Baseball cards have been a popular collectible for decades, especially among fans of America’s favorite pastime. With Black Friday approaching, many baseball card collectors and enthusiasts look forward to the deals and discounts available that day. Whether you’re looking to start a new collection, add to an existing one, or find gifts for the baseball fan in your life, Black Friday often delivers great savings on packs, boxes, and individual cards.
One of the biggest retailers for baseball cards is Target. For Black Friday 2021, Target had several baseball card deals that collectors took advantage of. They offered a Topps 2021 Series 1 Hanger Box for just $4, marked down from the usual $7-8 price point. These contain 10 packs with a chance at rookie cards of stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. Target also had 2021 Topps Chrome Jumbo Packs on sale for $15, a savings of $5 off the regular price. Jumbo packs have more cards than standard packs and are a fun way to potentially pull valuable rookie refractors.
In addition to packs and boxes, Target discounted individual cards and sets. A complete 2021 Topps Series 1 base set, which retailed for $20, was on sale for $15. This was an enticing deal for collectors looking to finish their sets. Graded vintage rookie cards from stars like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron and Nolan Ryan also saw price drops of 15-20% off PSA/BGS prices. For collectors chasing key vintage cards in high grades, Black Friday offered a chance to save on otherwise expensive investments.
Walmart also rolled out baseball card deals for Black 2021. They had 2021 Topps Series 1 and Series 2 blaster boxes marked down to just $15 each, a savings of $5 per box. Blasters contain 30-40 cards including inserts and parallels in addition to the base card sets. Walmart also slashed prices on 2021 Topps Chrome Jumbo Packs to $13, the lowest price of the year up to that point. For collectors of modern products, Walmart provided some of the cheapest ways to add cards to collections.
Like the big box stores, online retailers hosted baseball card sales as well. eBay had a sitewide 15% off coupon for purchases over $25 that could be applied to sports cards. This brought prices down on individual vintage and modern cards across the site. Many sellers also listed “Black Friday Deal” in their titles to offer discounted pricing beyond just the coupon. Blowout Cards, a major online card shop, discounted boxes, cases, and individual cards by 15-25% sitewide for the holiday weekend. They also offered free combined shipping on multiple items to sweeten the savings.
For collectors looking to stock up on supplies, Black Friday also delivered deals. Card savers, toploaders, binders and other accessories saw price drops of 20-30% at most major retailers. Amazon discounted ultra pro and BCW supplies, while sites like Steel City Collectibles and Blowout Cards offered bundles with added cards or packs when buying supplies in bulk. Collectors could outfit their collections and protect their investments for less during the post-Thanksgiving sales.
While the big box stores and online retailers offered the steepest discounts, local card shops participated in Black Friday promotions as well. Many had “Buy X, Get Y Free” deals where purchasing a box or case would include extra packs, hits, or store credit. Showing local support was a way for collectors to give back while still finding savings. Shop owners knew Black Friday brought extra foot traffic and used promotions as a way to introduce new customers as well.
As Black Friday 2022 approaches, baseball card collectors will once again be on the lookout for deals. While specific sales and promotions won’t be known until closer to Thanksgiving, history shows the holiday routinely provides opportunities for savings. Between packs, boxes, supplies and individual cards, most collectors can find ways to add to their collections or check items off want lists. With increased popularity in the hobby the past few years, competition for the best Black Friday deals will be fierce. But for those who do their research and plan ahead, post-Thanksgiving shopping can deliver great baseball card bargains.
