Online Marketplaces – Websites like eBay and eBay’s sports card marketplace are great options for selling individual cards or full collections. With millions of active buyers on sites like eBay, you have a large potential audience to reach. EBay and other marketplaces do charge selling fees, usually around 10% of the final sale price. Another benefit is you can set your own prices and handle transactions remotely without meeting buyers in person. When listing on eBay, be sure to include clear, high-quality photos and accurate descriptions to maximize interest.
Specialized Sports Card Sites – There are a number of sites totally dedicated to sports cards like Sportlots.com, BlowoutCards.com, and CardboardConnection.com that cater specifically to buyers and sellers in this market. Sites like these often have very active communities of collectors who are regularly browsing listings. Since their focus is solely on cards, you can likely get cards in front of more serious collectors. Selling fees are often comparable to eBay at around 10%. Active bidding and “watchers” on listings can help maximize prices.
Sports Card Shops – The advantage of selling to local card shops is the ability to do transactions in person. You avoid fees completely but typically will get a lower price than selling individually since shops need to make a profit when reselling. This is a very convenient option for getting cash quickly if you want to liquidate a collection fast. Be sure to call ahead or check websites of card shops in your local area to make appointments and get competitive buy prices quotes to make sure you get a fair deal. Always get any offers in writing.
Sports Card Shows – Periodically throughout the year, larger sports card and memorabilia shows are hosted where dozens of dealers will have tables set up. These events are great opportunities to sell bigger collections and rarer cards potentially to dealers who are more specialized and can pay more. These shows often require dealer table fees which could eat into potential profits. It helps to do research on shows in your region, always look professional, and potentially bring inventory lists to show serious buyers. Patience may be needed to make big sales at shows.
Peer-to-Peer Sites – Sites like Twitter, Facebook groups, and Reddit communities centered around trading and selling cards allow you to connect directly with collectors. This can result in the highest potential prices since there is no middleman taking a cut. But you sacrifice visibility since the audience will generally be smaller than eBay and specialized sites. This requires much more active searching for buyers. Meeting in person also involves more risk than selling through an online marketplace. Overall sales may be slower on peer-to-peer sites.
Auction Houses – The biggest names in rare high-end card and memorabilia sales are auction houses like Heritage Auctions. Only the most valuable vintage cards, rare rookies, or complete sets would realistically be considered for auction. There will be costs to consign pieces, and only the most desirable items will garner interest from serious collectors willing to bid big money at auction. This is purely an option for truly valuable cards only. Extensive research into past auction prices is imperative before considering this route.
As a seller the priority should be reaching the largest possible audience of qualified buyers while minimizing selling fees and safety risks. Individually listing cards on eBay is a great general option that balances all those factors well. For bigger valuable collections and showcasing to serious collectors, attending regional card shows periodically can be highly worthwhile. Just be strategic and do full research on any option before diving in to maximize sales and profits. The key is understanding each marketplace’s pros and cons. With some trial and error, sellers can find the best fit based on what they have available to move cards efficiently.Here are some of the top options for where to sell baseball cards along with detailed information about each:
Online Marketplaces:
eBay – eBay is one of the largest marketplaces online to sell collectibles like baseball cards. With millions of users browsing every day, eBay provides great exposure to potentially find buyers. As the seller, you’ll need to take clear and high-quality photos of the cards, provide thorough descriptions of conditions, create an attention-grabbing listing title, and price your cards competitively. eBay takes a final value fee that is usually around 10% but can be a bit higher depending on the final sale price.
COMC (Cardboard Connection) – COMC is a marketplace specifically designed for trading cards. They charge a flat 19.9% selling fee which is a bit higher than eBay but they handle all of the photography, grading verification if the card is graded, storage, and shipping on your behalf. This removes a lot of work for the seller. They have hundreds of professional images on file to make listing cards very quick and easy. COMC also allows you to set auction or fixed prices.
Direct to Buyers on Social Media/forums: If you have valuable vintage cards or high-grade modern rookies, you may be able to find serious collectors and flippers directly on Facebook groups, Twitter, or trading card forums like Blowout Cards or Sports Card Forum. This allows you to negotiate prices and potentially avoid marketplace fees but requires more legwork to find interested buyers. Make sure to only deal with established traders/buyers with positive feedback.
Brick and Mortar Stores:
Local Card Shops – Search “baseball cards” in Google Maps near your location. Many independent card shops will buy collections outright or individual cards they need for their inventory. Local shops often don’t pay top-dollar prices and want to make a profit when reselling.
National Chains (Card Shop Live, Dave & Adam’s Card World etc.) – Larger national chains may pay better prices than a small independent shop as they have more buying power. Their offers still factor in their own margin when reselling. You’ll likely get better value selling online or through a local shop.
Comic Book/Retro Gaming Stores – Many stores that sell comics, retro games, and other collectibles will also buy/trade sports cards as a side business. They tend to pay lower percentages than dedicated card shops.
Online Auction Services:
PWCC (Professional Wax Company) – PWCC hosts high-end online auctions for valuable vintage and modern hobby boxes, single cards, and complete sets. Their target audience is serious collectors willing to spend thousands. As the seller you’ll need valuable inventory and they charge a 17.5% seller’s fee.
Heritage Auctions – Another auction house like PWCC that hosts both online and in-person events. They specialize in rare/valuable cards over $1000 but also have some standard cards sold in group lots. Same auction fee structure as PWCC.
Online marketplaces provide the most exposure and ability to compare recent sold prices. Consignment-style shops take work out of your hands but pay less. And auction houses are best for valuable vintage cards to maximize price from serious collectors. Be sure to research past sales, verify buyer/seller references, and never ship cards without tracking/insurance.
