What to Do With All These Base Cards
Every collector knows the feeling. You rip open a pack of flagship cards, hoping for a numbered parallel or autograph. Instead, you're staring at another stack of base pulls—players you've never heard of mixed with stars you already have ten times over. After a few boxes, they start piling up like Amazon packages around Prime Day, taking over closets, drawers, and any free space.
The reality is simple: most modern base cards have little individual value. The market is saturated, and unless it’s a true rookie of a future star, few are worth holding onto financially. But tossing them feels wrong—and hoarding them isn't sustainable either.
Get Creative With Your Extras
Base cards might not pay the bills, but they’re far from useless.
Donate Smart: Some children’s hospitals, elementary schools, and community groups accept card donations—especially for kids new to collecting. They’re not worried about parallels or print runs. To them, any card with a favorite player is a prize.
Your local card shop might also welcome extras. Many use base cards as giveaways to young hobbyists or starter packs at trade nights and shows.
Holiday Time: On Halloween, hand out packs of base cards instead of candy. It’s affordable, unique, and memorable—kids will remember the card house long after the sweets are gone.
A Teaching Moment: Use the stats on the back to teach kids about decimals, percentages, and averages. Geography and history lessons can come from player birthplaces and career timelines. They’re surprisingly effective learning tools.
Reward Youth Athletes: Youth coaches often use cards as rewards for effort and sportsmanship. Reach out to local teams and programs—you could help build both morale and future collectors.
A Different Perspective
Base cards were once the backbone of the hobby. Even if the spotlight now shines on parallels and hits, commons still tell stories. They represent real players, real seasons, and the everyday moments of the sports we love.
Instead of seeing them as clutter, think of base cards as a way to share your passion—whether with a young fan, a student, or an up-and-coming collector. Sometimes, all it takes is one card to spark a lifelong love.
Scott Orgera is a sportswriter and statistician with more than three decades of experience. He has covered thousands of MLB and NFL games, along with most other major sports. A member of the BBWAA, his bylines appear in the Associated Press, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, and Forbes, among others. He also co‑authored 976‑1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground. Having worked card shows with his family in the 1980s, Scott has remained active in the hobby ever since and now owns a card and memorabilia shop just outside New York City.