The rabidity of sports fans in rooting for their favorite athletes and teams needs to be studied. With this passion comes a desire to be part of the history unfolding in the sport.
In come sports trading cards. No one could’ve expected baseball, when introduced in the 19th century, to produce cards that would one day be worth millions of dollars and give rise to an entire industry.
Today, the sports trading card market alone, according to Grand View Research, is worth around $14.5 billion, up from $13.5 billion in 2025. By 2033, it is projected to be worth over $24 billion at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.9%.
Geoff Wilson, the founder of Sports Card Investor and owner of one of the world’s largest card shops, CardsHQ, spoke about the collectibles industry.
Specifically, he advised collectors on whether this is the right time to buy sports trading cards. According to him, there was a time better than now to do so.
“Is this a good time to continue to put money into the sports card market from an investing standpoint?”
“I think yes, because I’m still bullish on the market long-term and where things are going. But I would definitely do so with more trepidation today than I would’ve done at any point this year. Obvious opportunities have been exploited. The top end, the GOAT section of the market, has started to cool.”
Is now a good time to buy sports cards? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/0idPpStmCl
— Geoff Wilson (@itsgeoffwilson) October 16, 2026
Is The Sports Trading Card Market Really Cooling?
The “buy low, sell high” philosophy of collectibles will always apply as long as an individual wants to make a profit in this industry. However, this is becoming increasingly difficult as prices skyrocket past the point of no return.
The most expensive sports trading card in history, the 2007–08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, sold at Heritage Auctions last year for $12.9 million.
This is a clear indication of the boom this industry is experiencing. So, “buying low” is simply more difficult now than it ever was.
On the flip side, the sports trading card market does look to be in decent shape overall, despite what Wilson said.
Alt XYZ reports that basketball cards are up 16.35% in the past 90 days. Football cards are up 5.93% in that same time period, while baseball is up 4.22%.
The market is in a constant state of flux. Athletes’ cards go down when they perform worse than expected; case in point: Shohei Ohtani.
His cards have been dipping in value throughout his lackluster postseason. With the Dodgers getting swept out of the Playoffs at the hands of the Brewers and Ohtani not playing up to the mark, this decline in his cards’ worth is understandable.
Someone who is bullish on Ohtani making a major comeback next season will use this chance to buy up more of his cards, while others who believe his market is drying up will look elsewhere.
Neither of these approaches is wrong in theory or in practice. So, does Wilson’s analysis hold up? It does, as long as an understanding of the fluidity of the collectibles industry is comprehended by the buyer.
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