Do Uniforms Matter?
In the next few days, Juan Soto will sign a massive contract befitting his status as one of the game’s best players at only 25. It’s puzzling but he could be getting his fourth different uniform in his brief, but eventful, career. He also is a great excuse to think about the importance of uniforms on a card’s value/desirability.
Do Uniforms Matter?
Do jerseys matter for card value or sales? Anyone who has tried to sell a Juan Soto card in a Padres uniform knows the answer is that jerseys absolutely matter. The chorus of keyboard warriors voicing their displeasure any time a card with a player in a college uniform should also show that jerseys matter. Of course they matter, the bigger questions are when and how they matter.
When and How Do They Matter?
Collectors want players pictured in the uniform of the team they are most associated with. Figuring that out can be as hard as the HOF figuring out what hat a player should wear on their plaque. There are a few common uniform changes that have predictable collector responses that make things a bit easier on collectors.
Old Players Trying to Hold On
Older players who are bouncing between teams whilst trying to keep playing are the easiest to know to avoid. There are a few collectors that specialize in getting players in their latter-days unis, but they are a distinct minority and cards like Willie Mays in a Mets uniform are largely novelty items instead of cherished collectibles.
If Max Scherzer ends up on the Blue Jays, it is easy to predict there will be little buzz for his cards in his new uniform. These cards tend to spark fun internet conversations ten years after their release as in “boy I forgot Scott Rolen played for the Blue Jays.” They are fun, but not in demand at all.
Young Player New Digs
Young(ish) players moving in their primes to a larger market is another story. These are the breakout guys. Think Matt Olson as a recent example. This type of change normally sees the new uniform cards getting a bit more attention in the hobby than one might expect. There might be a run to pick up the first few cards of a player in their new jersey and inserts featuring the new jersey might get a bit more love than normal. The key here is a player that is perceived as undervalued or young and moving to greener pastures.
Prime Players
Older players swapping generally means low interest and young undervalued players swapping drives interest. What about players like Soto, Griffey Jr., or Freeman who moved/are moving in the primes of their careers but have already established themselves as stars on popular teams? This is the group it is hardest to figure out.
Until October, one was much better off trying to sell Freddie Freeman cards picturing him in a Braves uniform. Freeman in a Dodgers uniform wasn’t quite as hard to move as a Soto Padres card, but one could pick up case hits of him in a Dodger uni for under $20. It took a record-setting World Series performance for Freeman’s Dodgers cards to rival (and possibly surpass) his Braves cards.
Griffey’s Reds cards were instantly hobby gold as soon as he signed with Cincinnati. His 2000 Finest card was a hot commodity upon release and each new Reds card caused a buzz for a while. His change was a bit of a perfect storm with his old fans being supportive of the move with his childhood history with the team due to his father. Soto won’t have any such story to protect him from the ire of Yankees fans if he bolts.
So, what about Soto? If Soto stays with the Yankees, his cards picturing him in the Yankees pinstripes will become cemented as must-have cards. If he bolts for the Red Sox, his Yankees cards might become as hard to move as his Padres offerings. I think he’ll follow more of the Freeman path and his new cards will have some buzz, but it won’t last without stellar performance for the new team solidifying his association with them.
Eh.
Wait. Hold on. Sports cards are all about the rookies. Who really cares what jersey Soto has on in 2025 products when it is his 2018 cards that matter? Soto’s most sought-after cards will always be his rookie cards so there is a lot of truth to the idea that what jersey he wears in 2025 doesn’t matter much in the hobby.
Still, the hobby is dominated by rookie cards, but the unimportance of veteran cards is grossly overstated. Collectors do buy a lot of veteran cards, especially of stars like Soto. It’s clear his Nationals rookie cards will always be key cards for him, but I think regardless of whatever team he signs his cards in his next uniform that will be most associated with Soto in ten years and that matters in the hobby.