Inherited sports cards

I Inherited a Sports Card Collection. Where Do I Start?

Sports card collections come in every shape: a single shoebox, a wall of binders, sealed boxes, cards in hard plastic cases. If you've just inherited one, it's easy to feel you need to understand cards before you can ask anyone about them.

You don't. Here's a general way to approach it — without any advice about particular players, sets or values.

You don't need to identify every card

Many people who inherit cards don't follow the hobby at all. You don't need to look anything up or sort by sport, team or year. Describing the collection in your own words is a perfectly good starting point.

Every collection is different

Collections vary enormously in size and organization. Some were carefully maintained over decades; others were stored in a garage and forgotten. Either way, it's worth a conversation, and either way you can start as things are.

Context can be useful

Without reorganizing anything, notice what the collection already tells you:

Boxes, binders, albums or sets the cards are kept in
Labels, notes or lists the original owner made
Paperwork or receipts
Cards that appear to be in sealed holders from a grading company

A few photos show the scope

General photographs of the boxes and binders as they are can help a professional understand roughly what you have. There's no need to photograph cards one by one.

Different professionals, different services

Some professionals buy cards, some run auctions, some handle consignment, and some offer appraisals. Some do several of these. Knowing what you'd like to accomplish — understanding the collection, a formal appraisal, or possibly selling — can help you find the right conversation.