Alright, so today I’m gonna talk about my little side hustle digging into the whole Aaron Rodgers card thing. It’s been a ride, let me tell ya.
It all kicked off a few weeks back. I was just scrolling through eBay, like I usually do when I’m bored, and I saw this Aaron Rodgers rookie card. Nothing too crazy, but it got me thinking, “Hey, maybe there’s something here.”
First thing I did? Research, baby! I hit up all the usual spots – PSA, Beckett, the whole nine yards. I wanted to get a feel for the market, see what kinda prices these things were pulling in, and, more importantly, what to look for in a real card versus some kinda fake.
- Grading is KEY: Seriously, don’t even bother unless it’s graded. PSA 10 is the holy grail, of course, but even an 8 or 9 can fetch a decent price.
- Know your sets: Topps, Upper Deck, Panini – they all have different values. Figure out which ones are the hot tickets.
- Condition, condition, condition: Centering, corners, edges, surface – it all matters. Get a magnifying glass and really look at the thing.
So, I armed myself with all this knowledge and started hunting. I spent hours combing through online auctions, local card shops, even those sketchy-looking flea markets. I probably looked like a total weirdo, but hey, gotta hustle, right?
I went through a lot of junk. Seriously, a LOT. Scratched cards, off-center prints, stuff that was clearly fake. I even ran into one guy trying to sell me a “rare misprint” that was just a badly damaged card. Live and learn, I guess.
Then, finally, I found one. A 2005 Topps Chrome Aaron Rodgers rookie card. Looked pretty clean, decent centering, and the seller had it graded by PSA as an 8. The price was a little high, but after some haggling (and a few beers), I managed to talk him down a bit.
I got the card in the mail a few days later. I was nervous, man. I mean, you never really know until you see it in person. But it was legit! The grade was accurate, the condition was good, and it looked even better than the pictures. I felt like I’d won the lottery.
Now, what to do with it? I could hold onto it, hoping the price goes up even more. Or I could flip it and make a quick buck. After weighing my options, I decided to put it back on eBay. I took some good pictures, wrote a killer description, and set a reserve price that I was comfortable with.
The auction went wild! People were bidding like crazy. I was glued to my computer, watching the price climb higher and higher. In the end, it sold for almost twice what I paid for it. Not gonna lie, I did a little happy dance.
So yeah, that’s my little Aaron Rodgers card story. It’s not exactly Wall Street, but it’s a fun way to make a few extra bucks. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll find that PSA 10 and retire early. A guy can dream, right?
My takeaways? Do your research, be patient, and don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right. And always, ALWAYS, get it graded!
