Tempe, Arizona has a rich history with baseball and baseball cards dating back to the 1950s when spring training first came to the area. Some of the most iconic baseball franchises like the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago White Sox have all held spring training in the Phoenix area for decades. This proximity to Major League Baseball has helped cultivate a vibrant baseball card collecting community in Tempe.

Some of the earliest baseball card shops in Tempe opened in the 1960s as the hobby started to take off across America. Stores like Tempe Sports Cards and Collectibles gave locals a place to trade, sell, and admire their growing collections. During this era, the main sets that were popular included Topps, Fleer, and Donruss. Kids would flock to these stores hoping to find rare rookie cards of their favorite players testing their skills in nearby spring training games.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, several larger card shop chains set up locations in Tempe. Collector’s Edge and Sports Card Trader both had prominent storefronts where people could browse long boxes of newly released cards. The increased competition led to more product being available and special promotions like group breaks, autograph signings, and contests. This helped expand the customer base beyond just young collectors. Adults started to get back into the hobby as valuable vintage cards from the 1950s and 1960s really began appreciating in value.

Some of the most iconic players to wear an Angels, Athletics, Giants, or White Sox uniform have roots in the Tempe area. Players like Tim Salmon, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, and Frank Thomas all hold a special place in the hearts of Arizona baseball fans. Finding their rookie cards from sets like 1987 Topps, 1986 Fleer, or 1989 Upper Deck is a thrill for collectors in Tempe due to this regional connection. Stores stay on top of what cards are hot for each organization and make sure to stock extra of players like this.

In the 2000s, the baseball card market underwent several changes. Mega stores like Card Collector’s Heaven closed some locations as online retailers captured more sales. The rise of autograph and memorabilia cards also shifted some collectors’ interests. Dedicated hobby shops in Tempe like The Dugout and All Star Cards & Comics found ways to adapt. They hosted release parties for new sets, specialized in vintage inventory, and provided an enjoyable social experience. This commitment to community helped the local scene survive.

One of the biggest events on the Tempe baseball card calendar is the annual National Sports Collectors Convention. Held each summer in nearby Cleveland since the early 1980s, the “National” brings collectors from around the world together. Many Tempe shops do group trips to the show floor to hunt for deals. Returning “National” vets also look to sell valuable doubles from their collections to upgrade or fund new prospective. Attending this iconic expo is a bucket list item for serious collectors in the Phoenix area.

In the 2020s, the rise of online groups on Facebook and Reddit opened new avenues for collectors in Tempe to connect and trade. While the internet changed how many buy and sell, the local brick and mortar shops remain essential hubs. Places to meet in-person, get cards graded, or learn about the latest releases. Events like group breaks are also a big draw. With spring training still going strong and baseball nostalgia always in fashion, the future remains bright for baseball card collecting culture around Tempe, Arizona. New generations are now taking the reins of the hobby inspired by the rich history and tradition in the community.

Baseball cards have long held a special place in American popular culture as collectibles that connect fans of all ages to the national pastime. In Tempe, Arizona, located just east of Phoenix in Maricopa County, the history of baseball cards reflects both the local passion for America’s favorite sport as well as broader trends across the collecting hobby.

Some of the earliest baseball cards produced and collected in Tempe date back to the late 19th century when cigarette companies like Allen & Ginter and Goodwin & Company began inserting memorabilia-style cards in their packs and tins. While production of these early tobacco cards had waned by the early 1900s, the nostalgia they evoked for baseball’s earliest eras remained strong in Tempe. Local collectors would trade, swap and discuss their antique collections for decades to come.

In the post-World War II economic boom of the 1950s, the modern baseball card era began in earnest. Bowman, Topps and other companies mass produced colorful cardboard cards featuring the biggest stars of Major League Baseball. In Tempe, young fans could be found trading these increasingly coveted cards on playgrounds and schoolyards. Local card shops also started to emerge to meet the growing demand, like Tempe Sports Cards which opened in 1953 and is still in business today.

During the 1960s, parallel to baseball’s cultural dominance in America, the hobby of collecting cards truly took off in Tempe. Kids spent summer afternoons cycling through neighborhoods, hoping to find another kid with cards to trade. Teenagers and adults also joined the frenzy, often collecting not just for the sport but to complete full sets which could be resold or handed down. This was also when the first organized youth leagues started in Tempe, further fueling local passion.

In the 1970s, as baseball card values started appreciating significantly, a new class of serious adult collectors emerged in Tempe. With disposable income and nostalgia for their childhood pastimes, these “grownup collectors” began searching garage sales, flea markets and antique stores for vintage gems. Meanwhile, the rise of superstar players like Reggie Jackson kept pack-ripping a popular activity even for teenagers less focused on monetary worth. During this period, the first collector’s clubs and conventions also took shape in greater Phoenix.

The speculative boom and bust of the 1980s had a major impact on the baseball card market in Tempe. As investors drove up prices of star rookies and rare vintage cards, the potential for profit attracted many new collectors who cared less about the sport itself. This led to overproduction by card companies and a subsequent crash. The nostalgia factor kept many dedicated Tempe collectors involved through local hobby shops and clubs. The crash also made actual baseball fans the primary driving force once more.

In the 1990s, fueled by renewed interest in collecting driven by cable TV shows and the internet, the baseball card market in Tempe entered another golden age. Iconic rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones sold for thousands. The rise of player autograph and memorabilia cards also changed the nature of the hobby. Local shows attracted collectors from across the Southwest in search of one-of-a-kind treasures. Card shops in Tempe catered to both casual fans and high-end investors alike.

Today, while the baseball card market in Tempe has matured, it remains a vibrant part of the local sports and collecting communities. With the rise of online sales, local brick-and-mortar shops have adapted by also focusing more on events, autograph signings and community building. Meanwhile, card collecting is still a popular hobby among Tempe youth, whether chasing the latest Stars of MLB or rebuilding childhood collections. The history and legacy of baseball cards also lives on through local card clubs and museums celebrating the sport’s memorabilia.

Over a century since its beginnings, baseball card collecting has been an integral part of Tempe’s cultural fabric. As both a connection to baseball’s history and a nostalgia-driven hobby, cards continue bringing generations of Coyote fans together around their shared love of America’s pastime. The many ups and downs of the wider collecting market have also left an indelible mark on the city’s hobby shops and passionate local collectors.