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The Complete Guide to Selling Your Old Trading Cards

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We get messages like this on our Facebook page frequently:

“I have a collection of cards that I don’t use anymore, can I sell them to you guys?”

Unfortunately, we don’t buy used cards, but still wanted to offer some advice and insight on how you can sell your used cards both quickly and for as much money as possible. This guide will start by taking you through the best places to sell your trading cards, a few tips for selling them, and even some alternatives to selling that you may want to consider.

Let’s start by looking at the best places to sell your cards:

4 places to sell your trading cards and sports cards

Selling your trading card or sports card collection has never been easier. With the internet there’s been an increased interest in the hobby, and there are now more ways than ever to sell, buy and trade cards. Here are all the places you can sell a card currently:

eBay

eBay is likely your first thought when it comes to selling trading cards, especially online. The online auction site has long been a place to sell trading cards online, but is it the best? Well, in some cases yes, in others no. The best way to check which site to sell your cards on is to simply look at what other cards have sold for. However, if you were to stick with rough generalizations, eBay makes the most sense for selling cards between $5 and $11 in value.

Buylists

Buylists, if you’re unfamiliar, are lists of cards that shops are willing to purchase from you along with their rates. They are typically going to be some of the lowest rates you’ll receive for cards, but you won’t have to worry about things like fees, managing card listings, and shipping to multiple different locations. We only recommend selling your cards to a shop’s buylist if they are under $5 in value.

Facebook Groups

Facebook has become home to many groups for buying, selling, and trading cards. There may be a group for your local area, so it’s worth checking out! Even if there isn’t a group specifically for selling or trading, you may be able to join a group related to your cards and ask the group if anyone would like to purchase them.

TCGplayer

As the name would suggest, TCGplayer is a trading card game specific website for selling and buying TCG products. You won’t be able to sell sports cards here if that’s what you’re looking to sell, but for TCG cards over $11 in value you can get good rates on the platform. TCGPlayer allows you to either sell the cards yourself on the platform or sell the cards to the site’s buylist.

9 Tips for selling your trading cards and sports cards

These tips will help you get the highest value out of your trading cards while also making the selling process as smooth as possible.

  1. When selling cards individually, make sure to include the card’s set, number, and rarity.
  2. Place each individually sold card in a penny sleeve to protect it from damage.
  3. Check recently completed listings to see what others are willing to pay for your card.
  4. When selling cards in a group, separate them by type and include the number of each different type of cards (e.g. “This set contains 4 energy cards, 12 Pokémon, and 8 trainer cards.”)
  5. Consider having your most valuable cards graded. The difference between a pristine card and an average card can sometimes be worth thousands!
  6. When using a top loaded sleeve with your cards, use a small piece of masking tab with a tab folded on one end. This prevents the card from slipping out, but makes it easy for the buyer to open the card’s sleeve.
  7. When shipping a single card or a small number of cards, use a bubble mailer.
  8. Bulk cards should be packed well in a large cardboard box with bubblewrap in the box’s corners to protect the cards from any accidental damage.
  9. A couple of pieces of paper work great for protecting your card’s edges as well!

2 Alternatives to selling your trading cards and sports cards

At the end of the day though, selling your old cards is always going to be a bit of a hassle. If you don’t necessarily care about the money, consider giving the cards away to friends, family, or charity. It’s a great way to introduce someone else to the hobby, and it often doesn’t require as much effort as selling.

You can also consider trading your cards at a convention, local shop, or within a Facebook group. If you’re still an active player/collector, trading a card will get you the highest value possible. In some cases, you may even be able to trade up for something higher in value!

Key Points to Remember:

  • If your cards are under $5 in value, sell them to a shop’s buylist.
  • If they are between $5-$11 in value, sell them on eBay.
  • If they are over $11 in value, sell them on TCGplayer, or if they’re sports cards, continue selling them on eBay.
  • Put your cards in sleeves to protect them and get the best value when selling.
  • Check recently completed listings on eBay to get a feel for your card’s current value.
  • Mail cards in a way that they won’t be damaged.
  • Remember to consider your alternatives to selling!