Selling your old baseball card collection can be a great way to make some extra cash, especially if you have some valuable vintage or rare cards. With so many options available online and off, it can be difficult to determine the best outlets and get top dollar for your cards. This article will explore some of the top places collector baseball card collectors can choose to sell their cards to get the most money.
Online Marketplaces – Sites like eBay and Sportscardforum.com are two of the largest and most popular online marketplaces for collectors to buy and sell sports cards. eBay is advantageous because it has such a huge audience of collectors browsing daily which can drive up bids and prices. EBay and Paypal also take around 10% of the final sale price in fees. Still, the sheer reach and traffic on eBay makes it worthwhile for items that may be harder to sell locally. SportsCardForum is specifically geared towards collectors and has a simpler fee structure, but a smaller user base. The upside is you set the price and don’t need to deal with bidding drama.
Card Shops – Local hobby shops that specialize in sports cards are a good option for sellers who want an immediate cash payout and to avoid fees. Most shops will look up recently sold eBay listings to determine a fair market price to offer. While you may not get top dollar this way, it’s simpler and guaranteed money in-hand versus waiting for an online sale. Be sure to shop around as prices offered can vary significantly between shops. The larger, more established shops in major cities tend to offer the highest values.
Card Shows – Periodically in most metropolitan areas, large conventions are held where hundreds of dealers gather to buy, sell, and trade thousands of cards. At these shows, sellers can set up their own table to directly deal with buyers or take cards around from dealer to dealer to get on-the-spot offers. Competition is higher which generally means better prices than a local card shop. You’ll need to invest in a table/booth rental and it’s much more time-consuming than the other options listed here. Card shows are more ideal if you have a larger inventory to move.
Consignment Shops – Less common these days but still an option are shops that take cards on consignment. Here, sellers leave their items in the store and the shop displays and markets them with the goal of making a sale. If and when something is purchased, you’ll be paid a percentage (usually 50-70%) of the final sale price while they keep the rest as their cut for brokering the deal. This spreads the risk compared to direct sales since the shop absorbs the cost if things don’t sell but you also give up a chunk of potential earnings.
Online Specialty Sites – In addition to the larger marketplaces, several niche websites exist specifically catered to buying and selling sports cards. Sites like BlowoutCards.com, COMCDirect.com, and Sportlots.com are all top options that attract collectors serious about building their collections or cashing out. These sites are smaller than eBay in terms of users but still see millions in card sales each year. Prices aren’t always highest here but you’ll avoid marketplace fees and have a better chance of attracting a collector searching specifically for your cards.
Graded Card Dealers – Consignment-style selling to major grading companies like PSA, BGS, or SGC can work well if you own cards already professionally protected in slabs. Send your cards to them with a specified reserve price and if that amount is met, they’ll arrange the sale and you’ll receive a percentage (usually 60-70%) less their brokering fees. The upside is top graded cards command the highest prices from enthusiast collectors. Downside is you don’t immediately get paid and they handle all sales/pricing decisions.
Direct to Collector – For your most prized collectibles or vintage cards in pristine condition, listing them individually with set reserves through platforms like Facebook groups can be optimal. Connect directly with enthusiasts hunting specific items and transact privately. You don’t pay platform/dealer fees but have to market and negotiate sales yourself. Works best if you have true “gems” versus a full collection to liquidate. Having knowledge of current market values is important to get the most from motivated buyers.
Auction Houses – As a last resort, very high-end collectibles with estimates above $1,000 could be auctioned online through major auction sites like Heritage Auctions, Robert Edward Auctions, or Lelands. You’ll need to consign items months in advance and could owe 15-20% of the final hammer price in fees/commissions. Competitive bidding environments can potentially realize top dollar returns on your rarest possessions compared to individuals sales. Auctions are most viable for truly investment-grade vintage cards in pristine condition.
Selling sports cards requires weighing factors like immediacy, fees, effort required, and potential maximum earnings. While online marketplaces provide the widest net, you’ll keep the most money going direct or at shows/shops. Grading companies are best for already slabbed premium items. Choosing the right platform depends on your specific needs and the relative quality/demand around your available inventory. With some research, collectors can select the most profitable outlet to cash in their collections.
