A Beginner’s Guide to Basketball Card Investing (2024)

21/09/23: an updated and improved version of this article has been published on my blog here.

In no small part due to the covid-19 pandemic, the trading card hobby has boomed over the past year.

In February 2021, a Luka Doncic rookie card sold for $4.6 million, then the highest price ever fetched for a basketball card. Just two months later, a LeBron James rookie card snatched the crown away (as the King rightfully should) in a historic $5.2 million sale.

Indeed, 23 out of the 24 most expensive sports card sales of all time have come since February 2020.

But while the market for the ultra high-end has stayed strong in recent months, prices for low- and middle-end cards have actually fallen.

Could that be an indication that the sports card bubble is bursting? Some certainly see it that way.

For others, though, the recent dip in prices represents little more than a market correction for an asset class with proven longevity and potential for long-term growth — in other words, a perfect buying opportunity.

If you’re a complete newbie looking to dip your toes into the exciting world of basketball cards — whether to turn a profit or perhaps just to indulge in the thrill of collecting — this article has you covered.

With interest in sports cards soaring, the past year has seen a massive influx of newcomers to the hobby looking to make a quick buck.

Unsurprisingly, not every veteran in the card game is happy with this sudden surge in popularity. As the number of hobbyists entering the space with a purely money-making mindset have risen, so have the grumblings of disillusioned old heads despairing at the diminishing appreciation for the heart and soul of the hobby.