Baseball cards have been a beloved hobby and pastime for generations. From the early tobacco cards of the late 19th century to the modern era of licensed sports cards, people young and old have enjoyed collecting cards featuring their favorite players and teams. Located just outside of Dallas, Arlington, Texas has long been a hotbed for baseball card collectors and enthusiasts. With a rich history in the hobby and new shops constantly popping up, Arlington remains one of the best places in North Texas to buy, sell, and trade baseball cards.

Arlington is home to Globe Life Field, the new stadium of the Texas Rangers that opened in 2020. The Rangers have called Arlington home since 1972 when they moved from Washington D.C. and played their first season at Arlington Stadium. For nearly 50 years, the Rangers have cultivated a huge fanbase in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond. Naturally, this led to a booming baseball card scene in Arlington centered around the local MLB franchise. Vintage Rangers cards from the 1970s and onward are quite popular with collectors based in the city. Local card shops still do brisk business offering packs, boxes, and individual cards of current and former Rangers stars like Nolan Ryan, Ivan Rodriguez, and Adrian Beltre.

One of the longest running and most well known card shops in Arlington is All Star Cards, which opened in 1983. Located just a few miles from the old Rangers ballpark, All Star Cards was a hub for the city’s card collecting community for decades. In the pre-internet era especially, it was one of the only places within a wide radius where you could find the latest packs, supplies, and trade with other collectors face-to-face. All Star Cards became famous for its vast inventory of cards from every sport and era, as well as for hosting tournaments and special signings with Rangers alumni. Though it has since closed, All Star Cards left an indelible mark on Arlington’s baseball card scene.

Another legendary Arlington card shop that was especially popular with Rangers fans was Topps Great Sports Cards, which operated from 1989 through the early 2010s. Located right across the street from Arlington Stadium, Topps Great Sports Cards was the ideal one-stop-shop for all things Rangers cards. In addition to carrying every Rangers card ever made basically, the shop also had an extensive memorabilia collection and would bring in special guests like former Rangers to sign autographs. They also sponsored local card shows and tournaments. Topps Great Sports Cards helped grow the next generation of Rangers collectors before closing its doors.

While some shops have come and gone, Arlington’s baseball card market has remained vibrant into the 21st century. Newer stores like Arlington Card Shop, Arlington Sports Cards, and The Great Escape have taken the reins as the premier destinations in the city. These shops carry the latest MLB releases from Topps, Panini, Leaf, and more while also catering to the vintage and memorabilia collectors. Arlington Card Shop in particular has thousands of vintage Rangers cards and autographed items on display. They also host monthly trading card games and buy lists for collectors to sell their duplicates.

In addition to brick-and-mortar stores, Arlington collectors stay connected through online groups on Facebook and message boards. One of the most active is “DFW Sports Cards,” with over 10,000 members trading, discussing, and organizing frequent meetups around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Local card shows are another major gathering place, like the annual Arlington Card & Comic Show held each July. Dozens of vendors fill up the Arlington Exhibit Hall selling and buying across all collecting categories. Regional, national, and even international dealers also make appearances at the Arlington shows.

Whether hunting for the latest Rangers rookie at a local shop or trading with other collectors online and at shows, Arlington, Texas has proven to be a baseball card mecca. The city’s deep roots with the Texas Rangers and storied shops of the past have fostered generations of diehard collectors. Even with mainstays closing and the hobby evolving, Arlington remains committed to its baseball card culture, keeping the tradition alive for current fans and those yet to discover the thrill of the chase.