How to start collecting NFL cards

Your first football card might feature a childhood hero or a rookie you’ve followed since draft night. Start collecting NFL cards by choosing a focus, setting a budget, and learning the differences between card versions.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to start collecting NFL cards, step by step.

What are NFL* trading cards?

NFL trading cards are physical collectible cards featuring football players, teams, and other key lore moments. A release, or “set,” contains an identified selection of cards, often alongside special designs, autographs, and memorabilia.

How does online NFL* card ripping work?

“Ripping” means opening packs. Some services livestream someone opening sealed products; others reveal an allocated physical card through an animation.

On OG.com Rips, each online NFL pack contains one physical card. The online card ripping happens on-screen and you can share it with friends on social media, while the card is held in a secure vault. Afterward, you can request delivery or accept a buyback offer.

Unlike a manufacturer’s sealed pack, this product allocates a card from its own pool. You cannot choose the player or team.

How to start collecting NFL* cards step-by-step

Decide what you want to collect

Give your collection a starting point: a favorite NFL team, one player, rookie cards, or designs you enjoy.

Buying individual cards, called “singles,” lets you choose exactly what you receive. Packs offer surprise, but may reveal cards outside your collecting focus.

Example of a football card collection. Source: supportcaringlic

1.Set a budget for your first football cards

Before opening packs, set a budget covering cards, shipping, applicable taxes, and protective supplies. On OG.com Rips, the six paid price tiers are:

Review the pack’s Odds page for probabilities and value ranges. A buyback offer can be lower than your purchase price.

2.Learn the card types before you buy

Here are the main general collectible card categories. These categories may overlap: a rookie card can also be an autographed parallel. Read the card’s certification wording.

4.Check the card’s identity, condition, and grade

Examine the match year, the player, year, manufacturer, set, card number, and parallel. 

For ungraded cards, inspect the front and back for damaged corners, scratches, creases, and uneven centering. Graded cards come in protective holders, often called slabs, with the grading company’s assessment.

PSA’s grading standards describe PSA 10 as Gem Mint: virtually perfect under its criteria. Grades don’t establish rarity or selling prices.

Use the grader’s certification lookup to compare the record with the card and label. PSA cautions that counterfeit labels can copy genuine certification numbers, so a valid number alone isn’t proof.

5.Protect and organize your collection

For cards delivered to you, use appropriately sized sleeves and rigid holders for ungraded cards, and keep graded cards in their slabs. Store your collection away from direct sunlight and damp conditions.

Record each card’s identity, cost, and certification number. Use your inventory to plan purchases around cards you want.

How to start ripping NFL* cards online with OG

1. Open Rips. Sign in on OG.com or the app and select Football. Access is for eligible U.S. users aged 18 or older.
2. Choose and review a pack. Check the tier price, Odds page, possible contents, and terms.
3. Complete payment. Follow the available checkout options, select your pack, and swipe to reveal.
4. Inspect your card. Review its identity, any displayed grade, and buyback offer, then choose Keep or Sell.

FAQs about collecting football cards and online ripping

How much money do you need to start collecting football cards?

There’s no fixed minimum for the hobby. OG’s paid packs start at $5, with shipping and applicable taxes extra.

What is a rookie football card?

A card recognized as a player’s rookie issue, often marked RC. Check the product checklist rather than relying only on a seller’s description.

What is the difference between an insert and a parallel?

An insert belongs to a themed series; a parallel is a different version of an existing card.

What does a number such as /99 mean on a football card?

It indicates 99 copies of that particular numbered version, not 99 total cards of the player.

What does PSA 10 mean on a football card?

It means PSA assessed the card as Gem Mint. The grade describes condition, not financial value.

Are all football patch cards game-worn?

No. Material may be player-worn outside competition. Check the certification statement for what the manufacturer actually confirms.

How much are football cards worth?

Compare recent sales of the same card, version, and grade. Card Ladder provides historical sales data; asking prices alone don’t establish value.

Do online football card packs contain real cards?

Each paid OG Rips pack contains one physical card. Check other products individually.

Can you choose the player or team you receive from an online pack?

Not on OG Rips. You choose the category and tier, then receive a card under that pack’s rules.

Can you have cards opened online shipped to your home?

Yes. Complete verification and request physical delivery of an eligible card to an eligible U.S. address within one day of the pull.

Can you sell a card instead of having it shipped?

Yes. On OG, accept the buyback offer during the decision window, which lasts one day. 

What happens if you do not choose shipping or a buyback?

After one day, OG.com automatically sells the card under the buyback terms. It is no longer available for shipping.

OG.com Rips is offered by OGMUS. subject to Terms and Conditions; 18+ only. OG.com Rips are not regulated by the CFTC. Images shown do not represent a typical result. OGMUS also provides access to third-party services, including CFTC-regulated products.

*NFL is a third-party brand; its owner is not a party to the sale of cards via OG.com Rips.