Few things spark nostalgia in sports fans more than a pack of trading cards. MLB, NBA, NHL – ripping open a pack supplied a hit of dopamine, a chance to strike gold, and sometimes a piece of powdery chewing gum. Good news if you want to revisit your youth: trading cards are booming again. 

But they’re a whole different beast from what you remember. Yes, they still look for rookie cards and their favourite players, but the bounty they now seek are cards packaged with autographs, optical illusions, cap logo patches, handwritten notes from players – even the laundry tags from game-worn jerseys.

Given that these finds are rare, and fetch vast amounts on the open market, the age-old pastime has evolved into something closer to gambling, and with gambling comes sharks. While professional card hunters are clearing out stock hoping for their next score, card companies are ratcheting up pack prices. 

Still, there’s joy left to be had in this competitive landscape. The players are in on it now, interacting with fans in search of their cards. Young pitching sensation Paul Skenes, along with his team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, offered a king’s ransom – including 30 years of season’s tickets – to anyone who had his one-of-one rookie card, which came with a patch of his debut game jersey. An 11-year-old collector from L.A. who owns the card turned down the offer – and plans to auction it to benefit charity, where it’s expected to net a six-figure sum.

A version of this article appeared in the April/May 2025 issue of Zoomer with the headline “Card Sharks,” p. 29.