Online sales increase dramatically on free shipping day. [1] X Research source When you offer free shipping on ebay, you also automatically get a five-star shipping cost rating.
Know the condition of your cards. Some sites, like professor-oak. com, will only accept cards that are in mint condition.
The rarity of your card. Whether or not your card is shadowless or holographic. The condition of your card. Is your card used, in good condition or even in mint condition? The set number of your card. For example, the Charizard card would be “base set 4/102”.
This strategy can backfire if your card is very valuable. For extremely rare cards, you should start the bidding at the price you want for them.
Call ahead to make sure the store accepts Pokémon cards.
Search the internet to find a list of upcoming trading card shows in your area.
Card game players usually won’t pay as much for rare cards as collectors because they plan on using them.
Your relationships may even refer customers looking for rare cards to you.
Buy in bulk. Find sellers that are looking to get rid of their Pokémon cards and are offering a good price. When buying older Pokémon cards, make sure they’ve been well maintained as the slightest damage to a card can drastically decrease its value.
On the back of a real card, there will be a crisp border. On the back of a fake card, the border will look faded. On the front of a fake card, there will likely be no accent mark over the “e” in Pokémon. [5] X Research source
A circle indicates that the card is common and likely not worth much money. A diamond indicates that the card is uncommon. A star indicates that the card is rare. If there is no shape or a different illustration, then the card is part of a promotional set. Promotional cards can be more or less rare depending on what promotion they are a part of. [6] X Research source
If there is a black circle with the number one inside of it and the word “edition” wrapped around it next to the description of the pokémon, then your card is a first edition Pokémon card. If your card has shiny reflective foil around the picture, then you have a “holographic” card. If the holographic design is on the entire front of the card, then the card is a “reverse-holographic” card and is even more valuable. If there is a copyright of “95,96,98,99” at the bottom of your card and there is no shadow at the edge of the picture, then you have a rare shadowless card.
Buy toploaders for the cards that are more valuable. Toploaders are more rigid than plastic sleeves and prevent your cards from being creased. [7] X Research source
Only send cards you believe are in mint condition. The process can be expensive. The PSA scale ranges from ten for a card in mint condition to one for a card in poor condition. Even the tiniest smudge or scratch can drop a card from mint condition to one in good condition, dropping it in value substantially. [8] X Research source There are only five mint condition, edition one Charizard cards in circulation, making them worth over a thousand dollars each.
The base set has one hundred and two cards. The jungle set has sixty-four cards. The fossil set has sixty-two cards. The team rocket set has eighty-three cards. You can also group your cards in sets of holographic, shadowless or rare cards.