Are You an "Old School" Card Collector? Take This Quiz to Find Out!
One of the great things about the card collecting hobby is that it truly is for everyone. Head to a large card show like the National, and you're bound to encounter collectors of all ages, 9 to 99, even if they're not necessarily lined up at the same tables. Of course, even while the wide range of ages and tastes is a strength of the hobby, collectors of a certain vintage nonetheless feel a certain pride in their "old school" status.
Not sure if you're old school? Here's a quick quiz to help you figure it out.
1. Where did you buy your first trading cards?
A. corner drugstore or grocery
B. local card shop
C. online
2. What is a breaker?
A, a device that stops the flow of current in a circuit
B. a street dancer who performs to hip hop music
C. a dealer who opens boxes of cards online to distribute to collectors
3. What is PSA?
A. prostate-specific antigen
B. public service announcement
C. a grading company
4. What do you post on social media when you pull a coveted card from a pack?
A. What's social media?
B. "I'm shaking."
C. "dID i dO gOoD?"
THE James Wood 1/1 !
— Mike Maher (@mikemaher_cards) May 31, 2025
Did I do good? @Topps pic.twitter.com/E0KqZznFPc
5. How do you define a "vintage" card?
A. 1950s or earlier
B. 1980 or earlier
B. 2000 or earlier
6. What else comes in a pack of trading cards?
A. stick of gum
B. sweepstakes entry form
C. anti-theft device
7. About how many cards come in an unopened box of cards?
A. more than 500
B. about 300
C. less than 20
8. An iconic card from your youth was the--
A. 1964 Topps Ray Sadecki
B. 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken
C. 2003 Topps Brandon Puffer/Jung Bong
9. The Griffey card you have the most of is--
A. 1982 Fleer
B. 1993 Pinnacle
C. Topps Project 2020 Keith Shore
10. How can you tell when a card depicts a player who was recently traded?
A. The player is not wearing a cap.
B. The card includes a "Sports Extra" headline
C. There's no way to tell.
SCORING YOUR QUIZ
Count up the number of times that "A" was your answer. If it was 8 or more, you are definitely old school. If it was 5-7, you're not quite old school, but just give it a little time. And if you scored 4 or less, you're definitely not old school but there's a good chance you didn't want to be anyways!
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.