Does the fact that baseball cards are available at Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid signal that the hobby has come full circle, back to the days where you could stumble across a pack of cards pretty much anywhere, or is it more a sign of the times that we are forced to look high and low – and in unexpected places, and in non-traditional forms – in order to find something to rip?
We won’t be diving into that deeper question right now, but it’s something to think about! Today, instead, we are looking at cards available at Walgreens specifically, and how when cards can’t be found elsewhere, the W could provide some much-needed card-ripping therapy.
Does Walgreens Sell Baseball Cards?
Yes, Walgreens sells baseball cards, along with football, basketball, and non-sport cards like Pokémon. Baseball cards at Walgreens can typically be found in the toy aisle, and will usually be hanging just below the cased gaming cards.
October 2022 Update: This might differ from store to store, but the cards at my local Walgreens are now behind the front cashier counter. I can’t say how happy this makes me given for the longest time, cards have been in the toy aisle, only to be rummaged through without any supervision.
What Kind of Cards Does Walgreens Sell?
Walgreens usually carries two different types of packaged cards. One is the traditional hanger box (not to be confused with a blaster) which is basically a block of cards—usually between 50 and 75 cards give or take depending on the card brand and offering.
In addition, you can expect to find “repack” boxes, which are typically a mystery in terms of their contents. Usually, one can expect a few different packs of cards inside, with one pack being decently desirable and the others of lower quality.
Some repacks also come with one or a bundle of loose cards. Those packed as a mixed bundle will offer a wide-ranging assortment, and your guess is as good as mine as to what you might walk away with.
Read More: Sports Cards at Walmart
Those with the one single card will sometimes be packaged with that one single card perfectly visible in a clear window on the front of the package as a “teaser,” so you know for certain that you’ll get one card of “value.”
These window cards have ranged from base commons to nicer rookie cards. For instance, I’ve seen anything from a base Nomar Garciaparra to an older Walter Payton, Troy Aikman rookie, and others.
What’s the Best Value?
One of the cooler things about the cards you’ll find at Walgreens are the exclusive parallels (what is a parallel baseball card?). This means there are cards at Walgreens that you can only find at Walgreens.
Most notably, many Topps hangers – series one, series two, and update – will have Walgreens yellow parallels, which carry more value than their regular-issue counterparts.
For instance, take a look at what the following yellow rookies sell for compared to regular issues.
So yes, again, Walgreens sells cards! It’s pretty hit or miss in terms of finding hangers, but repacks seem to be widely-available. You might not find a ton of value if you can’t get your hands on any yellow exclusives, but fun nonetheless!
