Where to Sell Hockey Cards: Online & In-Person Options

Selling hockey cards involves navigating a diverse market. Understanding the various options helps sellers maximize returns and streamline the process. The choice of venue depends on the card’s value, desired effort, and sale urgency. This article explores online platforms and in-person services, detailing their operations and suitability for different cards.

Online Selling Platforms

Online platforms provide sellers with extensive reach, connecting them with buyers globally. These digital marketplaces cater to a wide range of hockey cards, from common base cards to rare, high-value graded specimens. Each platform has its own fee structure and operational nuances that influence a seller’s net proceeds.

Major e-commerce sites like eBay serve as a primary online destination for sports card transactions, including hockey cards. Sellers can list raw single cards, graded cards, or bulk lots, reaching a vast and diverse audience. eBay charges various fees, including an insertion fee and a final value fee, which is a percentage of the total sale price. For trading cards, the final value fee is around 13.25% on amounts up to $7,500, with a lower percentage above that, plus a per-order fee.

Dedicated sports card marketplaces offer a more specialized environment for selling. Platforms like COMC (Check Out My Cards) allow sellers to send in their cards for processing, imaging, and listing, handling the entire fulfillment process. COMC charges a per-card processing fee, typically around $0.50 to $1.00 per card depending on the service level, along with a transaction fee of approximately 5% of the sale price. MySlabs, another specialized marketplace, focuses on graded cards and high-value raw cards, often featuring lower fees compared to broader platforms, typically a flat percentage commission on sales.

Social media groups and online forums, such as Facebook or Reddit, are informal yet active venues for selling hockey cards. These communities facilitate direct peer-to-peer sales, potentially avoiding traditional platform fees. Sellers can join dedicated sports card groups on Facebook or Reddit communities like r/sportscards and r/hockeycards to post cards for sale and negotiate directly. Transactions rely on trust and feedback systems, lacking built-in buyer protection. While these platforms often have no direct selling fees, sellers manage all aspects of the transaction, including payment and shipping.

The IRS classifies collectibles, including hockey cards, as capital assets. Profits are subject to capital gains tax. If a card is held for one year or less, any gain is taxed as ordinary income at the seller’s marginal tax rate. For cards held longer than one year, gains are subject to a maximum long-term capital gains tax rate of 28%.

Sellers must report these transactions on IRS Form 8949 and attach it to their Form 1040. The cost basis for calculating gain is the purchase price plus any acquisition fees. For online transactions, third-party payment networks may issue Form 1099-K if gross payments exceed $2,500 for calendar year 2025. All income from sales must be reported on a tax return, regardless of Form 1099-K receipt.

Local Selling Venues

Local selling venues offer in-person transaction opportunities, providing immediate payment and eliminating the need for shipping. These options appeal to sellers looking for quick sales or those preferring face-to-face interactions. The types of cards exchanged in these settings can vary widely, from lower-value cards to significant collections.

Local brick-and-mortar card shops buy hockey cards directly. They look for cards that fit their inventory needs, such as popular players, vintage cards, or graded items. Selling to a local shop offers convenience and instant cash, but prices are wholesale, providing a lower return than direct sales. Shops acquire inventory at a price allowing for resale and profit margins.

Sports card shows and conventions provide a marketplace for buying, selling, and trading. Events range from local shows to national conventions, attracting collectors and dealers. Sellers can rent a table to display cards, with costs from $55 to $130 for a single table at smaller shows. Larger events like The National Sports Card Convention have general admission around $30.

These shows are suitable for selling raw singles, graded cards, and bulk lots, offering direct negotiation and immediate cash or trades. Benefits include avoiding shipping costs and online platform fees, though sellers incur table rental and travel expenses.

Direct private sales, through local meetups or word-of-mouth within collector networks, are an in-person selling channel. These sales often occur between known collectors or through introductions, based on trust within the hobby community. Cards exchanged span the entire spectrum, from affordable inserts to high-end memorabilia. While private sales can yield higher prices by cutting out intermediaries and their fees, they require the seller to actively find a buyer and manage all transaction aspects, including payment verification and secure exchange.

Specialized Auction and Consignment Services

For higher-value hockey cards, particularly graded or rare items, specialized auction houses and consignment services offer a professional selling channel. These services manage the entire sales process, leveraging their expertise and established buyer networks. Sellers pay a commission on the final sale price.

Major sports memorabilia auction houses, such as Heritage Auctions, Goldin Auctions, and PWCC, feature high-end hockey cards. These firms cater to serious collectors and investors, providing authentication, professional photography, marketing, and secure handling of valuable assets. Goldin Auctions operates with a tiered fee structure: no commission for items under $7,500, around 5% for items between $7,500 and $24,999, and about 10% for items over $25,000. PWCC offers varying consignment rates, such as 11% for a $2,000 card. These services are well-suited for high-grade cards, rare rookie cards, iconic memorabilia, or cards with historical importance, benefiting from their reach to global buyers.

Dedicated consignment services exist, providing a hands-off approach for sellers. These services handle everything from card intake and grading submissions to listing and shipping. They charge a commission, which varies based on the card’s value and service level. For example, some services may charge a flat fee plus a percentage for lower-value cards, or a decreasing percentage as value increases, potentially ranging from 15% for cards under $100 down to 5% or less for cards over $10,000. The benefit of these services is professional presentation and access to a broad market without the seller managing online sales or auction logistics.

When utilizing these services, sellers should understand the fee structures, including any potential buyer’s premiums that can influence bidding behavior. Auction houses and consignment services pay out proceeds after deducting their commissions and any agreed-upon expenses, such as grading fees.