Hockey cards are a unique piece of plastic that was first produced in the early 1950s. They were originally designed as a security measure, due to the fact that most people didn’t have magnetic strips on their credit cards at that time.
They have since become popular in many sports, particularly hockey, and have been reissued numerous times. As a result, the prices have gone up, making them a bit more expensive than typical sports souvenirs.
If you’re interested in collecting hockey cards, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, you need to decide how you’re going to store and keep your collection. Once you have that sorted out, you can move onto the next step.
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Create A Storage Space
As with any other collection, storing your hockey cards in a safe and dry place is key. It would also be wise to buy a storage case for your cards, as these will protect them from any nasty scratches or bumps. You can also rest assured that your collection will be safe, as security companies have become increasingly aware of the value of these cards.
Categories And Ranges
Apart from storing your cards in a safe place, you also need to consider the categories and ranges in which you will be collecting. There are currently four hockey card categories, with five ranges within each category. You can click here to see an example of how these categories and ranges are defined.
The four categories and five ranges are as follows:
- Original Cards (OC)
- Reverse Issues (RI)
- Autographed Cards (AC)
- Retired Cards (RC)
Each category and range will have different prices attached to them, so you should research the current prices before you begin your collection. For example, the Original Cards category will have the most valuable cards, while the Retired Cards range will have the least valuable cards.
Types
Another critical step in organizing your hockey cards is to consider the type of cards that you will be collecting. Although there are currently four categories, this number will increase in the future.
If you’re interested in collecting autographed cards, you will need to make sure that you have the original of the person who signed the card. You should not be collecting any signed cards that were forged or fraudulently signed. Similarly, you should not be collecting any signed cards that were previously unsigned. This is because all of these cases are considered scams and are thus illegal. You should not be falling for any of these tricks because the forgeries and unsigned cards can be attributed to cheating at the game. In these cases, the signature is not valid and the player did not sign the card.
In addition to the four primary categories, there is also a Rookie Card range that is included in the Original Cards category. These are the first cards that were issued to players when they began their professional career. If you’re interested in collecting these cards, you will need to look for instances where players had to prove themselves and make their professional debut before they could sign their cards. In some instances, the players were not even 18 years old when they made their professional debut!
As you can see, there are countless variables that you need to consider before you begin your collection. The best advice that we can give you is to take your time and do your research. Organizing your cards in this way will give you a clear picture of what you’re working towards and how much effort you need to apply. Good luck out there.