Sports trading cards are one of the more important merchandises that are sought after by fans. Baseball cards were produced starting from the 19th century and in early 20th century, they are sold with chewing gums, Cracker Jacks and chewing tobacco. Topps produced the first modern baseball cards in 1952 and boys loved to collect them. One common activities among young sports fans are trading cards among friends. There are many things that boys did with baseball cards, such as making muffler noises while riding on the bicycles, by attaching these cards to the wheels.

Obviously, now many middle-aged men regretted this, because old baseball cards have significantly increased in value. In the 1950’s, no one would imagine that a piece of cardboard with picture popular baseball athlete would worth thousands of dollars. Due to the rising popularity of baseball cards, manufacturers also produce cards for hockey, football and basketball. There are numerous sports cards manufacturers in the market. Donruss entered the market in early 1980’s with its iconic rookie sets. It is now also making football cards for sports fans. Fleer is also known for its sports trading cards.

Pacific is known for its hockey and football cards, as well as numerous memorabilia. They have innovative card designs released in different special editions. Their cards are also designed to fit the 9-pocket protective sheets. The back of these 9 cards will form the images of certain popular players, when displayed in this manner. This will encourage people to collect all 9-card set to complete their collection. Tops has been selling baseball cards for more than 5 decades and in every card pack, there is a stick of bubble gum. Today, Topps is also making cards for hockey, football and basketball. In addition, they make cards for Lords of the Rings, Pokemon and other entertainment topics.

Upper Deck entered the scene in 1980’s and it is now strong player in the market. They are known for glossy and sleek cards. Their popularity has encouraged other card makers to redesign their products. Other than cards, Upper Deck is now selling valuable used sports equipments and various memorabilia. Just Minors is specializing in baseball cards for minor leagues, as well as various interesting memorabilia, such as mini-helmet with autographs from Major League stars. For several years, Team Best is also making cards of Minor League Baseball. However, the company didn’t make cards since 2002, making their cards more valuable for collectors.

Fans should consider visiting trading cards websites. Some of them are focused on iconic cards, such as Tops’ baseball cards released in early 1950’s. These sites should provide us with complete history of baseball cards. They will offer descriptions about certain cards and give us reasons why some players didn’t appear in these sets. It is also a good idea to join trading cards forums and online stores that allow collectors to trade or sell their cards online.