Soccer, baseball, basketball… if you’re a fan of any of these, you can turn your love for the sports into an extensive card collection overnight. What’s more, your favorite collections may even be worth thousands of dollars without you even knowing it! But, do they make boxing cards?
Card collecting is all fun and games until you realize you can’t collect something you love. Boxing fans, are you feeling left out yet?
Spoiler alert: you don’t need to. That’s right – they might be hard to come by, but boxing cards DO exist! Want to learn how to get your hands on some of these elusive cards? Keep reading to find out how!
Do Boxing Cards Exist?
Yes! As well as football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and other sports cards in boxes that have been sitting around since the 80s or 90s, you’ll find plenty of these cards.
These cards were made before the days of autographs, holograms, and other modern-day gimmicks. So what makes them so special?
Well, there are many reasons why boxing cards are different from most other sports cards. For starters, boxing cards tend to be much rarer than their counterparts in other sports. This isn’t because of anything wrong with boxing as a sport.
In fact, I’d argue that boxing has always had a lot of value. It’s just that boxing cards are harder to come across than other sports cards. The reason behind this is simple.
Boxing cards are often found in old boxes of trading cards from the 1980s and 1990s. When people would trade their cards back then, they didn’t use autographs or holograms. Instead, they used stickers.
Stickers are still very popular today, but they aren’t nearly as common as they once were. Because of this, boxing cards are usually found in older boxes that haven’t been opened for years.
While boxing cards are rarely seen outside of those boxes, they do pop up every now and again. One example was when a box of cards sold at auction recently for $10,000.00!
What Brands Make Boxing Cards?
The brands that make boxing cards are almost exclusively American companies. There are two main exceptions to this rule. First, Japanese companies like Topps and Italian companies like Panini produce boxing cards too.
Second, European companies like Fleer also create boxing cards. But these cards are extremely rare and expensive.
So which brands make boxing cards? Well, we already mentioned Topps and Panini. Both of these companies have production bases in America. Other American companies include Upper Deck, Donruss, Score, Leaf, and others.
Topps
Topps is probably best known for its baseball cards. But did you know that Topps also produces boxing cards? These cards are called “Topps All Stars.” Each year, Topps releases a new set of cards featuring famous boxers.
Some of the more recent sets included Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, George Foreman, and Evander Holyfield.
Panini
Panini is another company that produces boxing cards. Like Topps, it also creates cards for other sports, including football, basketball, and hockey. Their boxing cards are called “Panini Boxings.”
As with Topps, each year, Panini releases a new set of boxing cards. The first set featured Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, and Marvin Hagler.
Fleer
Fleer is an American company that specializes in producing boxing cards. Its cards are called “Fleer Classics.” Unlike Topps and Panini, Fleer doesn’t release any new boxing cards each year.
Instead, it re-releases some of its classic boxing cards over and over again.
For instance, Fleer released a series of cards featuring Rocky Marciano, Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, and other great heavyweight fighters. Another series features boxers who fought during the 1920s and 1930s.
Are Boxing Cards Worth Money?
If you’re thinking about buying a box of boxing cards, you might wonder if they’re worth anything. After all, they’ve been sitting around collecting dust for decades. Does this mean that they lack value, or perhaps that they’re far too valuable to part with?
Well, let’s start by looking at what they cost. A typical box of cards will have 20-25 cards inside. That means that a box will cost anywhere between $5-$15. So if you want to buy a box online, you’ll pay even less than that.
For instance, one website sells a box of cards for just $3.99. And that’s not counting shipping costs.
But wait, there’s more! You could also find a box of cards on eBay or Amazon for as much as $50. But that price includes shipping. And remember, those sites don’t charge sales tax either.
Much like any card collectibles, some boxing cards are far more valuable than others, with a few clocking 3-figure resale values, even if they’re not in particularly pristine condition.
Are Boxing Cards Popular?
Now that we’ve looked at the prices, we should look at the popularity of boxing cards. Here’s the truth: most people aren’t interested in buying boxes of old boxing cards. Why would they be? Most of the time, they won’t even recognize the names of the boxers.
That said, some people do collect boxing cards. In fact, many collectors spend thousands of dollars on their collections.
So if you’re thinking about buying boxing cards, you’d better think long and hard before doing so – you could end up spending serious amounts of cash in the long run if you want to build your collections!
What Do People Use Boxing Cards For?
Boxing cards are popular because they offer a glimpse into history. Many people enjoy seeing pictures of legendary boxers from years gone by. Others enjoy looking at photos of boxers who were once considered unbeatable.
Still, others like the chance to see rare photos of boxers from the past.
These cards are also an excellent way to teach children about boxing. Your sport-fanatic kids will love learning about famous boxers, and it’ll help them understand why these men were so important to society.
Final Thoughts
So now you know everything you need to know about boxing cards. Hopefully, this article has helped clear up any confusion you may have had about these little (but definitely NOT insignificant) pieces of cardboard. Now go out and get yourself a box of boxing cards!
Apart from being such an interesting hobby that can take you in so many directions. It keeps you in touch with your younger self. I still feel the same level of excitement when adding a new card to the collection.
I'm still learning, and I always will be. I hope you find my posts helpful.
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