sports cards profits

I have 2 bits of great news today:

1. My interview with the owner of the shipping container on wheels wine tour guy goes live on Wednesday! Subscribe for free to listen when it goes live: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Other Podcasts

2. Today’s email below will help you know exactly how to make $1k - $10k+/month flipping sports cards. I got the inside info for you yesterday.

Let’s get to it!

‍I ran into my friend Tommy yesterday, and we got to talking about his friend that owns a trading card business in the suburbs of Dallas-Ft. Worth.

This guy did over $1m his first year! And almost $200k in the month of December alone. He’s coming on the podcast this week as well.

Tommy is quite addicted to making money buying and selling sports cards as well, so I got all the info I could for ya. You’re gonna love it. I wear an AI pendant that records all audio around me, 24/7, so I was able to use that to write this newsletter. How cool is that?

We’re gonna hone in on baseball and football today. And I promise you, this isn’t some generic AI generated garbage or a get rich quick scheme. I have no course to tell you, and I cover a ton of noob pitfalls to avoid. There is some good alpha in here! Share with a friend!

And if you want a deep live on selling live (like on WhatNot) I did a monster write up on that last year. Can you believe this is all free?

1. Sports Cards Are BOOMING

• Massive Market

  • Collectibles are now a $20+ billion industry. Sports cards top the list.

  • Baseball and football see constant demand, driven by rabid fans and “investors” who definitely don’t check box scores at 3 a.m. (no judgments).

• Big Wins

  • Hobby boxes can yield one monster autograph worth $500–$1,000 (or more).

  • A single star rookie—like Mahomes or Ohtani—can quadruple in value after a monster game.

• Accessible to Anyone

  • Start with $300–$500

  • Focus on the big sports like baseball and football to keep things simpler.

2. Baseball vs. Football: Who Wins?

Baseball: Prospects & Rising Stars

• Bowman 1st Cards

  • Bowman 1st is the top brand for prospects. Prices soar on rumor alone. Buy the rumor and sell the news!

  • Buy early, flip when hype hits, because the hype can vanish if the kid gets shelled in Triple-A.

• Established Hitters

  • Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani - these guys have stable fan bases.

  • Ohtani especially is a unicorn: if you land an auto or rare parallel, you’re golden.

  • Vintage Hall of Famers (Mantle, Mays) cost more but usually climb steadily, minus random market dips.

Opinion: Baseball fans go nuts for raw talent—so exploit that mania. If a rookie so much as breathes near a home run record, people will overpay.

Quick note, High Level is nice enough to sponsor this newsletter. They enable anyone to start a high ticket marketing agency by doing all the hard, technical work in the background, so you can just sell. I did a full writeup on how to do this here. Go check out HL here!

Football: Quarterbacks Rule

• Star QBs

  • Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts. QBs dominate 70–80% of NFL card money.

  • Some folks even hoard backup QBs, waiting for that one fluke start. (Hello, Brock Purdy hype train!)

• Skill Positions

  • A stud WR (like Ja’Marr Chase) can see spikes after highlight catches, but they rarely hold Brady-level prices.

  • Flip them quickly when they’re hot, because wideouts don’t typically get 10-year hype.

Opinion: Don’t go all-in on running backs unless you want to watch your money evaporate the second they tear an ACL. Stick to QBs.

3. Where to Buy (and Not Overpay)

Hobby Shops vs. Big-Box Stores

• Hobby Shops

  • Better odds for autographs and low-numbered parallels. Yes, they cost more, but your chance at a major pull is higher.

  • Some shops mark up prices like they’re selling fine art. Check eBay “sold” comps before you crack your piggy bank. Just becuase it’s a hobby shop doesn’t automatically = value.

• Cases > Single Boxes

  • Buying sealed cases can lower your cost per box and guarantee certain “case hits.”

  • If you have the budget, a sealed case can bring bigger profits, especially if it’s a hot set with a strong rookie class.

• Avoid Retail “Blasters”

  • Walmart/Target products have lower odds for big hits. They’re cheap for a reason.

  • Sure, you could get lucky, but you’re more likely to drown in a sea of base cards nobody wants.

Online Marketplaces

• eBay

  • The motherlode. Look for auctions ending at odd times (3 a.m. bargains).

  • Watch for misspellings or terrible photos. Plenty of deals if you’re patient and can handle the headache of sifting. You can use OpenAI’s Operator to look for these in the background.

• Facebook Groups & Forums

  • No seller fees = cheaper prices. But also more risk of scams and weirdos.

  • Always use PayPal Goods & Services or meet in well-lit parking lots, so you’re not the next local news story.

• PWCC, COMC, MySlabs, Goldin

  • PWCC/Goldin: Auction houses for higher-end stuff. Mid-range steals can slip through if competition is distracted by the $50K cards.

  • COMC: Big raw card inventory. Good for cherry-picking prospects or mid-level rookies.

  • MySlabs: 1% seller fee. Great for flipping graded cards at better margins.

Card Shows & Random Garage Sales

• Card Shows

  • Haggle directly with dealers. Many are willing to cut deals on bulk or last-day sales.

  • Check “bargain bins,” especially for lesser-known rookies who might pop next season.

• Garage Sales

  • 99% junk wax. But that 1% might yield a classic rookie.

  • If the box says “Baseball cards $20,” you can do a quick rummage for any star or iconic rookie. Keep your expectations low, though.

Opinion: If you love the thrill of ripping packs, go hobby. If you want consistent returns, buy singles that you know you can flip.

4. How to Actually Pocket Cash

Best Platforms

• eBay

  • Biggest audience, about 10–13% in total fees.

  • Auction vs. Buy It Now:

    • Auctions for hot items or uncertain value, let the market bid it up.

    • BIN if you know a fair price and want to wait for a big fan to pounce.

• MySlabs

  • Only a 1% seller fee for graded cards. Smaller audience, but serious buyers.

  • If you have gem mint slabs, listing them here can net higher profits than eBay.

• Facebook/Local

  • 0% fees, but fewer bidders and more potential no-shows.

  • Great if you’ve built a reputation in a group or want a quick local meetup

Listing Tactics

• Photos, Photos, Photos

  • Crisp images of front/back. No potato-cam nonsense.

  • If you can’t see the corners in your own pic, potential buyers definitely can’t.

• Titles & Descriptions

  • Crank up the keyword stuffing: “2020 Prizm Jalen Hurts RC #343 PSA 10 Silver”

  • Mention shipping specifics—bubble mailer, tracking—so people trust you.

• Pricing & Timing

  • Check recent comps before listing. If you price a $200 card at $400, you might hear crickets.

  • Preseason hype is golden for football QBs. Postseason runs can boost baseball stars. Sell when the spotlight’s brightest (unless you like money less).

Getting the Most from Auctions

• End on Sunday Evenings

  • People are at home, bored, and ready to spend.

  • Avoid random times like 5 a.m. Wednesday (unless you love giving away bargains).

• Set Low Start Bids

  • Encourages bidding wars. But if you’re faint-hearted, set a minimum to avoid heartbreak if it only gets one bid.

Opinion: If your listing looks skechy (bad pictures, zero feedback, or spelled “Mahaomes”), you might as well be invisible.

5. Grading: Your Secret Weapon

Why Bother?

• PSA 10 Premium

  • Slabbing a mint card can triple or quadruple its value.

  • Great for star rookies, rare parallels, or older vintage icons.

  • The different between a 9 and a 10 grade can be very, very significant.

• Buyer Confidence

  • Graded = authentic and genuine. Fakes do exist, so a sealed slab reassures people.

Which Company?

• PSA

  • King of resale. Bulk submission can be slow, but yields top dollar for 10s.

• BGS

  • Popular for thick patch cards. A “Beckett 9.5” sometimes equals a PSA 10, but PSA is still the top dog.

• SGC

  • Faster turnarounds, big in vintage. Modern flippers sometimes use them for quicker sales, though prices might be a smidge lower than PSA.

Grading Tips

• Pre-Screen Condition

  • Centering is critical. Check corners and surfaces under bright light.

  • If it’s obviously flawed, selling raw might be better than risking a grade of 7 or 8.

• Only Grade If It Pays

  • If a PSA 10 is $60 and raw is $40, you might not make real profit after fees.

  • Aim for cards where a 10 means a solid bump in value, e.g., $20 raw to $100 as a PSA 10.

Opinion: A lot of folks see grading as “money printing.” But if you can’t spot flaws, you might end up with a PSA 8 that’s worth less than raw.

6. Pitfalls & Real Stories

Pitfalls

1. FOMO Overpay

   • Don’t buy during a player’s peak hype. If everyone’s screaming “Next GOAT,” the price is probably too high.

2. Junk Wax Hoards

   • The late ‘80s–‘90s sets were printed in the billions. A 5,000-count box might be 4,999 worthless cards plus one Ken Griffey Jr. that’s off-center.

3. Grading Nightmares

   • Sending a card with surface scratches “hoping for a 10” is like hoping your cat pays your mortgage. Not happening.

4. Fake/Reprint Scams

   • If a 1958 Jim Brown rookie is $20, run. And lock your wallet.

5. Ignoring Fees & Taxes

   • eBay + shipping + suppliees = about 15% or more.

   • Sell over $600 in the U.S.? Congratulations, you get a 1099-K and the IRS loves you now.

Real Success Snippets

• eBay Late-Night Snipe

  • One dude grabbed a raw Patrick Mahomes rookie at 3 a.m. for $60. Graded PSA 9, sold for $250. That’s a sweet flip for an insomniac.

• Sealed Case Flip

  • Another flipper bought a sealed hobby case for $3,000, didn’t open it (no sweaty pack-rip adrenaline). After the rookie class exploded, sold the sealed case for $4,200. Free money, baby.

• Garage Sale Gem

  • Found a small stash for $20. Mostly junk wax, but one Drew Bledsoe rookie in near-mint shape. Graded a 9, sold for $140. Not retirement money, but a decent lunch fund.

Opinion: Most flippers (like stock traders) rely on a series of small wins, with the occasional big hit. If you hear of someone landing 10 home runs in a row, they might be skipping over all the whiffs.

7. Action Plan

1. Pick a Starting Budget

   • $300–$500 is fine. Don’t max out your credit card unless you thrive on stress.

2. Focus on Specific Players

   • Choose big QBs in football or top MLB prospects/stars. Use eBay “Sold” comps to gauge prices.

3. Buy Smart in the Offseason

   • NFL in spring, MLB in winter. Use eBay snipes or hobby shop deals. If you see a retailer marketing “2024 Leaf Draft Blasters with guaranteed gold autos,” maybe step away slowly.

4. Grade Only Good Condition Cards

   • If the difference between raw and PSA 10 is huge, go for it—but check corners first, Sherlock.

5. Sell When the Hype Peaks

   • Preseason for football QBs, big homestand for MLB hitters, or a freak 4-TD game. Don’t wait for the next slump.

6. Track Profits & Reinvest

   • Keep a spreadsheet. Reinvest into rarer cards or sealed hobby product for bigger returns.

7. Rinse & Repeat

   • The sports cycle resets every year. There’s alwas a new rookie or an aging legend chasing records.

Opinion: It’s a rinse-and-repeat hustle. Buy undervalued, sell overvalued. Simple in theory—takes practice in reality.

8. Juicy Secrets

1. Preseason Dump

   • NFL QB prices skyrocket in August. Sell into that hype, because once the real games start, half of them crash back to earth.

2. Backup QB Lottery

   • Stash a few $5–$10 rookie autos of promising backups. If they get a start and perform well, you can see 10× returns overnight. Worst case, you lose a Starbucks drink or two.

3. Trade Up

   • Bundle mid-tier cards to get one big card from a collector. Bigger cards often have better margins.

4. Short-Print Parallels

   • “Gold /10,” “Black /1,” or “Cracked Ice” parallels can sell like hotcakes. If you see one cheap, grab it. Rare is king.

5. Flip Social Media

   • Some flippers show highlight reels or stats for the card’s player right in their listing. Hype the hype.

6. Secret Bulk Deals

   • If you find a local collector dumping a box of “random rookies,” that could hold gems. Offer a low but fair price, then piece them out individually on eBay for a tidy sum.

Opinion: The hobby is fueled by hype, FOMO, and collectors with deeper pockets than sense. Leverage that. Just don’t become that collector yourself.

Final Thoughts

• You Can Do This

  • Making $1K–$10K+/month flipping baseball and football cards is real. Plenty of people do it.

  • Don’t be emotoinal about teams or players!! Be tactical!!

• Balance Fun & Profit

  • Yes, this is a business, but enjoy the chase too. If you open a pack and find a big autograph, do a happy dance.

  • Avoid Wal-Mart and Target!

• Stay Smart & Safe

  • Avoid obvious scams, keep track of your money, and don’t follow the herd when prices are insane.

  • Do not buy into livestream breaks. It is addicting and you will lose money. The odds are not in your favor.

• Consistency Pays Off

  • Day-to-day, you’ll grind out smaller flips. Then that big flip might drop in your lap, paying for the next vacation.

Now go find some deals, grade a few rookies, and cash in on the hype. Or don’t, and let someone else reap the profits while you watch from the sidelines.

If you want to read the entire conversation I had with my friend, word for word (kinda creepy, I know) click here.

I’m interviewing his card shop owner friend this week to get even more alpha. Subscribe for free to listen when it goes live: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Other Podcasts

Please share with someone who could use this in their life. Thanks for reading!

Chris Koerner
TKOPOD.COM