RRD’s latest research uncovers what’s driving modern collector investments

Collectibles, trading cards, and memorabilia are transforming from hobbyist items into a serious asset class. While collectors increasingly state that their purchases are emotionally driven and rooted in nostalgia, they are simultaneously valuing their collections above personal assets like savings accounts or vehicles.

The challenge for brands is to successfully navigate both purchase drivers at once. This requires a mix of heritage-based marketing and design with asset-protecting product features like specialty finishes, premium packaging, and modern go-to-market strategies.

Recent research from RRD highlights how these shifts are influencing today’s collectors and industry decision-makers.

trading cards and collectibles

For brands looking to keep pace in a dynamic marketplace, here are five key takeaways:

  1. Prioritize asset protection to maintain collector trust
  2. Treat premium materials and specialized packaging as core product features
  3. Engage "kidult" consumers with nostalgic storytelling and heritage-based designs
  1. Modernize product strategy to win in a digital-physical, social-first market
  2. Consolidate fragmented vendor networks into end-to-end partnerships

Report Vitals

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WHAT WE DID
Surveyed 1,000 active collectors and 200 decision-makers in the collectibles, trading card, and memorabilia industry.

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WHY WE DID IT
To gauge collector preferences and motivations and understand how organizations plan to address current industry challenges and opportunities.

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WHEN WE DID IT

March–April 2026

1. Prioritize asset protection to maintain collector trust

Collectibles are evolving from hobbyist items into high-priority financial assets, and collectors are making significant lifestyle sacrifices to fund their acquisitions. Brands must treat these products as high-value items to maintain collector trust — prioritizing elevated security in the supply chain, strict chain-of-custody protocols, and secondary-market value protection through limited-edition strategies.

anime game card

Collectibles have evolved into substantial financial holdings

Collectors report their collection is worth:

31%

MORE THAN THEIR SAVINGS ACCOUNT

24%

MORE THAN THEIR VEHICLE

Collections hold significant personal value

Nearly 40% of collectors have prioritized a collectible purchase over paying traditional necessities like bills or house repairs

39% of collectors rank saving their collection as a "high" or "number one" priority after people and pets in a fire or emergency

Collections are actively managed assets

47% of collectors check the market value of their collections at least monthly

Securing a collectible product's physical integrity and secondary-market value is becoming a baseline for brand loyalty.

Expert take

headshot of Liz Leo

“The casual collector is giving way to the active investor. When a brand's products hold more value than, in some cases, a consumer's savings account, brands should provide fulfillment measures above and beyond standard operations. Establishing a secure supply chain and strict chain-of-custody protocols is essential to protecting a collectible item’s integrity. This, in turn, can secure a collector's trust.”

–Liz Leo,
Vice President, Business Development, RRD

2. Treat premium materials and specialized packaging as core product features

A collectible product’s physical qualities — and its packaging — are becoming a primary driver of purchasing decisions and, consequently, a core risk for brands. The majority of collectors report having rejected a purchase simply due to low-quality packaging. Brands, therefore, should treat packaging as a core product feature — and collaborate with vendors capable of providing high-grade card stock and premium finishes to meet the demands of professional grading standards.

foil baseball cards

Subpar packaging has become a dealbreaker for consumers

70% of collectors have declined a purchase specifically because the packaging felt "cheap" or low-quality

58% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products that use sustainable, plastic-free packaging

Brands are keeping pace with evolving manufacturing standards

51% of industry decision-makers are investing in higher-grade materials and card stock to meet the rigorous standards of professional grading services

97% have seen an increase in the use of premium finishes (foil, holographic, textures) over the last two years

Aesthetics and durability drive collector satisfaction

When asked to rank the top physical attributes that influence their overall satisfaction with a new memorabilia purchase, collectors most frequently included these factors in their top choices:

84%

ARTWORK QUALITY AND AESTHETIC APPEAL

77%

TEXTURE, FOIL, OR HOLOGRAPHIC EFFECTS

72%

DURABILITY AND RESISTANCE TO DAMAGE

Expert take

headshot of Lisa Pruett

“As packaging increasingly becomes a test of a collectible's authenticity and value, we’re even seeing a direct correlation between advanced manufacturing techniques and increased brand loyalty. Brands need to cater to collectors seeking a tactile experience of premium foils, textures, and durable, high-grade stock, for example, that can help guarantee their investments will stand the test of time.”

– Lisa Pruett,
President, Integrated Packaging, RRD

Develop a winning go-to-market strategy

RRD’s integrated solutions for the collectibles industry support everything from solution design and specialized finishes to stringent IP security and pack-out.

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3. Engage "kidult" consumers with nostalgic storytelling and heritage-based designs

Fueled by the rise of “kidult” consumers — adults buying for themselves, driven by deep-seated emotional connections and personal history — the market is shifting toward nostalgic, precision-crafted products. For kidult consumers, collectible purchase decisions are guided by personal connection and nostalgia rather than pure financial ROI. Effectively engaging this demographic will require brands to prioritize sentiment-driven marketing and legacy-based aesthetics.

collectible gaming cards

Kidult and nostalgia purchase drivers outpace financial influence

When reporting their top-ranked drivers for purchases, one-third of collectors ranked nostalgia as the primary impetus for purchase, outpacing potential ROI:

33%

NOSTALGIA

27%

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL

Impact on industry business decisions

When asked to what extent kidult trends and purchase drivers are influencing their 2026 business priorities:

47%

NEARLY HALF OF DECISION-MAKERS REPORT THAT THE TRENDS ARE HAVING A PRIMARY OR MAJOR INFLUENCE

89%

INDICATE THE TRENDS ARE HAVING A MODERATE OR GREATER INFLUENCE

Expert take

headshot of Chip West

"There’s an increasing shift in consumer behavior where nostalgia is a primary factor driving high-stakes financial commitments. For the modern collector, these items have evolved beyond a hobby into investment assets that demand a level of quality and authenticity reflective of their personal and financial value. The challenge for brands is to ensure that every physical touchpoint — from the artwork to the packaging — meets the rigorous desires of today’s collectors."

– Chip West,
Retail and Consumer Behavior Expert, RRD

4.Modernize product strategy to win in a digital-physical, social-first market

As digital-physical hybrid products increase in both popularity and prevalence, brands should deploy unified product strategies — ensuring a physical item and its digital extension deliver a cohesive, premium experience.

Additionally, social media and "live break" events are fundamentally changing how products are designed and marketed. Brands should implement a "camera-first" approach to packaging, prioritizing elements that appeal to viewers when presented on camera. However, brands should not abandon optimizing products for physical retail presence, as it remains a top discovery channel for active collectors.

man trading collectible gaming cards

Brands prioritize social-informed design

Over half (52%) of industry professionals report that up to 50% of their products are designed specifically for “live break” events, live streams, or social media.

Increased social spend is shifting marketing allocations

62% of organizations report allocating 10-25% of their marketing budget toward influencer and content creator partnerships.

The demand for digital-physical is growing

39% of industry experts project that digital-physical hybrids will see the highest category growth in the coming year.

Expert take

headshot of Chip West

“The collectibles unboxing experience is a publicly viewable source of entertainment. Decision-makers are designing products specifically for the camera, which means that product packaging is a media asset. Brands should provide a seamless thread from an engaging, visually appealing livestream experience to a digital hybrid experience — while also not deserting the physical retail shelf experience.”

– Chip West,
Retail and Consumer Behavior Expert, RRD

5.Consolidate fragmented vendor networks into end-to-end partnerships

Industry professionals are moving toward consolidated, single-source supply chain partnerships as a means of navigating rising material costs and quality concerns. Transitioning away from fragmented vendor partnerships can provide significant cost reductions and help ensure product quality and consistency remain uniform. These factors are becoming business-essential as consumers view their collectibles as serious financial assets.

boxes prepped for delivery

Rising costs and market uncertainty are among top industry challenges

Single-source vendors deliver critical benefits

Industry decision-makers most frequently reported the following top three benefits that an organization gains by moving away from a multi-vendor supply chain:

Industry decision-makers cite the following as their biggest supply chain and operational challenges:

Sustainable packaging leads to rising operational costs, but consumer demand can offset the increase

Consolidating operations under a single-source partner is the most effective way to protect profit margins, guarantee quality consistency, and secure the product's chain of custody.

Expert take

headshot of John Marrow

“When multiple vendors handle different stages of a collectible’s production, you introduce unnecessary risk, cost, and even points of failure. Brands consolidating into single-source partnerships with proven vendors can greatly reduce or eliminate these vulnerabilities. This ultimately secures the chain of custody — and ensures that quality remains consistent from the factory floor to the collector's hands.”

– John Marrow,
President, Supply Chain Solutions, RRD

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