looking to start collecting again
 

It's been a while since i've collected baseball cards. i know alot has change and i'm needing some advised on which companies have the best cards? i've heard that walmart, target sell the cheaper cards and i would like to avoid any cheap cards. anyone have an recommendations? i know it's all relative to what people like.

New Cards
 

Not sure what year you want to start with or whether you plan to collect whole sets or specific players, or teams...but you could start by doing an ebay search for your favorite player in a specific year to see if there is a particular card design that appeals to you. Even a major manufacturer like Topps will have numerous sets and designs in any particular year. And, for example, you will find Topps cards in many different retails stores, sometimes with slight differences in the design for that retailer.

One problem in the hobby today from my standpoint is deciding what to collect from the vast array of new products that come out each year. But on new stuff I would collect what you like and not worry about future value. If you want to invest in cards you need to go for older stuff, certainly prior to 1981, probably 1975, and the older the better.

Welcome back to the hobby

new collector
 

I gave my opinion about this recently. I had ebay up n running when asked. He liked the big hurt. We looked at only his Rookie cards. that were graded 10 There were $10,000. Dollar cards?. There were plenty off others RCs. also. all 10s different cards with very low pops. He picked up a half dozen. Graded 10 Frank Thomas Rcs. for around 30 bucks each. I think he got a really good deal . On a card that does have a future. He is buying 89 Griffey's know. He has about 12 cards. That's it. I like his collection. Could double his money today. I think.

Just be careful if you buy packs from the big box stores....people like to search those packs looking for the "hits." Retail also has lower odds for better cards than a local hobby shop.

In my experience, the retail blaster boxes are all over the place as far as sticking to the odds. I've had some where I got nearly nothing, and some where there were a lot of inserts. I mostly do the less "normal" sets though, so I think what happens is that the last blasters of a product that hasn't sold as well as expected get packed out with the leftovers. Some of those leftovers are pretty nice.

I also buy packs, either just a couple to see if I like a set, or if they have retail exclusive versions of the cards.

Bowman blasters seem to work out well on average for me.