If you dont know about the playoff bump that a player can receive, you havent been around the hobby very long. Basically, playoff time is where there is literally tons of money to be made if a player can break out and have one of those memorable games. Not only is the bump significant, it is not limited to any of the four sports. I see a lot more of a bump for the NFL guys because there are fewer playoff games to perform well in, but this year’s San Francisco Giants are also a good example of how this phenomenon can cross the sport barriers.

Yesterday, the Seattle Seahawks were responsible for one of the biggest upsets in NFL playoff history. At more than a 14 point underdog, they beat up all over the defending champs, with guys like Mike Williams and Marshawn Lynch showing why Pete Carroll went out of his way to pick them up. At the end of the game, Lynch broke off one of the most impressive TD runs of the last decade, and as a result, has new life in this hobby that was previously unseen.

Prior to the game, Lynch’s cards were basically being given away. After washing out of Buffalo, mainly due to off field incidents and on the field production, Lynch’s cards hit the value floor quickly. Seattle basically gave up nothing to get him, and you can see the results of that trade and what it meant to the team last night. Lynch’s hobby values have since exploded, with SP Authentic patch autos almost tripling in price over night.

Before the game – SPA 4 color patch auto

After the game – SPA 4 color patch auto

Before the game – Exquisite 4 color patch auto

After the game – Exquisite 4 color patch auto

This is not something that is unexpected or surprising, and this is where many rip and flippers make their bread and butter. Guys like Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice and Ladanian Tomlinson could be the biggest beneficiaries of this type of bump, especially if their team goes far in the playoffs. Tomlinson already had 2 TDs last night, and his cards have seen a nice jump, especially the Tomlinson auto out of Topps Magic. Because he is in his Jets uniform, many collectors want to buy the latest and greatest that best represents the performance providing the bump itself.

Playoff time is always a great time to clean out your collection, as there is a LOOOOONG cold vacation coming for football card values during the offseason, and you dont want to have to wait until august to trim the fat at a reasonable price again.