6 Types of Cards to Target if You’re On a Budget

Everyone wants that PSA 10 Silver Prizm Mahomes rookie. Most of us just aren’t willing to drop $5k+ (I’d rather feed my kids this month, thanks).

While I do have my grail list of cards, I’m usually settling for cheaper versions. For example, I’d love to have a Topps Chrome Kobe PSA 10 rookie…but for now, I’ve got a PSA 9 of the paper version. It’s still a pretty cool card!

I’ve put together a list of some ways to collect awesome cards that may not quite be your grail, but are still pretty good!

1. Cards With Meaning

I’m a massive Lakers fan, so I find it fun to buy cards that represent two players associated with the team. For example, the ‘07-08 Topps Kobe card has LeBron guarding Kobe.

I also have the famous LeBron doing the Kobe tribute dunk (silver prizm).

There’s also a 2016 Donruss Optic card with LeBron laying the ball up while Kobe watches.

These aren’t super valuable cards (all are under $100), but I proudly display them.

What are the similar versions of those cards for your favorite team/player?

2. Championship Years

As a fan of certain teams, those championship years mean way more, right? So, let’s say you’re a big Nikola Jokic fan. A raw Prizm rookie runs nearly $200.

However, you can pick up a Silver Prizm PSA 10 from 2022-23 for around $40-$50.

3. Second Year Cards

Sure, you might be itching to own a quality Bowman Chrome Tom Brady rookie, but a second year card can still be pretty cool—and cost you way less!

Mantle is a famous example. His rookies are out of range for most, but his second-year cards are still highly sought after. PSA 1s of his Topps rookie run about $30k, while you can get a PSA 1 of his 2nd year for $2k.

4. Buy Quality Inserts

Some inserts stand the test of time and still retain their value even from non-rookie years! Looking back at my 90s basketball, we’ve got Beam Team, Jambalaya, Soul of the Game, and more.

So, take a look at Josh Allen…

Anything cool (i.e., non-base) that’s a rookie of his is expensive.

However, you could pick up a 2022 Mosaic Stained Glass for under $200. It’s not a rookie, but it looks way cooler, costs less, and will likely retain its value.

5. First Year With New Team

When an iconic player changes teams, cards in the new jersey are often devalued (especially if the player is widely associated with the first team).

An obvious example is Tom Brady with the Buccaneers, but plenty of greats change teams later in their career.

This tactic likely makes the most sense if you’re a fan of the new team the player switches to. For example, as a Lakers fan, I could collect 2018-2019 LeBron, 1996-97 Shaq, 1975-76 Kareem, or 1968-69 Wilt.

6. Buy Lower Grades

Sure, it’s fairly obvious that if you can’t afford a 10 that you can go grab a 9…

But you can also think about it this way:

What if you were to grab an 8 or even a 7? On many cards, those sell for less than raw. That’s a big win, because you still get the card encapsulated, you know it’s not in trash condition, and you save $$.

7s and 8s are still pretty good, despite the hobby’s “10 or bust” mindset.

Buying Targets - MLB Playoffs!

This doesn’t constitute investment advice, more just a window into my overall strategy as well as for entertainment purposes. All pricing and screenshots are taken from Card Ladder—the only pricing & inventory tool I use.

Baseball is such a crapshoot that investing based on a single postseason can be difficult. I’d recommend sticking to stars who can retain long-term value, but still have a shot at a quick flip if they go deep in the playoffs.

✔ Mookie Betts ⚾ - The Dodgers have as good a chance as anyone, as their starting pitching has rounded into form (the bullpen might sink them, though). Mookie had perhaps his worst season as a pro, but he’s been hot lately, and people will jump right back on if he carries that over to the postseason. His pricing is on a clear downward trend, while hitting a common 2-year price low. With prices often bouncing back to around $175, there’s a decent chance he'll return to that level (you can find other cards of his following a similar price pattern).

 ✔ Pete Crow-Armstrong ⚾ - After a quiet second half, his prices have fallen back. Even if the Cubs are bounced quickly, PCA looks like a superstar. So, either he has a solid playoffs and you can flip him in the next 2-6 weeks, or hold for next year.

✔ Fernando Tatis Jr. ⚾ - Despite the PED stink on him, he’s still the best and most exciting player on a playoff team. We’re seeing near-lows on many of his cards (with a lot of the tailing off coming in the past 2 months or so). For example, you might be able to find his Topps Chrome Refractor PSA 10 for around $45-$50, yet there’s recent history with this card nearing $100.

✔ Julio Rodriguez ⚾ - I mentioned him last week. He’s young, he’s got career-high WAR this year, yet his pricing is down. Clear buy, IMO.

Quick Hits

News From Around the Hobby

+ Topps of the Line Move - “Topps…has made a bold move by acquiring the batting glove Trout used to hit his 400th home run.” I love this type of stuff SO MUCH and hope they continue to acquire important pieces of memorabilia. A card with a piece of this glove is roughly a billion times better than a patch not associated with anything, including the player sometimes.

+ Break the Jordan/Kobe Logoman Record? - What other modern cards out there could theoretically break the $13 million barrier if they came to market? A few Jordans and a LeBron made the list, and even a Shohei.

+ New King of the Hobby? - “So far in 2025, more than half of the top 50 sales recorded by Card Ladder have been basketball cards.” Makes sense as baseball’s popularity is deeply steeped in tradition & history, but that won’t last forever.

+ That’s How It’s Done, Kids - “Signed Hank Aaron jersey, $500,000 in stolen sports cards recovered by police.” If you’re going to Hell, might as well go on a white horse.

Better ROI: Should I Buy Raw or Graded Cards?

Every person in the hobby will usually go through a few phases. They’ll think that breaks and opening packs are SUPER fun…but the ROI isn’t there. They’ll buy sealed wax (unopened boxes/packs) to hold…[Keep Reading]

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The content in this newsletter is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be actual financial or investment advice.