Before the arrival of the internet, collectors didn’t have many options to sell their unwanted sports cars. But now selling your old card collection has become a fun endeavor with plenty of different options available. It’s exciting proves, especially when you have some valuable and rare collection.
It’s a common question “what’s the best way to sell sports cards?” Whether you want some cash or want to get rid of old cards to free up space they have covered, selling your card is surprisingly easy but does require a little effort on your part.
If you have Basketball & Baseball cards and looking for a detailed guide about how to sell these? You have come to the right place. This guide will give your insight into how you can sell your card with ease by following the instruction mention below.
Identify the Cards you have
Each type of card collection attracts a certain-type of buyers. Before selling the cards, make sure to identify which type of cards you have by looking at the manufacturer and year of each card. If you are not sure about the card year, consider looking at the backside of the card. Also, check out the stats and copyright date listed on the back-side of the sportscard.
It will help you to reach the potential or targeted audience efficiently as finding the right buyer for card collection is essential. Otherwise, you are unlikely to get the desired amount.
This option may seem simple and obvious, but it’s the most critical step of the whole process. Before proceeding further, to identify the cards and their relative value, divide the cards collection into 3-different segments that come in different eras.
Pre-War: Prior to 1945
Vintage: From 1946 to 1979
Modern: 1980 to present
In addition to that, it does require little more effort at your end. You will need to:
Identify the specific high-value players
Compile a detailed list of what you have in your collection
Assist with the preliminary evaluation, Photograph or scan your best card
Pick the appropriate venue to sell.
Estimate Value
Usually, the value of sports cards increases based on certain factors. These factors include
The age of the card
Player profile
Condition of the card
Whether the card is professionally-graded or not
Generally, the cards of Star and Hall of Famers worth more as compared to “common” players. It is because they need no introduction, and collectors are chasing such cards most often.
How to sell Basketball card
Thanks to this evolving world and the availability of the internet, there is a rapidly growing interesting in selling and buying sports cards, especially basketball. Now selling your basketball card collection is easier than ever. But you need to figure out the value of the card and finding the right buyer.
What determines the value of basketball cards?
Some basketball cards are common, while others are rare and very highly sought after. These cards hold a high value. The value of a basketball card is determined by the factors mentioned below:
- What set card was issued in
- When it was issued in a player career
- Condition
- Supply and demand
Card with extremely limited availability or from more regional sets can have a high value. Moreover, the first-year issues or Rookie are the most valuable card of a player. Similarly, Cards that are in better conditions tend to appeal more.
Best time to sell Basketball Cards
You must know that Basketball cards are a good investment for many different reasons. They are not only portable, but the prices of cards can also change rapidly, depending on how the season is going. To get the maximum benefit by selling the card, you must find out what’s the ideal season to do so.
The Basketball season is a long one, and its card remains highly contested for the majority of the year. But the prices will fluctuate between October and June. Keep an eye on the price fluctuations, and make sure to sell your hot basketball cards during the prime period. These are the month you are likely to get the high value of your cards.
Best Time to Sell NBA cards: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December.
How to sell Baseball Card
Like Basketball, there is also a larger market out there for baseball cards. But to get the top dollar, you must go to a reputable dealer who can access the values of your collection.
What determines the value of Baseball cards?
As you know, the value of a sports card may vary depending on different factors. To determine the value of your card, find the categories that fit it. Before selling the cards, you can develop an idea on the price by comparing:
- The player on the card
- The season of the card
- How scarce the card is
- if there’s exceptional interest in the player
You can also check the value of the card through its rarity, and the popularity of the baseball player depicted on the card. The factors affecting rarity are:
- The year baseball card printed
- The Card Manufacturer
- Number of cards produced
- The look and the condition of the baseball card
These conditions make the value extremely situational, that is why the value of the cards is always not the same and “it depends”.
Best time to Sell Baseball Cards
Baseball cards are always popular, but you will see an up stick in prices if you offload your cards in summer. Summer is the best time to list your baseball cards, as interest peak with the playoff race. If you will pick-up your rookie card as early as possible, you will see a multiple in price due to the hype. Though it’s best to sell on hype at the same time, there is a possibility to miss out on future profit if the player exceeds the expectations.
Best time to sell Baseball cards: April, May, June, July, August, September, and October
Where to sell
Determining where to sell the sports card usually depends on two factors:
- What type of cards you want to the sale ( either vintage, pre-war or modern)
- How Quickly you need to sell them
At first, to sell a basketball or baseball card, you need to have a rough idea of your card value. You can go to any sports card shop and ask the owner for an estimate. But make sure, never settle for one option.
However, selling your Basketball and Baseball card collection through those who specialized in buying is one way to go, and no doubt, there are various other options available. We have listed a few of the best places to sell your best NBA, MLB, and other sports cards.
Top Places to Buy and Sell Sports Cards
eBay
Regardless of what types of cards you have under your possession, if you want to sell them quickly, eBay can be a great option. It has a massive reach to potential customers since hundreds of people buy and sell cards there every day.
eBay offers 3-different formats that you can use to sell your cards.
Fixed-price
Auction
Fixed-price with the ability to accept offers
Though people complain about their fees and the possibility of buyers scamming you still, it’s a go-to place to buy and sell sports cards promptly.
Card Dealer and shops
Card dealers and shop are other possible options if you want you to sell you pre-war or vintage cards quickly. Cards shops are still there, but they are not in numbers as there once were. Local card dealers might be interested in buying your sports card collection, but only if they know the actual worth. Also, it is not easy to find a dealer that you trust, and he pays you the real value of the cards.
There are various stories of people getting ripped off. Be careful while choosing this option to sell your collection.
Private Online auction House
A private Online auction House is the best possible option to sell your pre-war or vintage collection if you can wait for a few months. Various online auction houses only sell sports cards, and they are quite good at it.
They operate with a vast network of collectors. You can contact them via print catalogs, email, and even personal phone calls. They give you the hassle-free selling by taking care of pictures of cards, shipping them to buyers, and even collecting the payment.
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