Sports Cards Emporium – This shop has been buying and selling sports cards in the Chicago area for over 30 years. They have a huge inventory of cards available for purchase and are also great at evaluating collections and providing cash offers. They are very knowledgeable about the card market and grading. Their extensive experience enables them to accurately assess the value of even older and rare cards. They have two locations, one in Skokie and one in Schaumburg, making it convenient for sellers from all over the city and suburbs.
Dave & Adam’s Card World – Located in the Loop, this shop is a good option if you want to sell cards downtown Chicago. They primarily deal in baseball, basketball, football and hockey cards. Like Sports Cards Emporium, they have decades of experience appraising collections. They look up sold prices of comparable cards to develop a fair cash offer. Selling to a brick and mortar shop provides instant money, though you likely won’t get top dollar compared to selling individually on eBay or through a consignment arrangement.
Card Collectors Universe – This multi-dealer card show has events throughout the Midwest, including regularly in the Chicago suburbs. For sellers, it’s a great opportunity to set up a tables and directly interact with dozens of serious collectors all in one location. By speaking to different buyers, you have a better chance of getting top dollar for your rarer or graded cards compared to a shop offer. There is more work involved in pricing, displaying and negotiating individual sales at a card show versus taking a lump sum offer from a store.
Kellen Sports Cards – Located in Buffalo Grove, this large outlet hosts card shows monthly that hundreds of attendees frequent. Like Card Collectors Universe shows, you can rent a table to sell directly. Their retail space is also a top destination for sellers interested in auctioning larger collections. Kellen deals in everything from older vintage cards to modern issues and memorabilia. Depending on the size and value of your collectio, consigning through an outlet like Kellen that hassuch a huge customer base could potentially net you more money in the long run versus selling to a local store.
r/SportsCardTracker – For sellers willing to do transactions remotely, this subreddit provides an alternative to local brick and mortar shops or card shows. By posting what you have available for sale, collectors from all over can view images and leave offers. Shipping cards securely is an extra step versus meeting in-person, but working with individual buyers through the subreddit allows you to negotiate the best deal for rarer finds compared to a one-time offer from a store. Payments are handled through secure third-party platforms like eBay to protect both buyers and sellers.
The top options for selling baseball cards in Chicago range from large local shops with decades of experience, to regular collector shows with hundreds of prospective buyers, to the option of listing cards for sale remotely through a dedicated subreddit. Factors like collection size, goal of getting top dollar versus a quick lump sum offer, and comfort level with in-person versus online transactions all play a role in deciding the best approach. With these reliable resources, sellers have several excellent choices for finding baseball cards new homes in Chicago.
