Tag Archives: owner

BASEBALL CARDS FOR SALE BY OWNER

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Selling baseball cards by owner can be a great way for collectors to earn some extra cash or find new homes for cards they no longer want in their collection. With the rise of online marketplaces, it’s never been easier for individuals to peddle their baseball card collections directly to interested buyers. Whether you have a few dozen common cards or a valuable collection worth thousands, here are some tips for selling baseball cards by owner.

Getting Started

The first step is to inventory your collection. Carefully go through each card and record important details like the player name, year, team, and condition. Take clear, well-lit photos of the front and back of each card so potential buyers can assess the condition. You’ll want to note any flaws, bends, soft corners or edges. Grade the condition on a scale of Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, Near Mint, or Mint using industry standards. Accurately representing the condition is key to making a fair sale.

Once inventoried, decide if you want to sell cards individually or in lots. Selling common duplicate cards in inexpensive lots can help move bulk inventory, while valuable vintage or rookie cards may garner higher prices individually. Consider grouping cards by player, team, or year to make attractive themed lots. You’ll also need to establish fair asking prices by researching recently sold eBay listings, Beckett values, or PSA/BGS population reports for rare cards.

Listing Your Cards

There are a few main options for listing baseball cards for sale by owner:

Classified Ads: Sites like Craigslist let you post free local classified listings with photos. This is best for moving common cards quickly at yard sale prices.

Sports Card Forums/Facebook Groups: Many online communities allow members to post classified sale threads. This taps into an engaged collector audience.

eBay: The biggest sports card marketplace gives your listings broad exposure but charges insertion and final value fees. Take clear photos and describe condition thoroughly.

Consignment Shops: Some local card shops will sell your cards on commission, leveraging their retail traffic. But they’ll take a cut of profits.

When listing, be upfront about all condition issues, prices being firm or negotiable, and your preferred payment methods (PayPal, check, etc.). Provide your contact info and promptly respond to all buyer inquiries. Clearly state any shipping policies and costs as well.

Selling At Shows

Another owner-direct sale option is setting up at local card shows and conventions. This lets collectors inspect cards in-person before buying. Come prepared with a well-organized display, magnifying glass for close-ups, and a mobile card payment device. Pricing should be competitive to entice impulse buyers. Shows also let you network, make offers on other collections, and stay plugged into your local market. Just beware of table rental and vendor fees.

Negotiating and Finalizing Sales

When negotiating with buyers, stay polite and remember there’s room for compromise. Willingness to negotiate often leads to quicker deals. But don’t get lowballed on your best cards – know when to walk away. If selling online, only ship once payment fully clears to avoid disputes. Properly package cards between stiff cardboard or in toploaders within a bubble mailer. Consider requiring signature on delivery of high-dollar items. Provide proof of shipment for your records as well.

With the right presentation and pricing strategy, collectors can find good homes for their duplicate cards and make a nice profit directly from owners. Just be sure to represent cards accurately, communicate promptly, and facilitate smooth transactions to keep buyers happy and build a positive reputation within the hobby. With some effort, selling baseball cards by owner can be a rewarding experience for any collector looking to downsize or fund new acquisitions.

GOTBASEBALLCARDS BY OWNER

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GotBaseballCards was created in 1999 by Jeff Berlin, an avid baseball fan and collector from Las Vegas, Nevada. Even as a young child, Jeff was fascinated by baseball cards and would spend hours organizing and trading them with his friends and neighborhood kids. He quickly amassed a huge collection and developed a keen eye for what makes certain cards more valuable than others.

In high school and college, Jeff supplemented his income by buying large collections of cards from local garage sales and flea markets, then carefully sorting through them to pull out the best, most in-demand rookie cards, stars, and vintage pieces. He would then resell these prized cards to other collectors at card shows and shops for a profit. Through this process, Jeff learned the ins and outs of the baseball card resale market.

After graduating from university with a degree in business administration in the late 1990s, Jeff started toying with the idea of launching an online baseball card marketplace. At the time, eBay was just starting to take off and some basic baseball card selling sites existed, but Jeff saw room for more specialized offerings tailored directly to collectors. In early 1999, he used his life savings and a small business loan to get GotBaseballCards up and running.

The initial site was very basic, simply allowing users to list cards for sale through text descriptions and low-resolution images. But it provided one of the first dedicated online homes for baseball card traders and sellers. Word spread quickly in the collecting community and within just a few months, GotBaseballCards was gaining hundreds of new listings and bringing in decent ad revenue.

Jeff poured all profits back into improving the site. He upgraded to allow higher quality photos and more descriptive listings. Advanced search functions were added so users could find specific players, years, sets and more. The feedback section was overhauled to integrate a robust user reputation and review system. Shipping and payment processes were optimized based on user suggestions.

By the early 2000s, GotBaseballCards had become the premiere online marketplace for collectors. Jeff handled all site operations himself out of a spare bedroom office in his Las Vegas home. But traffic and sales were booming to the point where he needed to bring on his first employee to assist with customer support. As a passionate baseball fan, Jeff enjoyed interacting with the collecting community and hearing their feedback.

As the baseball card market grew in the 2000s, driven in part by popular TV shows like Entourage and The Big Bang Theory glamorizing collecting as an investment, GotBaseballCards scaled up substantially. Jeff managed to secure six-figure investments that allowed him to build out professional server infrastructure and develop robust mobile apps. Dozens of employees were added to help moderate the growing community and facilitate thousands of monthly transactions.

GotBaseballCards emerged as a one-stop-shop for all things baseball cards. In addition to housing the largest marketplace, the site provided regular blogs, podcasts, price guides and news updates. Exclusive interviews were conducted with players, executives and industry insiders. Beginner information centers explained the appeal, different eras, and investing potential of the hobby. Special clubs and forums encouraged connection and education for collectors at all levels.

Advanced authentication services were introduced to fight the increasing problem of counterfeit cards slipping into the market. Card grading partnerships with industry-leaders like PSA, BGS and SGC made slabbed and certified collectibles a big focus. Exclusive digital membership benefits like early sale access, special offers and card shows further enhanced the customer value proposition.

By the late 2010s, GotBaseballCards was a multi-million dollar operation hosting hundreds of thousands of active users. Behind-the-scenes, Jeff had expanded into a large office building and grown the staff to over 50 full-time employees. As baseball card values surged to new heights, his site anchored record weekly sales volumes and became the sport’s recognized information authority.

While lucrative, the ever-expanding responsibilities pulled Jeff further from his startup scrappy roots. In 2019, he made the difficult choice to sell controlling interest in GotBaseballCards to a group of private equity investors. As part of the deal, Jeff retained a minority stake and transitioned to more of an advisory role with strategic input on product roadmaps and community initiatives.

Nearly 25 years after launching from his home office, GotBaseballCards continues to be run by the new ownership as one of the most trusted and heavily trafficked destinations online for serious baseball card collectors, investors and casual fans. Jeff looks back fondly on pioneering the digital collecting revolution and is proud that his passions helped nourish such a vibrant community hobby. While no longer overseeing daily operations, his fingerprints still mark GotBaseballCards as the gold standard bearer it grew to become.

CRAIGSLIST BASEBALL CARDS FOR SALE BY OWNER

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Selling baseball cards on Craigslist can be a great way for collectors to sell cards from their personal collection directly to other fans and avoid the fees associated with auction sites like eBay. Whether you have common cards, rare vintage cards, complete sets, or a whole collection to sell, posting them on Craigslist gives buyers a convenient local option to find unique baseball memorabilia. Selling cards this way also comes with some risks and responsibilities as the seller. In this article, we will cover tips for photographers your cards, drafting a clear and detailed ad, safety precautions when meeting buyers, and more to help you have a successful experience selling baseball cards by owner on Craigslist.

The first step is to gather all the cards you want to sell and photograph them. Take multiple high-quality pictures of each individual card or lot from different angles so buyers can clearly see the condition and any identifying markings. Make sure the photos are well-lit without glare so card details are visible. You may want to invest in a light box or use natural light near a window. Take the time to label each photo file with the card name, year, and set/player information so buyers can easily understand what they are looking at. You can then include these photos in your Craigslist post or share a link to the full photo album online. Well-lit, clearly labeled photos will attract more interested buyers than blurry or unidentified shots.

When drafting your Craigslist post, be as detailed as possible in the title and description. The title should concisely summarize what you are selling, such as “Vintage Baseball Card Lot from the 1950s/60s” or “Complete 2009 Topps Baseball Set.” In the description, list out specifics on the exact cards, years, sets, and quantities. Note the overall condition of the cards on a scale from mint to poor. Mention the minimum you will accept for the entire lot or if you are willing to break it up and sell individual cards/sets separately. State whether local pickup is required or if you will consider shipping. Provide your name and the best ways for buyers to contact you, such as phone number, email, or messaging on Craigslist. The more information provided upfront, the more seriously buyers will take your listing.

It’s important to consider safety when meeting with potential buyers in person. Choose a well-lit, public location like a coffee shop parking lot during daylight hours. Avoid giving out your home address or having strangers come to your house. Let family or friends know details of the meeting in case any issues arise. You may want to bring a friend along for an extra set of eyes and protection. Only accept cash as payment to avoid issues with payment disputes later. Be cautious of red flags like buyers wanting to test cards away from the meeting spot or pay via PayPal/Venmo instead of cash in hand. Trust your instincts and end the interaction politely if anything seems suspicious. Taking basic precautions helps protect both buyers and sellers during in-person Craigslist transactions.

When pricing your baseball cards for sale, research recently sold comps on eBay to get a sense of current market values for similar condition cards from the same sets and years. Keep in mind Craigslist buyers may expect lower prices than auction sites since there are no fees involved. Aim to price 10-20% below recent eBay sold prices to attract interest. You can always negotiate if multiple buyers express interest. For large, mixed collections, consider pricing by the pound or lot to make it easier for buyers rather than pricing each individual card. Just be upfront that more valuable rare cards have not been identified. The goal is to find a fair price agreeable to both you and the buyer.

After publishing your Craigslist ad, be prompt about responding to any interested buyers who contact you. Provide additional photos or information they request in a timely manner to keep them engaged. Be flexible when setting up meetings within reason based on your schedule. Following up with buyers who don’t show up or stop responding also helps avoid wasting your time. You can relist unsold cards periodically to catch new potential buyers. Once a sale is made, be sure to meet safely and only accept cash as agreed. Provide a brief description of the transaction for your records in case any issues arise later. Overall communicating clearly and professionally throughout the sales process will lead to positive experiences.

While selling baseball cards by owner on Craigslist does require more work than consignment sites, it also allows you to avoid fees and connect directly with other collectors in your local community. With well-lit photos, detailed listings, agreed safety precautions, competitive pricing research, and prompt communication, you have a good chance at finding baseball cards a new home and making a few extra dollars from your personal collection. Just remember to take the necessary steps to protect both yourself and buyers during the process. Following these best practices can help you safely and successfully sell cards on Craigslist.

TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS OWNER

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Topps baseball cards have long been one of the most iconic brands in the sports card industry. What started as a small Brooklyn-based trading card company in 1938 has grown into a global entertainment and confectionery powerhouse. The ownership and leadership of Topps has changed many times throughout its storied history.

Topps Chewing Gum Inc. was founded by brothers Israel and Lazarus “Larry” Shorin in 1938. They started by manufacturing and distributing trading cards as an incentive to sell their bubble gum product. Topps released its first major baseball card set in 1951 and quickly became the dominant force in the baseball card market. The Shorin family owned and led Topps throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s as the baseball card business boomed.

In 1964, Topps was taken public and ownership shifted. Brothers Joseph and William “Bill” Sedacca acquired a major stake in Topps stock and installed Joseph as CEO. Joseph led Topps for over 25 years through the 1960s, 70s and early 80s age of consumerism and growth. Topps expanded heavily under Joseph’s leadership, securing exclusive licenses with Major League Baseball, the NFL, NHL and other sports leagues. It also diversified beyond cards into other confectioneries like Ring Pop candies.

Family owned Simmons Outdoor Corp acquired Topps in 1988 in a deal led by Simmons CEO Michael Eisner. Just 3 years later in 1991, an investment group led by Michael Ovitz and Robert E. Wagner acquired Topps in a leveraged buyout. They took the publicly traded company private again. This marked the end of Topps being family owned after over 50 years under the Shorin and Sedacca families.

Under Ovitz and Wagner’s leadership in the 1990s, Topps focused heavily on expanding its entertainment properties rather than solely trading cards. It acquired a number of animation studios and launched film production. Massive debt from the buyout hindered Topps’ growth. In 1998, the PE firm Madison Dearborn Partners acquired a controlling stake in Topps and installed new leadership to turn the business around.

Madison Dearborn owned Topps for 14 years, through the 2000s. Under their ownership, Topps embraced digital platforms early on. They launched e-commerce sites and one of the first online virtual baseball card trading games. Topps also acquired major competitors like Bowman and Bazooka bubble gum to consolidate the market. By 2007, Topps had paid down its debt and generated strong profits annually from sports and entertainment licensing.

In 2008, former Disney executive Michael E. Dills was appointed Topps CEO. He aimed to further improve Topps’ financial position before an eventual sale. In 2007 and 2008, Topps made key acquisitions of industry leaders Candyfist and Upper Deck Authenticated to expand in Europe and memorabilia. Then in October 2007, The Tornante Company, founded by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, acquired Topps from Madison Dearborn for $385 million.

Under Eisner and Tornante’s control in the late 2000s, Topps looked to leverage Eisner’s entertainment industry expertise. It expanded into new areas like collectible art, WWE trading cards and global confectionery. Topps was now a $700+ million global enterprise. The company took on more debt to fund acquisitions. Michael Eisner remained Topps’ chairman until 2011.

Then in 2007, Mafco Holdings acquired 60% control of Topps for $267 million. The new investment group increased Topps’ use of digital platforms and forged international partnerships. It rebranded from Topps LLC back to Topps Company in 2012. Debts remained high from acquisitions and the economic recession impacted sales. By 2013, Topps’ leadership sought a full sale of the business.

In October 2007, Michael E. Dills, Upper Deck founder and former Topps executive, led an acquisition of Topps for $385 million. Under new CEO Dills’ leadership since 2008, Topps has focused on innovating the physical and digital baseball card experience. It has launched hits memorabilia lines, augmented reality apps, established international subsidiaries and acquired competitors. Topps has also paid down its debts while growing football, entertainment and confectionery licensing businesses.

The ownership story of Topps is strongly tied to the many ups and downs of the trading card industry itself. From family owners to conglomerates to investment firms, Topps has thrived under ownership who invested in licensing rights, technology and passionate fan engagement. As baseball cards near their centennial and digital platforms boom, Topps remains steadfast in its mission of sharing the joy of sports with collectors around the world. No matter who holds the reins, Topps’ legacy of capturing iconic moments in cardboard seems destined to continue well into the future.