Courtesy of Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers, Dallas, Texas.

How do I Identify my Sportscards?
While the companies producing cards today prominently display their name and logos, this has not always been the case. When looking at vintage cards, the back of a card is often more useful than the front in identifying the set of origin. Card backs usually include an issuer or sponsor's name either spelled out completely or in abbreviated form, i.e. T.C.G., for Topps Chewing Gum. The biological or statistical information found on card backs also provide other important clues in determining a card's general age, if not specific year of issue. For example, if a Willie Mays card documents his statistical history through the 1964 season, the date of issue for that card would most likely be 1965.

Sportscard makers, dating back to the 19th century, have commonly assigned numbers to card backs in order to facilitate the collecting of a complete set. Cards that were numbered in this manner by their manufacturer are normally listed in that order. In the case of unnumbered card issues, the most common practice is to list the cards in the set by alphabetical order using the players' last names.

What Constitutes Valuable?
Sportscards: High value sportscards are generally vintage cards that were made from the years 1969 and earlier. Of course there are exceptions to this rule with cards such as the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky or a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan. There are other card products from non-vintage years that can hold higher value as well, including wax boxes, complete sets, and sealed cases. On the whole, modern era cards from 1980 and later do not hold significant value as compared to vintage material simply due to the fact that there were so many of them produced and most of them still exist in top condition.

Sports Memorabilia: As a rule, vintage memorabilia associated with Hall of Fame players is always highly sought after by collectors; the older, rarer and more historically significant the items are, the higher the value. Sports memorabilia items are a bit different than sportscards because they don't always have to be vintage in order to be rare or command significant collector interest. For example, more recent items such as: game-worn jerseys, autographed equipment, or historically significant game-used balls are often sought after by collectors with the same passion as vintage memorabilia. However, there are many items that are deemed as collectibles in today's marketplace that simply do not have much collector value such as promotional figurines, bobble-heads, plates, glasses, and gold plated cards. There are simply too many produced and they are often referred to as 'manufactured collectibles'.

Should I get my Sports Cards Graded?
A number of factors are involved in deciding whether or not a card should be submitted to a grading service such as PSA or SGC. First are condition and value, if the card is not of sufficient value, it is not in your best interest to have the card certified. Second is the authenticity and originality of the card. None of the respected grading services will encapsulate a card that is not authentic or has been tampered with in any way.

Heritage Sports Collectibles grades thousands of cards every year and we have experts on staff to evaluate the conditions and the cost-to-value ratio of sending any card in for authentication. Our reputation has earned us the right to become Authorized Dealers for PSA, SGC, GAI, and Beckett Grading Services. If you have any questions or would like some advice or help with a confidential evaluation of your collection, please e-mail Chris Ivy or call 1 (800) 872-6467 x319.

How do I get my Collection Appraised?
In order to find out more about the cards that you own, we recommend using one of the following books: The Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles or The Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards by Bob Lemke. If you are looking for prices for items other than baseball material, both publishers (Beckett and Krause) offer similar types of price guides for Football, Basketball, Hockey, and Memorabilia. These books are available at most public libraries.

When researching, you will find the introductions to be very helpful if you take some time to read up on the basics of collecting. The only downside about the references listed here are the prices listed. In any given year, the market can change within a few weeks, making publications that are printed on an annual basis inaccurate. With this in mind, these books are not always an accurate reflection of the market, but they will provide you with insight about rarity and premiums. Be aware that the prices listed in these references are retail prices only, and do not include cards that may be altered or damaged in any way.

The second step in getting an accurate appraisal is to get the items to a professional for an evaluation. Heritage has been serving the collectibles community for over three decades. During that time we have grown to become the world's largest collectibles dealer by staying on the cutting edge of technology, emphasizing great communications and, above all, listening to what our customers want and then giving them a fair deal on their material. With the agreement of your Heritage representative, Heritage can provide insurance on overnight delivery for your package. Contact us today to discuss a free appraisal.

Sell Now or Consign to a Heritage Auction
We are always looking for quality vintage memorabilia and sportscards to purchase or auction. We'd love to talk to you about your collection, your buying and selling needs, and how Heritage Sports Collectibles can work for you. Call or email us today if you would like our experts to help you in determining the best options for your collection.