Selling your baseball card collection can be a great way to make some extra cash, especially if you have some rare and valuable cards. Deciding where to sell your cards takes some research to get the best price and ensure a smooth transaction. Here are some of the top options for selling your baseball cards and getting top dollar for your collection.
Online Marketplaces – eBay is likely the largest and most well-known marketplace for buying and selling all kinds of collectibles, including sports cards. With millions of users worldwide, eBay gives you access to a huge potential buyer base. To sell on eBay, you’ll need to create listings, describe your cards thoroughly with photos, accept and manage offers. Fees are around 10% but this wide exposure could yield the highest sale prices. Another option is Amazon Marketplace which works very similarly.
Local Card Shops – Every city usually has at least one or two local collectibles or card shops that buy collections or sell cards individually over the counter. Stopping in personally has advantages – they can inspect cards closely and make you an offer on the spot. Shops need to turn a profit so their offers likely won’t be top dollar. You also miss out on online buyers. Call ahead or check websites to find reputable local options.
Online Card Sites – Sites like SportsCardForum.com, BlowoutCards.com and COMC.com are dedicated specifically to trading, buying and selling sports cards. You can set up a user account, upload photos and descriptions of your cards, and wait for interested buyers to make offers. No listing or transaction fees apply which is a plus. These sites have smaller user bases than eBay so it may take longer to sell everything.
Card Shows – Regional collectibles shows are events where hundreds of vendors come together to buy, sell and trade all sorts of collectibles, including cards. Admission is usually $3-10 and you can walk around with your cards and try to make face-to-face deals. You’ll need to research upcoming dates and locations which may not be convenient. Bringing and transporting your whole collection can also be a hassle.
Consignment Services – Companies like Memory Lane and PWCC offer card consignment services where you can send in your entire collection and they will handle photographing, describing, pricing and selling each item through their online storefronts and network of buyers. Their fees are substantial at 20-30% but this is a hands-free option that leverages their expertise and infrastructure. Just be sure to understand all terms upfront.
Grading Services – High value vintage cards in pristine condition could be worth professionally grading through the two major services, PSA and BGS. Receiving official numerical grades can significantly boost value but you’ll pay grading fees of $10-20+ per card. Only pursue this option for truly rare and valuable cards in top condition. Otherwise, raw cards sell just fine too.
Wherever you decide to sell, do your research, get estimates, inspect fees/terms carefully and only work with reputable parties you feel comfortable with. Take your time photographing and describing each card accurately too. With some effort, you can maximize the return on your baseball card collection. Selling privately also avoids any seller or transaction fees. Just be sure to only accept secure payment methods to avoid scams. Assess your options and go with the services that best suit your collection size, time frame and goals.
