Baseball cards

I just got a Skenes numbered to 99 cherry blossom from the 2024 Topps Japan collection.

From an online pull

 

Bowman is the way to go if prospect collecting.

I'm all over the place with what I purchase in online pulls. I love pulls because I can just always pick stros for a price. But I like randomized teams as well.
Topps snd Bowman mostly my jam.

I just don't mess with Paninni. If I ever want to sell they don't have good value.

 

Somewhere, I have no idea where they are right now, I have full sets of Topps from '84-87. My brother was the card collector, I wonder if he still has his notebooks of cards (he had some good ones)

 

Trouts rookie is a hot commodity

Ken Griffey Jars upper deck rookie is desired as well.

These were the top two that came to me

 

An online pull...
There are groups on Facebook. Basicly a person buys cases and breaks them into smaller lots. The person decides the value of each team in MLB depending on the set.
Once each team is designated a value and each person claims a team or two.
They pay the person. Once all teams are claimed the moderator "rips" the cards live on line.
Let's say I picked the Stros. Every stros card that is ripped gets sent to me in the mail.
Other times there is a flat rate for a number you choose. The mlb teams are randomized and the team that matches your number is who you get.

 

Dam, I had no clue but that sounds like fun!! When I was younger, I bought everything Dan Marino, I had helmets, footballs, Jerseys and had them proudly in my man cave and then over time just lost interest and then during a move I lost all my "Authenticity" certificates, so it was pretty useless unless you just loved Dan, ended up giving it all away

 

Sold the majority of my newer baseball cards.

Now I only collect Michael Jordan cards or tobacco baseball cards.

 

I collect Astros for my personal collection but tend to sell most of the valuable cards non-Astros, on E bay and card selling sights on Facebook.
In my house my wife and I have a 25x25 walk in closet, so the other closet in our master is dedicated to card storage. I really got back into collecting cards again during covid.
Tons of Astros this is just a few of the more recent ones.

 

Those are awesome.

I got back into it during COVID too, just decided to narrow my focus to Jordan and the old pre-1950 baseball cards and sports cards.

I like that you have a set aside place where you can put them all. I thought focusing on only one player and the pre-WWII era would save me space, and even doing that I am starting to run into space issues. The Michael Jordan cards are crazy, the prices are insane.

 

I have a Hunter Pence 1/1 with his sig, a button , some jersey etc... I loved that guy! I have Jose Altuve signed rookie cards. With the Astros, you have to get lucky that a player becomes an all time star. Anybody remember DDs all time fav player Brett Wallace? I have his signed cards. Pretty much worthless.

I used to collect everything. Cards, bobbleheads, balls whatever but I ran out of room.

Anybody interested in buying all the bobbleheads and figurines from when they began till 2018? I'll also throw in some of the bobbleheads I purchased totaling 250 items for $2500. The purchased bobbleheads include a Jon Singleton, Jose Altuve/ Carlos Correa, some Lance Berkman etc...

 

I remember Strasburg's rookie going for a crazy amount in 2010. Remember being blown away.

my grandma gifted me some hand me down cards before she passed. From the 70s and 80s. Haven't been able to open the box. Prob should though. Could bring back some good memories. Maybe find some gems in there.

 

My Astros collection is limited due to shipping to Canada from US is expensive but I try to get any World Series related autograph cards. So 2018 and 2023 Topps, 2023 Topps Archives, and 2017 and 2022 Topps Now. Other sets exist that doesn't have an autograph. They also have auto/memorabilia but if you look closely, it'll say the memorabilia isn't from a World Series game. Topps Now might have created memorabilia cards from The World Series.

 

That is a tough, difficult question to answer as cards are no longer Topps, Fleer, Donruss...

The quick, easy answer: you want to chase numbered cards, variations and/or PSA-graded cards with, obviously, an emphasis on 10s - those are going to have the greatest value.

In terms of standard cards, the general consensus among the collectible crowd is a big lean toward chrome over paper (I certainly prefer it). And then, as someone mentioned, if you're prospect hunting, the Bowman Chrome 1st cards are fun to collect and can - when players hit - be worth more. Of course, the key is to get in early. I have a Cam Smith BC1 PSA 10, for instance.

Baseball-wise, Topps is still the go-to, with Bowman close behind (esp with the prospects); with football & basketball, it's Panini Prizm. But Topps, Bowman and Panini ALL do offshoots and different series... it can be overwhelming to jump into.

Other than that... it's mostly just a personal preference. For instance, I love colored cards (which fall under "variations") - but not all colored cards (no purple); I LOVE chasing uniform # on numbered cards (example Jose Altuve # 27/99) - those are fun. There are brands I like; brands I hate.... It's all up to whatever floats your boat.