Where To Sell Pokemon Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

August 25, 2023
Blog

If you have a classic deck with valuable cards, selling Pokemon cards is a great way to make extra money. Rare and vintage cards, such as the original Base Set's Charizard, can be worth up to $4,000. However, people sometimes don’t know where to sell Pokemon cards to get a fair deal.

eBay is probably the best and safest place to sell your Pokemon card collection. Pokemon TCG sales in the platform increased 574% from 2019 to 2020, showing just how dominant eBay is in the vintage card collection market. Other options include TCGplayer, Cardmarket, and CardCash. However, no matter which platform you choose to sell your Pokemon cards, it’s important to research the value of your cards in different platforms and online forums to make sure you have realistic expectations and are getting a fair price.

Pokemon cards are a nostalgic item for many people. For those who have bulging collections, where to sell Pokemon cards to get the best value is a crucial question.

Fortunately, there are several platforms dedicated to selling Pokemon cards where you can offer your prized possessions. Here is a comprehensive guide to help you get started.

#1 eBay

The OG of online marketplaces, eBay stands out as the go-to platform for many people who want to sell their Pokemon cards. Sellers can list their cards in either auction or fixed price format with various payment options available.

Each year, millions of cards are traded on eBay. This highlights eBay’s dominance in the space, as Pokemon TCG sales increased 574% from 2019 to 2020.

With plenty of listing and safety features and access to more relevant buyers than any other site, sellers can have peace of mind knowing they won't find a better place to sell their prized possessions.

Where To Sell Pokemon Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

Before selling your cards on eBay, though, you must do some market research to get an idea of what you're up against price-wise. Rare cards are tricky to price. If you want to ensure buyers don't overlook your card, set your price around the competition. It might also be a good idea to get a professional grading inspection first.

Pros

  • Easy to use.
  • Millions of buyers worldwide.
  • Access to more relevant buyers than any other site.
  • Various payment options are available.
  • Listing and safety features included.

Cons

  • Fees can be expensive (up to 10% per sale).
  • Fake cards are a problem on eBay.

Related: If you're short on cash, you can supplement your income with these apps that pay real money.

#2 TCGplayer

While eBay is a popular site to sell anything, there are many other sites like eBay that specialize in collectibles like Pokemon cards. One example is TCGplayer. TCGplayer is a fast-growing marketplace where sellers can list their cards quickly and easily. The site also provides expert advice to ensure you get the best out of your sales. Their online trading system allows buyers to purchase Pokemon cards directly from sellers without leaving the website.

Most cards listed on the site are graded by professional experts, which helps buyers trust their purchases. To make selling even easier, TCGplayer also offers a ‘Bulk Scanning' feature that allows sellers to list multiple cards quickly.

Sellers can choose from various payment options when using TCGplayer, including PayPal and credit cards.

Pros

  • Easy to use.
  • A bulk scanning feature is available.
  • Professional grading experts are available.
  • A variety of payment options are available.

Cons

  • Fees can be even more expensive than on eBay (up to 15% per sale).

#3 Cardmarket

Cardmarket is another popular eBay alternative for those looking to trade and sell Pokemon cards. It has a wide selection of cards from plenty of different sets and is user-friendly.

Where To Sell Pokemon Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

The site also hosts tournaments where players can compete with one another to win prizes. This is great for sellers, as it gives them access to potential buyers actively searching for the cards they need.

Cardmarket does charge a fee on sales, but it's usually lower than eBay or TCGplayer (around 5%). Sellers can also choose from various payment options, including PayPal, credit cards, and bank transfers.

Pros

  • A wide selection of cards is available.
  • Tournaments give sellers access to potential buyers.
  • Low fees (around 5%).
  • Several payment options are available.

Cons

  • Customer service can be spotty.
  • Not as popular as eBay or TCGplayer.

Related: If you want to make some easy money, try out these apps that pay you to play games.

#4 CardCash

CardCash is another great option for turning your Pokemon cards into cash. The site specializes in buying and selling used cards and offers some of the best prices in the industry. Sellers can choose from various payment options, including PayPal and bank transfers.

However, the downside is that CardCash only accepts cards from select sets and does not accept rare or valuable cards. This means it won't be an ideal choice if you want to maximize earnings for your rarest cards.

Pros

  • Offers some of the best prices in the industry.
  • Several payment options are available.
  • Secure and easy to use.
  • Quick turnaround time on payments.

Cons

  • Only accepts cards from select sets.
  • Does not accept rare or valuable cards.

#5 Mercari

Mercari is a great website to sell your Pokemon card collection. It provides distinctive promotional tools allowing sellers to maximize profit from their items, which no other platform does.

Also, Mercari has a vast customer base where buyers worldwide are eager to buy Pokemon cards. As a seller, you can easily list your items with detailed information and pictures to increase sales. The website also provides safety measures to ensure sellers remain secure while trading online.

Where To Sell Pokemon Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

To sell your Pokemon cards, all you need to do is set a price that's slightly higher than the market price. Mercari will gradually drop the price from there until a buyer purchases the card. Each time the price is lowered, your listing gets more exposure, increasing the chances of making a sale.

To safeguard you from low prices, Mercari has a floor price feature. This feature will not allow the price of your item to go below a certain threshold and ensures you receive a fair value for your card.

If your listing reaches its floor point without promising leads or conversions, you can just delete it and start again. This will help refresh the algorithmic boost.

Pros

  • Unique promotional tools help sellers get the most out of their products.
  • Vast customer base where buyers are eager to buy.
  • Safety features included.
  • An easy listing process with detailed descriptions and pictures.

Cons

  • Mercari charges an extra fee for every sale (around 10%).
  • Fake cards can be hard to spot on the platform.

#6 Pokemon Facebook Groups

As a Pokemon enthusiast, you know that the only way to get full value for your cards is to find a buyer who's just as passionate as you and knows their cards. This is where Pokemon Facebook Groups come in.

These groups are full of buyers and sellers looking to buy, sell, or trade Pokemon cards. With these groups, you can tailor your search for a specific card. This ensures you get exactly what you're looking for and don't waste time searching through dozens of listings.

The only downside is that this option isn't always the most secure since it involves making payments directly to another person rather than a trusted platform like eBay or TCGplayer. However, selling Pokemon cards on Facebook can be a profitable venture with minimal risk if done correctly.

Pros

  • Easy way to find buyers who are just as passionate and knowledgeable about the cards.
  • Tailor your search to specific cards, ensuring you get what you're looking for.
  • It can be profitable with minimal risk involved.

Cons

  • Not always the most secure since payments go directly to another person.

#7 Troll And Toad

If you're not interested in the hassle of photographing, describing, and listing your cards or card lots on major selling platforms, Troll and Toad might be a good fit for you. However, you should be willing to accept a little less money to forgo all that work for you.

Where To Sell Pokemon Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

Troll and Toad is one of the more recognizable names in the industry, allowing sellers to build a “Buylist” of all their desired cards. The platform will then provide details on the specific quantities of each card it's looking for and make a condition-based offer.

After confirming which cards you want to sell, send them to their headquarters. They will check the condition and quantity of your cards before issuing cash payments within five business days.

You will receive a lower payout if there are any inaccuracies or overstated card conditions. (Keep in mind that Troll and Toad is not trying to lowball anyone on their subjective card condition determinations.)

With Troll and Toad, you can choose to receive payments in the form of store credit. This can come in handy if you're looking to upgrade your collection or are purchasing cards for a friend. Moreover, you'll earn a 25% payout bonus for choosing this option.

Pros

  • Takes the hassle away from listing cards on major selling platforms.
  • Fast payments after the condition of your cards is determined.
  • Can choose to receive a 25% payout bonus in-store credit.

Cons

  • The payout is lower compared to listing your cards yourself.

#8 Pawn Shops

You can probably make the most money by selling cards to a pawnshop. However, you also must know where and how these shops acquire their goods.

Pawn shops are businesses just like any other store. When selling your cards to a pawn shop, they will want to maximize their profits by paying you as little as possible for them. This means that if you're looking for top dollar for your cards, know their value beforehand.

That said, if you have an abundance of common or slightly rare cards and don't mind getting less than what they're worth, this could be a good option for quickly liquidating your collection. Just keep in mind that the pawn shop will have to check out the condition and quantity of your cards before making an offer.

Pros

  • Quickly liquidate a large collection of cards for cash
  • Don't have to worry about listing cards or shipping

Cons

  • Pawn shops will want to pay you as little as possible, meaning you won’t get top dollar for your cards.

Related: You can sell pretty much anything in pawn shops, including vintage engagement rings and other jewelry pieces.

#9 Local Collecting Communities & Groups

The final option for where to sell Pokemon cards is local collecting communities and groups. These types of networks help you connect with other collectors who might be interested in buying your cards.

In addition, it's also a great way to network and find out where else you can sell your cards online or offline. Just make sure that you're safe when meeting strangers in person.

Pros

  • An excellent way to network and find out where else to sell cards
  • Easy way to connect with other collectors who might be interested in buying your cards

Cons

  • Not as secure as online marketplaces
  • Meetups with strangers can be dangerous

#10 Dave & Adam's

Dave and Adam's is the perfect place to unload your old Pokemon or sports cards. Call them to start the selling process and provide some details about what you have. If they reject any of your cards, they will send them back to you at no cost.

Where To Sell Pokemon Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

Dave and Adam's offer a pick-up collection and mail-in options, setting them apart from other companies. Understandably, you may not want to mail in your cards. If that's the case, the pick-up option is great. However, you'll only receive 95% of the price.

Pros

  • Offer pick-up collections in addition to mail-in options
  • Rejected cards will be sent back at no cost
  • Good payout rate—95% of the price of the cards

Cons

  • Must call in with details about your cards before selling them

Which Pokemon Cards Have The Highest Value?

Unless you were an avid tournament participant, you probably don't own any trophy-edition pieces. However, your regular Pokemon cards can still make you a fair amount of money.

When it comes to where to sell Pokemon cards, the most valuable card is the original Charizard from the Base Set. On average, this card sells for about $700 and as high as $4,000 for a mint-condition holographic card.

Other first-edition cards, such as Blastoise, Venusaur, and Pikachu, can also bring in a good amount of money. In addition, rare cards from the late 90s and early 2000s, such as Porygon-Z, Tyranitar, and Dragonite, can also fetch high prices.

Here's a list of valuable cards:

CardSetEstimated Value
Charizard Shadowless HoloBase Set$250.00
Charizard StarEx Delta Species$403.66
CharizardPlasma Storm$572.47
Blastoise Shadowless HoloBase Set$797.99
Rayquaza StarEx Deoxys$961.46

Determining A Pokmon Card's Value

Before looking for a buyer, you must have an accurate idea of the fair value of your Pokemon cards. First, you should know that you won't get anything meaningful from new cards. New releases have a meager value because they are prevalent, and there's no scarcity driving up the price.

Three criteria will determine your potential earnings if you have a card you suspect is valuable. These are:

  • Condition
  • Pokemon type
  • Scarcity

The original Base Set Pokemon cards from 1999 are the oldest and rarest. You can sell a full deck for more than $10,000. The 102 cards in this set include classic fan-favorite Pokemon, such as:

  • Charizard
  • Seel
  • Pikachu
  • Squirtle
  • Pidgey

In Summary

There are many different places where you can sell Pokemon cards. Ultimately, it all comes down to where and how much effort you're willing to put in.

If you're looking for quick cash and don't care about getting top dollar for your cards, Troll and Toad and local pawn shops are the way to go. However, if you're looking for top dollar and don't mind putting in some extra work, then online marketplaces such as eBay, TCGplayer, Cardmarket, and CardCash are your best bet.

Regardless of where you sell your cards, remember to research the fair market value of your cards and always be safe when dealing with strangers. With this guide, you now know where to sell Pokemon cards and how to get the highest value.

Where To Sell Pokemon Cards FAQs

How do I know where to sell Pokemon cards?

You can sell your Pokemon cards on online marketplaces such as eBay, TCGplayer, Cardmarket, and CardCash. However, you can also try local pawn shops or trading communities where other collectors might be interested in buying your cards.

What is the most valuable card in Pokemon?

The most valuable Pokemon card is the original Charizard from the Base Set. On average, this card sells for about $700 and as high as $4,000 for a mint-condition holographic card.

Where can I find out the value of my Pokemon cards?

You can use online price guides such as Pojo.com to determine the value of your Pokemon cards. However, it is always best to research prices on multiple sources for a more accurate estimate.

Are Pokemon cards worth money?

Yes, certain rare and vintage Pokemon cards can be extremely valuable and worth a lot of money. The most valuable card is the original Charizard from the Base Set, which can sell for up to $4,000.

Are Pokemon cards a good investment?

Pokemon cards can be a great investment if you buy the right ones. However, it is vital to research the prices of your cards before investing in them, as they can be highly volatile and go up or down in value quickly. Additionally, always be wary of scams.

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