Ken Buffum, a dedicated educator with 19 years of teaching experience—all within Montgomery County Public Schools—has spent the last seven years at Damascus High School. Throughout his career, he has consistently sought innovative methods to engage his students. This year, he has creatively integrated Jayden Daniels’ rookie cards into his economics curriculum, using them as a dynamic tool to illustrate the principles of supply and demand. The trading card company Topps has recognized this engaging approach, highlighting the intersection of education and the enthusiasm surrounding collectible cards in a social media post.
Buffum rekindled his passion for sports cards during the surge of interest that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared with his students that earlier this summer, a Jayden Daniels rookie card was valued at approximately $300. However, following Daniels’ impressive start to the current season, the card’s worth has skyrocketed to an astonishing $2,000.
This dramatic increase in value serves as a practical illustration of fundamental economic principles: as demand for the card rises, so too does its supply value– a clear demonstration of basic Economics 101 concepts that he recently finished teaching to his class.
Out of his 58 economics students this year, Buffum noted that only three are female, a demographic imbalance that has sparked a noticeable increase in discussions surrounding football and fantasy football. This lively atmosphere has provided an ideal opportunity for Buffum to utilize Jayden Daniels’ rookie cards as a means to engage his students effectively. When asked whether he would choose to keep the rookie card or sell it, Buffum indicated that he would likely sell, as he finds it difficult to envision its value increasing much further—unless Daniels were to achieve a career trajectory similar to that of Tom Brady, which he believes is a possibility.
Buffum, an active participant in Facebook groups dedicated to trading card collecting, shared his insights with his fellow enthusiasts, stating, “I am a 19-year veteran and have been teaching at Damascus High School in Damascus, MD, for the last seven years. Economics can be a bit stale, so I try to incorporate relevant, real-life examples of concepts. In this case, I have many sports fans and Commanders supporters in class. As a result of Daniels’ performance, the demand for his cards has significantly increased. For this particular card, the supply remains perfectly inelastic at 199 cards. Consequently, due to this shifting demand, the value of the card has nearly quadrupled in the past four months.”
Topps, the renowned trading card company, took notice of Buffum’s post and shared it on social media, commenting, “Everyone has that teacher they never forget.”
