My Trading Cards Are Worth Money, What’s Next?4 min read

It could happen in any number of ways. Maybe you stumble across some trading cards while cleaning out your grandfather’s attic, or you take a chance on making some money and buy a large box of cards as a tag sale or swap meet. Maybe your older brother hands his cards over to you, or you decide that you want to get involved in the hobby yourself and purchase a few boxes on your own. The method of obtaining the cards is not as important as the fact that you now have them. But what do you do next?

Research Your Cardboard Treasures

Now that you have your cards, the next step is learning a bit about them. Fortunately, all of the information you will need can be found on PSAcard.com. You can first learn what you might have by looking through the CardFacts section of the website. You will be able to match your trading cards to what is shown on the site, and get names and general information about each set.

From there you will want to take a look at Auction Prices Realized. This tool allows you to look up your cards and see actual prices they have sold for in the past. This can help you to determine which cards you will want to have professionally graded by PSA.

With the wealth of tools available on PSAcard.com, you can learn all about your collection and the potential trading card value it may bring.

If you have some potentially valuable cards on your hands and you’d like to elevate your collection further, have you thought about submitting your cards to PSA for grading?

How to Submit Card to PSA

If you’d like to elevate your collection and submit your cards to PSA, here are a few simple steps that you can follow to begin the grading process:

• Create an account at PSA.com. It is simple, easy and free! Once you have an account, you will be able to track the progress of your submissions and more!

• Purchase storage/shipping supplies, if necessary. PSA requires that cards are submitted for grading in CardSavers, so those will be necessary. Other items, such as storage boxes and display stands can be really useful as well.
• Follow the easy, step-by-step submission process on PSA’s Online Submission Center.

• Package and ship your submission according to PSA’s shipping standards. Be sure to also write the submission level on the outside of the box. Then standby for your graded cards to arrive!
• For in-depth instruction on how to submit, refer to our How-To Guide.

And if you find yourself submitting multiple times throughout the year, it might not be a bad idea to join the PSA Collectors Club.  Members get up to 15 grading vouchers, monthly issues of the Sports Market Report (SMR) magazine and exclusive member specials. Not a bad deal.

Continue Your Education On Trading Cards

Whether you are looking to sell your trading cards or are starting a collection of your own, it’s never a bad idea to dive deeper into the hobby and learn as much as you can!

Below are just a few of PSA’s free, online resources that can help you on your collecting journey:

• The Population Report is a fantastic resource that will help you to understand the rarity of your cards
• The PSA Set Registry is a fun way to document the building of your collection and put yourself in touch with other collects working on similar projects to your own
• Lastly, the Collectors Universe Forum is a message board built for collectors to exchange ideas and information. This thriving online community consists of collectors of all experience levels interacting daily. There is also a Buy/Sell/Trade section for hobbyists looking to build their collections or sell items they no longer need.

There you have it. If you’ve just acquired a cache of valuable trading cards and want to know the next steps, think about submitting them to PSA for grading and take advantage of the free online resources that can help your card research process.

Now you can enjoy this hobby that provides opportunities to follow your favorite athletes, build your own collection, and have a lot of fun! So jump right in and get started.