Online auction sites like eBay are a very popular choice for selling sports cards. eBay has a huge customer base of collectors looking to buy cards. As the largest online auction site, eBay gives you access to collectors around the world. You can take high quality photos of your cards, provide detailed descriptions of any noteworthy qualities or features of the cards, set an auction duration and starting price, and wait to see what the market will bear. eBay does charge monthly or per listing insertion fees along with a final value fee when the item sells. They also have a robust seller protection policy.
Another great online marketplace is COMC (Cardboard Connection). COMC specializes solely in trading cards and provides professional grading and authentication services for a fee. They have a massive database of prices realized from past sales that you can use to help price your cards appropriately. You set the price you want or allow best offers and wait for buyers. COMC charges monthly or per card listing fees plus a small final value fee when cards sell. They handle all shipping and payments as well. COMC has been around for over 20 years and has an excellent reputation in the hobby.
Consignment with a local card shop is another option. Many local shops will handle the work of photographing, describing, displaying, and selling your cards on commission, usually around 30-40% of the final sale price. This allows you to leverage the shop’s existing customer base without having to do the work yourself. Smaller shops may have fewer buyers and it can take longer to sell high end cards. You also lose out on a chunk of potential profit to the commission.
Showcasing yourpremium cards through an online or print catalog auction house like Robert Edward, Heritage, or PWCC can yield top dollar if you have rare, valuable cards to sell. These auctioneers specialize in six and seven figure sports collectibles and provide high quality imaging, grading certification, and global marketing to an elite clientele of serious collectors and investors. Of course, their fees tend to be higher as well, usually 10-20% of the final hammer price plus any applicable premiums from insurance or other services. You also have to factor in any travel costs to deliver valuable cards to the auction location. But for one of a kind vintage Trouts, Mantles or iconic rookie cards, the auction venue offers the best change to maximize value.
Want to go the traditional brick and mortar route? Consignment with a major national auction firm like Grey Flannel Auctions allows them to promote your cards at large in-person sports card and collectibles shows, where serious buyers and dealers congregate. Major national and regional events like the National Sports Collectors Convention, Cardboard Addiction Expo, or Seattle Sports Card Show draw crowds in the thousands. While you’ll pay higher commissions of 35-40% and may wait months for shows to occur, the live auction environment can ignite bidding wars for special inventory. Meet face to face with collectors too.
You can try Meetups, card shows, Facebook groups and forums geared towards collectors in your local area. This strategy works best for moving mid-range priced cards quickly through direct buyer contact versus wide exposure. It saves you any consignment or listing fees but requires the most do-it-yourself promotion and legwork coordinating with buyers. You may need to negotiate and accept various payment methods as well like PayPal, Venmo, or straight cash depending on individual preferences and state sale laws.
For a wider potential customer pool with less effort, online auction sites like eBay offer the most practical solution. To maximize value on your premium collectibles, auction houses provide the ideal global selling platform and marketing clout to fetch top dollar from serious card investors. For a hybrid approach, test consignment with a local shop or national firm and consider showcasing material online too. Research the pros, cons and specific service fees with each option to find the ideal sales channel for your card portfolio. With some homework, you’re sure to connect quality cards to a new appreciative collector home.
