Some may be surprised to learn that Pokémon is the most popular media franchise.

It’s larger than Mickey Mouse, Star Wars and Mario, but it’s not even close. The last earnings report by The Pokemon Company was May 2019. Pokemon was $20 billion ahead of Hello Kitty ($88.5 million in revenue), which is the second-largest franchise.

This doesn’t account for the fact that The Pokémon Company has been printing cards continuously since March 2020 when the pandemic struck. As a result, the hobby’s demand has reached an alarmingly high level. A Pikachu illustrator card was sold for $5275,000, while another card, the legendary 1st Edition Base Set Charizard, sold for an astonishing $420,000 on March 19, 2022.

All of this begs the question: Is there a potential gold mine from your childhood, hidden in a closet you haven’t seen in almost twenty years?

You are unlikely to have anything that is worth more than this, but there are hundreds of modern and vintage cards that are worth hundreds of dollars even in very poor condition.

If you have been away from the hobby for some time and want to learn how to sell your Pokemon cards to make a quick buck while it is still popular, I will share my top places to sell them and tips on spotting rare ones. And how to get the highest price for them.

The Best Places Online to Sell Pokemon Cards

There are many places where you can sell your Pokemon cards in person. However, online is the best and most profitable place to do so. This is because online marketplaces are more accessible and offer greater opportunities to make deeper sales.

Our Picks

• Best Overall
• Mercari – Best Promotional Tools
• TCGplayer: The Best Research Tools

• Groups – Best for Low Fees
• Toad: The Best Way to Quickly Sell a Collection

1. eBay

eBay is already a well-known online marketplace. It has deliberately sought to be the best place to sell Pokémon cards online. With millions of cards being sold each year on eBay, the dominance of the online marketplace is not slowing down.

Sellers can feel confident knowing that they will find the best place to sell their valuable possessions, thanks to a wide range of safety and listing features.

Pros & Cons

• Potential buyers from all walks of life (domestic as well as international) are the largest.
• The most reliable method of determining the card’s fair market value is to use the average “eBay” comps, also called comparison prices.
• Organised listing interface allows sellers to list, photograph and describe cards.
• Promoted listing options to increase listing visibility
• Recently, a 3 day return window was created that is more friendly to sellers.
• Only platform that offers at least 50% total value protection against fraudulent or abusive buyer claims
• Cards valued at $250 and more are guaranteed authentic.
• Templates and tools that can be used to help high-volume sellers.

I have bought and sold more than $100,000 in cards last year on eBay. This is a testament to the protections offered by eBay compared to other selling options. Although almost every seller of Pokémon cards has a “buyer friendly” policy, meaning that they will protect the buyer in disputes, eBay does a better job at mediation and will even support the seller in certain circumstances.

2. Mercari

Mercari is another excellent place to sell your Pokemon cards online. Mercari offers unique tools that enable sellers to make top-dollar sales on their collections.

Set a price for your collection that is slightly higher than the market value. Mercari will then gradually lower the price until a buyer clicks the trigger.

This promotional setup will give your listing an algorithmic boost every time the price drops to attract new eyes to it.

The floor price protection provides downside protection in the event that your collection is sold at a price you are unhappy with.

If the floor is reached and the listing has not converted any sales with no promising leads, you can simply delete it, reassess your market value, and then recreate the listing for an algorithmic boost.

Pros & Cons

• The best promotional tools available (“Promote To Everyone” and “Offer To Likers”)
• The interface for sellers is extremely simple (snap photos, description, and list).
• Shipping protection up to $200 for modest sellers
• The final sale value of a property is usually slightly higher than the market value or comparable selling platforms.
• There is no competition with commercial selling companies.

3. TCGplayer

There are apps to flip everything, from clothes and jewelry to tech gear or golf clubs — and there are also apps that allow you only sell trading cards.

TCGplayer, the largest niche card marketplace worldwide, is well-known for their easy-to-use app. It also has a priceguide that assists novices as well as experts in valuing their cards. TCGplayer, like eBay, offers a comprehensive suite of selling tools that is well integrated with their price guide.

Although the interface can be confusing and lead to overwhelm, it is still a great tool to reach millions of buyers who may not have been able to access other platforms like eBay. provides buyers with an Amazon Prime-like experience. They can shop for millions of cards online and get free shipping on all orders above $35.

Pros & Cons

• The largest marketplace for trading cards worldwide.
• Amazon-like experience (trusted seller get enhanced visibility for having a great track history).
• Sellers can quickly price their cards using the propietary price guide.
• To spot price trends emerging, research tools can show you historical price data.
• There are many selling options available, both domestically and internationally.

4. Pokemon Facebook Groups

Pokemon-oriented Facebook Groups have been voted the best place to sell Pokemon cards online due to two reasons: low seller fees, and high buyer intent.

These groups are purely for collectors. They allow them to meet up, share their collections, have a chat and, of course, sell and buy Pokmon cards. You must follow all rules, as each group will have their own. If you don’t, you could be expelled from the community permanently. There are many acronyms and sellers lingo, so don’t be surprised if it seems confusing at first. Example listing in a niche Pokemon-oriented Facebook Group.

Some terms that are frequently used include:

• FS/NFS – For Sale/Not For Sale
• FT/NFT for Trade/Not For Trade
• OBO: Or the best offer
• G&S is short for PayPal Goods & Services. This is the most secure and preferred method of paying for cards.
• Pop: The shorthand for population (the total number of cards that are available).
• ISO/WTB = “In search of” or “want” to buy
• HP, MP, LPP, NM and M: Heavy, moderate or light play; near mint condition (more information on the determining card condition later).

This is where the personal element of things has the greatest advantage. Conversations in the comments sections and/or through direct messaging can quickly lead you to the sale of or trade cards that are not publicly listed on larger exchanges.

Pros & Cons

• PayPal G&S fees are approximately 3.5% of the final sales value. This is in stark contrast to the close to 15% charged by most other platforms.
• Real-time conversations reduce confusion and facilitate information exchange (including additional cards images).
• High buyer intent (all potential customers are members of the same group).
• Market value, unless noted otherwise, is the generally understood arrangement.

5. Troll and Toad

Are you willing to pay a little more to avoid the headache of listing, photographing and describing individual cards on major selling platforms, as well as the tedious task of listing entire lots? Toad are for you.

Troll and Toad are two of the most well-known names in the industry. They allow sellers to create a “Buylist”, which includes all their cards. Troll and Toad then will specify the quantity of the card they are looking for along with a cash price based on its condition.

Once you have finalized your card list, you will ship your cards to them at their headquarters. They’ll verify the condition and quantity. They’ll issue cash payments within five business days if everything is in order. A decreased payout will be issued for any discrepancies or exaggerated card conditions. Troll and Toad aren’t trying to nickel and dime anyone on subjective card conditions determinations. There is some room for leeway.

Troll and Toad, a well-known bonus, offers a 25% payout increase if a seller chooses to receive payment via store credit. This is a great way for you to immediately receive a substantial discount on your next purchase if you are looking to add the holy grail to what you already have.

Pros & Cons

• You can quickly sell your entire collection for less than market value, with no research.
• Cashout options available for +25% Store Credit Sales.
• There is no need to describe or photograph cards.
• Shipping is one thing.
• In less than a week, cash in your hand.

The Best Places Near Me to Sell Pokemon Cards

Selling your collection online is likely to make you the most money. However, selling your Pokemon cards in person will get you the fastest route to a paycheck. Face-to-face negotiations may be required. Doing some research ahead of time will help you establish a goal.

6. Facebook Marketplace

Easily buy and sell new and used Pokemon cards on the Facebook Marketplace.

, a hybrid online/in person medium, is the best place for selling Pokemon cards in locations close to you.

The best perk? In-person transactions are free of listing and selling fees.

Simply create a listing and upload photos. Once you have set a price, all details and information, Facebook Messenger will connect you with interested buyers. Keep your asking price firm, but don’t forget to include photos. Buyers are more likely to negotiate a deal if you set a high price. Once you have agreed on a price, arrange a meeting place and close the transaction quickly.

You can also set up a Facebook Shop and add payment details to gain access to millions more buyers. Although you will be charged a 5% transaction charge for every item shipped from your shop this is significantly less than the almost 15% that eBay, Mercari and other digital marketplaces collect.

Selling in this manner has a small benefit, aside from the low fees. Your listing is algorithmically promoted to potential interested parties at no cost (Facebook is one of the biggest harvesters of interest-based data in the world so this is a big bonus). To gain greater listing visibility than your competitors, you don’t necessarily have to “pay to play”, as you might need to on other platforms.

7. Local Card Store

Although you may not get the best price for single cards at a LCS, there are other perks that come with selling here. Aside from the immediate cash payout, building relationships with your LCS can provide insider information on stock dates, friendly phone calls when a card you are interested hits the shelves, and store credit bonuses on goods that have been sold if you feel you might make a purchase at the LCS in the future.

LCS owners are often resellers and will need to make money from any acquisition. Expect to receive offers between 50-70% for the actual market value of the item. Don’t be offended if they don’t want bulk cards or your entire collection.

You are the only one who has your best interests at heart. So don’t be afraid of coming back later in the week after you have had time to consider an offer.

8. Pawn Shop

If you are in a tight spot, it’s okay to make quick.

is the best way to quickly sell Pokemon cards to people who don’t have an LCS.

You can expect to receive offers at 30-60% of the market value and only for high-end cards. Because pawn shops are not as focused as LCSs, they will accept cards that are more popular to ensure they don’t stay on the shelf for too long.

Where can I sell bulk Pokemon Card Bulk?

Collectors and enthusiasts of all kinds will be able to spot rare or expensive cards in a pile of lower-value items. While selling single cards one at a time is the best way to make a lot of money, it’s worth getting rid all your bulk trainers, energy cards, and Pokemon all at once for a modest amount.

There are many places that will accept low-priced cards at very generous rates. These are the top places to buy Pokemon cards (vintage or modern) bulk.

9. Safari Zone

After a 20-year absence, I was blown away by the price of a single pack in a store. The “hit” rates, which is the rate at the premium card is pulled from the pack, were highly skewed across a wide rarity spectrum. It takes far more open packs to get the rarest cards in modern sets.

You will eventually end up with hundreds or even thousands of low-value Pokemon cards that you have just acquired. You don’t need master sets or you have duplicate cards. The next thing you should do is figure out how you can get rid of them all while only getting a fraction back.

Safari Area is the solution.

In exchange for a reasonable amount of PayPal cash or store credit, they’ll buy any modern card (2003 and up) that you have in return.

Pay Rates (at the time of writing)

• Any Common/Uncommon: $0.02 per each
• Any Rare: $0.08 per unit
• Any Holo: $0.12 per each
• Basic Energy: $0.01 per unit
• Any GX: $1.75 per unit

• Any V: $1.00 per unit
• VMAX: $1.75 per unit
• Each Full Art Trainer $1.00
• Any Rainbow Rare: $2.50 per unit
• Any Gold Rare: $1.50 per piece

Cards must be in mint condition and sorted according to the categories. You can then package the cards and mail them to the bulk submission center. I have submitted large bulk submissions twice and both times the process was very easy. I received my cash in 5 business days.

To get started, fill out the bulk Submission Form

*Prices subject to change depending on market demand and market value.

10. Sell2BBNovelties

Safari Zone has some of the best prices for modern Pokemon cards bulk. sell2BBNovelties however, is one of the few places to accept vintage Wizards of the Coast sets bulk (sets dating back to mid-2003).

Although the standards are high, they only want mint condition cards. However, it eliminates the hassle of selling small-time cards on eBay for $0.50 and then having to pack them and ship them one by one. They can handle any volume of cards you order, and they’ll pay you quickly once they have processed the order and vetted the card conditions.

Selling Requirements

• Cards should be in mint condition (no creases or scratches, marks, bends, folds, wrinkles, etc.)
• English only. No fake or foreign cards

Pay Rates (at the time of writing)

• Holos: $0.15 per each
• Reverse Holos: $0.05 per each
• Rares: $0.04 per each
• Commons/Uncommons: $0.03 per each
• Energy Cards: $0.005 per card (2 cards for $0.01).

Visit their shop to sell your collection .

How to Start Selling (Beginner’s Guide)

You may not have ever sold a Pokemon card before and don’t know much about them. Below are some tips on pricing and sorting your cards and how to make the most of them.

Sort your cards by set

If you are new to selling Pokémon cards online for money, sort your cards by set.

Google is your best friend if you don’t know where a card came from.

Simply type the name of the card, and then add the # from the set. This is usually located near the border at the bottom left or right.

You will see the search results quickly.

A search for “Bulbasaur 44/102”, for example, will reveal that the card was part of the 1999 Pokémon Base Set print run. This card is the 44th in a series of 102 cards. The 1999 Pokémon Base Set Unlimited printing run was the most popular and widely recognized trading card game set. It produced an estimated 3,000,000 cards.

It is much easier to sort the cards by set than to use price guides or online resources to estimate what your cards may be worth.

Sort your cards by rarity

After you’ve sorted your cards by set, it is time to sort them according to their printed rarity symbols. These symbols can be found close to the set number and card.

This system applies to both vintage and modern Pokemon cards. The age of your cards will not matter.

The symbols are sometimes difficult to see and can be very small. It is therefore recommended that you refer to the chart below.

Pokemon Card Rarity Guide

Symbol	Description	Rarity
	Star	Rare
	Square	Uncommon
	Circle	Common

Once you have your cards organized by rarity and set, it is much easier to use one the many digital price guides available.

How to determine the value of your Pokemon cards

Although everyone wants to sell their collection for thousands of dollar, sellers must be honest about the condition and what it is. To get the best price for your cards, it is important to learn how to assess their condition and pair that with easily accessible price data.

Assessment of Card Condition

A Pokemon card in light play condition.

Although subjective, accurately determining card conditions is an essential skill one should master.

An inconsistency between buyer assessment and seller condition can cause deep dissatisfaction, refund requests and negative feedback on public-facing profiles.

Christian at TheGamer does an excellent job of highlighting what types of damage should be looked for when examining card condition.

It is easier to determine the condition of the entire body once you are able to identify objective damage.

Card Condition Guide

• Near Mint (NM) = Very few to no easily visible imperfections, such as corner whitening or nicks along edges. Holographic cards can have small imperfections like clouding, superficial scratching, and print lines.
• LightPlay (LP). A card in this condition may have a few minor imperfections, such as minor nicks or scuffing along with edge wear, clouding and/or light scratches.
• Moderate play (MP) = This card has extensive wear including diffuse edge wear and scratches, clouding or scuffs.
• Heavy play = A card that has been damaged in this way could be unplayable even in a sleeves. This type of damage can include creases and dents, scratches, bends or scuffs as well as ink damage, water damage, clouding and/or any other types.
• Damage = A card that has been damaged in such a way that it cannot be used in tournaments or even in a sleeves is called DMG. These damage can include heavy wear, creases and dents, scratches or bends as well as tears, inking, water staining, and/or other types.

To determine market value, you can use third-party websites

It’s much easier to predict the market value of what you want to sell once you have determined the condition of individual cards or the general condition for an entire set.

The TCGplayer provides a set-by-set price list that will give you an idea of the current market price of your card. To change sets, use the drop-down menu. Prices are based on the cards’ market sales history. There may not be enough data for rare cards.

You may have a card in that category. Check eBay comps to find out if any similar cards have sold within the last 3 months. If there are more than one sold, you can take the average of all the sold listings and factor in the market’s direction. To find similar Pokemon cards that were recently sold, use the “Sold Items” filter.

In response to scarcity and demand, it might be a good idea to adjust the market by 5-10% if prices have been trending upwards. If you are motivated to sell and prices are declining, it may be necessary to select the lower market value for sale price determination.

Sellers are known to overestimate the condition and value of their cards in an attempt to increase sales. You might consider listing your condition range, such as the Sold Venusaur listing. The seller claims that the card is in LP to NM condition (light play, near mint), and gives a conservative and optimistic estimate. This helps reduce any mismatches between seller and buyer.

How to Get Your Pokemon Cards Graded

You may have found “graded” cards when researching the market value for your card. These cards are often fetching higher premiums than cards in mint condition. This is not a fluke.

In the last 30 years, many third-party grading companies have emerged to authenticate and grade trading cards and sports cards. The exception is Pokemon cards. The multi-six-figure and seven-figure cited in the opening paragraph were PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), graded cards that scored GEM MINT 10 on a condition scale from 1 to 10.

The Most Popular Pokemon Card Grading Services include

• PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator).
• BGS (Beckett Grading Services)
• CGC (Certified Guaranty Company).
• SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation).

A professional card authentication and grading service may cost between $15 and $500 for a single card. However, the added value could be worth it in the end when it comes time to sell.

The 1st Edition Base Set Charizard in mint condition with no markings would have sold for between $25,000 and $40,000 on eBay if HD photos had been taken. It was the only card among 121 that has achieved this grade, and it was verified authentic.

However, card grading is a complex process. Before submitting cards to any service, it’s a good idea to speak with an expert, watch a YouTube tutorial or ask questions in the Pokemon Facebook group.

Best Practices for Listings in Sales

There are some tactics that I have learned to get the best price for my Pokemon cards online. You can beat other sellers by doing some preparation and paying attention to details. This will allow you to make more money on your memorabilia, cards, and collections.

Get rid of all your cards

Although it sounds absurd, it is vital, especially when you are selling vintage Wizards of the Coast singles. These singles may have dirt, dust and grime. The back of Pokemon cards is known for developing dark dirt circles.

Use a very damp cloth, preferably microfiber, to gently remove dirt and deposits. You should be able to tell the difference between dirt and damage before you start wiping. This will help prevent further damage from occurring. Dry the card immediately as moisture can eventually cause it to warp.

Get Great Photos

Uploading garbage photos is the biggest error sellers make. Make sure you have enough lighting and a good camera to take decent photos. Nearly every smartphone today has a good-quality camera that can take great photos. As long as the card is not damaged or obscured by artificial or natural light/flash, it is encouraged to have enough.

For a buy-sell agreement to be successful, you don’t have to draw attention to every flaw. However, crisp images from multiple angles that accurately represent the card condition are crucial.

Learn SEO

Every selling platform is a search engine. Search engine optimization (SEO), allows you to design your listing so that it maximizes the number of users who end up searching for your product or card. Your listing will appear more often in search results on almost every platform if it has keywords rich titles and descriptions. This simple HTML SEO guide will help you translate your advice to any other platform.

Be aware of fees

Fees are the fastest way to reduce your selling profits. Many experienced sellers prefer niche selling on Facebook to the more popular platforms once they have mastered the process and established a network of collectors. If you are a beginner seller or just looking to sell a collection quickly, eBay and Mercari might be the best option. However, it is important to be cautious about listing upsells.

Bold font Listing of the second category. Subtitles. Promotions that are disproportional to the final sale price These are all upsells that larger companies may offer to boost their bottom lines. You might consider using them in certain circumstances. However, it is better to focus on great listings with excellent photos and a clear, keyword-rich description.

How to Avoid Being Scammed

There are many ways that you can be SOL in the selling business. Here are some ways to avoid it.

• Accepts only official payment methods Each of the top places to sell Pokemon cards online for money has specific rules or accepted ways that sellers can be paid. You will be punished if you break these rules too often. This happens more often on the buyer’s side than sellers. Rogue buyers may try to con you with chargebacks, fake checks and gift card schemes.
• Meet in safe space. Parking lots at police stations and bank lobbies are great for high-dollar transactions, whatever that may mean to you.
• Cash reigns. Cold hard cash is the best option for meeting in person to conduct a transaction. No fake checks, no chargebacks, no falsified returns, no swapped cards.
• Everything. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t written down or photographed. Take great photos of everything you sell, including the packaging and shipping process. Buyers have submitted bogus returns using fake/replaced cards. I was able to keep the final sale price and no refund was made by eBay or any other platform. All because I took detailed photos of my pre-shipment. This is a costly mistake that can cost hundreds of dollars.
• Be the ultimate professional. Nearly every platform sells to buyers. However, disputes can be disputed by appeals and/or case review. These are usually handled by subject experts who have varying degrees of discretion in rendering a judgment. Your chances of winning a case that is closely contested are lower if you have an abusive or accusatory online chat history. When deciding whether to grant a ruling on a case, eBay/Mercari representatives have looked at chat history. It is easy to do anything that will help you win.

Common sense is the best thing. You can move on if something is not right or there are more red flags that you can shake a stick at. It is not worth losing your heart for a few extra dollars.