How Much Are Basketball Cards Worth?

Features

• All sports collectible cards, including basketball cards, are graded based on physical attributes. The condition of the corners of the card, the coloring and "gloss" of the card and even the centering of the picture on the basketball card are just a few things that determine its grade. Grades go from a 1 to 10 scale with 1 the lowest. Gem Mint (Gem-Mt) is the highest grade a card can receive. Only basketball cards in practically flawless condition can receive the perfect 10 grade of Gem Mint. From here, card grades decrease to Mint, Near Mint-Mint, Near Mint, Excellent-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Very Good-Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor (1).

  To get your basketball card graded, you can travel to a certified authenticator or mail your cards to a certified authentication organization such as Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). Both a person and an organization will charge you for this service. PSA offers a discount when you mail them in quantities of 10, 50 or 100.

Types

• Basketball cards bought at a local grocery store, deli or pharmacy are your basic cards. You can find more expensive packs of basketball cards at any local card shop. The more expensive the pack of basketball cards, the more likely you are to find an insert. Inserts are the "special" basketball cards, such as the cards that are part of a subset or a card that includes a piece of a game-worn jersey. Because these cards are printed in smaller quantities than standard basketball trading cards, inserts can be worth more. If the card is part of a series, it may even be numbered (i.e. "Card 7 of 12").

  You should also look for rookie cards because they can grow in price depending on the career of the player listed on the card. A Kobe Bryant or LeBron James rookie card is obviously a card that you should hold onto for the foreseeable future.

Considerations

• You can get an idea of the worth of your basketball card by purchasing a pricing guide. Beckett pricing guides are the most known and trusted. These guides list prices of basketball cards from the current year as well as cards from decades ago. For newer cards, you will see the Mint price, the Near Mint price and the Excellent price.

  A dealer at your local card or memorabilia store can also tell you how much your basketball card is being sold for on the market. He may even have the same card in his display shelf. Visiting a dealer is wise if you're considering selling your basketball card.

Warning

• Don't simply trust a card dealer when he tells you that a card is in "Mint" condition or that the card is worth "x" amount of dollars. Dealers will often say that a card you're trying to sell is worth less than it actually is so that they can turn around and make a profit off of your card. For this reason, you should take your basketball card to a few dealers before you sell it. In the same way, a dealer may try to sell a basketball card worth $25 for $35.

  A card that has been officially graded will come with a certificate or document confirming that the grading was performed by a licensed individual or company (such as PSA). A sticker with the words "Near-Mint" written on it is most likely just the dealer's approximate grade of the card.

  Never buy an autographed basketball card that doesn't come with a certificate of authenticity. Otherwise, you have no way of knowing that the signature is legitimate.

Expert Insight

• There are three places you should visit when planning to buy or sell individual basketball cards. Local card and memorabilia shops specialize in buying and selling cards from all of the four "major" professional sports. You'll probably get slightly less than "book value" for your card at one of these stores, but they're incredibly convenient and you'll get your money that day.

  You should also look your basketball card up on eBay or an auction site that specializes in sports memorabilia. This will let you see how much people are willing to pay for your card on the auction website. If your exact basketball card is selling for more than book value on eBay, you may want to sell your card there.

  Finally, it's always a good idea to attend basketball card conventions. You'll find the certified authenticators at these events as well as a plethora of rare and valuable basketball cards. Because "serious" collectors visit these conventions, you may get a lot more than book value for your basketball card if it is rare or one that a collector needs to complete a set.