What to Look for When Buying a NFL Rookie Card

Trading Card Companies

• Because of the tremendous growth in popularity of sports cards over the past few decades, there has been a dramatic rise in the amount of companies producing NFL trading cards. If you are interested in becoming a collector, you̵7;ll want to stick with the more popular brands. Upper Deck has been manufacturing football cards since 1988 and consistently produces high quality rookie cards. Perhaps the most popular and oldest trading card company is Topps. Topps began manufacturing football cards in 1951, and continue to produce an excellent product today. There are dozens of other card companies to choose from; however the quality and availability of Topps and Upper Deck cards make them a perfect choice for starting your NFL rookie card collection.

Timing is Important

• When Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson broke the single game rushing record in his rookie season, the value of his rookie card skyrocketed overnight. Card collectors take note of records and milestones. If a player gets inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, the value of his rookie card will surely go up. Keep track of your favorite player̵7;s career, and try to buy his rookie cards before events like induction to the Hall of Fame or an announcement of retirement. Buying cards before the rush will save you money and could potentially earn you a nice return on your investment.

Grading Your Cards

• An important factor in determining the value of a card is the card̵7;s overall condition. Even the slightest blemish can decrease the price of a football card. To gauge the value of a card, grading systems have been created. A popular choice among NFL card collectors is Beckett. Beckett has a grading system of 1 to 10. A score of 10 means the card is perfect, while a score of 1 means the card is poor. A card can lose nearly all of its perfect condition value if it is in poor condition. Once you purchase your cards, be sure to properly protect them with either card sheets or plastic cases, both of which can be purchased anywhere trading cards are sold.

Buy What You Like

• In a hobby where purchases are often driven by potential returns on investment, it̵7;s easy to forget why you started collecting cards. Remember that collecting NFL cards should be fun. An increase in the value of your collection should be icing on the cake. Buy the cards that you like and can afford. If you follow that one simple rule, you will have many years of collecting enjoyment.