Dávid Tasnádi first came across NBA cards during his time in secondary school. He played basketball with a boy whose parents had brought som...
Dávid Tasnádi first came across NBA cards during his time in secondary school. He played basketball with a boy whose parents had brought some packs from Germany. His first card was of Dennis Rodman (from the German-language Collector's Choice series that was available at the time). The first pack he purchased with his own money included Michael Jordan USA-jersey cards (1991-92 Skybox), which started him on the journey of building his collection.
In the middle of the 1990s, acquiring sports cards was fairly straightforward in Hungary. In 1994, a domestic company brought in packs from Collector’s Choice, Upper Deck, Fleer, and Skybox, saturating the market; they could be found at nearly every newsstand. This period saw the opening of the first dedicated stores, and informal trading sessions emerged on weekends. Individuals exchanged cards near Petőfi Hall, a recreational facility, with many coming from rural areas specifically for this purpose.
"At that time, there were likely approximately 200-300 active collectors, but this number soon started to increase quickly," says Tasnádi. At first, collectors obtained their information about the NBA through newspapers and German television programs. Many of them sought cards featuring players from the Chicago Bulls or Los Angeles Lakers, as these teams were the most well-known. Trading was based on personal preferences for certain players or teams, as in the pre-Internet era, it was challenging to determine the actual market value of a card. In the early 2000s, following Jordan's retirement, the NBA's popularity declined temporarily, which also affected collecting. The market was later brought back to life by online marketplaces, especially eBay.
Previously hard-to-acquire American cards became accessible, sparking speculation: "During the pandemic, you could purchase a card in the morning, and by nightfall, it might be worth eight times its original price, even before the card had been delivered," Tasnádi remembered. The value of these cards depends on various elements. Key factors include the individual depicted on the card, the set it belongs to, its rarity, and if it's a rookie card.
The pricing structure of the market is quite divided, featuring budget-friendly introductory sets (like Hoops), mid-tier items, and luxury options that can reach several thousand dollars. "For instance, a rare card obtained from a more affordable pack might be valued at $200, whereas a rare card of the same player from a high-end collection could be worth thousands," notes the collector, who also mentions that the market can be rapidly affected by an athlete's performance.
Just like in the stock market, outstanding performance can lead to rapid changes in price. Cards of athletes such as Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, among others, tend to maintain consistent value over time. On the other hand, cards of new players are more risky: for instance, Stephen Curry's rookie cards were worth just a few dollars at the start of his career, but now they are worth thousands. He thinks that cards of European players like Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić are still not fully appreciated in the American market, as based on his experience, American collectors usually favor American stars.
The Hungarian group now consists of thousands of members and is highly active on the internet. These groups usually refer to eBay selling prices, but customs fees, VAT, and shipping costs also affect pricing in Hungary. The actions of resellers—who purchase items for business reasons—often lead to higher prices.
However, Tasnádi is not among them: "I am a collector, not a seller. I frequently gift cards to people who have been searching for a specific one for a long time. It matters more to me that the card finds its way into a collection rather than earning money from it." Nonetheless, there is a negative aspect to the market, as counterfeit cards frequently appear in various online groups. After two decades of collecting, he mentions that his hobby has evolved into a lifestyle, where not only the love for collecting but also fostering community and exchanging knowledge are significant factors.
He thinks the NBA card world combines nostalgia, investment, and enthusiasm, but it also demands substantial knowledge, time, and effort from those who wish to participate not just as a pastime, but in a manner that generates value. In his view, collecting cards is certainly not a fast way to earn money. The market functions through a close-knit network of relationships: "If someone new wants to sell, for example, a Kobe rookie card, they might only be able to sell it for less than I can, since I have the connections and the reputation." He is aware of who collects cards of a specific player, who may be missing a particular card, and how to reach out to them.
As he sees it, the world of NBA cards is similar to a business: you must invest, understand the market, and be ready for a learning process. There are significant differences among collectors. You can collect cards in various ways or with different mindsets. If you aim to collect cards featuring top stars, you typically need to spend more money. "You need a large wallet for Jordan. Pipen also has some costly cards, but they don't match up to Jordan's," he mentions. For instance, he only collects specific Dream Team Jordan cards. His objective isn't to gather every card associated with Jordan, as that would be an impossible endeavor.
The collector has been tracking Vince Carter's career since 1995 and has been gathering his cards since 1998, the year he joined the NBA, with a main emphasis on this collection. Nevertheless, there was a short time when he sold his collection. When he resumed, he managed to repurchase a large portion of his previous collection in a single transaction, which provided him with a strong base, and he has been growing it ever since.
For him, collecting goes beyond a simple pastime; it represents a deep familial bond. One of his most significant cards, a five-page booklet card, was specifically purchased for his son, Vince, at the time of his birth and is never meant to be sold. Only five such cards exist globally. When he acquired it, the card was valued at approximately 250,000 forints, but its current worth might now reach into the millions. Tasnádi's collection has expanded remarkably: his Vince Carter collection alone includes over 4,500 cards, with 70-80 being unique pieces, meaning they are the sole copies in existence.
He likely possesses the biggest Vince Carter collection in the world.
His entire collection, featuring full sets along with sub-collections of Dean Smith, Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, Yoda, and Tiger Woods, consists of over ten thousand items. He manages all of them in Excel to avoid purchasing duplicates, although he is familiar with most of his cards by memory. "If I sold everything, I could buy a couple of properties in Budapest," he says, half in jest. The collection frequently comes with stories, which Tasnádi shares with enthusiasm. For instance, the Mark Jackson card that features the notorious Menendez brothers in the background. This find caused the card's value to increase a hundredfold overnight. Or the case where the value of a Ja Morant card shot up when someone realized the photo included two famous rappers in the audience.
"The excitement surrounding these items is what makes the market so unique. Occasionally, a minor detail can transform an ordinary card into a legendary one," explains Tasnádi, who emphasizes that the worth of his collection goes beyond monetary value. There are certain cards he would never consider selling. For instance, the one he purchased upon the birth of his son, or the five-card "flawless" Carter set, which features the athlete in five different uniforms. "Not long after I resumed collecting, my former wife gifted me the 500th card for Christmas. That's another item I would never sell," he added.
In addition to Vince Carter, his collecting passions are varied. He has come across numerous cards throughout his collecting journey, but only those that end up in his collection remain with him. He shared a unique tale about a 1999 Topps Finest Gold Retractor card, which arrived to him in an exciting manner, and since then, many people have wanted to purchase this Duncan-Iverson-Carter card, of which only 50 copies were made, though he has only come across a few so far. Authenticity is also crucial for Tasnádi: constant vigilance is required due to counterfeit items, which predominantly appear on the Asian market and in the case of American cards.
These fake items are highlighted in blog entries and group notifications sent to community members, ensuring that new collectors avoid falling into scams. Within the circle of elite, globally recognized collectors, the quick exchange of information enables them to be the first to learn about major events and the availability of rare cards. When questioned if authentication can stop counterfeiting, he states that only a small number of well-known companies perform verification processes that add value to the market. Beckett, PSA, and MCG are firms that leverage their reputation to guarantee the legitimacy of cards, although errors can still occur with them.
Appraisals conducted by smaller authentication companies hold little significance among collectors, which can result in the cards having a considerably reduced value. According to his view, setting clear objectives is essential when it comes to collecting. Some individuals collect all cards featuring a specific player, while others concentrate on particular series or teams. He advises new collectors to start by gaining knowledge, studying the field, and entering the hobby with a rational mindset and defined goals, as counterfeit and overpriced cards have increased significantly since the pandemic. The fundamental rule of collecting is to avoid buying the first item available and to only purchase cards from trustworthy sources.
The Internet has simplified access; now, individuals can reach out to American collectors or international stores anytime, and online shopping also accelerates the process of acquiring rare cards. However, because the market is not transparent and it's easy to commit fraud using anonymous profiles, newcomers should be careful. When collecting, rare rainbow series and limited edition 1/1 cards are especially valuable, and the rivalry among collectors makes them harder to acquire.
Currently, Tasnádi not only gathers, but also actively assists others in traversing this realm. He establishedthecollectorsbest.comso that new collectors can gain knowledge about the market. He also frequently participates in card exchanges, where he likes to interact with collectors and assist newcomers in navigating the scene. "When a parent brings their child, I try to shield them from being cheated right from the start. Unfortunately, there are people everywhere who exploit the lack of experience of newbies," he adds. When asked about the recent Budapest Card Show, he mentions that he views fairs as extremely significant: they offer a wonderful sense of community, and he never leaves such events without something unique, often receiving many cards as gifts from other collectors or fans.
Besides collecting, Tasnádi also emphasizes preservation. He purchases cards with the intention of safeguarding them so they end up in appropriate collections. He does not sell items from his personal collection, only from his exchange cards, but he manages these in a communal manner: if someone is genuinely seeking a card and cannot trade for it, they can buy it from him to enhance their own collection. The extensive collection is now challenging to document and cannot be sold as a whole, so Tasnádi intends to donate it to Vince Carter's foundation, the Embassy of Hope, in the future. "I wrote to them that if they ever established a museum for Carter, I would give them my entire collection. It's so large that there's no other way to properly honor it," he stated. Although he has not yet received a reply, he believes this would be the best outcome for the collection he has accumulated over more than two decades.
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