One of the most convenient options is to take your cards to a local card shop or comic book store to sell. These shops often buy and sell sports cards and will give you an offer on your collection. They aim to buy cards at a slight discount compared to their estimated market value so they can resell for a profit. Stopping by in person allows the shop owner to quickly assess the condition and value of your cards. Be prepared to negotiate a bit since they are looking to run a business but card shop buyers are reliable and convenient if one is located near you.
If there isn’t a dedicated card shop in your local area, you could check with larger retail stores that may have a buyer. Places like Walmart Supercenters and Targets sometimes have trading card sections where they sell packs and boxes. It’s worth asking the department manager if they ever buy individual cards from sellers. While their offers likely won’t be as good as a specialty store, the retail giants provide another reputable option.
Beyond local in-person sellers, there are also many online marketplaces where you can sell baseball and football cards to a wider network of buyers. Two of the largest and most trusted are eBay and Mercari. On eBay, you can list individual rare and valuable cards through an online auction format. For common cards or bulk collections, selling them in predetermined lot listings is a good approach. Just be sure to clearly describe conditions, include multiple photos, and price competitively based on recent “sold” listings of similar items. Mercari works in a similar way but charges less in transaction fees compared to eBay. Both platforms provide seller protections.
Another excellent online marketplace for used sports cards is COMC (Collectors Universe Marketplace). They specialize specifically in trading cards and have thousands of active buyers regularly looking through their site. With COMC, you send your cards to them for free grading and scanning into their digital inventory system. Then their in-house buyers and other marketplace users can make purchase offers on individual cards in your collection. This removes the hassle of shipping and haggling for you while still getting competitive market-based pricing for the collection as a whole. COMC has been in business for decades and is a very trustworthy company.
For unique, rare, or extremely valuable individual cards, you may want to consider using a professional sports card auction house like PWCC or Robert Edward Auctions. They can help you identify cards worth substantial money and market them to serious collectors and investors looking to spend larger amounts. Auction houses take larger commissions compared to the other selling options. They’re best suited if you have a true gem in your collection rather than common cards.
No matter which sales method you choose, do your research to get a sense of current market values. Check recent eBay “sold” listings and online price guides. Grade condition carefully and price accordingly – a small difference in grade can impact value significantly. Be as transparent as possible in descriptions too. With some homework and using a reliable platform, you should be able to get fair prices for your baseball and football card collection. I hope this overview provides you with enough information and options to start the selling process! Let me know if you have any other questions.