The sports card market is constantly changing, and it doesn’t look like it’ll stop soon. With the constant game buzz created around different sports, collectors are always looking for ways to get the most value out of their collections. In the following article, we’ll share our top tips to help you maximize your sports cards’ profits.
8 Useful Tips to Maximize the Price of Your Sports Cards
1. Do Your Research
Before buying a sports card, it’s essential to research and know what the card is worth. Additionally, if your card has been graded by someone like SGC or Beckett (or if you have owned it for over 30 years), a few companies will offer you an estimate of its value based on its grade.
Some other tips include knowing the condition and grading of the card, being familiar with different types of cards, understanding whether there are variations within certain sets or series, and looking at previous sales prices for similar items across several platforms.
2. Preserve Your Card
Your sports collectibles and cards are worth more than the money you paid, but only if they’re in mint condition. If you want to maximize their value and get the most out of your collection, keep them in a safe place. Sports cards are small and vulnerable to damage from heat and moisture.
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Store them in airtight containers or plastic sleeves so they don’t get crumpled or bent out of shape while stored in drawers or shelves. The best way to keep humidity at bay is by storing cards at room temperature with little-to-no sunlight exposure (direct or indirect). Ensure each card lies protected from accidental damage, thus keeping them away from heat sources like radiators/heaters or windows where direct sunlight shines through regularly.
Even indirect sun exposure over time can warp paper products such as cardboard booster packs. Even if you’re only storing your vintage card collection for an afternoon, follow precautionary methods and tips before putting it back into its display case.
3. Post Photos on Social Media
Social media is great for getting the word out about your collection. You can post photos of individual cards or entire collections. Posting photos will help people find you and give them an idea of what they are buying and if they are interested enough to make a purchase. If you want more people to see your posts, use hashtags when posting pictures so that it shows up in searches under relevant tags like #baseballcards, etc.
4. Handle With Care
The first rule of buying sports collectible cards is to avoid getting them wet. You might think it’s a good idea to store your cards in the bathtub or under your pillow, but this is not recommended. Sports cards can be damaged by exposure to water and other liquids, as well as by being bent and exposed to sunlight.
Secondly, avoid exposing sports cards to heat or extreme cold; these factors negatively affect the quality of a card over time. Similarly, chemicals like bleach and acetone will damage any collectible item they come into contact with; it’s best not to get them on your fingers when handling sports memorabilia.
5. High-Grade Condition Matters
The condition of a sports card is an essential factor when selling it. Poorly-conditioned cards can only be sold for a fraction of their original price, and even then, you have to put in the time and effort to find someone who will buy them. If you have an extremely high-grade card that looks like it did when you bought it, though? Well, there’s no stopping you from making as much money as possible! A good rule of thumb for what makes a condition grade is “If this looks like something I would buy myself, then it’s in good shape.”
6. Know Who You are Selling to
If you want to maximize the price of your sports cards, you must know who you are selling to. It means learning a lot of things about the buyer. You need to know who they are (age, gender), why they collect sports cards (for nostalgia or investment), how much they pay for similar products and services, and their return policy. You also should know as much as possible about yourself because if someone buys your product, this information helps them determine if they can trust you.
7. Get Authenticated and Graded By a Third Party
To get the most value for your cards, you should contact a trusted source, such as PSA, to authenticate and grade your trading cards of all genres. Most of these services charge just a few dollars per card, and they can help you determine the authenticity of each item and its current worth.
8. Use the Right Tools for Selling Your Sports Cards
If you want to sell your sports cards, you should use the right tools. Many services available will help you do this, and many of them are free or cost very little money per transaction. Many tools are available to help you sell your sports cards, including online marketplaces and auction sites. You may also want to consider using social media, as it can be a great way to connect with buyers who aren’t actively looking for sports cards but might be interested in purchasing one or two of yours.
End Note
We hope this article has given you a few ideas to maximize the price or profit you make from your sports cards. These are just a few ways to help, but with so many others out there, we encourage you to explore them!
