UFC trading card guide for beginners

Trading cards have always been extremely popular, with many sports enthusiasts having been able to enhance their passion for them in various ways. UFC fans have been able to experience what other fans have enjoyed for years, as Topps and Panini have released UFC-themed trading cards for numerous years.

Topps first held the license to produce and release UFC trading cards in 2010 and subsequently launched three types:

• Knockout (every year since 2010)

• Chrome (between 2017 and 2019)

• Museum (every year since 2016, excluding 2020)

Since then, Panini has been the official license holder of the cards and has launched packs known as ‘Debut’ and ‘Prizm’. Many of these cards will feature today’s athletes, with some of them potentially appearing on the bill for UFC this weekend, which may appeal to those who are looking to bet and wager on the fight card taking place.

The world of trading cards can be complex for beginners, as there are many different styles available that can be collected. This can make it confusing to someone just starting out, while it can also expand the passion that dedicated collectors may have as they may not have realized that they can get more out of the activity.

Among the types of cards to have been made available in the past include:

• Rookie cards - These are cards that are first-time releases for fighters in their careers and usually have a ‘RC’ denoting that it is one.

• Autograph cards - These are cards that have the athlete’s signature on them in some form. Those that are signed and not printed tend to be worth more in value.

• Limited edition cards - These are among the rarest of cards to be produced, as there are only a few available. This will usually be depicted with the serial number and a number. For instance, if there were only 300 cards, it may show 1/300, meaning it is the No. 1 card in the series of 300.

• Relics - These cards have a piece of memorabilia with them, such as a small part of a fighter’s gear or part of the mat from a special fight.

With various cards available, collectors can often look to try and specialize their collections and go for a certain type of card to make it better than most who simply try and get them all, regardless of how they may come.

Some will look to obtain as many autographed cards, whereas others may look for all of the limited edition releases in order to potentially maximize the value of their collection, and possibly sell them later on.

There are various methods that can be adopted, and it can often come down to what the collector wants to achieve. As mentioned, they may just be happy to obtain as many as they can and try and complete a set with no other motive in mind. Some may feel that they are investment opportunities and treat them with the ultimate level of care.

What you decide to do with them is up to you, but remember, it can be worth a pretty penny if you are able to look after them!