Sell Pokemon cards, graded slabs and sealed product
Pokemon collections range from a child's binder to a graded vault. The details that decide how a collection is looked at are the exact card, the condition, and whether anything is graded or sealed. This page shows how to sort a collection and send the information that matters.
Short answer: Send photos of the best cards front and back, a few binder pages, graded slab labels, and any sealed product to (858) 247-2017 or use the form below. We tell you what looks like a fit and make one offer after we review it. In Southern California we can meet in person, and elsewhere we use prepaid mail-in.
How do I sort a Pokemon collection before I sell?
A few piles save a lot of back and forth. You do not need to price anything.
Vintage and early sets
Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, Team Rocket, Neo, and early promos. Look for 1st Edition stamps and the shadowless style, where the art box has no drop shadow.
Holos, ex, GX, V, VMAX and VSTAR
Holographic and rare cards, plus modern ultra rares and alternate art cards. Pull these out and photograph them front and back.
Graded slabs
PSA, BGS, CGC, and SGC cases. Photograph the whole case, front and back, with the grade and certificate number readable.
Sealed product
Booster boxes, elite trainer boxes, tins, and packs. Do not open, and do not stack heavy items on them.
Bulk and commons
Commons and uncommons usually matter very little one at a time. Keep them together rather than throwing them away.
Should I grade my Pokemon cards before selling?
Grading is a decision, not a requirement. Many collections do better sold raw.
- Grading costs money on every card and takes time, while the premium only shows up on a small number of cards
- Cards with clean centering, sharp corners, and no surface scratches are the ones that can earn a high grade
- Cards with whitening on the edges, dents, creases, or print lines usually do not gain from being graded
- Compare recent sold prices for your exact card at the grade you realistically expect, not the best grade
- If you are not sure, send photos first and ask for an honest opinion before you pay for grading
How do I tell if a Pokemon card is fake?
Fake cards are common, including whole sets and collections bought in bulk. Compare your card with a known real card of the same set.
- Look at the print. Blurry text, wrong fonts, off colors, or missing details are warning signs
- Check the holo pattern against a real copy. Fakes often look flat, rainbow washed, or oddly textured
- Look at the card back. Colors, borders, and logo placement should match a real card
- Feel the card. Real cards have a particular stiffness and a dark core you can see at a clean edge
- Be careful with flashlight and tear tests. They can give clues, but they do not prove anything and can damage the card
- If a card seems too perfect, too cheap, or came from an unknown seller, ask a shop or a grading company to look at it
We do not buy proxies, reprints, custom cards, or counterfeit cards.
What do buyers look at on a raw card?
- Exact identity: card name, set, card number, language, and variant such as 1st Edition, shadowless, reverse holo, or Japanese
- Corners and edges, for whitening and dings
- Surface, for scratches, print lines, and dents
- Centering, meaning how even the borders are front and back
- Sleeve, binder, or toploader storage, since cards stored loose in a shoebox tend to show more wear
Sealed Pokemon product
Sealed boxes, elite trainer boxes, and tins are judged by their wrap and box condition as well as the product itself.
- Photograph every side, the corners, and any tears or dents in the wrap
- Tell us if a box was ever opened and resealed, since resealed product is not sealed product
- Store away from heat and direct sun, and do not shrink wrap it again yourself
- Include the set name and language printed on the box
What we look at
- Binders and boxes of Pokemon cards from any era
- Graded slabs from PSA, BGS, CGC, and SGC
- Factory sealed boxes, elite trainer boxes, tins, and packs
- Vintage cards with 1st Edition stamps and shadowless prints
- Collections that also include other cards and Pokemon memorabilia
What is usually not a fit
- Proxies, reprints, custom cards, and counterfeits
- Water damaged, moldy, or heavily bent cards
- Opened or resealed product sold as sealed
- Only commons with nothing else
Careful notes on selling Pokemon cards
- Keep cards in their sleeves and do not clean, flatten, or try to repair them.
- Never send a card to a stranger for a better offer before you check them out.
- Be careful with anyone who asks to move a sale off the platform or to refund a different account.
What photos should I send?
Good photos get a faster and more honest answer. Natural light and a plain background are enough.
- The best cards, front and back, flat and in even light
- Corners and edges up close on any card that may be valuable
- A few random binder pages so we can see the rest
- Graded slabs front and back with the certificate number readable
- Every side of any sealed box or tin
How an offer works
We make one offer for the whole lot after we see the items. You are free to say no.
Step 1
You send what you have
Photos and a few details are enough: what it is, roughly how many, and what condition. A form, a text, or a call all work.
Step 2
We tell you if it is a fit
We reply with whether we buy it and whether we can come to you or you should mail it in. If it is not a fit, we say so.
Step 3
We look at the items, then make one offer
We do not quote a price from photos. Once we have seen the items, you get one offer for the lot, and we can explain what drove it.
Step 4
You decide
Say yes and we complete the sale. Say no and you owe nothing.
What moves an offer
- Which exact items, titles, or models are in the lot
- Condition and completeness, such as boxes, manuals, and all the parts
- Whether it works, if it is a device or a console
- What similar items are selling for right now
Who you are dealing with
DeKlutterNow is a small business based in Oceanside, California. You can ask questions before you send anything: text (858) 247-2017 or email hello@deklutternow.com.
Get an offer
Send your Pokemon cards for a review
The more you tell us, the faster we can say whether it is a fit and what happens next. We do not quote a price from a form. Final offers come after we look at the items. You can also text photos to (858) 247-2017.
What to send
- • One photo of everything together, then close ups of the best pieces
- • Titles, brands, model numbers, or marks like 14K or 925 when you can read them
- • Boxes, manuals, papers, or graded labels if you have them
- • Anything that is broken, missing, or not working, so we can price it honestly
- • Your city and zip so we know if we can come to you
What we do not buy
- • Proxies, reprints, custom and counterfeit cards
- • Water damaged, moldy or heavily bent cards
- • Opened or resealed boxes sold as sealed
- • Large piles of common cards on their own
Not sure? Send it anyway and we will tell you. See the full list.
Questions sellers ask
- Do you buy raw, ungraded Pokemon cards?
- Yes. Send front and back photos of the best cards and a sample of the rest. We tell you honestly whether it looks like a fit.
- Is it worth grading my Pokemon cards first?
- Often not. Grading costs money on every card and takes time. Send photos first and we can say whether grading looks worth considering for any card.
- How do I know if my Pokemon cards are real?
- Compare the print, holo, back, and feel against a real card of the same set. If unsure, have a shop or grading company check it. We do not buy counterfeits.
- Do you buy sealed Pokemon booster boxes and elite trainer boxes?
- Yes, when they are factory sealed. Photograph every side and tell us if anything was ever opened.
- What does 1st Edition or shadowless mean?
- 1st Edition is a stamp on early print runs. Shadowless refers to early Base Set cards that lack the drop shadow on the art box. Both are worth pointing out in your photos.
- Do you buy Japanese and other language Pokemon cards?
- Yes, we review them. Say the language and set on the card, because language changes how a card is looked at.
- Can I sell a whole binder at once?
- Yes. Send photos of the best pages and the cover, and we make one offer after reviewing the binder.
- Do you buy common and bulk Pokemon cards?
- Usually only along with better cards. Piles of commons on their own are often not worth a visit.
- Can I mail in Pokemon cards?
- Yes. Outside Southern California we use prepaid mail-in, and we explain how to pack sleeved cards and slabs.
Keep reading
- Sell trading cards for cash in Southern California
- Sell sports cards
- Guide: how to sell a trading card collection
- Sell trading cards in San Diego
- Sell trading cards in Orange County
- Prepaid mail-in
Questions before you send anything? Text DeKlutterNow at (858) 247-2017.