We usually bring you a weekly list of five (or so) things that all fit under a thematic umbrella. Five sleeper rookies, five cool-looking cards — you get the idea. We’re breaking free from that for a week. It’s smorgasbord time! There’s some interesting stuff going on around the sports card industry, and some of …
Read moreHere’s what’s going on around the sports card industry — December 2020
On November 18, 2020, Upper Deck 2020-21 Series 1 hockey cards came out. And, on November 18, 2020, there was a new card that I knew I had to chase for my personal collection. For his second year UD Canvas card, Blackhawks centerman was photographed playing with some dogs on the ice. Canvas is an …
They say poker players only remember the bad beats. They don’t remember when they caught a miraculous card on the river, and they don’t remember when they masterfully bluffed someone into throwing away their hand. The baggage they carry with them are the improbable losses that were nothing short of devastating. I like to think …
I recently took a big step in my journey to becoming a bona fide card collector: I sent some stuff into PSA to get graded. It’s kind of nerve-wracking for a number of reasons. First, it’s always weird to just take your prized possessions and throw them in the mail. I know people send cards …
Read moreHere’s what to expect when you send a card in for grading
The standard in sports cards is (and maybe always will be) a jersey relic. That’s fine, but there are a lot of interesting ideas out there other kinds of relics. It feels like card manufacturers are just scratching the surface. Here are a few of our favorites.
Sports card collecting is a hobby that’s in the midst of a renaissance of sorts. A lot of this renewed interest is from lapsed youthful collectors who now find themselves with disposal income a few decades later. In fact, there’s a very good chance that’s the reason you’re reading this post. You’ve come back to the world of sports cards but aren’t quite sure where to start.
Confused about how box breaks work? We have a detailed box break FAQ that should clear things up!
The same usual suspects get all the love from people chasing hits. Autos, relics, parallels, cool-looking inserts — they’re the flashiest and most obvious examples of sought-after cards. However, there are some very neat hits hiding in plain sight among all the base cards… you just might not know they’re special. These are called short …
“Too rich for my blood.” That’s the overarching theme with this week’s list. Card collecting can be exactly as affordable as you want it to be. Some people go cheap, just appreciating the hobby and the occasional long-odds hit. Others, however, spend some real cash. As we learned in our first Loupe survey, 25 percent …
Read moreFive high-end product breaks we can’t quit watching
We know we’re not blowing any minds here, but sports card collectors are a passionate bunch. You have insight and expertise into a hobby that takes a lot of dedication to pursue seriously. You know the state of the hobby and are unafraid to give your unfiltered opinions about it. That’s half of the reason …
Read moreWe got some fascinating results from Loupe’s first ever survey