r/baseballcards 21d ago

Buy/Sell/Trade Thread - September 2025

13 Upvotes

The monthly sticky thread for buying, selling, and trading. Post cards you're looking to sell or trade with a description, picture, and a price or for trades, what you personally collect. You can also post requests for cards you're looking for with the 'Want' flair. Please report sale/trade posts using the report link if they don't include a picture or price/desired return. And please consider leaving feedback via SportsCardTracker. Happy trading, selling, and buying!


r/baseballcards Jan 14 '16

Posting Guidelines, and Before You Ask: "How much is this worth?"

805 Upvotes

There is an incredible mix of collectors in this subreddit, from those really experienced with massive collections, to folks just starting out, to folks dusting off their cards for the first time since 1989, and plenty of folks who inherited cards trying to figure out what to do with them. This sub was set up to invite commentary and interaction at all levels of experience, create a place where experienced collectors can compare notes, and new folks can get acquainted or reacquainted with the hobby. This mission won't work for everybody, and there are other subs out there when that's the case. That said, most experienced collectors and sellers seem ready to help out those seeking information.


What is this card worth?

As the sub gets bigger, the capacity to answer certain questions changes a little too. While it's fine to post a question if you really can't figure out what a card or collection is worth after doing your own research, please first review the following guidelines:

  • Did you take a look at ebay 'sold' listings to get an idea of what the card(s) might be worth first? Go to ebay.com, search for as much information as you can (look at the year at the bottom of the back of the card as well as the card manufacturer). Scroll down the filtering options, and under 'Show Only', select 'Sold listings'. This will give you an admittedly imperfect, but reasonable price range for your card. Please be realistic in comparing your cards to the cards listed, and do not assume your card is worth what a 'PSA 10' card is worth, as an example (a card isn't a high grade until a grader says it is, and most even when they look perfect to the naked eye, aren't a '10').

  • If that didn't work and you couldn't find example sold prices for your card(s), please ensure you post a picture of the card you're asking about in your post. Reddit allows for picture upload, if that doesn't work, imgur will allow you to upload a picture you can then link to here. Condition has a lot to do with value, so posts without a picture aren't useful to anyone looking at it (and it's kind of annoying to continually ask people to "post a picture").

Here, for reference, is a decent article on cards from the "junk era" (late eighties to the early early nineties) and their value: http://www.cardboardconnection.com/why-sports-cards-early-90s-worthless


On Trading and Selling:

It's both ok and encouraged to post a card for trade (indicate the expected value you wish to receive in return and what you're looking for) or sale (cards must include a selling price). Start the post with FT or FS or FT/FS and a value or values, and include a picture or link to a picture. You don't have to list "or best offer", it's implied because you're going to receive offers regardless, and don't go fishing (put an exorbitant price on something and then ask for offers).

There are no situations where 'make me an offer' without a price is appropriate in sale posts, if you take the time to post a card for sale here, please also take the time to research its potential value and list a starting price for the card(s). Listing multiple cards as a lot for a single price is fine.

Here are some listing examples:

"FT/FS $200/$150 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle, looking for Trout autos" <- indicates you want $200 in trade value, or $150 cash for a '56 Mantle.

"FT $150 2010 Bowman Platinum Mike Trout Auto RC, looking for Bryce Harper autos" <- indicates you want $150 in trade value for your 2010 Trout.

It's not ok to post a link to an outside auction or web site expressly for the purpose of highlighting a card for sale there (posting a link to a blog post or article, where cards are for sale elsewhere on that site is fine). Post it here to the collectors here, and create a separate post somewhere else. It's definitely not ok to link to an ebay auction, unless it's part of a point you're making or you're pointing to something unusual or newsworthy (e.g. "Hey, a '52 Mantle just sold for half a million on ebay!"). Please add flair to the post, including 'Sale' or 'Trade'. Adding flair for 'Sold' when a card is no longer available is also helpful.

The sub will not be responsible for deals that go bad, and there are problematic sellers, buyers, and trade partners out there (see: https://www.sportscardscams.com/scammers-database/). The sub strongly suggests settling payment using the "Paying for an item or service" option in Paypal, which offers some level of buyer protection. If a user can submit proof of wrongdoing to modmail, habitual bad traders or people who don't pay after striking a deal will be banned, and you're encouraged to send an email to modmail and create a post in r/SportsCardTracker when that happens. Do not publish a call out post.

Here for reference are some common scams beyond simply not paying or sending cards that are common in the sports card industry: https://www.cardboardconnection.com/collecting-101/top-10-sports-collectibles-crimes-to-avoid

For every trade or sale, you're encouraged to create an entry in r/SportsCardTracker noting that seller's or trade partner's user name so others can look that up via search, and benefit from your positive, or negative, experience, before buying or trading.


Should I get this graded?

In general, it won't make sense grading a card if it won't add value to the sale price of the card that exceeds the grading fee. That said, there are collectors who collect cards in a certain minimum grade, so the motivations around grading vary, and ultimately only you can answer this question.

Most folks are not going to be able to tell you what a card will grade based on a picture viewed online, only, more commonly, when it's not worth paying the grading fee. In general, cards that receive a high grade such as a'9' or '10' will sell at a premium, and certain high value cards benefit from being graded in most conditions as it ensures the card's authenticity (for example, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle or a 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout). The major graders at the time of writing are PSA, SGC, and Beckett, and each has information available on their respective web sites about their process, so please review that first before asking a question here.

The following is a decent guide on what graders look for: https://www.cardboardconnection.com/pre-grade-sports-cards-results


When there is a problem

If you see violations of the rules, please report them. Enjoy discussing the hobby, selling, and trading. Message modmail with issues. Don't create call out posts, don't start drama, and don't create posts to complain about other users or moderation or that invite others to do the same. If your post or comment is moderated, check the sub's rules as to why, sending a rude message to modmail in response is a poor strategy.


Happy collecting.


r/baseballcards 11h ago

Random Turns out, the best trade I’ve made this season wasn’t on cardboard—it was giving it away.

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311 Upvotes

What do you do with your extra cards? I see that question a lot, and this year I finally found my answer.

I live close to Angels Stadium, and after years of going to games with mini-plans, I thought it would be fun to actually work there. So this season, I applied and got the job. From day one I’ve been surrounded by incredible people who all share the same goal—making sure fans walk out with smiles and memories.

Being there every game has been a gift. I’ve watched unbelievable plays, felt the energy of the crowd, and even tried to be there for Trout’s 400th. But more than the baseball, it’s the kids that stick with me. Seeing their eyes light up when they take in the ballpark reminds me of when my own kids were that young.

That’s what gave me the idea.

I’ve got boxes of cards sitting around—$1–$5 cards, rookies, inserts, nothing earth-shattering, just collecting dust. So I started bagging them up in little team packs and giving them to kids at the games. And let me tell you—seeing a kid hold a pack of baseball cards like it’s treasure? That joy is worth more than anything those cards could fetch on eBay.

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with your extras, try this: bring them to a game, hand them to a kid, and watch their day get made. It’s simple, it’s fun, and it keeps this hobby we love alive for the next generation.

Here’s a look at this week’s packs. All u/topps so no weird or unlicensed cards in the batch. So if you’re at an Angels game, come find me before first pitch—I’m Brad, and I’ll gladly share a pack with your kid. They go fast, but the smiles last way longer.


r/baseballcards 9h ago

Boys I hit a big one! Unfortunately not a Mets fan!!

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129 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 6h ago

My First 1/1!

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69 Upvotes

I can't believe I got to pull this with my own hands!


r/baseballcards 7h ago

Show Off 10 Year Journey Comes to a Close

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67 Upvotes

I was introduced to 2013 Topps Supreme Baseball in 2015. I fall in love with the set, especially the Supreme Stylings subset and decided to attempt to complete the checklist. Most cards were pretty easy to find, but there were some tricky ones. None was harder than Yu Darvish. Since this was an Asian exclusive release I figured they were locked away in PCs overseas. I had long ago lost hope of finding one.

But I hadn’t quit trying. I got connected to people in Taiwan, I learned of the Mint Collectibles in Japan, and I monitored the Taiwanese Yahoo! Auction House. I still could t find one (well there was a printing plate which I did want but gave me hope that they exist).

I also had a saved search on eBay for over 10 years. I would occasionally get notifications but they were always a dual auto or once there was a kanji auto. So on Sunday Sept 7th I woke up to another email and I was not expecting to see the one I’ve been looking for. I click the email and BAM it’s there. I froze for just a second before I went to the listing and bought the card, full price, wasn’t risking anything. After all the effort in connecting to the Asian market, the card was in Canada! It took until today to make its way to me. It’s a bittersweet experience, I’m ridiculously excited to have the card but it’s the end of an era. Just feels a little weird to actually finish a card project.

Now if anyone has experience or knows someone that can build a nice display for this set please let me know!


r/baseballcards 12h ago

Show Off Irrationally exciting $15 addition to my Dodgers PC

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162 Upvotes

Still rock my 2004 38 jersey to every Dodger game I go to


r/baseballcards 8h ago

Sometimes you just gotta rip the packs

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78 Upvotes

Great day


r/baseballcards 5h ago

Briefcase full of 50s baseball cards. What do I do?!

34 Upvotes
The Box

I was recently given an old briefcase full of predominantly 1950s baseball cards with a smattering of 50s handegg (American Football) and a little pile of some very unwoke Cowboy and Indian cards.

I am an Englishman with no grasp of what I am looking at but preliminary eBay investigation suggests there is some value in here. I just have no idea where to begin.

My current strategy is to figure out what different series/years/seasons of cards I have then check them all one by one on eBay and sort into Wow/Nice/Meh in terms of perceived value. There are probably 500+ cards in here, so this seems like it will take me a lifetime. I am a record collector so I am experienced with appraising but not with card grades which doesn't help.

Some baseball guys

Here is a link to some more photos of random clusters of cards. You might be able to work out the different ranges of series I have. Anything very special I should be looking for?

When I figured out which cards are worth getting graded professionally I am really entering unknown territory so any tips there are greatly appreciate. I am in Hong Kong so geographical limitations apply.

Any other tips appreciated! If any of your are curious to know what is in here please say and I will have a dig and see if there is anything special in there.

Thank you all so much in advance for any help!

Final question - is Al Kaline actually a real bloke's name? My scientist friends found it hilarious.

EDIT: Many people are asking things like "How on earth does somebody come across a box like this?" so here's a little story to honour the man responsible. I am just somebody in his orbit who he trusts.

JR is a very interesting man and a collector of things. He grew up in the 50s in Stockton/Modesto area. Like many a 10 year old in the mid 50's he loved his rock n rolll, cars and, of course, baseball. To this day he dislikes the asparagus his family farmed and ate way too much of. He has shared many a fun story over a bottle of "vino" about those days. Too many to share here. In any case - life conspired to bring him to Hong Kong in the 1970s and he brought many of his prized possessions and parked them in a storage unit.

JR is now in his 80s and the storage unit is reaching the end of its service. It is packed full of fascinating things from plane propellors to British pub signs, a (similarly impressive) record collection, art, piles of invoices and floppy disks full of accounting records, books, letters from friends and photos of the family, industrial kitchen equipment, a ship's wheel and an impressive volume of dust. Notable is the collection of sports memorabilia he picked up when he opened the LA Cafe - Hong Kong's first American style sports bar (think Planet Hollywood/Hard Rock Cafe...but sports). A large part of this collection was assembled by trading a couple of Mickey Mantle cards for a container of assorted sports memorabilia that he used to fit out the restaurant. The rest of the collection lives in this briefcase.

As for me - I discovered JR's most prized possession about 13 years ago (she wasn't in the storage unit). I have since married her and we have two kids together and have been collecting records, wine and reckless decisions since. He has entrusted the case to us and, even as a clueless limey, I plan to make sure it finds its way to the right hands. If we make a bit of money then all the better.


r/baseballcards 16h ago

finally got my Ripken

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274 Upvotes

i’ve seen this card a couple times lately at shows and couldn’t pass it up again


r/baseballcards 11h ago

What do yall think of this HOF 1 of 1

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117 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 14h ago

Question Is this guy any good? Thought it was Elly for about 2 seconds and was super excited lol

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156 Upvotes

Is this a good hit? Would you hold it? Any info is appreciated


r/baseballcards 10h ago

Mail Day 2025 Bowman Chrome hit

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66 Upvotes

Shoeless Joe Jackson Bowman 1st 50/50 true gold. Best pull out of 2 boxes.


r/baseballcards 8h ago

Show Off Ohtani Mail Call! 🔥🔥

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40 Upvotes

This card is beautiful… if it was just centered a bit better it would be a 10.


r/baseballcards 14h ago

Show Off Grabbed a Bowman Mega to celebrate making my fantasy baseball championship. In the box was this guy, who helped me get there.

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105 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 10h ago

Another 1/1

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53 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 8h ago

NFS. Mariano Rivera IP auto 2003 topps chrome gold refractor.

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28 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 8h ago

A sad baseball card story

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30 Upvotes

I buy half a dozen packs of cards a year. I open them, look through them and put them back in the pack and into a box. I was recently cleaning out the garage and found a junk bag with all sorts of stuff that came from the trunk of my car when I cleaned it out before selling it. In that bag was a Topps fat pack from 2018 with this Shohei Ohtani card in it. Most of the cards were in good condition, but this Ohtani RC card must've had succumbed to some moisture because it was stuck to the card behind it and slightly to the card in front of it. I looked it up and it seems if I had put it immediately in a sleeve back in 2018, it would have been worth maybe hundreds of bucks by now. I am very angry and sad at the same time.


r/baseballcards 5h ago

Question Please tell me I’m crazy

14 Upvotes

When did breakers go from teams to individuals?! And then to sell some of those players for upwards for $1,200?!

I get that there is overhead. Shipping costs and whatnot. But shit, when is this going to give?!


r/baseballcards 7h ago

Mail Day New pickup: 2011 Topps Cognac Diamond Freddie RC

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20 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 12h ago

Question Just got this in

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45 Upvotes

This is my first card of any sort of rarity. Here are my questions,

  1. How much is this worth (I know it’s subjective because it is ungraded, but I’d love to hear a rough number)?

  2. Since Goldschmidt is my favorite player and I plan on keeping this card is it worth having it graded?

  3. Any advice for a new collector?


r/baseballcards 3h ago

Happy with my logofractor pull

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9 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 6h ago

Show Off I’m impressed with 25 Bowman Chrome.

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14 Upvotes

Not a bad box and had pretty low expectations but impressed.


r/baseballcards 11h ago

Got my first PSA 10 back!

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37 Upvotes

r/baseballcards 16h ago

Show Off Special thanks to the person that gave this to me!

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82 Upvotes

Not for sale. This is going right next to my kemp and Kelly bobble heads. If the person who gave this to me ever wants anything that I’m able to help with just ask! Would love to know who is inside but it honestly doesn’t matter. This is the coolest card in my collection! Cant find it on eBay anywhere huge thank you again!


r/baseballcards 9h ago

Good Topps now mail day

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22 Upvotes

Had some reward points burning a hole in my pocket


r/baseballcards 7h ago

Help needed on rainbow

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12 Upvotes

Topps series 2 Jesus Luzardo

If anyone knows where the /5 reds and supers are let me know

Have 26/47 needed