Baseball cards have been around for over 150 years and were once one of the most popular collectibles for both children and adults alike. In recent decades, the baseball card industry has seen ups and downs. With the rise of digital entertainment and more options for how people spend their leisure time and money, many have wondered if traditional baseball cards are still relevant or if they have become a thing of the past. So the question remains – are baseball cards still a thing?
To understand the current state of the baseball card industry, it’s helpful to look at its history and how it has evolved over time. The earliest known baseball cards date back to the late 1800s when cigarette and tobacco companies began including small cardboard cards with images of baseball players in their products as a marketing tactic. This helped popularize baseball and build interest in the relatively new professional sport. Throughout the early and mid-20th century, baseball cards boomed in popularity as a fun hobby for kids and a way to collect and learn about their favorite players and teams.
Starting in the late 1980s and 1990s, the baseball card market began to experience a major decline. Several factors contributed to this downturn, including an overproduction of cards that led to a surplus and lower resale values. The rise of video games, streaming services, and other digital entertainment pulled recreational time and dollars away from traditional collecting hobbies. Many stores stopped carrying baseball cards and the bubble seemed to have burst for the once lucrative industry.
While baseball cards declined significantly through the 1990s and 2000s, the hobby has shown signs of a resurgence in recent years. Several developments have helped renew interest among both casual and serious collectors. Firstly, the increased use of memorabilia cards that include game-used pieces of uniforms, signed swatches of jerseys, and other one-of-a-kind authentic items has made collecting more interesting and valuable. Secondly, a wave of nostalgia has drawn many back to their childhood pastime of collecting and brought in new generations of fans. Iconic rookie cards of stars like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper have also captured attention.
The growth of online selling platforms like eBay has made buying, selling and trading baseball cards more accessible globally. Websites and phone apps dedicated to tracking card prices and releases have also engaged more collectors. The rise of YouTube unboxing videos where people open fresh packs on camera has introduced baseball cards to a new digital audience as well. Some studies have found that around 12.5 million Americans collected sports cards in recent years. While not at the peak levels of the 1980s, this shows the hobby maintains a solid fanbase.
From a financial perspective, the values of vintage and rare baseball cards have soared in recent auction sales. In 2021, a rare 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card sold for a record $5.2 million, showing significant demand remains for iconic pieces of sports history and memorabilia. Prices for modern rookie cards of stars like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto have also risen sharply. This uptick in values has drawn new collectors and investors who view cards as an alternative asset class.
Despite signs of life, it’s hard to say if baseball cards will ever regain their mainstream popularity of the past. Younger generations have many more options to engage with their favorite sports and players online, through video games, live streaming of games, and social media platforms. The traditional hobby of collecting cardboard still faces an uphill battle to attract new fans. On the other hand, for those who grew up with baseball cards, the nostalgia remains strong and the market will likely continue catering to devoted collectors.
While the golden age for baseball cards may have passed, the hobby is far from dead. A dedicated fanbase and recent developments have helped baseball cards remain relevant, even if they don’t have the mass appeal of decades past. Whether cards can continue to innovate, engage new audiences digitally, and hold value long-term will determine if they retain their status as a collectible staple of sports culture or continue their slow decline into niche status. For now, baseball cards appear they will stay a thing, even if not quite in the same way as before. The future of this longtime pastime remains uncertain but its history and nostalgia ensure it will always have its supporters.
