Printed sports cards can be worth thousands of dollars. Because of this, collecting these cards has become an increasingly popular and profitable market.
People have started selling their old hockey and baseball card collections to make huge profits. If kept in good condition, the profits made from sports cards can be life-changing.
Unfortunately, not all cards are worth the same. For example, digital sports cards are not considered very valuable.
But can money be made from selling digital sports cards? Discover everything you need to know about this below.
What Are Digital Sports Cards?
Sports cards have been around for decades. These cards depict players and various information about them, such as their height and age.
You can get cards for different sports, such as basketball, hockey, American football, and baseball. If a card is rare or features a famous player, these cards can be incredibly valuable.
Because of the popularity of printed sports cards, digital versions started to emerge. In many ways, these cards are superior to paper cards.
This is because digital cards can be sold and released much easier than printed cards. They also take much less time to produce.
Also, it is considerably harder to make fake digital copies than it is for printed ones. In fact, knock-off paper sports cards have been a serious problem for the industry.
These digital cards can be collected via apps, such as Panini Instant and Kick.
If you like the sound of collecting sports cards but don’t know where to start, these apps can be a great place.
Many people have found it more straightforward to start a digital card collection than a physical one.
Are Digital Sports Cards Worth Anything?
Yes, digital sports cards can fetch some money. However, they are not nearly as profitable as physical cards.
As with physical cards, the value of digital versions will depend on the player.
Some players are simply more desirable than others. Consequently, people are willing to spend more money on them.
The good thing about these digital cards is that they tend to be quite inexpensive.
You can usually buy them for under $10, so you don’t need to splash plenty of cash to build a collection.
On the flip side, rarer collections can be sold for just under $1,000. As you can see, this is quite a steep price increase.
Unless you are willing to buy these more expensive cards, then it is unlikely that you will be able to make a profit.
Though you can make some money from less expensive cards, you are likely to make a large amount.
This can make it quite risky, as buying expensive cards can mean that you don’t make your money back.
The reason why these cards aren’t worth that much money at the moment is that the industry is new.
Therefore, it hasn’t had the time to grow into a largely profitable industry.
We predict that digital cards will be worth more money in the future, as the business will have had the chance to develop.
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Digital Sports Cards?
To help you decide whether or not digital sports cards are a good investment, here are some of the main pros and cons.
Advantages
One of the main advantages of digital cards is that you won’t have to worry about their condition.
Physical cards must be kept in pristine condition if they are to be lucrative. This means that they cannot acquire any damage.
This can be particularly tricky when dealing with older cards. Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about this when it comes to digital cards.
As mentioned earlier, there is also less risk of forgery when it comes to digital cards. Sadly, the paper card industry has been flooded with knockoff cards.
You can also check your cards on the go. Because these digital cards are accessed via apps, you can constantly check them on your phone.
This also means that you don’t have to use physical space to store your cards, unlike paper models. Since serious collectors spend money on display cases for their cards, you can save yourself money here.
From a production point of view, digital sports cards are also less hassle. They do not need to be printed and distributed, thus saving the producers time and money.
This also means that you can get your hands on these cards right away.
You don’t have to go to the shop to collect them or wait for them to arrive in the mail. Instead, you can simply buy digital cards on your phone.
Disadvantages
For many, the primary disadvantage of digital cards is that they cannot be held like physical ones. Some people believe that this makes them less fun to collect, as you don’t get the same sense of ownership.
As stated, these cards usually make less money when sold. Therefore, if the main reason why you are building a sports card collection is to sell them, then digital cards are unlikely to achieve the profit that you desire.
Some collectors have also found that it is harder to bond over these cards. Of course, your experience might be completely different.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are You Allowed To Sell Digital Topps Cards?
As one of the leading trading card brands, Topps does not advise selling their digital cards. In fact, this is forbidden in their terms of service.
Consequently, if you lose money on your purchase, Topps is unlikely to refund you.
Will Physical Cards Be Replaced By Digital Ones?
Perhaps. To be honest, we doubt that physical cards will die out completely.
They have such a long legacy and strong following that it is unlikely that they will be completely replaced.
On the other hand, digital cards will probably become the focus of card manufacturers due to their numerous benefits.
Final Thoughts
Though digital sports cards may not be worth much at the moment, this is a growing market.
As a result, they will likely become more and more profitable. Therefore, it may be worth investing in these cards.
When I was just starting out with my card collection, I had lots of questions about authenticity, trading, and card conditions. But with not that much information available online, I felt quite alone in my queries. Some questions still haven’t been answered to this day.
This site aims to rectify this, and now, I am passing on my knowledge!
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