How to Sell Pokemon Cards Online

Selling your Pokemon cards online can be a great way to reach a wide audience and maximize the cards resale value. There are a few popular ways people sell their Pokemon card collections online:

1. Sell the entire collection all at once, in one listing, as a “Lot”. This is the easy route. It’ll save you time, but you won’t get as much money for your cards.
2. Sell the high value cards one at a time, as individual listings. This is more work and takes longer, but you’ll get the most money for your collection.
3. A combination of #1 and #2 above. Create individual listings for all of your high value cards, and a single listing for the remaining lot of “not-very-valuable” cards.

Whatever method you choose, it’s important to create accurate, detailed listings with clear photos. You’ll attract more buyers by including multiple high resolution photos and detailed text. Specify the shipping costs, make sure to quickly respond to questions, and carefully pack and ship items without delay. For more tips on how to sell online, check out the How to Sell on eBay article.

Where to Sell Online

There are several large online marketplaces where people are buying and selling Pokemon cards. Sticking to a big, reputable platform like the first two options below are your best bet.

• eBay: This is the most popular online marketplace where Pokemon cards are bought and sold. It offers a large user base, a wide range of listing options, and is a trusted system for buyers and sellers.
• TCGPlayer: TCGPlayer is a dedicated marketplace for trading card games, including Pokemon cards. It provides a platform specifically tailored for selling and buying collectible cards, with features like price suggestions, market insights, and seller tools.
• Facebook: Facebook has various Pokemon card trading and selling groups where collectors can connect and engage with potential buyers. Examples include “Pokemon TCG Marketplace” or local Pokemon card trading groups specific to your geographic location. Be careful when selling on Facebook. Conduct due diligence on the buyer, and follow best practices to ensure a successful and secure selling experience.

How to Sell Pokemon Cards Locally

Selling Pokemon cards locally can be a convenient option for collectors looking to get rid of their entire collection quickly, without the complexities of listing and shipping. When selling locally, the number of potential buyers is much smaller compared to an online marketplace like eBay. As such, you’ll get offers for less money than you would online: be prepared for lowball offers.

Where to Sell Locally

Start by looking for local online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or local online classifieds where you can post about the cards you have for sale. Gaming stores are a great place to look for buyers. Some stores may be interested in buying your collection, or selling it for a commission. They also organize Pokemon gaming events, and may have a bulletin board where you can advertise your collection is for sale.

To sell your Pokemon cards locally, check out these resources:

• Facebook Marketplace: Facebook Marketplace is a popular platform for selling items locally. You can create listings for your Pokemon cards and reach potential buyers in your area. Filter by location to connect with interested buyers nearby.
• Craigslist: Craigslist is a classified advertisements website where you can post listings for Pokemon cards and other items. Select your city or region to target local buyers who are actively searching for collectibles in your area.
• Local Gaming Stores: Find local gaming stores in your area that sell Pokemon cards. Not only is the store a potential buyer, but the people that hang around are the type of Pokemon card enthusiast who may be interested in buying your collection. Ask if they have a bulletin board, or somewhere you can post a flyer, about the sale of your prized Pokemon card collection.

When selling Pokemon cards locally, prioritize your safety and privacy. Arrange meetings in public locations, preferably during daylight hours, and consider bringing a friend or family member with you. Some cities have designated places to conduct transations, such as outside the police station, that are monitored and safe. It’s essential to exercise caution and follow best practices when meeting with potential buyers you’ve connected with online.

How to Get Pokemon Cards Graded

Graded Pokemon cards are authenticated, given a numeric grade to indicate their condition, and encapsulated in a “tamper proof” plastic case. The higher the cards grade, the higher it’s value. The grade of the card is based on factors such as centering, corners, edges, and surface quality.

Getting your Pokemon cards graded by an industry recognized and respected grading company can dramatically enhance the card’s value and makes it much easier to sell. Graded cards are appealing to collectors because it assures their condition and authenticity; there are no surprises if the card is bought online, sight unseen. Counterfeit cards do exist in the market, especially at the high end of the market. Authenticated Pokemon cards provides collectors with confidence in the legitimacy of the card and increases its value.

There are two main grading companies when it comes to Pokemon cards: PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) and Beckett Grading Services (BGS). Both companies charge significant fees for authenticating and grading your Pokemon cards. This investment only makes sense when the value added by having it graded, exceeds the cost to get it graded. Therefor, only get your high value cards graded; cards in great condition that you think will get a high enough grade to justify the cost of getting it graded. If the cards come back with a lower than expected grade, you don’t want to lose money by having the card be worth less than the what you spent getting it graded.

To get your Pokemon cards graded, follow a few steps. First, carefully review their guidelines and submission processes, including any fees or documentation requirements. Next, securely package and ship the Pokemon cards to the authentication service. Make sure to purchase shipping insurance if the cards are valuable. Finally, wait weeks or even months to get the graded cards back, it can take a long time!

How to Look Up Pokemon Card Values

You can use Mavin.io to see recently sold comparables and estimate the value of your Pokemon cards. Remember, the value of something is what it actually sold for… not what somebody is asking!

1

Enter the Card Name and Number

Start your search by entering a few basic details.

• Enter the Card Name printed at the top of the card.
  Example: Charizard VMAX
• Enter the Card Number printed at the bottom of the card.
  Example: 074/073.

2

Narrow it Down

If you see multiple versions of your card in the search results, you’ll need to add some additional details to narrow it down and give you a more accurate value estimate.

• Enter details like holo or reverse holo if there are multiple holographic versions of your card.
• Enter details like the set name to get even more accurate search results. You can look up the set name using the copyright date and set symbol printed on the card.
• You can filter out cards NOT like yours by adding negative keywords. For example, adding -PSA will remove PSA graded cards from the price estimate.

3

Choose Comparables

You can manually choose comparable Pokemon cards to estimate value. Use the checkboxes to pick cards that are exactly like yours.