It’s been right around 5 years since I jumped back into the hobby….

When I came back, I realized I knew almost nothing. So little. I had tons of fun as a kid, but I honestly just spent all my money on the cheapest packs they had.

So, it was a learning curve.

And I wanted to share what I’ve learned that’s helped me be a smarter collector (and investor).

Here goes!

My childhood collection is full of the worst stuff.

And then, when I got back into it, I didn’t understand how much brands and sets played into a card's desirability.

For future value and liquidity, paying a bit extra to get a quality card is well worth it in the long run.

I was astounded when I joined Facebook groups and saw the hate thrown at people who did things differently.

I kind of fell for that, too. I spent too long joining breaks (even though I hated it) because I thought that was just kind of what everyone did.

Now? I’ve cut out the stuff I don’t like and I’m laser-focused.

Learning to distinguish between hype and real, market-supported pricing increases is an art.

Don’t get caught spending double what something is going to be worth in a few weeks.

See Darnold, Sam.

If a specific, unlikely event has to happen for the card to increase, don’t invest.

Prime candidates are Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. What else can they do, except win championships, that will bump them up significantly? And what are the odds one of them wins it this year?

Even long-term plays could go wrong here. If they don’t win Super Bowls, they’ll be mostly forgotten 10 years from now.

My single dumbest buy might be a Prizm mega box of soccer I purchased on a whim for $120 at peak pricing back in 2021 or so. I just had to rip something…and I didn’t know a single player I pulled.

Never open eBay thinking that you have to buy a card. That’s how you end up with Prizm mega boxes of soccer.

I’m a big fan of setting a price I’m willing to pay before I start bidding or sending offers. It’s easier for me to resist knowing I’ve already done the math and spending more will eat into profits (if it’s a flip card, anyway).

I used to fall for the trap of seeing a card sell for a certain amount on eBay and counting on my being able to do the same.

But then I realize that the last sale happened few weeks ago, and there are 10 others for sale around that price. It’s not moving in the current market.

On the other hand, quality parallels, case hit inserts, autos… those types of cards usually move fast.

Or ignore shipping price. I’ve had set prices in my head, clicked to buy the card, and only realized later that the shipping was $15 and I spent way more than I had planned.

This might be the most “you just have to live it to understand” points on this list.

Cards will often climb and climb, and maybe you’re holding on, waiting for the peak.

But, then the card drops, and it drops fast. You wait for it to come back up, and it doesn’t. That’s how you get a stack of dozens of cards on your desk that you can’t bear to sell because you paid 2x - 3x the going rate.

Selling before the absolute peak is way better than watching your card fall and never return.