There are few things that help collectors show off their personality more than displaying their unique and rare trading cards. Bootleg cards, also commonly referred to as alt or alternative cards that by their very nature are usually quite scare and not mass produced. Following baseball, basketball and other sports cards, as well as TCG (Pokemon, etc.) cards, bootleg trading cards have grown into a niche, but significant market, thanks to their popularity among collectors who just “get it”.
Alternative and bootleg trading cards are a trend within the trading card community and pop culture collectors.
Alternative and bootleg trading cards are a niche within the trading card community. They’re also known as alt cards, and they’re not licensed by any organization, nor manufactured by the top companies – Topps, Panini, etc. Instead, bootleg cards are usually unlicensed, or created in parody by independent artists and/or designers.
Alt/bootleg/unlicensed cards can be found on Etsy and eBay under categories like “alternative” or “bootleg.” Often alt cards take design inspiration from iconic sports trading cards, but not always. Alt cards are often completely custom designed, breaking normal card design “rules” and pushing the limits of what can, or should, be put on a collectible piece of cardboard.
G.A.S. Series 1, cards 1 and 2 respectively.
When released in late 2021, these two cards turned a lot of collectors heads as cards that they’d never seen before but knew they needed. G.A.S. quite successfully geared their product toward tech and investment enthusiasts, crypto and NFT investors and other “Reddit Front Pagers”. It was a brilliant vision and they took the hobby by storm.
The trend of creating custom trading cards has blown up in 2021 and 2022 due to the rise of independent artists and the popularity of traditional sports card investing.
You probably know that the COVID pandemic of 2021 led to a huge increase in the amount of time people had to spend on hobbies. People had more time while quarantined, where they would spend time digging up their old trading cards and getting back into collecting. The collecting hobby boomed with lots of new collectors and people rediscovering card collecting for the first time in 20 or more years. This was an excellent opportunity for independent artists to get their work noticed by collectors of traditional sports cards, as well as people who were interested in alternative investments like Crypto or NFTs (novelty-based assets).
Many artists saw this new trend as an opportunity to get their work out there, and some found themselves working with other collectors on custom projects such as 1/1 art cards or limited edition printed manufactured cards. Since then, these types of collectibles have become more popular than ever before—especially among those who appreciate fine art and individual brands, but who have a propensity for collecting and enjoying niche pop-culture references.
There are several prominent independent companies and artists designing bootleg trading cards.
There are several prominent independent companies and artists designing alt and bootleg trading cards. Some of the most notable are:
The hobby is growing due to the passion of independent artists and collectors.
You may be wondering: why are people buying bootleg trading cards? What’s the appeal of these “fake” cards? Well, it all comes down to passion.
Collectors have started creating their own sets and series’ and selling them online. These collectors and artists often come from a background in traditional sports card collecting and want to expand their hobby into something more creative and personal. As a result, they’ve been drawing up their own designs for characters from movies and TV shows like Game of Thrones or Stranger Things, or other celebrities, as well as popular culture references, tech, business, world events and politics that can be collected by other fans who share their interests. Much of the hype revolves around people in their 30s and early 40s, who are nostalgic for their childhood interests and the pop culture icons from the 80s and 90s, especially.
Where can you buy bootleg cards?
There are many places to buy bootleg cards. The most obvious one is on eBay, but Instagram and other online platforms are where you’ll find a dedicated rabid community of sellers and collectors. Shopping sites like Etsy and other marketplaces are another option for buyers, who can find both official and non-official cards there.
Finally, social media platforms like Reddit and Discord can be great resources for finding new friends who may share your interest in the hobby or offer advice on how to get started with it. Both G.A.S. Trading Cards and Heavy Trading Cards have thriving Discord servers with communities of people who share the passion for these cards.
Alternative and bootleg trading cards crossed the line from novelty to niche, but now more people than ever want them.
Alternative trading cards have become a serious hobby for many people. Alt cards have become a way to express yourself – both as the artist and as the collector within a community. And they’re considered legitimate, albeit, risky, alternative investments. What makes a collectible valuable? The price someone will pay for it, that’s it. Any collectible – licensed, unlicensed, professionally produced, handmade – it doesn’t matter – can be valuable if there is demand for it. It’s as simple as that.
Many G.A.S. and Heavy cards have fetched big prices – hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars – on eBay and in independent sales. Many collectors are completionists who want at least one of every card created, or who seek out the super rare and limited versions of cards.
Bootlegs Are Not Fakes.
Alternative and bootleg trading cards are not counterfeit or “fake” cards. They are not trying to be something they are not. A counterfeit Michael Jordan rookie card would be a card created in order to be passed off as an original, essentially a scam. Bootleg cards are not trying to be anything other than what they are! They are original, unique, collectibles no different than any other trading card brand, other than they are not mainstream or produced by a mainstream company.
Often bootleg cards will obey copyright laws, rights to publicity and privacy, and other such matters – although sometimes not. When not, they are often created under parody, or under “fan art” labels. But again, they are original and unique, and they are not trying to be passed off as anything that they are not. People who collect bootleg cards are not doing so thinking they are collecting something other than what it actually is. It’s the bootleg and alternative aspect that appeal to these collectors.
It’s Not Going Away.
Alternative and bootleg novelties are not new. Toys, shoes, clothing, and just about any other kitchy, nostalgic, expressible collectible out there has an alternative or bootleg component to it. The trend of alternative and bootleg trading cards has taken the world by storm. People have gone from viewing these cards as novelties to highly sought-after items. This is good news for independent artists and collectors who are passionate about making their own designs or finding rare cards – it means there’s a huge number of people out there who share your interests! If you’d like some pointers on getting started, check out our introduction to alt card collecting and investing here.
