Best Way to Sell Baseball cards???

Rusty Heap · Rusty Heap's Garage

So I just received a shoe-box full of baseball cards from a friend who moved out of the house last fall to go to college.

Cards are from the late 1970's, 80's, and 90's.

I've never collected baseball cards, don't even watch the game, and I have no idea of the cards real worth, and also don't really want to track down every single card and piece them out one by one to sell them

I've valued a few of them from listings on Ebay, but I've got hundreds of cards.

I have Randy Johnsons 1989 rookie card, some of Roger CLemens, Barry Bonds, Nolan Ryan, Jose' Canseco, Ken Griffey Jr, Cal Ripken, Edgar Martinez cards all from the 1980's. Lots of other big name players too, but that's just a sampling.

So whats the best way to sell them at fair value?

Go into a card dealer with a blank look on your face and say "Whatcha give me for them?", or have him sell them on commision, Or sell them in lots of 10 on Ebay? I don't want to list them card by card.........all of them are in really great shape.

Anyone want these couple hundred cards? make me an offer? I take paypal.

GG Allin · GG Allin's Garage

After realizing all of my baseball cards from the 70's and 80's were worth little to nothing, I gave them to my nephew. You'd be surprised at how little baseball cards from that era are worth.

gassy · 06-10-2009, 01:48 PM

Baseball cards from those years aren't worth squat now. Sell 'em on ebay as a lot and be done with it.

gassy · 06-10-2009, 01:49 PM

I was typing as you posted.

Heel n Toe · 06-10-2009, 01:54 PM

Ah, good times.

I'll be watching the responses you get, Dave... my two sons had a ton of fun collecting baseball cards and memorizing stats during the late 80's and early 90's. They still have all of their cards... in sleeves stored in boxes and in those notebooks with the clear plastic pocket pages... total between the two of them is probably close to 5,000 cards, but that's just a guess.

They're in a closet upstairs on the West side of the house, and I tell them they need to come get them because that end of the house is sinking from the extra weight.

I won't throw 'em out... too many boys' parents (mostly moms) from my generation and others did that when they went off to college. Sad.

I doubt if either of my boys really want to get involved in selling theirs online, but I'll pass along what you find out here.

pwd72s · 06-10-2009, 02:00 PM

Aye, and there is the rub...parents from that era didn't toss the cards, while the parents of old did. Collectability means the item must be rare...

GG Allin · GG Allin's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by gassy

I was typing as you posted.

The baseball cards that you need are the ones from the era when no one kept them. My mother used to buy them for the gum back in the 40's. Eat the gum, toss the cards. Jeees! I bought a few complete sets back around 91-92, thinking that I was smart and no one else was buying them. Check the price on a 1991 full set from Topps. Maybe I could toss them in the fireplace to offset my heating bill.

gtc · gtc's Garage

Funny... I collected baseball cards between '89 and '92. I think mine have actually depreciated. From what I understand, the card companies were just printing as many as they possibly could.

DanielDudley · 06-11-2009, 02:56 AM

I understand that the best way to sell them is to include gum...

Super_Dave_D · Super_Dave_D's Garage

The best way to sell baseball cards is FIRST determine if the card you have has any value at in the current market. Beckett Baseball is the industry standard on valuing baseball cards.

So now you have determined “Hey, I have a Nolen Ryan rookie!!!”

If you want to see on email and make top dollar, it need to be professionally graded. PSA and Beckett are the 2 largest independent grading services. They are graded from 1-10. 10 being the best of the best and are not given out freely.

When it comes too sought after rookies and low run cards. This is the only way people will buy them online. That way they know what you are getting and can be validated on the PSA web site.

Highly graded cards can go for many times the book price.

This is for the serious collector.

You can also just sell them on Ebay in lots or singles but if not graded, be prepared to get 25-50% book if you are lucky.

Otherwise – take the lot to you local card show and ask him what he will give you – just be prepared for “Not much”

I have approx 500K baseball cards in my closet that I havent looked at in 10 years. Maybe one day my son will be able to buy a GT2 with them.

Heres an example of a graded card