How to Start a Basketball Card Collection

The NBA has not been as exciting as it is now in over a decade. We are seeing a high influx of talented young players who are hungry for starting positions and taking the spots of some of the more troubled stars from the late nineties that plagued the league for many years.

Stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul-all maintaining a positive image-have become the new cool for the NBA and are making the game fun again. Following their example are tons of players who are eager to be like them.

With this revelation, the basketball card industry is booming. The players I mentioned above are highly collected and are considered big finds. Unlike in the past when you would have to send a card to the player and cross your fingers hoping he would sign and return it, now you can simply open a pack of cards and find a serial numbered, authentically autographed basketball card from that player himself. (Herself if you are collecting WNBA cards.) You can also find cards containing material from actual jerseys that the players wore or pieces of the hardwood floor they played on.

That being said, let's get onto the tutorial.

1. Figure out what you like

I say this because if you are going after Michael Jordan or LeBron James cards (for example) then you would want to stick with the Upper Deck Company. If you like Bill Russell you'll want to go with Topps. If you like Rookies you'll want to go with Bowman or Panini since they specialize in Rookie cards.

Basically you'll need to figure out who or what you're after. If you like swatches or game used memorabilia then you should find a product that promises hits in that area. If you are after autographs you should find a product promising hits there.

2. Decide on how much to invest

Card collecting can be expensive. How expensive? Well, after buying plastic sleeves and containers to protect the cards, a binder or two with protective sheets, you are finally ready to start buying cards. Then you have to look at the product and what you want out of it and go in realistically knowing that it is impossible to guess whether you will or won't get the cards you are after by buying a hobby or blaster box.

Blaster packs and boxes are basically what you see on a shelf at a Wal-Mart or a Target. (Walgreens, K-Mart, etc...) These are only for fun really since they will rarely have anything substantial in it. If you are collecting just to get some basic cards of players you like then this is the way to go or if your child is interested in starting out, this is the best way. Blaster boxes are cheap because they are going to have low end hits.

Hobby boxes are a different story. With a hobby box you will generally get a major bang for your buck. (Not always the case.) Real collectors that like to open product buy hobby boxes and hobby packs.

3. Stick with a brand

If you go out and buy a hobby box of Fleer Ultra, a hobby box of Upper Deck SPX and a box of Topps, you will likely find yourself finding the same players over and over again. However, if you buy three boxes of Fleer Ultra you have a far greater chance of finding what you are looking for. The odds of getting the same inserts in back to back boxes are slim to none.

4. Bargain Hunt

Shop online, shop at an actual card store. Just do not, and I repeat, do not buy at Amazon. I'm not bashing them or anything but if you actually do your homework and compare you will see that they are actually more expensive than many independent card companies. Ebay is good but do your homework there too. In store is generally the best because you won't have to pay for shipping and handling and you get to open what you bought that very day instead of waiting.

5. Find a way to trade or sell

Let's say for instance that you have accumulated a bunch of Kobe Bryant cards but you can't stand the guy. Let's say you are a Tim Duncan fan but haven't gotten many of him. Trade or sell! There are tons of devoted fans all around the world who love Kobe Bryant who would love to give you your Tim Duncan's in exchange. Let's say you love Kobe but you have a ton of Dirk Nowitzki. Trade or sell! Not only does the city of Dallas love Dirk but so does the entire country of Germany.

EBay and Beckett are great places to find out how much cards are worth and going for. Do some research, find a niche or a buyer or a trader and get the cards you want. Also, check out local card stores and offer trades to the owners or some of their regulars.

Blogs are also a great source to find a potential trader/buyer. Some blogs are simply about the persons quest to collect what they want and if you have what they want then there may be a deal to be made.