Raise your hands if you’ve been personally victimized by that box of childhood trading cards you pulled out of storage a few years ago intending to sell, and you haven’t even started. If you’ve never sold a collectible before, getting started can be really overwhelming. But you don’t have to have an elevator pitch to sell trading cards. There are far too many online resources that people like us can turn to. These are some of our favorite tips and tricks.
4 Tips for Selling Any Trading Card at Top Dollar
While there is some nuance in selling different types of trading cards, the fundamentals don’t change. Make sure you get the most money for each card by following a few rules.
Get Each Card Professionally Graded
Having your trading cards graded can be the difference between a $10 and $100 payout. There are multiple places you can send your cards to be assessed for rarity and condition. The ones that people use the most are PSA, Beckett, and CGC.
It’s the official paperwork that matters because it lends credibility to every card you try to sell, and you’ll be more likely to get offers from serious collectors. You’ve done the hard work of proving its authenticity, so they know what they’re getting is real.
Decide on What Your Lowest Prices Are
Don’t list anything for sale until you know exactly how low you’re willing to sell your cards for. It’s important to establish that at the beginning, so you won’t be tempted to lowball yourself just to see some sales.
Consider Selling Your Cards as Sets
If it’s slow going on the selling front and your individual cards just aren’t performing like you’d hoped, listing them in a set is an option. Sometimes you can entice people by padding out your listing, because they’ll feel like they’re getting more for their money.
Put as Much Detail Possible in Your Listing
Another pitfall that new sellers make is not being detailed enough in their listings. If you buy something secondhand or collectible online, we’re sure you’re more likely to buy from listings with a full description as opposed to ones with a single sentence.
Provide as much information as you can about the line of ownership, the card’s rarity, condition, and any other pertinent details.
Where to Sell Your Trading Cards
Where you want to try to sell your collectible cards all depends on what kinds you have. Of course, you’ve probably considered using online marketplaces like Mercari, eBay, or Etsy. And while they’re good options for finding buyers, they’re not the only ones you have at your disposal. Instead, target the collector community by listing your cards at these places.
Bring Your Wares to Card Shows
Card shows are the old-school way that people used to buy, sell, and trade their collectible cards. There are card show events that pop up throughout the year all around the country. Look at your area and see if any are coming nearby.
And if you’ve got a large enough collection, consider renting a booth at the show to fully set up shop.
Sell Through COMC
Check Out My Collectibles (COMC) is a leading collectibles marketplace where you can sell sports, gaming, and other kinds of trading cards. To sell the easiest way, all you need to do is make a free account, send in your collectibles, set your prices, and broker any sales that come your way.
However, you can sell them through the website without COMC's help. It’d be just like selling through any other marketplace like eBay or Etsy where you’re in charge of listing and shipping.
Sell to Troll and Toad
Troll and Toad is a collectibles marketplace that focuses on gaming and comic collectibles. They’re a great place to sell your Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Magic: The Gathering cards. Unlike other marketplaces, Troll and Toad will buy your cards outright, either in bulk or individually based on a variety of criteria.
For specific information about how to sell to them, head to their website.
Sell Through TCGPlayer
TCGPlayer is a huge gaming resource that has guides, trending topics, and tons of collectibles for sale. Through TCGPlayer’s marketplace, you can get direct access to interested collectors. With TCGPlayer, you do need to make a seller account.
Unfortunately, the full rundown of how their operation works is blocked behind having an account. But, there are different tiers of seller you can upgrade to, which is different than a lot of other trading card retailers.
Sell to Dave & Adam’s
Dave & Adam’s is a retailer that deals in all kinds of collectibles, sports cards being one of them. If you don’t want to hassle with having to list them yourself, you can always sell them to Dave & Adam’s. You can reach out to them with information about the cards you'd like to sell through a contact page on their website. If they want to buy your cards, they’ll reach out with further steps.
Want to Sell Them Fast? Consider a Pawn Shop
If you’ve got a bulk collection and you’re not really looking for taking months or years to sell it off, then a pawn shop might be a good idea for you. Granted, you’ll never get paid the full amount of what your cards are worth, but some people care more about the ease of getting rid of the whole pile than about making the most money.
Just Remember, You Don’t Have to Sell
Money is naturally a big motivator when you’re trying to sell something, so of course you want to make a profit when you’re selling trading cards online or in-person. But remember that even if you list a card, you never have to commit to selling it. Don’t get pressured by the thrill of the sale to part with something before you’re ready or for less than you want to. After all, those trading cards have just as much value to you as they do any potential buyer.
