Kid Reporters Talk Trading Cards

In honor of National Baseball Card Day, which is August 10, two of our Kid Reporters talked about how they began collecting, their favorite cards, and advice for kids who want to join in on the fun.

How did you start your collection?
Ian Springer (above): I started my baseball card collection in fourth grade. I had been buying packs for a while at the local toy store, but that was when my collection got going and I started organizing my cards more efficiently.

Keyahn Sethi: My hockey card collection first started when I went to a Binghamton Senators game, and they handed cards of the players out for free.

Where do you get your cards?
Keyahn: Most of the cards I get now are from Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons sells a pack of cards for a dollar, and sometimes they give them away free with your order.

Ian: I get a lot of my cards at two card stores, Hall of Fame Cards and House of Cards, but also shop online at comc.com.

How has your collection evolved since you started collecting?
Ian: I now have almost every good current player and many good former players. I have almost 2,000 cards but am looking to trim down my collection.

Do you trade your cards?
Keyahn: I don’t usually trade my cards unless I really want a specific card. Once I traded a few of my extra cards to get a limited-edition Sidney Crosby card.

Ian: No, because not a lot of my friends collect baseball cards very seriously.

What’s your favorite card in your collection?
Ian: Either my Patrick Corbin card, my Trea Turner card, or my Anthony Rendon card. I like those cards because I got them signed by the players at a Little League event.

Keyahn: Either my Mike Hoffman or Ryan Dzingel cards because they used to play in Binghamton, and now they are big stars in the NHL. 

How do you store your cards?
Keyahn: I sort my cards into different sections, like position, and put a rubber band around each section. Then I put my cards in a Ziploc bag.

Ian: I sort my cards by team and put them in plastic sleeves that have space for nine cards. I then put them in two three-ring binders, one for each league.

What do you like about your collection?
Ian: I like that it has so many interesting cards, such as my page of players mentioned in Moneyball, my favorite movie. I don’t want a boring collection.

What advice do you have for kids who want to start collecting?
Ian: If you want to start collecting, make sure to organize your collection. It really helps you enjoy your cards.

This Saturday, Topps is giving away packs of cards at hobby shops around the country. Click here for details on the National Baseball Card Day promotion, including when your MLB stadium is giving cards away and how Target and Walmart are participating.