Many local hobby shops, comic book stores, and game stores buy and sell sports cards. These types of stores are a great first stop to see who in your area may be interested in your card collection. Be sure to call individual stores ahead of time to check their current interest in buying cards, as their needs can vary depending on what types of cards they are looking to acquire for resale.
Local card shops are a staple for many sports card collectors and sellers. These dedicated card shops specialize exclusively in trading cards of all varieties, including all the major sports. Beyond just being a marketplace to buy and sell individual cards, many card shops also run events like release parties for new card products, organize collectible card games, and host tournaments. Visiting local card shops is a great way to join a community of fellow collectors. Be prepared to have your cards reviewed and priced individually by the shop owners, who are experts in valuing cards based on condition, player, year, and many other factors that determine market value.
If you have a large collection of cards to sell rather than just individual high-value pieces, card shops may be more willing to make purchase offers. For complete collections, you will usually get a better price through a private sale to another established collector. Card shop owners need to factor in their costs and then resell cards at a profit, so private sales can potentially net a seller a higher overall price.
Beyond local brick-and-mortar shops, many online sellers specialize in purchasing collections and single cards through the mail or freight. Websites like Sportscardforum.com allow users to create “want to buy” posts to find potential sellers. This is a quick way to reach many collectors across a wide area. Be aware that selling to an online buyer requires packing and shipping your cards securely, and you miss out on personally inspecting interested buyers like you could locally. Online buyers also factor in shipping costs into their purchase offers.
Auction houses are another excellent option, especially if you have extremely rare and valuable vintage cards worth thousands or even tens of thousands individually. National auction companies like Heritage Auctions and Lelands regularly sell complete collections and big name individual cards through their online auctions. While auctions take a commission percentage, they provide the most exposure possible to attract serious in-the-know collectors from around the world. This creates competitive bidding that can result in maximum prices, but auctions require patience as you wait for the sale to conclude.
As a last resort if you cannot find interested buyers, some stores like comic book shops may purchase entire collections as “bullk lots” sold by weight. This ensures they can resell at least the common cards, but bulk prices mean you likely won’t get top dollar. It clears out your collection if nothing else has worked. An option like this is better than keeping cards tucked away in the attic not being enjoyed by other collectors.
When selling to any buyer, make sure to carefully package your cards securely with cardboard, plastic sleeves, and taped seams to protect during shipping. Clearly list all contents for the buyer to verify receipt. Ask for payment via a service like PayPal to protect yourself as the seller. Getting your cards in the hands of interested collectors is very satisfying for any sports card trading enthusiast looking to liquidate part of their treasured collection. With many buyers options available locally and beyond, you are sure to find someone to appreciate the cards as much as you have. Good luck with selling your sports cards!
