Back in the early '80s (shut-up) I was just like any other kid in the neighborhood. I had a ton of baseball cards laying around. Very few from that era are actually valued for any significant money, but these days, sports cards are big business.
I stopped collecting when I discovered girls, Nintendo, and alcohol, but I would buy at least 1 or 2 packs a year. About two years ago, I started back in for some reason, and starting digging into what some may be worth.
Are cards a good investment?
Well, they CAN be if you are a bit lucky and know what to look for. For example: In 2011 a player named Mike Trout had is rookie year in Major League Baseball, and his rookie card was just one of many to come out that year.
Now, had you put that $.020 cent card in a plastic case and held onto it, you would have upwards of $7500 worth of value right now. This assumes that it's in perfect to near perfect condition as determined by a professional card condition grader.
I don't own this card, but I am now buying boxes of cards, with some potential gems being found so far. Rookie cards tend to be worth more depending on how well a player does and other factors such as which team he plays for, etc.
So, welcome to my new series, where I discuss what I've been able to purchase, and track the value rise (and fall) of some of the cards I own.
Who knows, maybe one day I may be able to have a big win like this: