card specialty stores, Big Lots gives casual collectors an inexpensive way to build their collection or spark newfound interest in the hobby.
For the 2022 season, some of the baseball card products available at Big Lots included value packs and blaster boxes from 2021 Topps Series 1 and Series 2. Each pack contained several base cards along with the potential for inserts and short prints. At only $5-7 per pack versus $10-15 elsewhere, these offered fans a budget-friendly way to add some recent cards to their collections. Big Lots also had 2021 Topps Chrome Update blaster boxes priced around $20, providing 10 packs and chrome parallel card odds.
In addition, Big Lots stocked various complete 2021 Topps base set options. For only $15-20, collectors could pick up a factory-sealed box containing all the common base cards from a given season, skipping the randomness of packs. This allowed focused set building at a steal of a price compared to individual pack costs. Memorabilia card boxes from past years like 2021 Topps Series 2 were also stocked, offering several packs plus guaranteed hits for $25-30.
For vintage cards, Big Lots had 1990s Fleer Ultra packs and boxes available last season. These provided a fun nostalgia trip at only $3-5 per pack of wax from a beloved set from baseball’s steroid era. Complete factory-sealed 1990 Fleer Ultra sets could also be found for under $30, a real bargain for a 32-year-old set in pristine condition. Big Lots also carried value 3-pack assortments containing random cards from the 1980s and 1990s at only $5, allowing exposure to classic designs and players.
In the non-sports card aisle, Big Lots often stocks various trading card games, Magic: The Gathering, and Pokémon products as well. But for baseball card collectors, it’s worth perusing their trading card section since surprises can be found. During visits last season, I even spotted a few unopened wax boxes from 1998 Fleer Metal Universe and 1999 Upper Deck E-X priced around $25 each, providing a true blast from the past at a budget price.
While the selection may vary store-to-store and week-to-week, diligent collectors can score great values by checking Big Lots periodically. The discount retailer aims to clear out overstock of card products, often pricing them hundreds of dollars below specialty shops. It’s the perfect place for a new or casual collector to build their collection affordably without breaking the bank in the process. Even experienced collectors can find hidden gems browsing the Big Lots trading card aisle from time-to-time. So don’t sleep on Big Lots if you’re looking for inexpensive baseball cards to fuel your hobby – you never know what you may discover.
In summary, Big Lots has become a reliable source for affordable baseball card options in recent years. From value packs to complete sets to vintage surprises, the discount retailer offers casual collectors an inexpensive way to build their collections or spark new interests. While selection varies, periodic visits can yield great deals hundreds under specialty shop prices. For fans of any experience level just looking to add some cards to their collections without breaking the bank, Big Lots trading card section is worth a browse. You may be surprised what hidden values you can uncover to enhance your baseball card hobby.
