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Selling your old Pokémon cards: what they're actually worth
Found a shoebox of Pokémon cards in a cupboard? Most of it is probably worth a little, and a few cards might be worth a lot. Here's how to tell the difference, and how to sell them without getting lowballed.
Step 1: Sort them into piles
Look at the small symbol in the bottom corner of each card, and at how shiny it is.
- Bulk: no shine, with a circle (common) or diamond (uncommon) symbol. This is usually most of the box. Individually these are worth very little, so they're sold by the hundred or thousand.
- Holos and reverse holos: a shiny picture, or a shiny card with a normal picture. Worth a bit more each.
- Hits: cards marked ex, V, VMAX or GX, full-art cards, gold cards, and cards where the artwork covers the whole card. These are the ones to check one by one.
- Old cards: anything from around 1999 to 2003, especially with a small black "1st Edition" stamp. Some of these are valuable even when they're played with.
Step 2: Check what they're really worth
Search eBay Australia for the card's name and the number in its bottom corner (for example "Pikachu 027/128"). Then tick Sold items in the filters. Sold prices are what people actually paid. Asking prices are just hopes.
Apps like Collectr can scan cards and show rough values too. Many of them show US prices, so check a few against Australian sold listings.
Step 3: Be honest about condition
Turn each good card over and look at the edges and back. White chips on the edges, scratches, bends and creases all drop the value, sometimes by half or more. Cards that went through a school playground usually aren't "mint", and that's fine. Just price them as played.
Put anything valuable into a soft plastic sleeve straight away so it doesn't get worse while you sell.
Step 4: Choose how to sell
- List them yourself on eBay. The most money for good cards, but the most work: photos, listings, postage, and fees taken from each sale.
- Facebook Marketplace. No fees and local cash, but expect time-wasters and lowball messages.
- Sell to a store or buyer. The fastest and easiest, for less money. Offers vary a lot between buyers, so get more than one, and ask whether the price is cash or store credit.
Watch out for
- "I'll give you $20 for the lot" before anyone has looked through the box. The lot might be worth far more.
- Buyers who want you to post the cards before you're paid, unless they're an established business you've checked.
- Overpayment tricks, where someone "accidentally" sends too much and asks for the difference back.
- Grading hype. Professional grading only makes sense for valuable cards in near-perfect condition. It costs money and can take months.
Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK and The Pokémon Company. Holo Harbour is a small independent seller and is not affiliated with them.