How to Sell Sports Cards
For many, a sports card collection holds a great deal of sentimental value to them. Most collectors collect for the love of the sport and the small pieces of history that they get with each hobby box or case they buy.
That being said, buying sports cards is still an investment, and some of these collectible cards can fetch a decent sum. But one of the biggest questions that collectors might have is, “How do I sell my baseball cards or other cards in my collection?” Let’s take a look at the best way to sell sports cards that will help you find the right buyer and get the best price.
1. Do Your Research
One reason why some might start a card collection is that they believe their cards might be worth something down the road. While there are certainly some impressive card sales worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, these types of sales are often as rare as the cards themselves. It’s always important to collect because of your passion for collecting. If you happen to get some great cards along the way, that’s a bonus!
With that disclaimer in mind, the first step is to do your research about the cards in your collection when you find yourself asking, “How do I sell my baseball cards?” This means:
- Figuring out what year your card is from. This can be determined by the manufacturer, stats, and copyright date. If you have a vintage card that might be lacking these characteristics, you can enlist Google’s help to search for specific images or phrases on the card.
- Understanding what makes cards worth something. Does your card have a superstar that people want in their collection that is a short print or a rookie card? Is it exceedingly rare or difficult to get your hands on? Is it in stellar condition because you take care of your card collection?
- Look for how much your card has sold elsewhere or what other sellers are currently asking for. 130 Point is a great site to research recent sale prices. A card is not worth what Beckett has the list price at, it is only worth what someone is willing to pay. The best way to sell sports cards is to make sure that you have a reasonable ask that’s proportionate to the actual value of your cards.
The research phase is arguably the most important. Make sure that you do your research to fully understand what you have in your collection that might be worth selling or consult a professional that can help you with the process.
2. Figure Out How to Sell Your Baseball Cards. To Grade or Not to Grade?
Many collectors believe that grading cards will somehow increase the value of their collection. To a degree, this can be true. If you have authentic vintage cards in your sports cards collection, or modern short print parallels (or rookie cards), taking the time to get them authenticated and graded if they might be worth a considerable amount can help you establish trust with potential buyers.
But is grading something that you need to do for your cards? Not always. Grading comes with the cost of grading the card, insurance fees, and shipping fees and lately turnaround times to get graded cards back can exceed a year. If you take the time out to grade cards in your collection that don’t end up being worth much, you might be spending more on grading than your cards are actually worth. If you have more modern pieces in great condition, grading will likely be something that you should skip entirely.
3. Find Where to Sell Your Sports Cards
So, how do I sell my baseball cards or other sports cards? When you’re finally ready to find buyers for your cards, you have multiple options at your disposal. These include:
- Online seller platforms like Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace. Online seller platforms like these make it easy and convenient to sell certain pieces to those in your area or nationwide. But unless you’re experienced in selling sports cards, this might not be the best way to sell sports cards. You have to invest the time into making sure that you create a listing that attracts buyers, and you could always potentially be ripped off at some point in the process.
- Private online auction houses. These resources can be a good fit for those who have vintage cards that they want to sell immediately. However, like the above, it can sometimes be hard to find authoritative auction houses that will help you sell your cards. Always do your research and vet any platform you wish to sell with.
- Card dealers and shops. Card dealers and shops will often buy as well as sell cards, but you will want to make sure you know its worth and how much you’re willing to sell for before you visit one. Also, it’s important to make sure the card dealer or shop you visit is authentic and knows their sports cards.
- Contact Us and depending on your card/collection, we might be willing to purchase it
The Best Way to Sell Sports Cards Can Look Different for Everyone
When you look up, “how to sell my baseball cards,” you’ll find that there are different routes for different scenarios. The guide above will help you better understand what to look for and where to go when you’re ready to sell certain cards in your collection.
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