Who is the average card collector? And why do they collect? We were curious, so we polled our Instagram followers and asked a few questions.

Based on our results, the average card collector seems to be males between the ages of 35 and 44. There’s this misconception that collecting is for kids and that once you reach a certain age the hobby becomes embarrassing or childish. But this is far from the case. Card collecting is something any fan of any age can enjoy and there are dozens of reasons an individual might pick up the hobby. Most of our Instagram followers have been dedicated collectors for over 10 years and part of the draw is the nostalgia they feel from traditions of buying and trading. Others collect as an investment and of course nobody can deny the fun of opening a brand-new pack and checking out what’s inside.

Feeling inspired to start collecting? Before you buy your first set of cards, you’ll want to choose a brand. Two big names in sports cards are Topps and Panini. But which is better? We asked our followers and the majority said that if they had to choose one it’d be Panini.

What if you’re interested in card collecting but soccer’s just not your thing? You’ve still got options! Beyond other traditional sports like baseball or basketball, many collect cards related to F1 Racing, UFC, and even Pokémon!

We asked our long-term collectors what advice they’d give a newbie and here’s what they said:

• Start with stickers.
• Collect cards you genuinely like, so that if they don’t sell, you’ll still be happy.

Have more questions about card collecting? Check out our Beginner's Guide for a deep dive into the basics of sports cards and stickers.