The first step in selling your old baseball cards is to take inventory of what cards you have. Carefully go through your entire collection and sort the cards by year, team, player, and condition. Make notes of any valuable rookie cards, autographs, or especially rare cards you find. It’s important to properly identify each card so you know exactly what you’re selling.

Once you’ve taken complete inventory, it’s time to do some research to determine the value of your cards. The best way is to search for recently sold listings of identical or near identical cards on websites like eBay. Pay close attention to the grade or condition of the cards sold. The condition and grading of cards greatly impact their value. You should also check pricing guides from reputable companies like Beckett, PSA, or SGC to get a general sense of estimated values for your cards in different conditions.

With your research completed, you’ll want to make a decision on how you want to sell your cards. The three main options are selling individually, in lots, or your entire collection as one lot. Selling individually offers the potential for highest sale prices but requires more time and effort listing each card. Selling in lots groups similar cards together and is less work than individual listings but prices will be lower. Selling your whole collection at once is the least work but will likely yield the lowest total sale price.

If choosing to sell individually, carefully sort your best, most valuable cards that are worth at least $20 or more to sell that way. For less valuable cards under $20, group them into themed lots by player, team, or type of card. Try to have at least 10-15 cards per lot to make shipping and transaction fees worthwhile. Consider also creating lots of duplicates you have to increase sales. Photograph each individual card or lot you plan to sell from multiple angles against a plain background with good lighting. Be sure images are high quality and in focus to allow buyers a clear view.

Now it’s time to choose an online marketplace to sell your cards. The largest and most well-known is eBay, which offers the biggest potential buyer base but charges listing and transaction fees. Other popular options for card sellers include websites like Comc.com which cater specifically to trading cards and charge lower fees. You can also sell directly to local card shops but prices will likely be lower than selling online. Be sure to research fees and policies for any site you choose to understand all costs.

When writing item descriptions for listings, be thorough but concise. Include key details like the player, team, year, set/series, and Condition of each card using standard industry terms. Honestly describe any flaws. Add clear, high quality photos and watermark them to prevent theft. List a firm but fair starting price and choose an appropriate auction length or buy it now price if applicable. Consider offering combined shipping discounts for multiple card purchases.

Promote your listings across social media platforms and card collecting forums or groups to reach more buyers. Ask for help from fellow collectors to share your listings as well. Respond promptly to any questions from interested buyers. When sales occur, promptly ship cards in sturdy envelopes or boxes with plenty of padding using a trackable shipping method. Provide proof of shipment and communicate continuously through the transaction process. Offer returns within a specified window for any issues and work to resolve them amicably.

Part of your proceeds can be used to upgrade important cards to be professionally graded which substantially boosts values. Unload lesser cards first then focus on better sales of your prized possessions. With patience and diligence, you can potentially earn back hundreds or thousands selling your old baseball card collection this way. Just be sure to research markets and condition evaluate to maximize your collection’s full potential value.