Online Marketplaces:
eBay is one of the largest and most widely used platforms for buying and selling all kinds of sports cards and memorabilia. With millions of active buyers, you have a huge potential audience on eBay. You can list individual cards or entire collections. eBay takes a small listing fee and then charges a final value fee only if the item sells. It may take some trial and error to get the pricing and listing details optimized to attract buyers.
Established sports card sites like COMC.com (CardOutlet), BlowoutCards.com, and Sportscardforum.com have buyer bases looking specifically for cards. On these specialized marketplaces, you set a firm price or take offers and then wait to see if anyone buys. They often have an optimized search and category system to help buyers find exactly what they want. Transaction fees are usually in the 3-12% range.
Facebook Marketplace is worth a try for local buyers only interested in pickup versus shipping. You have to weed through non-serious inquiries but could attract buyers looking to avoid online transaction/shipping fees. Meet in a public place and only accept cash for safety.
Auction Houses:
Heritage Auctions and Robert Edward Auctions are two industry-leading auction houses that regularly sell higher-end and vintage baseball cards. Consignments require a paperwork and cataloguing process in advance of scheduled online auctions. Sellers set reserves and the auctioneer takes a percentage (usually 12-20%) only if the lot sells for higher than the reserve price.
Local/Brick and Mortar Options:
Attend local collector shows and conventions to set up a table/booth and meet buyers face to face. Have a range of cards priced and organized for browsing. These events happen periodically in major metro areas. Competition is high but buyers like browsing tangible product.
Find a local card/collectibles shop that does consignments. They buy inventory from collectors to resell in their store to customers. Downside is they may only offer 40-60% of what they expect to sell it for to cover their costs/profit. But it gets your cards in front of knowledgeable local buyers immediately without upfront work.
Sell to other collectors you’ve met locally at events who know your collection/inventory and may be looking to buy something specific. Building these relationships takes time but pays off when you have a buyer who trusts your grading/pricing.
No matter where you sell, make sure cards are in top-available condition and you research recent sales prices for each item/player/set on the major platforms to determine a competitive fair market price. Clearly describe any flaws and be upfront in communications. Only ship with tracking/insurance requirements to avoid issues. With some work across these different avenues, you can move your collection to collectors looking for exactly what you have available. Let me know if any part of this answer needs more details or context.
