Collecting baseball cards has been a popular American pastime for decades. While the hobby may have peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s, baseball card collecting remains popular today with both casual and serious collectors. The baseball card market has evolved significantly over the past 30 years. This article will explore what collecting baseball cards looks like in 2022 and discuss some of the key trends impacting the hobby.
One of the biggest changes in baseball card collecting today compared to the late 20th century is the sheer volume of cards being produced each year. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the main producers of baseball cards were Topps, Fleer, and Donruss. Together, these three companies produced a few hundred different baseball card products each year containing players from the major and minor leagues as well as retired stars.
Today, the baseball card market is far more fragmented. While Topps remains the dominant brand, there are now dozens of producers creating thousands of different baseball card sets and special releases every year. Some key producers today include Panini, Leaf, Bowman, Stadium Club, Allen & Ginter, Topps Chrome, Topps Heritage, and Topps Update. Each company puts out hundreds of different sets annually in all price ranges.
This massive output has both positives and negatives for today’s collectors. On the plus side, there are way more cards of star players and more variety overall to choose from. Parallel and serial-numbered inserts also allow for more chase cards. The overproduction has also led to cards losing value more quickly as the market gets saturated. Rarity means less now than in the past, and grading and condition are more important when assessing long-term value.
Another major change is the shift to direct sales from hobby shops to online retail. In the 1980s and 90s, the primary way to collect was by purchasing factory-sealed wax packs or boxes from local card shops. Today, while shops still exist, the vast majority of new sealed product is purchased online directly from the manufacturers or through large online retail sites.
This allows for pre-orders of whole sets and special releases, but it also means collectors are no longer limited by the stock carried at local shops. The downside is this shift has hurt the traditional brick-and-mortar card shop industry. Nostalgic collectors still enjoy shopping at local hobby stores when possible to recapture the experience of their youth.
In addition to changes in production volume and distribution methods, the entire business model behind baseball cards has evolved. In the past, the main purpose of cards was to promote the sport and players to young collectors. Today, cards are considered investments and entertainment commodities by many adults.
Graded gem mint cards of star players routinely sell for thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. Upper-deck produced rare serial numbered “1/1” cards that can sell at auction for over $100,000. Many modern products like Topps Chrome and Bowman Sterling offer investment-grade “hits” that collectors chase and hold long-term. This has attracted many new collectors who are in the hobby as much for profit potential as enjoyment.
It has also led to concerns about scalping, artificial scarcity, and cards being viewed more as stock investments than fun collectibles. The high-end cards that drive today’s blockbuster auction prices are increasingly out of reach for the average collector. Nostalgic collectors often lament the loss of cards being affordable items of entertainment over expensive commodities.
In addition to changes in the nature of the products and business model, technology has also massively impacted the baseball card collecting hobby in the 21st century. Grading, once an afterthought, is now a huge business thanks to the rise of professional grading companies like PSA and BGS. Slabs protect cards and allow for easier resale, but grading is also a source of debate among collectors.
Online auction sites like eBay completely changed the resale market, giving collectors access to inventory from all over the world. While this opened up new opportunities, it also led to concerns about reprints/fakes and the “quick flip” mentality undercutting the hobby aspect for some. Today, social media platforms are a key way for collectors of all levels to stay informed, buy/sell, and share their collections.
While the core of collecting baseball cards remains the same, the modern hobby looks very different than it did 30-40 years ago. Production volume, business models, technology, and perceptions of cards as investments versus entertainment have all evolved significantly. Both casual collectors pursuing affordable nostalgia and serious investors chasing six and seven-figure cards can still find what they’re looking for. But the landscape is more complex than during the peak eras of the 1980s and 90s. Navigating these changes will shape how baseball card collecting develops in the decades to come.
