Baseball Cards in the Lehigh Valley Area of Pennsylvania
The Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, which includes Allentown, Bethlehem, and surrounding areas, has a rich history with baseball cards and collecting. With the cities’ close proximity to both Philadelphia and New York, the area was exposed early on to baseball card culture as it developed in the late 19th century. Today, decades later, the Lehigh Valley continues to be home to avid collectors and a number of shops catering to the baseball card hobby.
One of the oldest and most well-known card shops in the region is Topps Cards located in Allentown. Opened in the 1970s during the peak of the baseball card boom, Topps Cards has been a destination for collectors in the Lehigh Valley area for over 40 years. The shop stocks new releases from all the major card companies like Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, and more. They also have a massive inventory of vintage cards dating back to the earliest tobacco era issues from the 1880s and 1890s up through the 1970s. Knowledgeable staff are on hand to assist customers with valuations, complete set needs, and trade advice. Topps Cards also hosts frequent card shows, autograph signings, and tournaments to bring the local collecting community together.
Another vintage shop with a strong baseball card selection is Pop’s Place, located about 10 minutes outside of Allentown in Macungie. While a smaller operation than Topps Cards, Pop’s Place makes up for it with an incredible depth of vintage inventory across all sports. The shop is packed floor to ceiling with boxes organized by sport, team, player, and era. Pop’s Place is a treasure trove for collectors seeking key vintage rookie cards, stars of the past, and oddball/unique issues that may be harder to find elsewhere. Like Topps Cards, the owner is a knowledgeable resource and aims to give collectors a fun, relaxed browsing experience.
Moving into the Bethlehem area, two shops stand out for their baseball card offerings – Bethlehem Card Shop and Collector’s Den. Bethlehem Card Shop has been serving collectors in the Schoenersville Road area of Bethlehem since the 1990s. The shop keeps stock current with new releases but also maintains a solid vintage selection across their sales counter and large glass display cases. Bethlehem Card Shop is known for fair pricing and also hosts the occasional card show. Collector’s Den, located just down the road, takes a similar approach – stocking new product and having a good selection of vintage available for purchase. Both shops cultivate a friendly, low-key atmosphere perfect for searching to complete sets or trade with other patrons.
For those seeking the experience of a larger card show or convention, the Lehigh Valley is host to two major annual events. The first is the Allentown Card Show held each April at the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds. This massive two-day show brings in over 150 tables of vendors selling, buying, and trading all things related to sports cards, memorabilia, and collectibles. Every major sport is represented along with many niche hobby products and services. Well-known guest appearances by retired players and autograph signings are also a big draw.
The second major show is the Bethlehem Card and Collectibles Show held each November at the Sands Event Center. Similar in size and scope to the Allentown show, this convention-style event gathers vendors, dealers, and collectors under one roof for a full weekend. In addition to tables stocked with individual collections and inventory for sale, the Bethlehem show also features larger dealers, distributors, and manufacturers exhibiting. Both shows are excellent opportunities to browse extensive selections, get appraisals on personal collections, and take part in the bustling trading scene that card shows are known for.
For those who enjoy the social aspect of card collecting but don’t want the pressure of buying/selling at a show, area card shops also host frequent trading nights. Topps Cards in Allentown holds trading nights each Wednesday where collectors of all ages can bring their duplicates and trade with others. No money is exchanged during these events, allowing collectors to purely focus on growing their collections through swaps. Bethlehem Card Shop and Collector’s Den also schedule periodic trade nights that draw collectors from around the Lehigh Valley seeking to complete sets, find new additions to their PC (personal collection) players/teams, or just enjoy friendly competition through group break events.
In terms of online/mail order resources for collectors in the Lehigh Valley area, two stand out. The first is Allentown Sportscards, an eBay Power Seller with thousands of baseball, football, basketball, and other trading cards listed daily. Allentown Sportscards maintains an enormous inventory of vintage and modern cards across all price points. They offer fair fixed pricing, fast shipping, and excellent communication with buyers. The other recommended online source is Bethlehem Baseball Cards, a website and Facebook group dedicated to moving Lehigh Valley area collections. Through the Facebook group, collectors can post individual cards, sets or entire collections for sale to a local audience. The site owner will also purchase entire collections outright or work on consignment to help collectors downsize or cash out of the hobby.
The Lehigh Valley region has deep roots in baseball card collecting and continues to cultivate an active community of enthusiasts through its local card shops, shows, and online/social media resources. Whether seeking to build a collection, trade with others, or learn more about the history of the hobby, the Allentown, Bethlehem and surrounding areas offer plenty of opportunities. The friendly, knowledgeable staff at area shops also make the Lehigh Valley a welcoming place for new collectors to get involved in this entertaining and collecting pastime.