As new collectors begin to enter the industry, changes from the “Junk wax” era of the late 80s and early 90s have been made to create a different experience for younger generations. Instead of buying standard packs of cards, many of these youth are buying specific cards of their favorite player or team.
Brent Bankston, owner of a local Waco card and memorabilia shop, said that these new developments can be traced back to the physical representation of the card.
“ Kids want something tangible: a pat on the head from their grandfather, or an ice cream cone, or a baseball card; I think they want something tangible,” Bankston said. “I think there is an aspect where we all have somewhat transitioned into a digital world or a projected form of what we collect, but it’s always pointing back to the original.”
With the development of the internet and a new digital age, grading cards have played a substantial part in the pastime. Grading cards, the action of getting a card authenticated and given a grade, has become more mainstream for avid collectors.
“Grading has become much more viable, back then there weren't many people who were normal customers; day-to-day operations, who really cared about grading,” Bankston said. “Now [customers] have changed to where they expect certain cards to be graded.”
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, card retailers and manufacturers saw many people gain a passion for the hobby, giving a financial boost to the industry. This has also helped many former and new collectors sell and buy cards from one another, creating a larger trade industry among collectors than in the past.