While baseball cards were traditionally collected, sorted, and stored physically in albums, binders, boxes and other containers, the internet age has enabled a new world of virtual baseball card collecting online. Several companies now offer e-commerce platforms where users can open digital packs of cards, build virtual collections, and even trade and sell cards with other users from around the world.
Some of the biggest online platforms for opening baseball cards digitally and participating in a virtual hobby include Topps BUNT, Upper Deck e-Pack, Stadium Club Digital on Panini’s website, and MLB Showdown from Dracco. Each platform offers its own take on recreating the baseball card opening and collecting experience through a smartphone or computer screen. Users can purchase digital “packs” of cards for prices similar to physical packs, then “rip” the packs open to see which players they pulled.
Rather than physical cardboard cards, the digital cards appear as images on the screen. Common, uncommon, rare, super rare, and one-of-one “hit” cards can all be pulled just like in real life. The digital cards populate a virtual “collection” where they can be stored, sorted by team, player, year, and more. Nearly all platforms support online multiplayer functionality as well, allowing users to participate in trades, tournaments, mini-games, and leagues against friends or random opponents.
For baseball purists who lament the loss of the physical card, some platforms like Topps BUNT have experimented with integration of actual physical baseball cards as well. Topps produces special “BUNT edition” physical card inserts that can be redeemed to unlock special digital parallels, autographs, or even one-of-one “hits” in the BUNT app. This bridges the gap between physical and digital hobbies.
Meanwhile, several independent artists and game designers have created their own digital baseball card opening simulation games as well. Sites like Cardboard Connection and Operation Sports feature well-designed games that can be played entirely online through a web browser, without any app downloads required. In these browser-based games, players assemble teams by opening virtual packs, complete missions, and compete against the computer or other users. Digital “sketch cards,” parallels, autographs and more can be collected.
At the highest levels of virtual card collecting are online marketplaces like eBay where extremely rare and valuable digital cards can be offered up for auction or sale. Unique one-of-one hits, autographed relic cards, and even full vintage season team “rosters” of increasingly hard to find players can fetch high prices from serious collectors. While still lacking the permanence and scarcity of physical cards, some digital issues are produced in very limited numbers that drive collectors to amass complete rainbow “collections” of parallels, making scarcity a factor even online.
Across physical and digital card collecting, one constant is that new issue cards typically follow the current season of Major League Baseball. Companies release new virtual “sets” of baseball cards on a regular schedule through the season just like physical products. Rookie cards, autographs, relics, and variations of current MLB stars like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and more are hot pulls each year. Flashback “retro” sets recreating vintage 1970s Topps, 80s Donruss and 90s Fleer styles further immerse collector’s in nostalgia.
The rising popularity of digital card collecting follows broader trends of e-commerce business replacing traditional card shops and LCS’s (local card shops), especially since the pandemic. Many argue that virtual cards still lack the true collectability, legacy and resale value of physical cardboard. The industry continues innovating to find the right balance that bridges new technologies with the timeless hobby of baseball card collecting. Whatever your preferred format may be, openings packs virtually or otherwise is a fun way for baseball fans worldwide to stay connected to America’s pastime.
Online digital baseball cards have fast become serious part of the overall hobby, giving fans a new avenue to share in the experience of opening packs, chasing rare cards, and displaying virtual collections. With multiplayer functionality, integrated physical releases, browser-based simulators, and even blue chip rare “hits” fetching high prices online – virtual card collecting has truly replicated and in some ways expanded upon the appeal of the traditional physical pastime. The marriage of baseball’s history with emerging technologies online looks poised to pass the hobby to new generations of fans for years to come.
