MORGANTOWN — Enjoying the same hobbies and activities as an adult as we did when we were children can be limited to a handful of things. One of those activities that may be often forgotten is collecting something.
We all did it.
No matter who you are, there was something you cherished years ago you couldn’t get enough of. We did it then and people still do it now.
For Morgantown native Jeff Carr, the business of trading sports cards has not only remained a prominent interest in his life, it has become his way of life.
With the recent opening of his new shop, Gameday Sports Cards in Star City, Carr found his way of doing what he loves for a living.
Take a second and think about what you were doing when you were 14 years old. Most of us were starting high school and thinking of what we wanted to do next or what club we wanted to join or what sport to try out for. For Carr, he was gearing up to attend his first in-person sports card show in which people would come and buy, trade and/or sell their sports cards or memorabilia.
“November of 1994 was when I attended my first event at the Morgantown Mall,” Carr recalled. “I remember every penny I earned, I would just go buy more and more stuff.”
The market for sports cards has always been relevant. Like anything that holds value, it changes over time. Sometimes, for the better and sometimes for the worse. No matter which direction the market for sports cards has gone over the years, they hold significant value. The most-expensive card ever sold to date was a T206 Honus Wagner baseball card.
The card itself was purchased at over $6 million. Wagner played 21 seasons from 1897-1917 with the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Again, when things hold value that changes over time, they tend to catch some momentum here and there. When COVID-19 began to spread around the world and people began to bunker themselves in, the card market absolutely exploded and the value of the entire market went up significantly, and Carr knew he had to take advantage.
“I was at home on eBay doing all of this already and my wife wanted me out of the basement,” Carr joked. “Once our last child started school and I wasn’t needed at home every day, I knew I wanted to open a shop since Morgantown hasn’t had one in a while.”
In fact, the boom was so significant that Carr traded one of his favorite items in his collection, his first 1986 Michael Jordan rookie card that he bought in 2000 for $125. Due to the increase in the card market and the value over time the card itself had gained, Carr was able to sell his beloved card for over $5,000 to a lucky customer.
Currently, Carr has been enjoying business so far at the new location at 404 Boyers Ave. in Star City. Gameday Sports Cards has been open for less than two months and already has an impressive selection of individual cards customers can come and sort through for trading or purchasing, and Jeff is always happy to hear any offers someone may have for him.
The store also carries cases, packs and boxes for purchase. On top of the cards, memorabilia is on display. Multiple signed pictures from former WVU athletes, cleats, jerseys, etc.
Gameday Sports Cards is open weekdays only from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. with a one-hour closing from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
By MICHAEL GRIFFITH
TWEET @dompostsports
