Tag Archives: salem

WHO BUYS BASEBALL CARDS IN SALEM OREGON

Leave a reply

Salem Sports Cards – This shop, located at 1157 Lancaster Dr NE, is perhaps the largest and most well established store buying and selling sports cards in Salem. They purchase all types of baseball cards from common to rare vintage cards. Some key details about their buying process:

They pay cash for cards on the spot, offering fair market value prices based on the condition and scarcity of the card. Graded cards will usually net a higher price.

Their buyers are experienced and knowledgeable about the hobby. They can determine the value of even obscure older cards. Commons are best sold in bulk lots to maximize value.

They are always looking to build their inventory so there is no “quiet period” where they aren’t buying. As long as the cards are in decent shape, they will make an offer.

Prices fluctuate daily based on the latest Beckett/Ebay sales data. Selling during busy card show weekends may result in slightly better offers since demand is higher.

Personal collection appraisals are free of charge to help sellers get a ballpark value on a large lot before deciding to sell.

Payment is usually via store credit but they can also do check or Paypal for larger transactions over $500. Cards are then put up for sale in the store or online.

Willamette Card Shop – This smaller card and comic store at 1570 State St prides themselves on fair deals and personalized service. Some key notes:

While their primary focus is vintage cards from the 1950s-1980s, they will consider buying newer cards as well to fill out sets for resale.

Like Salem Sports Cards, they pay cash on the spot but store credit is also an option and earns a 10% bonus towards future purchases.

Meetings can be scheduled outside of their normal business hours for large collection appraisals.

A knowledgeable staff helps sellers price out even their more obscure finds to maximize value.

Commons are usually purchased in bulk lots or for individual cards valued over $5-10 depending on the year and player.

Graded vintage cards in high demand grades can earn prices competitive with online auction sites.

Buy Local Yard Sales – During warmer months, baseball card buyers in Salem regularly scour the various neighborhood yard and garage sales around the area looking for vintage finds at cheap prices. Some sell online while others hold onto key pieces to fill out personal collections. It’s not uncommon to find unwanted childhood collections for just pennies on the dollar. You have to be willing to dig through lots of junk to sometimes find those hidden treasures. Yard sales remain a reliable way for casual collectors to liquidate old cards and make a few bucks.

Online Buyers – Platforms like eBay afford locals the opportunity to sell cards to the wider collecting community. Fees usually eat into the final sale price versus selling locally. Still, rare/key cards may only attract serious buyers willing to pay top online market value. Instagram has also become a place where cards change hands, allowing sellers to show off condition before negotiating prices over direct message. The above shops remain the easiest route for most Salem-area residents to get cash in hand quickly for their baseball cards. With reliable buyers and expertise to assess value, there’s no need to ship cards elsewhere.

In conclusion, Salem Sports Cards and Willamette Card Shop are the primary local stores actively buying baseball cards from sellers in Salem, Oregon. Both shops have decades of experience valuing collections and will pay fair cash prices on the spot. Yard sales can also uncover hidden gems, while online platforms allow access to a national or international buyer base. For convenience and guaranteed payment, the above shops continue serving the Salem card collecting community as reliable buyers.

BASEBALL CARDS SALEM OR

Leave a reply

Baseball cards have been an integral part of American culture and childhood nostalgia since the late 19th century. While the hobby grew rapidly across the United States in the mid-20th century, Salem, Oregon developed a unique history with baseball cards that helped shape the city’s identity.

Some of the earliest baseball cards were included in packages of tobacco in the 1880s as a marketing promotion. It wasn’t until the 1930s when gum companies like Goudey Gum Company and Bowman Gum began inserting baseball cards in packs of chewing gum that the hobby truly started to take off. Salem was no exception, as kids could be seen trading and collecting cards throughout neighborhoods in the 1930s and 1940s.

By the 1950s, Salem had developed a thriving baseball card collecting scene. The rise of Topps as the dominant trading card company in the post-war era meant that kids in Salem had access to the same new sets that were popular nationwide each year. Places like Eilers Confectionery and Drug Store downtown became important local hubs where kids would gather to trade, buy, and sell cards.

Salem native Dick Stuart, who went on to play in the major leagues from 1954-1967, recalled how integral baseball cards were to his childhood in the 1950s. “All the kids in my neighborhood were obsessed with cards. We’d spend hours sorting through our collections, making trades to try and get the players we wanted. It was really how we bonded and spent our summers.”

As the 1960s rolled around, card shops started popping up in Salem dedicated solely to sports cards rather than being attached to drugstores or candy shops. Pioneer Card Shop opened in 1962 and was a pioneer (pun intended) in the region as one of the earliest specialty card shops. Kids flocked there on weekends and after school to check out the latest releases.

The 1970s represented the golden age of baseball cards in Salem. Production was at an all-time high, with companies like Topps, Fleer, and Donruss all competing for licensing deals. This created a massive boom in interest and collecting across the country. In Salem, new shops opened to keep up with demand and the existing shops expanded their inventory. Kids could spend hours poring over the vast selections of 1970s cards at places like Hawley’s Sports Cards, Bill’s Baseball Cards, and Hobby Headquarters.

Salem native Bobby Grich, an all-star second baseman who played from 1970-1986, said “I spent every dime I had as a kid at Hawley’s. They had row after row of boxes organized by year and team. It was sensory overload. I must have put together five complete 1970 Topps sets just from searching through their commons boxes over and over.”

The 1980s saw baseball cards transition from the penny-per-card bubblegum era to the rise of higher-end wax packs, factory sets, and special parallel insert cards. Shops in Salem adapted by stocking supplies for the evolving collecting trends like magnetic holders, toploaders, and binders. They also capitalized on the emerging phenomenon of sports memorabilia and began selling autographed items alongside the cards.

Salem resident and former MLB player Scott Spiezio recalled how the card shops were a big part of his baseball journey. “I got my first autograph from a Portland Beavers player when I was 8 years old at Hobby Headquarters. That’s really what sparked my love for the game. Those shops helped foster the baseball passion in so many kids in our area.”

Into the 1990s and 2000s, the baseball card industry experienced ups and downs with overproduction issues but Salem’s shops stayed resilient through it all. They expanded into other sports and trading card games. Places like Stadium Cards and Sports and Showcase Cards are still going strong today, providing the same sense of nostalgia, community, and childhood discovery for new generations of collectors in the Salem area.

So while baseball cards may have started as a small tobacco promotion, they grew to become a defining part of American pop culture and childhood experience over the past century. Here in Salem, Oregon, the history and role of cards holds a special significance, in no small part due to the dedicated shops that fostered the hobby for generations of local kids and helped shape the city’s strong baseball traditions that still resonate today.

BASEBALL CARDS SALEM NH

Leave a reply

Baseball Cards in Salem, New Hampshire: A Rich History of the Hobby

Salem, New Hampshire has a long and storied history with baseball cards that spans generations. Located just outside of Massachusetts’ North Shore, Salem sits in close proximity to Boston and its major league teams, fueling local fandom and interest in the hobby from a young age. With its plentiful card shops and shows over the decades, Salem developed into a hotbed for collectors in Southern New Hampshire. Whether hunting for vintage gems or staying up to date on the newest releases, Salem consistently delivered opportunities to feed the baseball card passion.

One of the earliest card shops to call Salem home was Bob’s Sportscards, which first opened its doors in the 1970s. Located on Main Street in downtown Salem, Bob’s became the premier destination for anyone looking to buy, sell, or trade cards. Owner Bob Johnson was an avid collector himself and took great pride in stocking his shelves with the best vintage and modern cardboard available. His deep knowledge of the hobby allowed him to help newcomers and seasoned veterans alike with their collections. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Bob’s Sportscards hosted many memorable trading card shows that brought collectors from across New England together under one roof.

When the baseball card boom of the late 80s/early 90s hit, several new shops popped up around Salem to capitalize. Places like Diamond Cards on Route 28 and Sluggers Sportscards in the Rockingham Park Mall gave collectors even more local options. The increased competition also led to innovations like in-store promotions and special collector incentives. Diamond Cards, for example, was famous for its “Mystery Pack” promotions, where buyers would receive a random assortment of stars and prospects for a discounted price, with the chance of landing a coveted rookie card. These creative marketing tactics kept the hobby thriving in Salem throughout the boom years.

As the baseball card market contracted in the late 90s, some shops in Salem unfortunately had to close their doors. New businesses also emerged like Showcase Cards on South Broadway to fill the void. Showcase established itself as a destination for higher-end vintage cards, with a large inventory of pre-war tobacco issues and 1950s/1960s stars. Their monthly card shows at local VFW halls and fire stations became a staple on the Salem calendar. Meanwhile, Bob’s Sportscards continued operating strong into the 2000s by expanding into sports memorabilia and focusing on service.

Salem’s card scene gained renewed energy in the 2010s with the opening of popular new shop Game Used Sports Cards on North Broadway. Owned by lifelong collector Mike Goulet, Game Used specialized in authenticated game-used memorabilia alongside a robust selection of modern rookies and parallels. Their social media presence helped expose new generations to the hobby. Meanwhile, Showcase Cards thrived under new ownership focused on maintaining the shop’s reputation for high-quality vintage. Both stores hosted some of the largest and best-attended card shows in the region.

Today, Salem remains an active hotbed for baseball card collectors and enthusiasts. In addition to Game Used Sports Cards and Showcase Cards, the Rockingham Mall is now home to D&R Sports Cards, carrying the latest releases and supplies. Local card shows like the annual “Salem Summer Spectacular” at Rockingham Park continue drawing crowds. Meanwhile, the pastime is passed down through generations, as kids get hooked on the hobby alongside parents and grandparents. With its rich history and dedicated local businesses, Salem looks primed to remain a New England hub for baseball cards for many years to come.

BASEBALL CARDS SALEM OREGON

Leave a reply

Baseball cards have been an iconic part of American culture for over a century, connecting generations of fans to their favorite players and teams. While cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles have played central roles in the story of baseball cards nationwide, the state capital of Oregon – Salem – has its own unique history with these collectibles.

Salem’s relationship with baseball cards dates back to the late 1800s. Some of the earliest baseball cards produced in America came out in the 1880s and 1890s as promotions for tobacco brands like Goodwin & Company and Allen & Ginter. These vintage tobacco cards would have made their way to general stores throughout Oregon, including in Salem. While it’s impossible to know for certain if any still survive locally from that early era, it’s likely that at least a few of those fragile cardboard relics ended up in the hands of Salem’s baseball-loving youth.

In the early 20th century, the mass production of baseball cards really took off. Companies like American Tobacco’s T206 set and the seminal 1909-11 T206 cards flooded the market. These highly collectible issues would have been readily available in Salem through corner drugstores, newsstands, and general merchandisers. The cards were a perfect promotional item, introducing young Salemites to their favorite ballplayers while also advertising tobacco products. It was around this time that collecting baseball cards started to emerge as a serious hobby for many.

During the Great Depression and World War II era of the 1930s-40s, card production slowed but didn’t completely stop. Goudey and Play Ball issues from 1933 onwards could still be found in Salem shops. The cards provided a welcome distraction and connection to America’s pastime for locals coping with hard economic times. Production ramped up again after the war through the 1950s. Topps dominated the market and released hugely popular sets each year from 1951 onward featuring the likes of Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and more.

In the post-war boom years, Salem saw significant population and economic growth. More families meant more young collectors pursuing the new baseball cards that were readily stocked at stores all over town. Historic Broadway Street was lined with shops perfect for browsing cards, including H.C. Miller Drugs and Broadway Pharmacy. The cards themselves reflected Salem’s growing connection to major league baseball, as the city’s minor league club – the Salem Senators – were featured on 1955 and 1956 Topps issues.

Through the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Topps maintained its stranglehold on the baseball card market but faced new competitors like Fleer. These decades saw the rise of superstar players that every Salem collector coveted, from Mickey Mantle and Willie McCovey to Nolan Ryan and Cal Ripken Jr. Card shops specializing in sales and trades began to pop up, the most prominent being Ernie’s Sports Cards located in the Broadway Plaza. Ernie’s was a hub for the local card collecting community for decades.

In the 1990s, the baseball card boom went nuclear with the emergence of ultra-rare rookie cards fetching big money. This also led to overproduction and the late 90s baseball card crash. Despite ups and downs, the hobby remained strong in Salem. Iconic players from the steroid era like Ken Griffey Jr, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa kept collectors’ attention. The city’s minor league club also switched affiliations in this period, rebranding as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes to much fanfare.

As the 21st century has progressed, the way people collect cards has evolved with the digital age. While online sales dominate, there’s still a dedicated community keeping the card collecting tradition alive in Salem. Iconic shops like Ernie’s have closed but new stores have taken their place. Places like Stadium Cards and The Trading Post provide everything from new releases to vintage finds. The hobby has also expanded beyond traditional card collecting – events centered around opening packs are popular, as are sports memorabilia shows featuring autograph signings from retired players.

Salem’s long baseball card history is a thread connecting multiple generations to America’s pastime. The cards themselves act as portals, transporting collectors of all ages back to memorable moments in the game’s illustrious past. They’ve survived ups and downs in the hobby and kept baseball’s history alive even during difficult times. As long as young fans in Salem continue pursuing their favorite players and reliving iconic seasons of years past through cardboard, the tradition will live on.

CHRIS BASEBALL CARDS SALEM NH

Leave a reply

Chris’s Baseball Cards: A Salem Institution

For over 30 years, Chris’s Baseball Cards has been a staple of the Salem, New Hampshire community. What started as a small hobby shop run out of the owner’s home grew to become the premier destination for baseball card collectors in the region. Under the guidance of owner Chris Morello, the store has survived the ups and downs of the baseball card industry to maintain its status as an institution.

Chris first got the baseball card collecting bug as a young boy in the 1970s. He would ride his bike to the local drug store and convenience stores, hoping to find packs of cards to add to his growing collection. As he got older, Chris began to focus more on completing sets and chasing rare rookie cards. In the early 1980s, with the sport gaining massive popularity, the baseball card boom was in full swing. Seeing the demand, Chris had the idea to open a small shop to sell cards to other collectors.

In 1987, Chris opened the doors to his first storefront location in a small strip mall on North Main Street in Salem. The store was only about 500 square feet but was packed floor to ceiling with boxes upon boxes of cards. Chris spent hours sorting through collections he purchased, carefully organizing cards into sets, teams, and players. On opening day, the store was flooded with eager collectors. Within a few months, Chris knew he had a successful business on his hands.

Over the next decade, Chris’s Baseball Cards grew steadily. As the card industry continued to boom throughout the late 80s and early 90s, fueled by the success of stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Cal Ripken Jr., more and more collectors were flocking to Chris’s store. He expanded his inventory to include thousands of complete sets, boxes of unopened packs and factory sealed cases. Prominent dealers from all over the Northeast started selling high-end vintage and rare cards through Chris’s store.

In 1998, Chris made the decision to move to a much larger 4,000 square foot location just down the road. The new store allowed him to display his massive inventory to its full potential. Walls were lined with glass cases showing off some of the rarest vintage cards in the hobby. Chris also added a large memorabilia section, stocking thousands of autographed baseballs, bats, photos and other collectibles. The grand re-opening was a huge success and cemented Chris’s Baseball Cards as the premier card shop in New England.

The early 2000s brought new challenges. After nearly a decade of astronomical growth, the baseball card market began to cool. Fewer new collectors were entering the hobby as interest among younger generations declined. Some large retailers like Walmart also de-emphasized cards in favor of other products. Several large national chains that dominated the industry in the 90s like Sportscard Distributors and Collector’s Choice went bankrupt. This put pressure on smaller independent shops.

But Chris was determined to keep his doors open through innovative strategies. He diversified his product mix, expanding inventory of other sports beyond just baseball. Chris also fostered strong relationships with professional sports teams, becoming an official licensed partner and memorabilia dealer. During the summer, Chris organized popular autograph signings that brought in local legends. Most importantly, Chris continued to provide unmatched customer service, ensuring his loyal customer base stayed strong through good times and bad.

Today, over 30 years since opening, Chris’s Baseball Cards is still going strong. The current 8,000 square foot location on North Broadway is a sight to behold for any sports collector. Chris has meticulously organized a collection estimated at over 10 million cards taking up every nook and cranny. The glass cases in the front of the store still wow visitors with some of the rarest finds in the industry, including unopened wax packs and boxes from the 1950s.

On any given day, the store is bustling with both casual browsers and die-hard collectors. Many customers have been coming to Chris’s for decades, having formed strong bonds with Chris and his dedicated staff over the years. For major events like the release of new sets, lines form out the door. The store also hosts numerous signings, breaking events, and auctions that collectors travel from all over New England and beyond to attend.

When asked about the secret to his longevity, Chris credits his passion for the hobby and relationships with his customers. “I love being surrounded by people who share my enthusiasm for sports collecting every day. It’s really the interactions and friendships I’ve made over the years that have kept me going through the ups and downs.” Chris has no plans to slow down either, committed to passing his store onto the next generation of collectors. For Chris Morello and Chris’s Baseball Cards, the best part is still yet to come.