Whether you grew up spending your allowance on pop culture cards or made it the mission of your college years to build the perfect Pokémon card deck, one thing is certain: collecting trading cards is a beloved pastime. Nowadays, collectible cards can be made for all sorts of interests, from sports to gaming and more.
It's never too late to get involved in a passion project, so why not learn a fun new game and start a trading card collection? When it comes to collecting cards, there's something for everyone, from Pokémon cards to Disney decks. Our guide will help you learn about some of the more popular collectible card games and the best tips and tricks for curating your own collection.
What is a Collectible Card?
Typically made of paperboard or thick paper, a collectible card features pictures, illustrations, and important information about different people or characters. These are often called trading cards, as many collectors trade with one another to complete specific sets. Trading cards can depict just about anything, from famous football players to Pokémon characters and more.
3 Reasons People Love Collecting Trading Cards
Card collecting has been around for more than a hundred years, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon! With so many reasons to collect trading cards, it’s easy to feel inspired to become a card connoisseur yourself:
1. Fun for All Ages Hobby
If you're looking for a family-friendly activity to start with your kids, look no further than card collecting. Just pick a niche you all enjoy and get to work! Stop to search for rare Pokémon cards as a family at your local Chicago antique mall or shop for your favorite character cards online. You'll soon find that the trading card community is welcoming to everybody, whether you're 9 or 99!
2. Nostalgia
Nostalgia is one of the most powerful motivators, especially when it comes to collectible cards. If you grew up playing Pokémon cards with your friends or remember every Red Sox game your dad took you to, collecting physical representations of those happy childhood memories will remind you of simpler times. Whether you're continuing a childhood hobby or starting a collection for the first time, buying trading cards at a vintage event can help connect you to your past.
3. Monetary Investment
Some people collect trading cards because of the potential investment. As with any popular collectibles, rare or mint condition items can grow in value over time. With the right research and a keen seller's eye, learning about how collectible cards appreciate could help you make a pretty penny if you sell the vintage item in the future.
What Determines the Value of a Trading Card?
Depending on the condition, rarity, and demand of a certain design, a trading card can be worth anywhere from a couple of bucks to a few million dollars. The most valuable sports memorabilia card of all time, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle # 311 , recently sold at an auction for $12.6 million. An Illustrator Pikachu Pokémon card sold for over $5 million to an influencer! While the majority of collectible cards aren't that valuable, knowing you could come across one is part of the thrill!
Are Autographed Collectible Cards More Valuable?
An autographed card is a very divisive subject in the collector's community, especially for those considering setting up a booth for their collection. For trading card purists, the signature technically ruins the pristine condition, meaning the card is technically less valuable. But, for those motivated by nostalgia or a love of a specific Pokémon card, the autograph makes the card more personal and connected, increasing its value. If you come across an autographed card at a vintage collectibles store in Melbourne, scoop it up—someone will buy it.
The Backstory of Collectible Card Games
When it comes down to it, not all trading cards are stored away in boxes or kept in mint condition. One of the most popular categories of collectible cards is actually strategic deck-building games. This notion was first introduced with the still-popular Magic: The Gathering cards in 1993, which has since inspired countless other brands to create their own games. From Pokémon cards to Lord of the Rings games, there's a trading card game for everyone—all of which may be found in an Indiana vendor mall.
These multi-player trading card games are typically created within fantasy or sci-fi genres, combining powerful world-building with the thrill of collecting. In order to play, a player will buy a starter deck. When they're ready to customize their Pokémon card set, they have a few options: buying specific booster packs, taking a chance on randomized packs, or splurging on rarer collectible cards (such as the infamous One Ring card).
What is the Difference Between TCGs and CCGs?
If this type of card collecting sounds right up your alley, you must understand the difference between TCGs and CCGs, as the terms are thrown around left and right in the game community. Trading card games, or TCGs, involve cards that are randomly distributed in packs, encouraging players to trade amongst one another to build their decks. Collectible card games, CCGs, are played by strategically buying predetermined sets or expansion packs to curate an individual set.
How to Choose Which Collectible Card Game to Play
Before you start buying trading cards willy-nilly, stop and consider the game you would connect with best. Would you love to lose yourself in rich world-building when playing a game? Are you in it to win it and want to submit to Pokémon card tournaments with like-minded collectors? Finding your niche will help you pick which collectible card game to get involved with and buy at an Illinois vintage event.
Try the Whimsical World of Magic: The Gathering
Often referred to as the first real collectible card game, Magic: The Gathering changed the scene for good in 1993. If you're a fan of complex magic and fantasy worlds, then hunting down Magic cards could be right for you. With over 30 years of expansion packs and guidebooks, the multiverse story of Magic: The Gathering is almost too difficult to explain—discovering it as you go is half the fun!
When you're first starting out, a little research into the best types of cards can go a long way. You need a minimum of 40 cards for a limited event and a minimum of 60 for bigger events. Real professionals even curate a side deck of 15 cards that can be switched in and out between matches for extra strategy.
Types of Trading Cards in Magic:
As you build your deck and hunt for rare finds in a Florida antique mall, remember the different types of Magic cards:
Instants—one-time-spells that can be cast at any point in the game
Lands—locations that you control and draw energy from
Creatures—the main warriors and monsters you use to damage your opponent
Sorceries—magical effects cast on your turn
Artifacts—items and constructs that you can control
Enchantments—magical effects that stick around on the battlefield long after they're used
Planeswalkers—the main heroes and villains of the game
Battles—major conflicts and fights that transform the gameplay
Catch 'Em All with Pokémon Cards
From Pikachu's bright yellow hue to Charmander's fiery personality, almost everyone can recognize the iconic characters of Pokémon cards. Since its first year of production in 1996, more than 42 billion Pokémon cards have been printed, traded, and played around the world.
The Pokémon card game is played with 2 people, each playing different character cards from their carefully curated 60-card deck. The battle is over when one of the player's prize Pokémon cards are taken.
3 Extremely Rare and Valuable Pokémon Cards
If you stumble on one of these Pokémon cards, you could make a fortune:
1. 1998 Japanese Promo Silver 2nd, 2nd Tournament # 2 Trophy Pikachu (sold for $444,000)
2. 1999 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard # 4 (sold for $420,000)
3. Pokémon Blastoise # 009/165R Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram (sold for $360,000)
D-d-d-d-duel with Yu-Gi-Oh Cards
If you love a story-driven game similar to Pokémon cards or want to become a collectible card game champion, Yu-Gi-Oh is for you! The origin story focuses on a young boy named Yugi Mutou, who accidentally awakens a mysterious spirit in his body after solving an ancient puzzle. It's up to you to defeat your opponent's deck of monsters. Since its Japanese release in 1999, live dueling has been a popular pastime for these trading card aficionados—all it takes is building your own deck.
Each player needs 40 cards, which are broken down into three categories: monsters, spells, and traps. Building your own deck is part of the fun, so make sure to research the benefits and playability of each collectible card you come across to build the most powerful set possible.
How to Tell if a Yu-Gi-Oh Card is Rare
Rarity is one of the main factors in determining if a card has a high value or not. Luckily, all Yu-Gi-Oh cards have a specific symbol to indicate their rarity at the bottom right corner of each card. Black dots symbolize a common card, black stars are slightly uncommon, holographic stars are rare, and holographic circles mean ultra-rare.
Experience the Magic of Disney Lorcana Cards
Disney Lorcana cards are a newer trading card game—but a popular one nonetheless! If you're looking for a family-friendly pastime to try out with your kids, this magical card game is perfect. The aim of the game is similar to other TCGs, where you collect cards to create a deck powerful enough to defeat your opponent, but the characters are easily recognizable for kids.
You play as an "Illumineer" who, armed with a wand called the "Inkcaster," must protect the realm of Lorcana and search for missing Disney lore. Famous Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse or Captain Hook, can show up in one of three card types: Storyborn, Dreamborn, and Floodborn, each with specific design elements and powers that help you play the game, so enjoy collecting them all!
What's the Most Valuable Disney Lorcana Card?
Even though this card game has only been on the market for a little over a year, rare cards are already skyrocketing in value. Currently, the most sought-after, expensive card is the Else Snow Queen card, which is currently worth around $2,000. If you find this at an antique mall or flea market, don't… let it go.
Collect Star Wars Trading Cards from a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Anyone who lived through the '70s can tell you just how quickly Star Wars infiltrated every facet of pop culture—including the world of trading cards. The first collectible cards were first released in 1977 by Topps in an effort to grow interest in the movie franchise. In 2002, the first trading card game was created by the same designer of Magic: The Gathering, and though it soon went out of print, the fans never stopped playing.
Star Wars card collectors are lucky: they can find the old designs in a Northwest Indiana antique mall while hunting in real time for the new ones. Almost two decades later, a new company called Fantasy Flight Games has restarted the collectible card craze by introducing Star Wars: Unlimited. With new decks full of characters, spaceships, events, and ground units, the game offers endless fun.
5 Ways to Store Trading Cards
When you do find vintage Pokémon cards or rare Magic collectible cards, what are you meant to do with them? Since the main goal of collectible card games is actually using and playing with them, there's no need for air-tight security, as one would do with a rare baseball card.
Protection and access are the key elements to focus on when deciding which Pokémon card storage method works best for you:
1. Individual penny sleeves
2. Organized binders
3. Card boxes
4. Shoe boxes
5. Frames
Whether you're looking for a hobby to fill your weekends or searching for a way to connect with your children, playing a collectible card game could be the answer. Choose one that speaks to you and your interests, and stop by one of our antique mall locations to curate your trading card deck. From Pokémon cards to Magic: The Gathering cards, who knows what gems you may find?