For some people, sports card collecting is a hobby that's a bit hard to understand. But if you're a sports buff who gets a high watching baseball, football, and basketball, its the other way around: those clueless about sports are missing half of their lives!!

And how about sports cards? Well, if a certain sport is your church, and certain players are your high priests... then sports cards must be a sacred glimpse of heaven.

Michael Jordan:

Even when I'm old and gray, I won't be able to play it, but I'll still love the game.

John Kerr:

I would get close to him and breathe on his goggles... (when asked how he would guard somebody like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

Getting Organized

First of all, be aware that a well-maintained card collection ensures many, many years of fun ahead. The next is that a card collection aside from providing one with souvenirs and performance figures about favorite personalities, also serves as a smart investment (if done right, that is). And doesn't this make a good target to go for? What follows are some tips that will help you to build the collection that will help you get fun and profit out of your hard work.

Are you using storage materials that will help maintain and prolong their current condition (if not improve them somehow)? Which of these have you tried: air tight holders, snap together holders, screw down holders. Take note that heat, aside from light and air, can ruin your cards.

Having made moves and plans to take action to address the above issues, we will later on discuss in more depth the messy job of valuing used cards. For now, make a note to check on guide books. The goal is to be oriented with figures that rule your hobby (e.g. to what value range do your cards belong? What value range do you plan to go to next?).

Where else to get your cards but in the best cards site in the Net, www.e-sportcards.com!

Bobby Knight:

You don't play against opponents. You play against the game of basketball.

Abe Lemons:

There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket.

Why baseball-- With 162 regular season games, more games are played here. Another thing is that more people are into baseball cards.

Why basketball-- Basketball and baseball games are more frequent than football, hence the second place.

Why football-- At 16 games a year, they end up increasing at a slower rate. Football cards are still highly sought after mainly because there are simply a formidable lot of sports legends in this game. Go for the cards of quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers.

... Which brings us to the idea of getting educated on who's going to be hot winners someday! Of course you want your collection to be about great players (thus the fun part) who's merchandise are great investments (the profit!). But to have extra special cards, you have to be among the first—if not the first—in sniffing out the best. How? Study the players; if necessary, track them as they play inter-collegiate games.

Rookie Cards

- the first card made for a player in their first year

- usually the most valuable of the regular set

- be careful when buying rookie cards, because taking risks in this segment can sometimes be costly; what you get for $3 can grow into something worth $10 in the next years, and the horrible reverse is also ever true

Autographed Cards

-these are cards that are randomly inserted into packs that the manufacturer was able to have signed by the player

Special Edition Cards

- usually includes hard to find limited edition cards into their packs

These cards can be come very expensive when purchased in the store and have very high values in their first year. It may be exciting to see their values go up with inflation but it will come down just as quick. I highly advise not purchasing these until a year after they’ve been out and the value has evened out to where it might stay for awhile.

Autographed/Signed Memorabilia

-these are signed 8x10 photos, jerseys, balls, etc. that a player signed at a show, private signing, etc.

Memorabilia/ Relic Cards

- cards that the manufacturer embedded with fragments of an actual Game-Used Item, such as a Jersey

- makes it easier for the collector to own a part of a player's memorabilia

Wax Boxes and Packs - packs (typically 12 to 24 packs per box) which usually contain a combination of signed cards, rookie cards, memorabilia/relic cards, etc.

Complete Sets - every card in the manufacturer's individual product line from that year

McFarlane Figurines - action Figures of players

Where else to get your cards but in the best cards site in the Net, www.e-sportcards.com!

Sara Levinson:

Basketball is the MTV of sports.

ShaquilleO'Neal:

I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.

There is one good way to get updated: study an authoritative current price guide magazine.

Whether you are doing casual talk over card prices or reading a price information catalog, it may be a source wondering how prices are chosen. There is no mystery here, knowing that demand and supply makes everything move. What people go after is the worth. It all boils down to people paying only for what the card really is worth.