YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The sports cards and memorabilia industry is booming in ways never seen before.
According to Yahoo! Finance, experts predict that the business of collecting and selling sports cards and memorabilia will reach a whopping $227 billion by 2032, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 21.8% in each of the next eight years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and the years since the hobby has taken off.
In 2022, Forbes noted how card sales became resurgent, and some investors said they believed sports cards were becoming their own legitimate alternative asset class.
Jason Thoman of Jason's Sports Cards at Morning Sun Marketplace in Jackson Township has been in business for nearly 23 years and lived through the experience of the industry resurgence.
"COVID changed this hobby so much," Thoman explained from his stand on a bustling Sunday afternoon.
"It brought it back because everyone was stuck at home. They dug out their cards, and a lot of stuff really shot up in value."
That same 2022 Forbes article notes a record sale of a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card that set the mark at $12.6 million.
That mark still stands today, but, it stands to reason it could be broken in the future.
Thoman attributes the growth to a real interest in sports.
"I think a lot of it's just everyone [is] interested in sports, and they want a piece of their favorite athlete or favorite team. So, you have some hardcore fans that their local team, they're collecting, whether its Steelers, Cowboys, Eagles, whatever -- they just want a piece of their team," Thoman explained.
No industry is without change, and on the horizon in 2026 could be a big one for the card industry, as online sportswear retailer Fanatics will enter the fray with exclusive 20-year deals with the MLB, NFL, and NBA.
"So, they're gonna have a lock for everything, and they're going to kind of control the market a lot here come 2026," Thoman said of Fanatics.
While it's unclear the exact effect that will have on the market, Thoman believes one thing is clear.
"When I was a kid, it was .50 cents a pack. There's no such thing as a .50-cent pack anymore. Topps just came out -- it's five bucks a pack. They kind of forgot about the kids, I feel like. But, if you have stuff for a quarter, for a dollar -- I'll throw some packs out for a buck -- it keeps the kids in it. The kids are the future."
"If in 30 years, kids don't do the same thing, cards won't be worth anything," he added.
If you're looking to start collecting, Thoman offers this advice:
"Start small. Don't go overheard. Start with what you can afford."
You can visit Jason's Sports Cards at Morning Sun Marketplace in Jackson Township on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
For more information on Jason's Sports Cards, you can visit their Facebook page here.
For more information on Morning Sun Marketplace, you can visit their website here.