Sell sports cards, rookie cards and graded slabs
Sports card collections are divided by era more than almost any other hobby. Cards from the late 1980s and early 1990s were printed in huge numbers, while vintage cards and modern parallels and autographs are a different market. This page shows how to sort your cards so you send the right information.
Short answer: Send photos of your best cards front and back, a few box or binder pages, graded slab labels, and any sealed wax or boxes 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.
What era are my sports cards from?
Era is the first thing a buyer asks. Look at the copyright year on the back of the card.
Vintage, before about 1980
Tobacco and early gum cards, 1950s and 1960s sets, early rookie cards. Condition and exact card matter a lot, and these are looked at one at a time.
Junk wax era, about 1986 to 1994
Printed in very large numbers and often kept in shoeboxes. Most are common, while a few key rookies and error cards are looked at individually.
1990s inserts and parallels
Limited inserts, die cuts, refractors, and numbered cards from the mid and late 1990s. Look for serial numbers printed on the card.
Modern, 2000 and later
Rookie autographs, patches, numbered parallels, and prizm style cards. Many are sold graded. Photograph the numbering and any autograph or patch.
What do shops and buyers look for?
- Rookie cards of notable players, and first cards in a major set
- Autographs and patch cards from the company that printed the card, not stickers added later
- Serial numbered parallels, with the number printed on the front or back
- Graded cards in PSA, BGS, SGC, or CGC cases, with a clear grade label
- Sealed wax, boxes, and cases from desirable years
- Complete sets in good condition, especially vintage and well known modern sets
Common cards from the junk wax era are usually not worth much one at a time, and that is true of many large boxes. It does not hurt to send photos.
Should I grade sports cards before I sell?
- Grading is worth thinking about for clean, valuable cards with sharp corners, strong centering, and clean surfaces
- Many common and mid range cards do not gain enough to cover the cost and time
- Check recent sold prices for the exact card at the grade you realistically expect
- A card with a crease, a soft corner, or a print line often does not need to be graded to sell
- If unsure, send photos and ask before you pay for grading
Autographs, relics and authenticity
Signed cards and relic cards are common targets for fakes and altered items.
- Look for a sticker or certification from the card company, or for third party authentication such as PSA, JSA, or Beckett
- Be careful with signed cards or memorabilia that came without any certificate, and photograph the signature and any hologram
- Do not trim, press, or clean your cards. It can be detected and can reduce what a buyer will accept
- If a card shows signs of trimming or recoloring, say so
Boxes, wax and complete sets
- Photograph every side of sealed wax boxes and packs, and tell us if it was ever opened
- For complete sets, say which set and year, and whether any cards are missing
- Keep cards in the order they came in when you can
What we look at
- Baseball, basketball, football, and hockey cards from any era
- Rookie cards, autographs, patch cards, and serial numbered cards
- Graded cards from PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC
- Sealed wax boxes, packs, and cases
- Binders, shoeboxes, and complete sets
What is usually not a fit
- Counterfeit, trimmed, or altered cards
- Water damaged or moldy cards
- Large piles of common junk wax era cards on their own
- Resealed product presented as factory sealed
Careful notes on selling sports cards
- Do not clean, trim, or press cards.
- Keep valuable cards in sleeves and toploaders, never loose in a box.
- Be careful with buyers who offer overpayment and ask for a refund to 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, in even light
- Close ups of any autograph, patch, or serial number
- A few box or binder pages for the rest
- Graded slabs front and back with certificate numbers readable
- Every side of sealed wax or boxes
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 sports 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 sports cards from the 1980s and 1990s?
- Yes, we review them. Many common cards from that period were printed in large numbers, so keys, rookies, and inserts matter most. Send photos of the best cards and a sample of the rest.
- Do you buy graded sports cards?
- Yes. Send photos of the slab front and back with the grade and certificate number readable.
- What is a rookie card?
- A rookie card is usually a player's first card in a major set. Check the card back for the RC mark or the year.
- Are cards in plastic sleeves and toploaders worth more?
- Storage helps protect condition, but the cards are what is looked at. Keep them as they are.
- Can I sell a whole box of cards at once?
- Yes. Send photos of a sample and the best cards. We make one offer after we look at them.
- Do you buy basketball and football cards too?
- Yes, along with baseball and hockey. Tell us the sport and years in your note.
- What about autograph and patch cards?
- We review them. Look for certification and photograph the signature and patch closely.
- Can I mail in sports cards?
- Yes. Outside Southern California we use prepaid mail-in and explain how to pack cards and slabs safely.
Keep reading
- Sell trading cards for cash in Southern California
- Sell Pokemon cards
- Guide: how to sell a trading card collection
- Sell trading cards in Los Angeles
- Prepaid mail-in
Questions before you send anything? Text DeKlutterNow at (858) 247-2017.