If you have old baseball cards collecting dust in your attic or basement, there are several options for what you can do with them. One option is to sort through them and see if you have any valuable cards worth selling. To determine value, you’ll want to consider the player, the year it was printed, the condition of the card, and whether there are any special traits that make it rare. Good places to research estimated values include eBay completed auction listings, Beckett Baseball Price Guides, PSA or BCG grading company websites. See if any of your cards could reasonably sell for over $50 or $100 before deciding to sell.
If you have cards in pristine mint condition, especially of star players from the 1950s-1980s, it may be worth paying to have them professionally graded and encapsulated for protection by the PSA or BCG third-party authentication/grading companies. Graded high quality vintage cards can sell for thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The grading process does have costs that need to be factored in. You’d only want to grade and sell your absolute best vintage cards in top condition.
Another option is to sort your cards by player and year and see if you have any complete full sets from a given season you could potentially sell as a complete set lot on eBay. Full or nearly complete rookies sets especially from the 1950s-1970s can demand high prices since collectors covet completing their entire rookie card collections for certain years. Full sets are also easier for resellers to market than individual unsorted cards.
If you don’t have any individual cards or sets worth professionally grading/selling, you could still potentially sell your unsorted lot of cards on eBay or to a local card shop. There are always collectors looking to add to their collections through unsorted lots to find hidden gems. You’d only make a few dollars but it gets the cards to collectors. Make sure to include an accurate count of cards and highlight any notablestar players to fetch the best price.
Rather than selling, another option is to donate your card collection to a local library, school, nursing home, or children’s hospital where other children/patrons could enjoy looking through them. Obtain a letter acknowledging your donation for tax purposes. Or you could keep the collection intact yourself for sentimental reasons and just store them safely in sleeve pages and binders instead of leaving them loose to deteriorate further over time.
Before selling or donating, the cards would need to be properly organized, stored, and in some cases preserved. Most experts advise placing each card in a plastic penny sleeve protector then arranging them numerically or alphabetically in baseball card sheets, boxes or binders. Storing in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, moisture and temperature fluctuations helps prevent further damage over time. If any cards have creasing, discoloration or other flaws, there are archival safe supplies that can help flatten/repair them without damaging the card stock. Proper storage helps maintain the collection’s condition and value for display, your own enjoyment, or future sale/donation down the line.
As a final option worth considering – if you have a true investment-grade vintage collection with hundreds of high value 1960s/1970s rookie cards, you may want to consult with a sports memorabilia auction house about potentially doing a formal private sale or auction of your entire collection as a lot. They could better assess the full scope and value, market it to serious card collectors/investors, handle the auction/sale logistics and provide a professional appraisal of the collection’s worth for tax purposes after their commission is deducted from the final sale price. For most hobbyists’ collections, selling individual cards or smaller lots online or to local shops is typically a more realistic route.
If you have old baseball cards, sort through them to find potential high value/key/rare vintage cards to sell individually, consider sets, or sell the overall collection or donate after properly archiving/preserving them. With some research and effort, these nostalgic pieces of memorabilia from your attic could become a source of fun, enjoyment or funds for years to come. Proper handling ensures they remain available and treasured by collectors and fans for future generations to enjoy as well.
