First-of-its-kind 'Collectors Camp' convenes
trading card enthusiasts to level up their
collections
Inaugural events take place during NBA Draft
week with Brooklyn Nets' Mikal
Bridges and local eBay seller Piece of the
Game
SAN
JOSE, Calif., June 20,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, eBay announces
'Collectors Camp' – a series of intense training events for card
enthusiasts who want to build world-class collections. Kicking off
in Brooklyn, participants will
receive premier training from an industry expert – providing the
insights, tools and strategy to move from a casual weekend hobbyist
to a more serious collector, investor or even professional
seller.
eBay seller David Prince from
Piece of the Game and NBA star Mikal
Bridges will team up to help attendees hone their skills
through a series of drills – and coach campers on how to achieve
their individual collecting goals.
With 28 years of expertise and leadership in the category, eBay
is one of the world's top destinations for collectibles. The
marketplace recently introduced cutting-edge tools for hobby shop
owners and enthusiasts, making collecting more advanced than ever
before. Collectors Camp will demonstrate how these innovations –
like the eBay vault, Authenticity Guarantee, Price Guide and
Collection – enable smarter buying, selling and trading
decisions.
"I started collecting as a kid with my first Tracy McGrady card, and over time a childhood
hobby led to a serious portfolio," said Mikal Bridges, NBA star. "Now my collecting game
has become almost as intense as my NBA game. I've invested a ton of
time searching for and scoring the best cards, and I know I can
share my talents to help other people take things to the next
level."
Following the Brooklyn event,
Collectors Camp will head to Seattle, just in time for MLB All-Star
Week.
"As sports fans catch the collector's bug, it can take many
years to acquire the skills needed to formulate a valuable
collection, but we have an engaged and excited community, and the
tools and services to help," said Gene
Cook, VP of Collectibles at eBay. "We see surges in interest
for collectibles timed to major sports moments, like the NBA
Draft and MLB All-Star Game, since collectors are always on the
hunt for the next Jordan or Jeter. eBay created Collectors Camp to
fuel this passion, giving enthusiasts the opportunity to connect
with each other and the athletes they admire."
Shop eBay Collectibles in Brooklyn
Participants
will have access to rare basketball merchandise from the game's
greats and up-and-coming stars, including: game-worn Michael Jordan sneakers, signed jerseys from
Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen, autographed basketballs from
number-one draft picks Cade
Cunningham and Anthony
Edwards – plus coveted trading cards like the Kobe Bryant
2009-10 Panini Studio Platinum Proof 1/1 PSA 10 Autograph.
For those not in Brooklyn, a
curated merchandise collection will be made shoppable at
https://www.ebay.com/collectorscamp beginning June 21.
Collectors Camp Event Details:
The first event will take place at The Post Bushwick (53
Knickerbocker Ave, Brooklyn, NY),
June 21-22 from 3-7pm ET.
- Participate in skill and knowledge-based drills to up-level
your sports collections, inspired by classic sports camps and
powered by eBay's suite of collecting tools.
- Tune into eBay Live on Wednesday, June
21, at 8:30pm ET with
Mikal Bridges and local eBay seller
Piece of the Game to bid on legendary sports trading cards and
memorabilia.
- The event is first come, first served; entry may be limited.
All participants will receive an eBay gift card and limited-edition
eBay swag.
eBay Collectibles by the Numbers
- Collectibles (which includes trading cards, toys, art, sports
memorabilia, coins, and bullion) continues to be the one of the top
categories at eBay.
- eBay has 1.8 billion active listings from 133 million active
buyers in 190 global markets.
- eBay has 16M enthusiast buyers,
who spend approximately $3,000
annually.
- On eBay, 'NBA' was searched over 8,000 times per hour globally
in 2022.
- Basketball legends Michael
Jordan and LeBron James were
searched over 3,000 times and 1,400 times respectively per hour
globally on eBay in 2022
- Four of the top five trading card sales on eBay to-date have
been sports-related and two of these were basketball cards:
-
- Tom Brady 2000 Contenders Rookie
Championship Auto BGS 8.5 - $2,300,000 (2022)
- 1948 Bowman Basketball #69 George Mikan Lakers Rookie Card
PSA 9 MINT - $800,000 (2022)
- 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Auto #144 PSA 10
Gem MINT - $555,988 (2021)
- 1993 Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Auto PSA 10 Gem MINT
- $511,100 (2021)
- 1996 Topps Refractor Kobe Bryant Rookie Card #138 PSA 10
Gem MINT - $500,000 (2021)
Mikal Bridges & NBA Draft
top picks on eBay
- After his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, searches for collectibles
with "Mikal Bridges autograph"
increased by more than 900% on eBay in the US and Canada comparing March
2023 to January 2023, when he
was on the Phoenix Suns roster.
- In March, when Mikal Bridges set
the record for the second-highest single-month total points in
Brooklyn Nets franchise history, the number of Mikal Bridges collectibles sold on eBay in the
US and Canada increased by more
than 350%, while the number of 'Mikal Bridges rookie cards' sold
increased by approximately 475%, compared to January 2023, before he was traded to the
Nets.
- After the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft lottery and the
right to the No. 1 overall pick, searches for "Victor Wembanyama"
collectibles increased by more than 460% on eBay in the US and
Canada, comparing January to
May 2023.
- Searches for "Jarace Walker" collectibles increased by more
than 1470%, searches for "Anthony
Black" collectibles increased by more than 615%, and
searches for "Brandon Miller"
collectibles increased by nearly 660% on eBay in the US and
Canada comparing January to
May 2023.
About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global
commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to
create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers
millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the
world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive.
Founded in 1995 in San Jose,
California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most
vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique
selection. In 2022, eBay enabled nearly $74
billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information
about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit
www.ebayinc.com.
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SOURCE eBay Inc.