Collecting 101 – Card Company Mergers, Acquisitions, Licensing – Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the hobby, a new fish in the pond or a returning collector from the past, you may have wondered about some of the companies you’ve heard about on message boards, chat rooms, live streams or social media.
While companies such as Panini, Topps and Upper Deck are alive and well, albeit with their own unique stories, the hobby has seen its fair share of manufacturers that have come and gone. Some were around for just a couple short years, while others had long, illustrious histories that ran for decades.
For many of these companies, their tenures in the hobby haven’t fully ended. Instead, they were purchased by competitors or merged to form all-new companies. More interesting still, is the seemingly constant shuffling of brand licensing rights and the companies that control them.
Regardless of one’s experience level and/or tenure in the hobby, the factoids detailed below will undoubtedly be entertaining. Over time, we’ll share more detailed looks at these individual companies, both past and present. For now, however, here’s a visual timeline of the sports card industry’s wild ride through the years.
Collecting 101 – Card Company Mergers, Acquisitions, Licensing
- Reflecting on the National: #TheHobby is Thriving . . . and it Always Will Be - August 10, 2023
- Collecting 101 – Card Company Mergers, Acquisitions, Licensing - October 10, 2022
- Breaking Barriers: Top Female Athletes Cashing In - January 17, 2022