Trading cards are collectible cards related to a specific theme or subject, often associated with sports figures and celebrities. They have been popular since the 19th century, and some collections have become extremely valuable, with investors buying and selling rare cards like stocks. Recently, collectible cards related to magic games have attracted a young audience.
Trading cards are cards that are related to a specific subject or theme and are considered worthy of gathering in a collection for fun or for profit. In size, most trading cards are about the size of a normal card from a deck of cards. It is not unusual for one side of the card to carry an image, while the opposite carries printed information related to the image on the opposite side.
Collecting cards related to different themes has long been a favorite hobby of many people. The card collection itself often dates back to the 19th century, when it became fashionable for men to collect what were known at the time as French postcards. A more respectable form of card collecting involved the creation of recipe cards that could be collected by cooks employed by the wealthy and housewives.
During the 20th century, trading cards associated with sports figures and other types of celebrities became treasured items for many children and adolescents. Many children during the 1930-1960 era actively collected baseball cards with a picture of their favorite players on one side and the player’s game statistics on the opposite side. To add to the collectibles, many producers of the cards would release a new set of cards for each new season of baseball.
Gum manufacturers were among the first companies to see the value in combining baseball cards with their product. A set of four or five cards would be packaged together with thin, flat pieces of gum and sold for pennies to eager young consumers. By rotating the packed cards each game, this created a marketing focus that encouraged sports enthusiasts to continue buying gum packs until they had a full set of cards from that year. Any duplicates were used to initiate trades with others in exchange for cards needed to complete the collection.
Trading cards soon spread to other sports as well. In the mid-20th century, it was possible to collect cards related to professional football, soccer, and many other popular sports. Along the way, the idea of trading cards caught on with other public celebrities. Manufacturers were soon issuing sets of cards related to television shows, music artists, and even cartoon characters. Collectors of all ages rush to acquire complete sets of a series issued by a manufacturer, which usually adds value to the collection.
While trading cards relating to sports figures and other celebrities remain popular, a contemporary twist has been added to the card collecting hobby. In recent years, collectible cards related to ongoing magic games have attracted the attention of a young audience. As with the collections in previous years, the idea is to secure the individual cards that are highly sought after, and eventually own a complete set of issued cards.
Due to the popularity of trading cards over the years, some of these collections have become extremely valuable. For example, a complete set of baseball cards related to a specific year and a specific team can easily sell for a hefty sum. There are investors who are into buying and selling rare collectible cards in a way that is no different than making an investment in a stock market. As with many collectibles, rare cards often generate a lot of interest and command a hefty price tag when offered for sale.
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