4 Tips for Collecting Rare Trading Cards

Collecting cards is a hobby, but it’s also a lifestyle. You need to research the packs and boxes you want to crack open and devote hours to sleeving and shipping your best cards for grading. While all this may seem overwhelming, don’t worry. We have four tips for collecting rare trading cards to help you!

Patience Is a Virtue

You’ve heard the saying, “slow and steady wins the race,” right? That’s a mantra you should bring with you into card collecting. If you crack open every pack knowing for sure that the rarest card is inside, you’ll find a lot of disappointment waiting behind the foil. Instead, you should open every pack with an equal mix of hope and realism—realistically, you’re not going to pull a $2,000 card, but what if?

That mixture will keep you excited without allowing the disappointment to get you down.

Pick Your Battles

One of the best tips we’ve learned over the years is to pick your battles. Instead of wanting every rare card from the 60s, try going after one at a time. That way, you can dedicate your resources more effectively and be more likely to get what you’re after.

Have Sleeves and Toploaders on Hand

Properly protecting your trading cards will make the difference between rare cards worth something and rare cards that are good drink coasters. When you’re cracking packs, make sure you have protective materials like sleeves and toploaders on hand. That way, you can get your cards into sleeves right away and minimize the potential for damage.

Get Great Cards Graded

Sending your cards away is a nerve-racking experience, but graded cards offer you the best chance to sell high (and to know what you have). However, you shouldn’t send your cards to be graded every time you pull something rare—you’ll pay a lot more than you need to on shipping fees. Wait until you have a bunch of cards to grade at once, then send them to the grading company of your choice.

Now that you know these four tips for collecting rare trading cards, take your hobby to the next level—a few simple mindset changes can make all the difference. Before you know it, you’ll enjoy collecting more than ever before!