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How to start collecting trading cards
Start by deciding what you collect, not what you buy. If you settle on one track, for example a game, a team or a character, you get a collection that hangs together and that you can complete. If you just buy whatever looks fun, you get a pile. Everything else in this guide follows from that first choice.
Quick facts
| First decision | What you collect, not what you buy |
|---|---|
| First purchase | A small product from what you chose, plus penny sleeves |
| Most common mistake | Buying broadly at the start |
| Cheapest way to a specific card | Buy the card, don't open packs |
| What you need first | Penny sleeves and a box |
Step by step
- Choose a track. A game, a team, a character, a sport or a set. Write it down.
- Buy small first. A bundle, a blaster or a few packs. Not a display.
- Buy penny sleeves at the same time. They cost almost nothing and protect everything.
- Open carefully. See the guide to opening packs.
- Sort right away. Three piles: keep, trade, bulk.
- Get storage. A card box for the bulk and a binder or toploaders for what you keep.
- Buy single cards to fill gaps. It is almost always cheaper than opening more.
What you need the first month
| Penny sleeves | Packs of a hundred or a thousand. Everyone's first purchase. |
|---|---|
| Card box | For the bulk. Cardboard is enough. |
| A few toploaders | For the best cards you find. |
| Binder | Only once you know what you're keeping. |
| Deck protectors | Only if you play. |
That's enough. Everything else can wait until you know what your collection actually consists of. Read more in the accessories guide.
Choose a track based on what you like
| Like games | Pokémon, Magic or One Piece. Start with a ready-made deck. |
|---|---|
| Like a sport | Pick a team or a player, not the whole league. |
| Like the art | Collect special illustrations from a game you find beautiful. |
| Like completing things | A single set, with a checklist to tick off. |
| Like opening | Pick one series and open a little at a time, with sleeves ready. |
Budget
Decide on an amount per month before you start and stick to it. The hobby is built to be fun in small doses, and there is always a new release. Anyone who buys big at the start almost always buys the wrong thing, because you don't know what you like until you've tried it.
No box is guaranteed to be worth more than it costs. The odds for the rare cards are the same for everyone. Buy because it's fun, and a good card becomes a bonus instead of a requirement.
Common beginner mistakes
- Buying broadly without a track.
- Buying an expensive display as your first purchase.
- Opening without sleeves ready.
- Flipping through the stack right away to see the hit, and bending corners along the way.
- Chasing a specific card in packs instead of buying it.
- Keeping everything in a pile on the desk.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I buy first of all? A small product from what you chose, plus penny sleeves.
- How much does it cost to get started? A bundle and a pack of penny sleeves is enough.
- Should I collect or play? Try both. Most people settle on one after a few months.
- Are old cards better to collect? Not necessarily. See the guide to old boxes.
- How do I know what my cards are worth? See the valuation guide.
The first six months
| Month 1 | Choose a track. Buy small. Get sleeves and a box. |
|---|---|
| Month 2 | Learn to recognise set codes and rarities. |
| Month 3 | Get a binder or toploaders for what you keep. |
| Month 4 | Start trading duplicates. It's the fastest way forward. |
| Month 5 | Buy single cards to fill gaps. |
| Month 6 | Go through your storage and fix what's wrong. |
The plan is not a rule but a reminder of the order. The expensive things come last, not first, and most people who tire of the hobby did it the other way round.
What you don't need at the start
- Magnetic holders. Beautiful but unnecessary until you have something that deserves them.
- Grading. Costs more than most beginner cards are worth.
- Expensive binders. A simple portfolio will do until you know what you collect.
- Displays. Big purchase, little learning.
- Several tracks at once. That's what turns a collection into a pile.
This is the most common way to spend money unnecessarily. The gear should follow the collection, not come before it.
From our range
Read more about accessories, how to protect your cards and how to store your collection.
Shop: sleeves and Pokémon at Bangerpack.
Written by us who run Bangerpack. Range and prices change continuously. What applies when you read this is shown in the category.
