Baseball cards have been a beloved hobby for generations, allowing fans to collect pieces of the game they love and commemorate their favorite players. Whether you’re looking to build your childhood collection or start a new one, 2019 offers no shortage of options for buying baseball cards. With new releases coming out all year from the major card companies and countless vintage and modern cards available online, here’s a comprehensive guide to the exciting world of baseball cards for sale in the current year.
Topps continues to be the industry leader and released several major baseball card sets in 2019. Their flagship Topps Series 1 hit shelves in early spring and featured rising stars like Ronald Acuña Jr. and superstar veterans like Mike Trout on the cover. As with every year, this set included base cards for every player as well as inserts, parallels, and autographs to chase. Series 2 followed in late June with another complete player roster plus new special cards. Topps Chrome, considered one of the premier modern releases, arrived in July and September with glossy refractors and prized autographs inserted throughout the boxes and packs.
Upper Deck also had an active year, starting with their March release of MLB Showcase featuring popular current players. In the summer they debuted MLB BASEBALL which focused on on-field action shots rather than traditional posed portraits. Both sets had autographs and memorabilia cards mixed in randomly. Upper Deck also holds the license for baseball greats of the past and their Cooperstown collection paid tribute to legends through unique relic and auto cards from retired HOFers.
Panini had a major presence in 2019 with several sets under their Donruss and Contenders brands. Donruss Optic came out in April/May with a sleek design and refractors, while Donruss Diamond Kings in July honored star players through dazzling parallels and memorabilia. Contenders Baseball hit in August/September and contained some of the year’s most sought after autographs from top rookies and veterans. Prizm, one of Panini’s premier brands, debuted a baseball edition in October that became a fast favorite with collectors.
For vintage cards, T206s from the very early 1900s remain some of the most coveted and expensive, though high grade examples from that era realistically sell in the thousands to over six figures. More affordable vintage options include the iconic 1952 Topps set starting around $10-20 per common card depending on condition. The 1968 Topps set, featuring the likes of Hank Aaron and Bob Gibson, typically sells for $5-15 each. Rarer vintage rookies can fetch much more – a Mickey Mantle ’52 Bowman in good condition would list around $1000-1500 for example.
When it comes to online buying, the largest and most trusted marketplace is eBay. Here you can find virtually any card from any year, with tens of thousands of new listings added daily from individual sellers and large dealers. Condition is extremely important for value – near mint to mint vintage cards will demand much higher prices than well-worn copies. Reputable eBay sellers like BlowoutCards and Sportlots specialize in new release boxes, cases, and singles as well. Other popular sites to browse for cards include COMC.com (formerly TradingCardDB), Amazon Marketplace, and individual sports card shop websites. Auctions are also a great way to find rare vintage gems through Goldin Auctions or Heritage Auctions.
For those looking to build their PC (personal collection), 2019 was a great time to focus on rookie cards, especially with new stars coming up. Top prospects like Eloy Jimenez, Victor Robles, and Keston Hiura had their official Topps rookie cards released to much fanfare. Even bigger names like Pete Alonso, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cemented their places in history with their debut cards appearing in Series 1 and Update Series. These modern rookies can gain significant value as players rise to stardom. Relics, autographs, and numbered parallels remain some of the most in-demand chase cards year after year as well.
While the resale market is huge, many collectors also enjoy the fun of opening new packs, boxes, and blasters themselves. Hobby shops, card shows, and online breaks offer this social experience of not knowing what gems may lie within. Popular sets to crack like this included Topps Series 1/2, Topps Chrome, Stadium Club, Heritage, and Bowman’s Best/Chrome. Of course there’s always the chance of hitting a huge jackpot auto or 1/1 parallel worth major money. Sealed wax boxes from the 1980s and earlier can also be found and researched for valuable unopened treasure within.
Whether spending $5 on a 2019 Topps base card or thousands on a rare T206 Honus Wagner, the joy of baseball cards lies in the memories, players, and history they represent on and off the field. With such a massive selection available both new and vintage, 2019 was truly a collector’s paradise no matter the budget or interests. Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck will continue releasing new products throughout 2020 as well. So for fans of America’s pastime and the cardboard treasures that commemorate it, the opportunities for growing a baseball card collection remain endless.
