Online Marketplaces – Sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are very popular places to sell sports cards online. eBay has the largest customer base so you have a good chance of finding interested buyers there. It’s easy to make a listing with photos and details about the cards you are selling. You’ll want to clearly describe the condition, year, player, set, and any other relevant details. eBay takes a small seller’s fee from completed sales. Facebook Marketplace draws from your local area so you may be able to arrange an in-person sale. The customer base isn’t as large as eBay.
Online Card Sellers – Sites like Sportlots.com, COMC.com, and BlowoutCards.com are specifically geared toward selling sports cards and have huge databases of buyers actively looking for cards. You can send your cards to them, they will carefully grade the condition, include high-resolution photos, and list them for sale on their sites and in print catalogs they send to customers. The upside is you don’t have to deal with shipping or handling payments. Their fees tend to be higher than platforms like eBay. They may also offer consignment options where they only charge you a fee if the card sells.
Local Card Shops – Stopping by the local card shop is a great option if you want a quick sale and don’t necessarily need top dollar. The shop owners know the market values and are likely willing to buy collections outright or consider Cards on consignment. This allows them to display your cards for sale in their store and they’ll give you a cut of any sales. Downsides are they tend to offer lower prices than a structured online auction and you have less visibility than internet marketplaces. But it can be convenient. Ask shop owners what purchase or consignment options they offer.
Card Shows & Conventions – Major card shows are held in most large cities throughout the year. Vendors rent tables to display inventories for sale. You can rent a table too to sell cards yourself, interacting face-to-face with buyers. Or sell to the vendors who will give you cash up front. Shows draw serious collectors who can spend big money. Be sure to research upcoming dates and locations. It takes more work than online selling but you’ll meet others passionate about the hobby.
Graded Card Services – Professional grading companies like PSA, BGS, and SGC assign official numerical grades to assess a card’s condition. Well-graded vintage and star rookie cards can exponentially increase in value. You pay a fee to have your submissions professionally graded, authenticated, and sealed in protective slabs. The slabs help buyers verify grades. Reselling already-slabbed major stars can generate top dollar but new graders eat significant costs upfront. Only grade true high-end cards likely to dramatically gain in perceived value.
Auctions – Live and online auctions run by companies such as Heritage, Robert Edward, and SCP can maximize top prices but involve seller and buyer premium fees that cut into profits. High-dollar whole collections or individual star cards do best here. Thoroughly researching recent auction prices and working with a consignment director is key to success. Significant time commitments may be needed to participate.
Social Media – Joining Facebook groups dedicated to specific players, sets, or eras is a good networking avenue. Be respectful and you may find local buyers or receive leads on the best options for your collection’s value. Just don’t bombard boards with spam sales pitches. Honestly engaging others is better received. Extra exposure never hurts when combined with tried-and-true selling outlets.
For most casual collectors the surest way to confidently sell old baseball cards is researching comparable recent completed sales on platforms like eBay then professionally photographing and clearly describing your cards for online marketplace listings to reach the widest potential buyer pool. Local card shops, shows, graded card submission services and auctions work best for rarer, high-dollar items. With patience and diligence you can usually find cards new appreciative homes. Have fun reliving memories of players and sets from years past one last time in the process.
