The hype surrounding his autographed cards and memorabilia in the early 1990s reshaped the sports memorabilia market ... Countless collectibles and antiques were turned to ash.

For many collectors, their passion is focused on the past. Whether it's sports memorabilia or stamps or vintage cars, collections often carry more than a whiff of nostalgia. But what about the future?

This year has been yet another fascinating one for the sports collectibles industry. By all accounts and available metrics, interest in trading cards remains strong, even after the market ...