It has never been easier to discover where to buy soccer trading cards and this is especially true in the United States. The digital marketplace has taken off, with collectibles being one of the big beneficiaries. Store distribution has also exploded, although recent transgressions from a few have begun reformation in that market. Even with all the access, it has been difficult for card producers such as Panini and Topps to keep up with the growing demand. This has led to a number of creative ways to collect soccer cards and stickers of your favorite players and from your favorite teams.

The life cycle of soccer cards and stickers starts in packs and boxes and that is where the possibilities begin. Options available will depend on where you go for your cards. Local card shops (LCS) or some of the bigger online sellers will sell boxes and packs that are considered “hobby.” Box stores such as Wal-Mart and Target sell retail blaster boxes. The main difference will be the probabilities to pull more highly coveted (and different) inserts. Hobby boxes will provide better chances to get autographs or other popular insert offerings. For instance, each hobby box (12 packs of 12 cards) of Premier League Panini Prizm will contain 1x Autograph, 16x Prizm Parallels, and 6x insert cards. By comparison, a retail blaster box (6 packs of 4 cards) will have 3x Prizms and 2x inserts – which may or may not be an autograph. The differences in chances translates to different prices. A hobby box will cost around $500. The retail blaster box is a cheaper option at $50.

Purchasing sealed products can have numerous benefits. To start, there is a thrill to opening a pack of soccer cards or stickers and not knowing what to expect. The rush you get when pulling your favorite player or an autograph from a superstar can be great. There is a reason casinos are so popular and this would be the collecting equivalent. However, in this version of collecting roulette, you are always guaranteed something.

For those looking at soccer cards as an opportunity to make some money, purchasing a box of cards is comparable to buying a lottery ticket. There is a chance you pull a card that is worth more than the cost of the box. Recent sales of a Harry Kane Color Blast insert have been around $700. That would be a good return on investment from the hobby box and incredible if pulled in a retail blaster box.

Where to buy soccer trading cards: Other options

There can also be an option to buy specific cards individually. This, too, can provide many advantages. If you are collecting an entire set, it can become difficult and costly to continue to chase a few cards in packs. There is also the opportunity to identify cards and specific players as investment opportunities much like you would do if purchasing a company’s stock.

The ability to purchase individual cards has gone through a great transformation. Historically, you would need to go to your local card store or attend a card show, and then hope they have a specific card for sale. Now, there are numerous sites that provide platforms for people to buy and sell soccer cards. Most prominent of the digital options is eBay. This has become the most popular option for many sellers and buyers as there is protection for buyers and sellers and a platform that allows for quick searching. In 2020 alone, there were over 4 million cards sold, as reported by eBay’s “State of Trading Cards” report. There are also growing options like Mercari and MySlabs that have increasing users and offer a different market.

The soccer card market continues to change. There will always be new products to buy and new ways to find them. While the digital market continues to flourish, traditional methods still exist and provide opportunity. Even in times when demand outnumbers supply, finding awesome soccer cards can be right around the corner or right at your fingertips.

HOT CARD

2015-16 Panini Select Romelu Lukaku (#85)

Lukaku had a wonderful season leading Inter Milan to the Serie A title. His 24 goals were the most he scored since his 2016-17 season with Everton. The improvement in form comes at a great time as he can look to translate his performance to the upcoming Euro 2020. Belgium are one of the early favorites and if Lukaku can help lead them on a deep run in the tournament by scoring multiple goals his cards will only rise in value. Of his card options, his rookie card should hold the most value. With it featuring Lukaku in his Belgium shirt it could also be more desirable during his international run in Euro 2020.

Have any questions about what makes soccer trading cards valuable? Let us know in the comments section below.

Articles from our series focused on soccer trading cards and stickers:

• Soccer trading cards: Why it’s time to consider investing in the hobby
• What makes soccer trading cards valuable, and why and how to get them graded
• Collecting Panini’s Euro 2020 stickers is a perfect accompaniment to watching the tournament
• Where to buy soccer trading cards, and how hobby and retail boxes are different

Videos: Unboxing of soccer cards and stickers

• 2020/21 Obsidian soccer cards
• 2020/21 Topps Museum Collection: UEFA Champions League
• 2018/19, 2019/20 & 2020/21 Topps Bundesliga stickers
• 2020/21 Panini Prizm Premier League trading cards
• Euro 2020 Panini stickers
• Panini Chronicles box break featuring Neymar autograph
• Orbis World Cup 1990: The greatest soccer sticker album of all time

In our series of articles about collectibles, writer Christopher Mosinksi focuses on what makes soccer trading cards valuable, and how important getting your rare cards graded is.

Whether you are purchasing soccer cards for your personal collection (PC) or trying to invest, the question of value is important. How do you know which cards have value? What makes a cards value go up or down? Which cards will hold the most long-term value? The collectibles market is much like the art market. It can be confusing on the surface, but when you start to look at it, you quickly see that it can be simple if you know what you are looking for. Let’s find out what makes soccer trading cards valuable.

To start, it is important to understand who or what gives a card value. The answer to that is relatively simple – it’s you! This is true now more than ever. In years past, there were price guides that would help collectors identify and determine card value. Companies such as Beckett still exist today, but their monthly valuations are only a small sliver in the card value discussion compared to what they once were. Historically, if you went to your local card shop (LCS) or a card show, the vendor would consult a Beckett guide to determine a reasonable sales price. Today, it is a quick search on the latest eBay completed auctions (Consumer Alert – Don’t fall for the vendor trying to show you eBay asking prices. These aren’t an accurate valuation of the card. Rather, be sure to view completed transactions) that will begin the negotiations. This is real-life valuations being determined in real time by you and the millions of collectors.

While one half of a value equation is demand, the other half is supply. This is true in any market and is visible in collectibles. When it comes to soccer collectibles, there are many different types of cards and stickers that are available with different amounts of supply.

The best place to begin looking is where most collectors begin, with a pack of cards or stickers. Inside each pack will be two types of cards: base cards and insert cards.

Base cards are the standard card that makes up the majority of the pack and set. These are the most produced cards in the set but they can still hold value. Most important of the base cards is the rookie. In terms of a player’s card to collect, one of the most sought-after cards is in fact their rookie card (RC).

Beyond the rookie, many sets contain variations of the base card that add scarcity and thus value. Card producers will add color to borders or make the product holographic to differentiate from the base card. These parallels or refractors add scarcity to the card by limiting the print run. In addition, it makes for a fun card to chase especially if the variation matches the team colors. Panini Prizm is their flagship brand and provides a good example of the different colors and scarcity (see below, including how many limited edition numbered cards are produced [#] out of the total print run):

• Black Prizms: 1/1
• Gold Prizms: #/10
• Orange Prizms: #/25
• Green Ice Prizms: #/49
• Blue Ice Prizms: #/75
• Purple Prizms: #/99
• Red Prizms: #/149
• Blue Prizms: #/199

There can be many more variations depending if you purchase a “hobby” box from your local sports card store, or a retail box from a store such as Walmart or Target (hobby boxes are more expensive and sought-after than retail boxes). Some collectors will even try to “complete the rainbow” and collect all the different color variations with a specific player.

Besides the base cards in a set, there are also several different inserts. These are cards that can have a different design than the base cards and can also include autographs or swatches of player shirts. Of these, the autograph cards have the highest value. There are also some inserts that have the requisite scarcity and have also caught the attention of collectors to drive value.

What makes soccer trading cards valuable

The last part of the value discussion pertains to the quality of the card. Over the life-cycle of a card; from manufacture to arriving in your hands, a number of things can happen that can decrease the card’s worth. When cards are cut by the producer, it can lead to an off-center image. During transportation or handling, cards can be scratched on the surface or damaged on the edges. A higher quality card is more desirable and thus the value is more. Learn how to best store your cards to keep them protected.

To verify the quality of the card, there are a number of different third-party companies that will rate the appearance. This holds significant value to many collectors as it leaves little doubt to the appearance. During all of the hype of the past year, an influx of cards to companies such as PSA and Beckett Grading Services (BGS) has changed some of the dynamics but, in general, having a card with a high grade will only increase its worth (see the process of submitting a card to BGS for grading).

To get a good understanding of all this, we can look at a few different sets that included Christian Pulisic:

• 2016 Topps Bundesliga Sticker
• 2016 Panini Donruss
• 2019 Panini Prizm

In the world of soccer collectibles, it is very common the first card will come in the form of a sticker. What is a fun hobby (especially during tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup) can also provide some serious value. It also provides an opportunity to see the impact grading a card has on the value.

Pulisic debuted to the collecting world in the 2016 Topps Bundesliga Sticker set (there was also a UEFA Champions League sticker set, but we’ll stick with the domestic league for now). Recent sales of the Pulisic sticker went for $30. When PSA grades cards, they will grade them with 10 out of 10 being the highest possible score. A Pulisic sticker graded as a PSA 6 will also sell for around $30. However, the same sticker with a 9 grade recently sold for $230. Highly graded stickers are also very difficult to come by so they can have some really good multipliers in terms of value.

If we switch over to cards and look at the 2016 Donruss and 2019 Prizm sets, we can see how rookie year, autograph, grading, and inserts hold different value.

One of Pulisic’s rookie cards came in the 2016 Donruss set. Recent sales of the raw (ungraded) card were around $150. With a PSA 10 grade, that same card can be worth around $800. To give an indication on how different grading companies hold different value, we can compare the PSA 10 with a SGC 10. SGC Grading is another reputable company but does not hold the same value as PSA (it’s also worth noting the cost to grade will also be cheaper). The SGC 10 version of the Pulisic had recent sales around $650.

To see the value of the parallels, the 2016 Donruss Pulisic can also be found in a “Press Proof Die-Cut” that is numbered to only 149 available worldwide. Because this card is much scarcer, it holds more value. Recent sales for this parallel version were $700 before grading.

Finally, if we transition over to the 2019-20 Prizm Premier league set, we can see how later cards decrease in value but inserts can boost that back up. In that 2019-20 Prizm set, you will find Pulisic’s first year with Chelsea card. This raw card had recent sales around $35 and graded PSA 10 went for $190. However, this set also included some inserts with even greater value. Kaboom is one of the inserts that are harder to come by and hold value in the collecting world. Recent sales of Pulisic’s Kaboom card were around $400 raw. In the 2020-21 Prizm set, Pulisic had a card in the famous Color Blast Insert which is even more valuable. This ungraded card had recent sales of $1,600.

Hot Card

How many players can lay claim to single-season goalscoring records in the Premier League, LaLiga, and Serie A? That number is now one after Cristiano Ronaldo finished the 2020-21 campaign with 29 goals for Juventus. There may be some arguments to whom has the most goals scored for country and club all-time. However, there really is no debating Ronaldo’s place in history, even while he is still playing.

In what is a unique situation, you can actually chase Ronaldo autographs in all three leagues of 2020-21 cards. With Panini’s launch of Mosaic for both Serie A and La Liga, he is featured with autograph cards in both sets (though you will only find his base card in the Serie A set). In Panini’s Prizm Premier League set, he is also featured in the Flashback Autographs checklist in his Manchester United gear. Recent sales for both the Mosaic (Real Madrid) and Prizm (Manchester United) cards were north of $1,500.

Have any questions about what makes soccer trading cards valuable? Let us know in the comments section below.

Articles from our series focused on soccer trading cards and stickers:

• Soccer trading cards: Why it’s time to consider investing in the hobby
• What makes soccer trading cards valuable, and why and how to get them graded
• Collecting Panini’s Euro 2020 stickers is a perfect accompaniment to watching the tournament

Videos: Unboxing of soccer cards and stickers

• 2020/21 Obsidian soccer cards
• 2020/21 Topps Museum Collection: UEFA Champions League
• 2018/19, 2019/20 & 2020/21 Topps Bundesliga stickers
• 2020/21 Panini Prizm Premier League
• Euro 2020 Panini stickers
• Panini Chronicles box break featuring Neymar autograph
• Orbis World Cup 1990: The greatest soccer sticker album of all time

In our first article of our series on soccer trading cards, writer Christopher Mosinski discusses the phenomenon of collecting and investing in sports cards, and why trading in soccer cards is expected to grow by leaps and bounds.

If you haven’t noticed, the sports card market has exploded. Just a few years ago, you would have been able to go into your local Target or Walmart and find packs or blasters of cards on a regular basis. As of press time, Target has halted the sale of sports cards to protect the safety and security of its employees and customers. Why? The boom in trading cards has resulted in such a demand that stores have witnessed people fighting over cards, camping out the night before, and even hiding in aisles before shelves are restocked.

Target temporarily suspending the sales of cards in stores hasn’t slowed down the market, though. Far from it.

There are several factors at play, but people have been getting back into the card market at a rapid rate. According to eBay’s State of Trading Cards report, the number of purchases rose 142% over the from 2020 to 2021.

The influx in collectors has had an even more dramatic effect on the soccer card industry. This is all thanks to a growth in the game in North America and a growth globally in collecting. Soccer cards sales on eBay grew by an astronomical 1568% while trading card sales outside of the United States increased 162%.

The growth in the soccer market is helping what once was looked at as a significant market discrepancy begin to catch up. Even so, there is still plenty of room for growth and that is what continues to drive the increase in demand and value of soccer cards. You’ve likely seen the Lebron James rookie card that sold for $5.2 million. The world’s game does not even have a card in the Top-40 in sales dollars. Any list of the “Most Popular Athletes” is typically littered with soccer players. It is only a matter of time before they also begin to populate the “Most Expensive Sports Cards” lists, as well.

Soccer trading cards: Benefits

Soccer collecting has even more going for it than its large potential base. Large sporting events can drive not only interest but also excellent and engaging products. Soccer is a big part of this, and one only needs to look back to the 2018 World Cup for the latest example. Sticker books are popular in all sports, but few carry the same weight and excitement that come with collecting and completing a World Cup Sticker Book. That 2018 World Cup Sticker set helped Panini grow from $613M in 2017 sales to over $1B in 2018.

To keep up with growing collector pool, companies such as Panini and Topps have expanded their portfolio to provide collectors with more options and content. In 2018 (the year of the last World Cup), major card and sticker producers Panini and Topps had 17 different options to choose from across the different domestic leagues and the World Cup. A look at the 2021 releases shows that number has already increased to 29 with even more possible.

While the increasing number of products may sound familiar alarms for those who remember collecting back in the 1990s, this is another example of how the soccer card industry still has room to grow. It is important to remember that the 29 different sets of cards and stickers represent all the different domestic leagues and international competitions. By comparison, in 1994 the major companies produced 27 different options for the NBA alone. If you were collecting Michael Jordan cards from that year, you would need to collect nearly 100 (over 100 if you wanted all the variants). If you were collecting Kylian Mbappé cards from 2020, you would need to collect 34 (with some possible duplication should you want all the numbered variants).

This boom is not only good for those looking to make money in the market. For those that collect their favorite players or teams for their personal interest, the increase has led to great looking product. Much like an art collector is proud to display a Picasso on their wall, so too can a Lionel Messi collector display some of the new Panini product as a conversation piece. Panini and Topps have begun making a number of their popular flagship products for soccer and this will lead to some very desirable products.

With the prospect of major tournaments around the corner including the European Championship, World Cup, Copa America, Women’s World Cup and other competitions combined with the rising popularity of the sport, the expectation is that the popularity and value of soccer trading cards will surge.

It’s a very exciting time to get into soccer collectables.

Hot Card

Harry Kane has established himself as a star in north London, but he might be soon graduating to an even bigger stage after the announcement of his request to leave Tottenham. Should he join a club of Manchester United’s, Paris Saint Germain’s, or Real Madrid’s notoriety, his popularity would only grow. With it, so too would his card value. Throw in the possibility of him leading England to their first international title in 55 years during this summer’s European Championship, and there is a lot of potential to be had here.

Kane’s rookie cards can be found in 2015 sets of Topps (Tottenham) and Panini Select (England). The Select version is especially desirable as it contains several nice jersey and auto cards. Look for those to increase in value along with Kane’s notoriety over the summer.

If you are looking for something more recent or in a Tottenham kit, the latest edition of Premier League Prizm has Kane in their popular Color Blast insert set. Some recent sales of this card have been over $2,000. That’s not a bad return should you be able to get one in a blaster box that costs around $60.

Articles from our series focused on soccer trading cards and stickers:

• Soccer trading cards: Why it’s time to consider investing in the hobby
• What makes soccer trading cards valuable, and why and how to get them graded
• Collecting Panini’s Euro 2020 stickers is a perfect accompaniment to watching the tournament

Videos: Unboxing of soccer cards and stickers

• 2020/21 Obsidian soccer cards
• 2020/21 Topps Museum Collection: UEFA Champions League
• 2018/19, 2019/20 & 2020/21 Topps Bundesliga stickers
• 2020/21 Panini Prizm Premier League trading cards
• Euro 2020 Panini stickers
• Panini Chronicles box break featuring Neymar autograph
• Orbis World Cup 1990: The greatest soccer sticker album of all time