Where to Sell Sports Cards in Canada (and How to Get a Fair Price)

Before you sell anything

Sort out your best cards first: rookies of stars, anything graded, anything old. Look up recent sold prices (not asking prices) for those. See how to price your cards.

Your options

• A local card shop. Quick and simple. Shops buy below what they sell for, so expect an offer under recent sold prices, especially for common cards. Many shops focus on one area, so call ahead. Find card shops near you.

• A card show. Dozens of dealers in one room, so you can get several offers in an afternoon. Go early, show your best cards first, and do not take the first offer. Upcoming card shows.

• Selling it yourself online. Usually the most money for single cards, but it takes time, photos, fees and shipping. For buyers outside Canada, factor in cross-border shipping and paperwork.

• Local groups and marketplaces. No fees, but meet in a public place and be wary of fakes and payment scams.

• Auction houses and consignment. For a high-value graded card, an established auction house reaches the most buyers; they take a commission.

• A buyer who comes to you. For a big collection (boxes, binders, a lifetime of cards), having one buyer look at the whole thing is often easier than selling piece by piece. Ask for an offer.

Avoiding a lowball

Get more than one offer, know the value of your top ten cards, and do not let anyone rush you. A fair dealer will tell you which cards drive the offer.