💰 Flip Files: From an Old Buyback to a New Debut
One flip took more than a year. The other took just a few days. Both paid.
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This is not buying or investment advice. I’m simply reporting the data I’m seeing. Please do your own research and make your own decisions. Just because cards have increased in value up to this point, it doesn’t mean they will continue to do so.
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One thing to know: There is more than one way to make money flipping cards, and these two sales are a perfect illustration.
First, the big news of the night.
Osleivis Basabe hit another home run.
No, but seriously, of course it was George Lombard Jr.’s Big League debut, in the Bronx.
Even before his first at-bat, cards were moving quickly.
The only one I had left on hand was a Bowman 1st PSA 10 Paper Auto. I wasn’t planning on listing it before he stepped foot on the field, but when I checked the PSA offer value and the comps from the day, I thought otherwise.
And that was my mistake.
Well, that depends on how you look at it.
The card itself is one I remember buying well, because it was the focus of this article and video from March 2025 in which I’m talking about the difference between “auto” and “autograph” in eBay listings.
Long story short, I was able to land this Lombard for $133 shipped when the going rate was anywhere from $190 to $230 according to the comps around the same time. I attributed the bargain to the fact the listing said “autograph” instead of “auto,” but who really knows.
Anyway, at $130, I knew it was going to be a card I was going to stash for some time.
So fast-forward to last night when I saw the card was selling for around $400. I listed mine for $399.
After a quick offer of $350, I thought twice about it, knowing that if he had a big debut, I’d be leaving money on the table,
But before I could even decline the offer and adjust my pricing, it sold outright.
$200 profit, not bad! And all in all, you know my stance—take the sure profit and limit risk. There have been plenty of instances of correct timing where I’ve sold a card at the top, only to see the value plummet shortly after.
Well, we all know how the story goes from here. Lombard Jr. hits a home run, and suddenly it's a $650 card...give or take.
The lesson? Nobody has a crystal ball. You win some, you lose some, but it’s nice when the “loss” in this case is $200 profit.
So what do you do from here? I’m not going out and buying this card at $650 where I can find it. What I will do, though, is turn over every rock looking for “yesterday’s prices” on this card and other Lombards.
This online card shop tool could help. Checking lesser-known marketplaces is fun too.
So yes, flipping prospects upon their MLB debut is one way to flip cards.
Another? Heritage buybacks.
At this point, I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve flipped a Heritage Buyback for a nice profit. Last one I can remember was this Maris.
So, I’m always on alert, and I knew for a fact $14 shipped was a steal for this McCovey.
Got it in hand, listed for $74.99 and sold rather quickly for $70. Minus fees, it was a quick, painless, and relatively risk-free $40+ in profit.
Some flipping processes carry more risk, more reward, and a much longer runway. Others allow you to spend a few bucks, get a card in hand, and sell it almost immediately for a lot more.
