If you thought collecting and trading Pokémon cards was only cool in the 90s and early 2000s, you’ll be surprised to hear that the revival of Pokémon trading cards has increased the demand for these nostalgic collectibles.
If you’re looking for ways to get some cash and don’t mind getting rid of some of your cards, you may have considered selling them.
But, once you’ve rummaged through your boxes or binders of cards, you’ll be wondering how you should go about selling them. There are multiple ways, but here is a breakdown of the best places and ways to sell your cards for a good price!
Where to sell your Pokémon cards
With so many places to sell online, it can be overwhelming to decide which platform is right for you. Whether your collection is small or large or contains high or low-value cards, you’ll find these online platforms to be a great place to sell your cards.
1. eBay
Why It’s Great: As the largest marketplace for Pokémon cards, selling through eBay can expose your collections to thousands of buyers worldwide. You are in control of the selling price and can sell in bulk or individually if you have a rare card or multiple high-value cards.
Drawbacks: They do take a 10% commission fee plus a listing fee of 35 cents. eBay also does not put in much effort to help you figure out how you should price your cards. To do this, research the market on your own.
2. Cardmarket
Why It’s Great: If you are located in the European region, then this selling platform may be for you. Cardmarket allows sellers to easily open up an account by filling out the necessary information. Depending on how well you sell, you can earn higher rankings that are visible on your profile. Cardmarket also asks you to grade your own cards by adhering to their grading guidelines.
Drawbacks: If you are located in the United States, it may be difficult or nearly impossible to sell lots of cards since most of the market is located in different countries throughout Europe.
3. TCGplayer
Why It’s Great: It’s free to make an account and post your listings. TCGplayer makes it extremely easy because all you need to do is scan your card and the details of your card automatically appear in the listing. This platform also helps you sell your cards to the closest price of your card value. If you have a very large collection, using TCGPlayer is a great option to help you list thousands of cards very quickly.
Drawbacks: You do pay a fee when you make a sale, and it only works within the U.S. They also take a 10.25% fee for first time sellers. The cost of shipping depends on you, although they do have shipping guides that can help you.
4. Facebook Marketplace
Why It’s Great: Facebook Marketplace is an online platform used primarily for social media. However, one of its features allows sellers to list products and sell them for free. You wouldn’t have to pay a listing price or commission fee (unless you sell as a shop). This platform can be a great option for Pokémon sellers who have low-value cards or a ton of cards that they want to get rid of and don’t want the hassle of paying shipping fees.
Drawbacks: Even though listings are free, purchases are not protected by Facebook because they do not verify products being sold. It is similar to a trust system where the buyer relies on the trustworthiness of the seller and the product. To sell your cards, you would also need to meet face-to-face with the buyer, so you would need to sell locally depending on your willingness to travel.
Best practices & tips for selling Pokémon cards
If you have been an avid Pokémon card collector over the years, you most likely already know your stuff. But for the newbie collectors and those looking to sell those cherished collectibles, we’ve put together some very helpful tips to get you started on selling.
1. Organize your card collection
Buyers will always want as much detail about the cards as possible, including the set the card came from, its symbols (stars, diamonds, and circles), and the value. That means you will have to do a bit of organizational work.
Grab your box of Pokémon cards from under your bed (or your basement) and look through them to find the high-value cards: those with stars on the bottom right corner, are shadowless or have a holographic illustration. And if you have a card with three stars on it, protect it with your life, as that is a super rare card and could be worth loads of money.
2. Get your high-value cards graded
Grading your card can be a bit costly and take a while, so this is only recommended if you have cards that will be worth a good bit of money. If your card is in mint condition by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) standards and is very valuable, then having your card graded can confirm its rarity and condition to potential buyers.
3. Do your research to determine your pricing
Do your research on the pricing of Pokémon cards before you try to sell your own. When you sign up with some selling platforms like TCG Player, you can get some suggestions on pricing. Sites like Pokémon Prices, where you enter the name of a card and find what it is currently sold for on the market, can help you come up with prices.
You may also benefit from looking at other online platforms that sell cards to see what the prices look like for certain cards. It helps to scope out the competitors who are also selling and gives you an idea of what you may want to charge.
4. Take VERY good pictures of your cards
When you are ready to sell, you should know that the presentation of your listing is extremely important. Buyers will want to trust you and verify that your cards are the real deal.
Make sure your photo doesn’t have any distracting objects other than the card itself. You should be sure the image is clear and close enough to the card so the buyer can view its appearance. Make sure to use a black or white background and take the photo in good lighting.
FAQ
Still unsure or confused about how to sell your cards? Don’t fret, here is some helpful information to the most frequent questions about Pokémon cards.
How much do Pokémon cards sell for?
The amount you can sell cards for all depends on the type of card you’re selling. Rare cards in fantastic condition will sell for much higher prices. Ungraded cards have a lower selling price from as low as $1 to $100. The rarest, holographic cards can sell up to $100,000 or more if they are graded. However, nowadays common cards are sold at very low prices.
What is the rarest Pokémon card?
The Pikachu Illustrator Promo Card is considered to be the most valuable and rarest card in the world. It features the artwork of the original illustrator, Atsuko Nishida.
Also, the first edition shadowless Charizard card is extremely rare, due to a printing error back in the 90s. The holographic, base set Charizard cards are also valuable.
How do you know if a Pokémon card is valuable?
The two most important factors that will help you determine value are rarity and condition. If you spot a card with a holographic illustration, an edition 1 logo, a graphic with no shadow behind it, or a diamond symbol on the bottom right corner, you have discovered a very rare card!
Depending on how well you’ve taken care of your card also determines value. Graded cards can help your card value go up.
Why are Pokémon cards going up in value?
The frenzy of Pokémon cards has caused them to increase in value, especially since many celebrities have entered the trading game and bought cards. It is also thought that due to the pandemic, many people are picking up new hobbies, with card collecting and trading being one of them!
Are Pokémon cards a good investment?
Investing in Pokémon cards can be a good investment if you are in possession of highly valuable cards and know your way around the Pokémon trading market. But it is not the best way to grow your money. Unless you have ultra-rare cards, you will not make much of a profit in investing in your Pokémon cards or buying others.
What are some of the least rare Pokémon cards?
There are many common Pokémon cards that are both valuable and can be found in base sets. Among the common cards are Pikachu, Eevee, and Charmander. Some of these cards may be worth some money if they are in top condition and have a 9- or 10-point grading.