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BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON BASEBALL CARDS

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, with retailers offering deep discounts on many products the day after Thanksgiving. Baseball cards are a collectible item that often see great deals on Black Friday, whether it’s booster packs, boxes, or individual cards. With the holiday shopping season in full swing, many baseball card companies and hobby shops take advantage of the sales opportunity that Black Friday presents.

While Black Friday is still over a month away, baseball card companies and retailers have already started releasing details on some of the deals and promotions they will be offering for the shopping holiday. One of the biggest names in the baseball card industry, Topps, has already announced they will be slashing prices on many of their 2021 baseball card products. This includes up to 30% off entire cases of Series 1, Series 2, Allen & Ginter, Stadium Club, and Topps Chrome hobby boxes. For individual collectors, Topps is also offering “mystery packs” of 10 random 2021 cards for just $10, a savings of over 50% off the normal retail price.

In addition to Topps, Panini America has revealed plans for doorbuster Black Friday deals on many of their licensed MLB card products. Panini Donruss and Contenders boxes will see discounts of 25-30%, while Optic and Prizm boxes will be marked down 20%. Panini is also including free shipping on any orders over $50. For collectors of specific players, Panini said they will release “player packs” with 10 cards of stars like Mike Trout, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr., and others for only $20 a pack while supplies last.

Independent card shops and online retailers like Dave and Adam’s Card World and Steel City Collectibles are also getting in on the baseball card Black Friday action. DACW has said they will offer “mystery pack bundles” containing 10 unopened packs from various 2021 sets for $20 per bundle, with a limited quantity available. Steel City Collectibles is slashing prices on individual graded vintage and modern cards, with select PSA 10 cards from the ’90s and 2000s marked down 30%. They are also bundling 10 random unopened retail packs for $15.

In addition to product and individual card deals, some shops are sweetening the pot with additional Black Friday promotions. Lelands, a large auction house and online retailer, said collectors who spend $100 or more on their site on Black Friday will receive a $20 Lelands credit to use on a future purchase. Burbank Sportscards in California is offering a “Spin to Win” prize wheel game where customers who spend $50 can spin for a chance to win additional free packs, boxes, or store credit. Beckett Trading Cards in Dallas will be giving away a PSA 10 Mike Trout rookie card to one random customer who makes a purchase.

For collectors looking to stock up on wax boxes to hold for potential long term value or search for chase rookie cards, Black Friday often provides the best annual discounts. While it remains to be seen if supply chain issues could impact some 2021 baseball card products, the deals that have already been announced provide collectors plenty of opportunities to save. Between the steep price cuts on cases and bundles from the major manufacturers, and the creative promotions from independent shops, Black Friday is undoubtedly one of the best times each year for baseball card collectors and investors to find deals. Savvy collectors would be wise to take advantage and get a head start on their holiday shopping by perusing the sales in the hobby.

FIND THE BEST DEALS ON BASEBALL CARDS NEAR ME

Finding the Best Deals on Baseball Cards Near You

Baseball cards have been a beloved hobby and pastime for generations. From collecting rookie cards of your favorite players to admiring the artwork on vintage cards, there’s something special about owning pieces of baseball history in card form. Like any collecting hobby, baseball cards can carry high prices depending on the scarcity and condition of the cards. The good news is with some research and effort, you can find great deals on baseball cards right in your local area. Here are some tips for tracking down the best values near you:

Check Local Sport Card Shops

The first place to start your search is by checking local sport card shops in your city or town. Many shops will hold weekly or monthly card shows where collectors can buy, sell and trade cards. These events are a great opportunity to find motivated sellers offloading parts of their collections at reasonable prices. Sport card shops also have the advantage of allowing you to physically examine cards before purchasing to check for flaws or damage. Shop owners stay on top of the latest market trends too, so you can get a sense of fair pricing for different eras and players. Be sure to call ahead or check shop websites and social media for upcoming card show dates near you.

Frequent Flea Markets and Collectible Shows

Beyond dedicated card shops, flea markets and collectible shows are another excellent source for local baseball card deals. These types of events will often have multiple vendors selling vintage cards, wax packs and memorabilia at affordable prices. The competitive nature of flea markets means sellers are more inclined to negotiate on multi-card purchases too. Just be prepared for cards at these venues to potentially be in lower graded condition since they’re not coming directly from hobby shops. Still, with patience you can score some real steals with a bit of digging. Check local free classifieds and event listing sites to find upcoming flea markets and collectible expos in your area.

Browse Online Classifieds and Buy/Sell Groups

If hitting up in-person venues isn’t an option, turn your attention to local online classifieds sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp. You’ll commonly find people locally selling off portions of their childhood collections or entire boxes of cards. Be sure to only pay via secure payment methods if buying online from strangers. It’s also worth joining local baseball card buy/sell/trade groups on Facebook. Within these communities, you’ll encounter collectors decluttering their doubles and looking to swap with others in the local card collecting scene. Both classifieds and Facebook groups allow you to find deals without even having to leave your home.

Ask Around at Local Sporting Goods Stores

Don’t forget to check in with your local sporting goods stores too. Even if they don’t have dedicated card sections, many will have random boxes of vintage and modern wax packs taking up space on shelves. Staff may also be willing to search through unsorted donation bins for you if you specify the players or sets you’re looking for. You never know – you could get lucky and find a forgotten gem. It never hurts to simply ask if they have any older baseball cards for sale gathering dust in the back as well. Sporting goods employees tend to be knowledgeable about the local card scene too.

Keep an Eye Out at Yard Sales and Estate Sales

During the spring and summer months, be on the lookout for neighborhood yard sales on weekends. You’d be surprised how often people are trying to clear out their attics and basements, unaware of the value baseball cards from the 80s or 90s may hold today. Estate sales can also yield treasures after a collector has passed away. Sign up for email alerts from local estate sale companies so you’re notified of upcoming sales in your area. Bring a smartphone to quickly check recent eBay “sold” listings if you find cards to gauge potential deals. Perseverance and a bit of luck may allow you to score valuable vintage collections for pennies on the dollar.

Ask Local Card Collectors for Insider Tips

The best way to hear about hidden gems and secret stockpiles of cards is by tapping into the grapevine of your city’s card collecting community. Reach out to local card shop owners and experienced collectors on Facebook to pick their brains about any rumored large collections for sale, annual collector’s conventions in the region or Facebook groups focused on trades and deals. Many veteran collectors are always on the lookout for young fans looking to grow their collections. You never know – putting the word out could lead to a collector offering you first crack at sorting through their doubles box. Utilizing other collectors’ local networks is a smart strategy for staying on top of deals.

Research Online Auction Sites Strategically

While eBay will often have the biggest selection of baseball cards to choose from, don’t forget to also check local online auction sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or even sites specific to your state. Filter searches to only show results within 50 or 100 miles of your zip code. This allows you to potentially snag cards from local estates or collections without paying shipping. It’s also worth signing up for email alerts on newly listed items containing search terms like “baseball cards,” “wax packs” or players you collect to stay on top of local listings. With some patience, you can find motivated sellers locally looking to offload inventory quickly versus waiting for bids to roll in on eBay.

With a combination of checking local card shops, flea markets, collectible shows, online classifieds, asking other collectors and being diligent about researching yard sales, estate sales and local auction sites – you’re highly likely to track down great deals on baseball cards right in your own neighborhood. Developing relationships within the local card community will also help you hear about private collections or undervalued lots for sale before they hit the larger auction platforms. Happy hunting – and don’t forget to have fun exploring your city’s card scene!

BEST DEALS ON BASEBALL CARDS

Finding the best deals on baseball cards can take some legwork, but with a little research collectors can score great bargains. Baseball cards are a multi-billion dollar industry, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune to build an impressive collection. With patience and strategy, savvy collectors can pick up valuable and rare cards without breaking the bank.

Garage sales, flea markets, and local card shops are great places to start the hunt for deals. Sellers in these venues often don’t fully appreciate the value of their cards and will part with them for well below market price. Be sure to thoroughly inspect any lots you find for hidden gems. Carefully organized collections for sale online also sometimes fly under the radar of serious collectors and can be had at a discount if you make a reasonable offer to the seller.

Card shows that bring together dealers from a region are another prime bargain spot. Dealers need to move product and will offer discounts, especially if you’re buying in bulk. Ask for their best price on sets, boxes of cards, or entire collections. Come armed with knowledge of fair market values so you don’t get taken advantage of. But also keep in mind most dealers have overhead like booth rental and travel costs to consider.

Online auction sites like eBay give collectors access to a huge worldwide marketplace. With some savvy searching and sniping strategies, you can win auctions for cards at prices well below recently sold listings. It takes patience to wait for the right auction at the right time, but the potential payoff is great deals on rare finds. Just beware of fakes, and always check a seller’s feedback before bidding.

Subscription membership sites are another underutilized resource for bargain hunters. Sites like TradingCardDB and COMC (Collectors Universe) allow users to post and browse collections for sale. Sellers often price reasonably just to move inventory, knowing the site brings plenty of potential buyers to their listings. And the feedback systems protect both parties in a transaction.

Don’t overlook discount retailers and big box stores for bargains either. After the baseball season each year, many stores deeply discount remaining stock of the current year’s cards to clear shelf space. You may not find true gems, but it’s an affordable way to add to your collection or find cards of current stars for a song. Dollar stores also sometimes have surprise finds from older years mixed in with their cheap packs and boxes.

Subscriptions services specializing in team or player collections provide an affordable way to build focused sets over time. For a monthly fee, sites like Steiner Sports send curated packages of autographed cards, relic cards, and parallels focused on your favorite players or teams. While you won’t score huge discounts, it spreads the costs out and guarantees your collection grows steadily with unique additions.

When it comes to individual rare and valuable cards, patience and diligence are key to finding deals. Watch the major auction houses, but also check with your local dealer. They may have inherited consignments containing gems they’ve yet to fully evaluate. Make them an offer that works for both of you. And don’t forget to check daily deal sites, where occasionally a truly unique find will surface at a bargain-basement “Buy It Now” price if you happen to spot it in time.

Building your baseball card collection doesn’t require spending a mint. With some savvy shopping strategies and a little luck, deals abound. Focus on untapped local sources, auctions at the right time, and subscription services for steady affordable growth. And always research fair values so you don’t overpay – the best deals come from well-informed collectors. With some effort, any fan can start or expand an impressive set for less than retail prices. Have fun and happy hunting!

BASEBALL CARDS BLACK FRIDAY DEALS

Baseball cards have been a popular collectible for decades, especially among fans of America’s favorite pastime. With Black Friday approaching, many baseball card collectors and enthusiasts look forward to the deals and discounts available that day. Whether you’re looking to start a new collection, add to an existing one, or find gifts for the baseball fan in your life, Black Friday often delivers great savings on packs, boxes, and individual cards.

One of the biggest retailers for baseball cards is Target. For Black Friday 2021, Target had several baseball card deals that collectors took advantage of. They offered a Topps 2021 Series 1 Hanger Box for just $4, marked down from the usual $7-8 price point. These contain 10 packs with a chance at rookie cards of stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. Target also had 2021 Topps Chrome Jumbo Packs on sale for $15, a savings of $5 off the regular price. Jumbo packs have more cards than standard packs and are a fun way to potentially pull valuable rookie refractors.

In addition to packs and boxes, Target discounted individual cards and sets. A complete 2021 Topps Series 1 base set, which retailed for $20, was on sale for $15. This was an enticing deal for collectors looking to finish their sets. Graded vintage rookie cards from stars like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron and Nolan Ryan also saw price drops of 15-20% off PSA/BGS prices. For collectors chasing key vintage cards in high grades, Black Friday offered a chance to save on otherwise expensive investments.

Walmart also rolled out baseball card deals for Black 2021. They had 2021 Topps Series 1 and Series 2 blaster boxes marked down to just $15 each, a savings of $5 per box. Blasters contain 30-40 cards including inserts and parallels in addition to the base card sets. Walmart also slashed prices on 2021 Topps Chrome Jumbo Packs to $13, the lowest price of the year up to that point. For collectors of modern products, Walmart provided some of the cheapest ways to add cards to collections.

Like the big box stores, online retailers hosted baseball card sales as well. eBay had a sitewide 15% off coupon for purchases over $25 that could be applied to sports cards. This brought prices down on individual vintage and modern cards across the site. Many sellers also listed “Black Friday Deal” in their titles to offer discounted pricing beyond just the coupon. Blowout Cards, a major online card shop, discounted boxes, cases, and individual cards by 15-25% sitewide for the holiday weekend. They also offered free combined shipping on multiple items to sweeten the savings.

For collectors looking to stock up on supplies, Black Friday also delivered deals. Card savers, toploaders, binders and other accessories saw price drops of 20-30% at most major retailers. Amazon discounted ultra pro and BCW supplies, while sites like Steel City Collectibles and Blowout Cards offered bundles with added cards or packs when buying supplies in bulk. Collectors could outfit their collections and protect their investments for less during the post-Thanksgiving sales.

While the big box stores and online retailers offered the steepest discounts, local card shops participated in Black Friday promotions as well. Many had “Buy X, Get Y Free” deals where purchasing a box or case would include extra packs, hits, or store credit. Showing local support was a way for collectors to give back while still finding savings. Shop owners knew Black Friday brought extra foot traffic and used promotions as a way to introduce new customers as well.

As Black Friday 2022 approaches, baseball card collectors will once again be on the lookout for deals. While specific sales and promotions won’t be known until closer to Thanksgiving, history shows the holiday routinely provides opportunities for savings. Between packs, boxes, supplies and individual cards, most collectors can find ways to add to their collections or check items off want lists. With increased popularity in the hobby the past few years, competition for the best Black Friday deals will be fierce. But for those who do their research and plan ahead, post-Thanksgiving shopping can deliver great baseball card bargains.

BEST DEALS FOR 2018 BASEBALL CARDS

The 2018 baseball season brought with it a new crop of rookie cards, special inserts, and parallels to collect. With so many options on the market each year, it can be difficult to determine where to invest your money if you’re looking to build a collection or find deals. With a bit of research, collectors can take advantage of various promotions, product discounts, and secondary market deals to acquire 2018 baseball cards without breaking the bank.

Retailers like Target, Walmart, and hobby shops offered several 2018 baseball card products at affordable price points. The most accessible were likely Topps Series 1 and Series 2 hanger packs and blasters, which generally retailed between $5-15. These provided new collectors a fun, inexpensive way to accumulate base rookies and parallels of stars while experiencing the excitement of the pack-ripping hobby. Hanger packs in particular offered a good number of cards for the money.

For those looking to scratch the itch of a box break experience without the hefty box price, jumbo packs presented another budget-friendly option. Containing 30-50 cards apiece, jumbos from Topps, Panini, and Leaf delivered variety and chase hits at a lower per-card cost than traditional wax boxes. Promotions from sellers further reduced jumbo prices on release weekends.

Target frequently put Topps Series 1 and 2 blasters on clearance for $3-5 after a couple months on shelves. With patience, collectors could score these already-affordable products at a deep discount. Walmart also periodically marked down remaining 2018 stock. For those willing to hunt, clearance aisles provided opportunities to grab remaining stock of value packs and boxes for pennies on the dollar of original MSRP.

Online retailers offered even better deals if you kept an eye out. Sites like Steel City Collectibles, Blowout Cards, and DA Card World routinely ran promotions shaving 15-30% off MSRP during release windows. Subscribing to newsletters from these sellers ensured you didn’t miss out on flash sales and coupon codes. With free shipping included on most orders over $50, online shopping removed the temptation to overpay at local shops.

Breakers and group breaks on YouTube provided a fun, interactive way to acquire cards for a fraction of retail box costs. Sites like Blowout Cards hosted breaks with affordable spot prices, often $5-15 each. While you didn’t get to hand-pick your cards, breaks allowed accumulating a team’s or player’s entire rookie class and parallels for the cost of just a few packs. With popular breakers, the entertainment value outweighed the monetary investment.

The secondary market flourished with 2018 baseball cards as well. eBay remained a go-to for finding bargain bin singles, lots, and complete sets from releases like Topps Heritage, Stadium Club, and Allen & Ginter. With patience and savvy bidding, collectors acquired cards and sets for well under Beckett prices. Facebook trading groups also served as a forum to trade duplicates for needs or sell extras at fair secondary market values to recoup costs.

For investors, discount retail stores like Ollie’s and Big Lots periodically received shipments of overstocked wax boxes and jumbos from the prior year at deep discounts, 60-70% off MSRP. While you risked the boxes being picked through, diligent collectors occasionally found unsearched gems like autographed or numbered rookie parallels for a small fraction of PSA 10 pop report values.

Subscription services presented another cost-effective avenue, spreading the budget out over multiple monthly shipments. While the upfront costs seemed high, most offered generous bonuses, store credit, discounts on future subs, and the convenience of not having to hunt deals. Over the long run, subscription costs evened out or became a net savings versus buying retail.

For collectors on even tighter budgets, dollar stores stocked 2018 Topps Series 1 rack packs and Value Packs for a single dollar, providing five to ten cards each. Not the most exciting products, but they allowed accumulating affordable base rookies to fill out sets or trade. Combined with the many other discount sources, with patience and research collectors could build sizable 2018 collections without breaking the bank. The key was taking advantage of every promotional deal, clearance, and discount available across the various retail channels.

As cards from the 2018 season continue filtering onto the secondary market, more deals will surface in unexpected places. Keep an eye on auction sites like eBay for bargain lots and collections from sellers liquidating inventory. Sport lots provide value for pennies per card. Follow trading groups as members offload duplicates. Check local card shops for bargain bins, as over time, remaining stock gets marked down to move. With diligence, collectors can acquire desired 2018 rookies, stars, and inserts without paying peak retail prices. The deals are out there – it just takes some savvy shopping to uncover them.