Baseball Cards in Lancaster County, PA
Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania has a rich history of baseball and a thriving community of baseball card collectors. With its close proximity to Philadelphia and Baltimore, Lancaster has long been an area where the national pastime of baseball took root. Today, there are several shops and stores in the county where fans can find vintage and modern baseball cards.
One of the top destinations for baseball card collectors in Lancaster is Hitting the Diamond Cards, located in downtown Lancaster city. Opened in 2005, Hitting the Diamond Cards occupies a spacious storefront on North Queen Street packed wall-to-wall with boxes upon boxes of cards. Whether you’re looking for vintage greats from the 1950s and 60s or the latest 2021 sets, Hitting the Diamond Cards has it all.
Owner Dan Miller has been collecting cards since he was a kid in the 1980s. “I just love the nostalgia and history behind the old cardboard,” says Miller. “And it’s so fun to see the excitement on a kid’s face when they pull a star player from a pack.” In addition to carrying all the latest Topps, Panini, Leaf, and other brands, Hitting the Diamond Cards has a massive inventory of vintage cards dating back to the earliest tobacco cards from the late 1800s. Miller and his staff are experts who can help collectors find that elusive rookie card or complete a vintage set.
Another top destination is Game Time Sports Cards, located about 15 minutes east of Lancaster city in Ephrata. Opened in 2015, Game Time occupies a small but packed storefront in the Ephrata Marketplace. Like Hitting the Diamond Cards, Game Time carries all the latest sets and also has a huge stock of vintage cards for sale. What sets Game Time apart though is its strong focus on memorabilia to complement the cards.
In addition to cards, Game Time Sports Cards sells thousands of items of baseball memorabilia including signed balls, bats, photos, jerseys, and other one-of-a-kind pieces. Owner Adam Burkholder enjoys helping collectors build displays pairing cards with related autographed items. “It’s so cool to see a collector display a rookie card alongside a signed ball from that same player’s career,” says Burkholder. Game Time also hosts frequent group breaks, where collectors can join in on unopened wax boxes and teams to build their collections.
For the western edge of Lancaster County, the town of Lititz is home to Batter Up Sports Cards. Situated a short distance from downtown Lititz, Batter Up opened in 2010 and occupies a narrow storefront. While smaller than Hitting the Diamond and Game Time, Batter Up punches above its weight with extensive vintage and modern baseball card stocks.
Owner Ryan Stauffer got his start collecting as a kid in the 1990s and loves helping younger collectors now. In addition to carrying penny sleeves, toploaders, binders and other supplies, Batter Up also sells unopened boxes and packs of football, basketball, soccer, and non-sports trading cards. The shop hosts regular Friday night trading sessions where collectors of all ages can trade, sell and socialize.
For collectors on a budget or just browsing, several chain stores and big box retailers with locations around Lancaster County offer baseball cards too. Target, Walmart, and Michaels all carry the latest Topps, Panini and other mainstream card brands in both packs and loose in the trading card aisles. For vintage cards on a budget, collectors can sometimes find affordable lots on eBay or at smaller card shows that pop up periodically around the county.
Lancaster County’s rich baseball card community is also bolstered by several large annual card shows. Each January, the Ephrata Recreation Center hosts the Lancaster County Sports Card and Memorabilia Show, drawing hundreds of dealers and collectors from across the region for a full day of trading. In June, the Farm & Home Center in Lancaster hosts the Keystone Sports Card Show, one of the largest and oldest shows in Pennsylvania. Vendors bring tens of thousands of cards, autographs, and other collectibles to these major shows.
With its proximity to major league cities, deep baseball roots, and thriving local shops and shows, Lancaster County offers collectors everything they need to build a world-class baseball card collection. From unopened packs to game-used relics, the options for growing a collection are endless for fans in this south-central Pennsylvania community.
