UPDATED: October 13, 2022

Do you often stare at your cabinet full of Pokémon cards and merch and wonder how you can make money off of them? If your answer is yes, then this article is for you.

Sure, it isn't easy to let go of those trading card games that have been with you for several years or decades. But, if you want to earn extra income, then selling old Pokémon cards is the way to go.

We scoured the web for the top places to sell Pokémon cards and rounded up the ones where you can legitimately sell them and make the most money. 

You can earn a few hundred bucks depending on your cards. You’ll even be surprised at how much you can earn if you have rare cards.

Stick with us until the end or you’ll miss an opportunity to sell them for the highest possible price if you skip over this article! 

If you're also looking for other ways to make a bit of money quickly, here are 3 apps worth checking out:

Why Are Your Pokémon Cards Worth Selling?

What’s your guess on the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold?

$10,000? No, it’s definitely higher than that amount, not even $100,000. 

An “Illustrator” Pikachu Pokémon card from 1998 was sold for an astounding price of $900,000.

So why do Pokémon card prices rise to such an amount?

Aside from being collectibles, one of the answers lies in their exposure from influencers and celebrities. For instance, former rapper Logic purchased a rare first edition Charizard for $226,000.

Due to this publicity, more people are picking up the hobby of collecting trading cards, even if they’ll buy them for a higher price. 

Of course, there are serious Pokémon collectors committed to catching ‘em all.

Should you sell your old Pokémon card collection?

If you want to earn extra cash, you might want to sell Pokémon cards online. You can also offer your trading card games to store owners or ask a friend if they know someone who wants to collect Pokémon cards.

You might not earn $900,000 or even $226,000, but listing these cards can surely help your finances. It allows you to declutter while earning from your old toys.

Are you keen on selling your Pokémon cards? The following section provides the details on where and how you can sell your treasured collection.

Where Can You Easily Sell Pokémon Cards?

We’ve compiled a list of where you can sell Pokémon cards for cash. But first, make sure to capture nice pictures of your cards, research their values, and take note of their most valuable features on your listings. 

This way, you can sell ‘em all!

eBay

eBay reported that 139 cards are selling per minute. How can you be one of those sellers?

  1. Create a listing on eBay. Visit the selling page and click the List an Item button to start.
  2. You’ll be asked to provide what you’re listing. Type Pokémon cards. 
  3. Choose from possible matches; then, you’ll be redirected to the sign-in page. 
  4. You can then provide an item description so you can showcase your Pokémon cards.
  5. Include the card’s key features. In this section, take advantage of having a first edition card or a holographic one.

Like any other e-commerce website, eBay requires the sellers to mention in the listing whether the product is new, used, or refurbished. Make sure to practice honesty and declare that you’re selling used Pokémon cards.

Have fun watching people bid for your card, or maybe an avid fan will instantly buy it.

Troll and Toad

Unlike eBay, Troll and Toad has a specific list of items they want to buy from you. 

  1. Input the name of your cards at the search bar of the Buylist page. You can also find your Pokémon cards by viewing the category name. It expands to subcategory pages where you can choose the specific set for the item.
  2. Troll and Toad will require you to ship the cards. 
  3. Upon completing your listing, you will be asked to select a preferred payment method.
  4. After Troll and Toad accept your cards, they will send the payment. 
  5. Wait for the money on your bank account or digital wallet, depending on your preferred mode of transfer.

Another thing to note: it’s recommended to use a shipping method with tracking and insurance. This way, you will be assured that the product will arrive in good condition or that you can recover compensation in an unfortunate time that it's lost.

Cardmarket

Below is the steps in selling your cards on Cardmarket.

  1. Create an account or sign in on Cardmarket
  2. Choose the Sell Card option at the top of the page. 
  3. The website will then ask you to choose between two options: List Mixed Cards and Bulk List Cards.
  4. Input details to sell your Japanese Pokémon cards. 
  5. Under the Card Properties, type in the amount and condition of your trading card.
  6. Click the Put Card(s) on the Sale button at the bottom of the dialog box.

The website will then send notifications once someone buys your card. Your new balance will reflect on your account’s profile.

Card Cavern

Card Cavern has a niche of its own. Here, you can trade PTCGO codes, which means “Pokémon the trading card game online.” PTCGO are codes that correspond to digital cards.

Since it’s an online card, sending them is easier. 

If you haven’t redeemed the cards yet, you can send the code via email and sell them to Card Cavern, which will in turn, offer those electronic cards to other people.

Aside from online Pokémon cards, you can also use this website to sell physical trading cards. Look through their Buylists, enter the cards you own, ship the products, then wait for payment from Card Cavern.

TCGplayer

It’s fairly easy to sell at TCGplayer, a dedicated site for buying and selling Pokémon cards. 

  1. Create an account through the website. You need to have a valid email address and a secure password for your account.
  2. After signing up, go to the homepage and click the Sell With Us button located in the top right corner. 
  3. TCGplayer will require you to answer a form about the cards you want to sell.
  4. In listing items, go to the Inventory tab. 
  5. Search for cards by name, set, product line, rarity, and product type to identify the product. 
  6. Upon finding the card you want to list, click the Add button. Input the correct quantity and desired price. 
  7. Click the Save button.

It’s now time to ship your cards and wait for the payment.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook has almost 2.91 billion monthly active users as of 2021. With this astonishing number, your Pokémon cards can even reach collectors from the other side of the world.

So how can you maximize the Facebook marketplace?

  1. Click the Marketplace icon, then choose the Create New Listing button. 
  2. Enter the card name, select the category, then confirm your location.

Make sure to include the key selling features of your cards to attract more buyers. It also helps to have attractive and high-quality photos of the items. Also, reply promptly to the prospective buyers since the competition is high.

Facebook is also where you can trade Pokémon cards. Talk to fellow collectors and ask if they’re willing to buy your trading cards.

Local comic book shops

Aside from posting online, you can also sell Pokémon cards to local comic book shops. They accept almost any collectible merchandise, from books to rare cards. 

You can even haggle the price depending on the item’s market price.

Go on a trip to your local neighborhood or ask other collectors where they buy Pokémon cards.

How Much Can You Sell Your Pokémon Cards?

You might have hundreds or thousands of Pokémon cards and, at the same time, not be aware that you’re sitting on a gold mine. 

Also, you might not know the value of your collectibles, so you provide a steep listing price, which prevents other people from buying your Pokémon cards.

That’s why you need a Pokémon card price calculator. Some sites only require you to input your card’s name, set, or number. After that, they’ll show how much you can sell those treasures. 

If you want a convenient way of looking into your card’s value, visit these websites:

Below are some of the common cards and their current prices.

CardPrice
Charmander #46 (Common)$2.25
Bulbasaur #44 (Common)$2.36
Squirtle #63 (Common)$4.33

On the other hand, here are some of the expected prices of rare cards.

CardPrice
Raichu #14 (Rare)$35.46
Venusaur #15 (Holo Rare)$80.49
Blastoise #2 (Holo Rare)$106.18

To know the value of your Pokémon cards, you can also search several eCommerce and trading sites to compare starting prices. You can also look into the highest bids of Pokémon cards to know if they’re in demand.

If you have the same in-demand card, it might be an excellent idea to put it up for sale. You can also discover which Pokémon cards have relatively low prices and prepare to sell them for generally the same price.

What Are the Top 5 Rarest Pokémon Cards?

Do you think you have a rare Pokémon card? Here’s a table that shows the rarest Pokémon cards ever.

Pokémon CardPrice
Pikachu Illustrator$900,000
1999 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4$369,000
Black Star Ishihara Signed GX Promo Card$247,230
Kangaskhan-Holo #115 Family Event Trophy Card$150,100
2000 Pokémon Neo Genesis 1st Edition Holo Lugia #9$144,300

How do you get your Pokémon cards professionally valued?

If you’re convinced that your card is an ultra rare gem, then it’s best to hire the services of Pokémon card appraisers. They assess your card’s condition on a 1-10 scale for a detailed examination of the item. 

You can even mention it as one of the key selling points should you continue to offer the card. Check the list below for professional appraisers.

What Factors Determine a Pokémon Card's Worth?

If you want to check Pokémon cards yourself, you can do so with the guide below. It offers an advantage since other sellers won't scam you.

Rarity

Look into the bottom corner of your Pokémon card to know how rare it is. If you see a black circle, it’s a fairly common one. 

But a card imprinted with a diamond or star colored in black is a rare card. Plus, if the symbol’s color is white or gold, then hold on to it because it’s super rare.

Most Pokémon cards that sell for hundred-thousand dollars are first-edition trading cards. The merch has extra value since they’re the first print run of a set. You can see the edition on the far left side of the card.

Holographic cards also sell for more than regular ones. Most fans want the holographic design, raising the value of those trading cards.

Popularity

It’s even more important to know the demand around specific cards so you can offer them at a higher price. Currently, the top seven cards for collectors are:

  • Charizard
  • Blastoise
  • Lugia
  • Mewtwo
  • Pikachu
  • Rayquaza
  • Umbreon

If you have these cards and they’re holographic or first-edition, list them on a website or sell them at a local comic bookstore to earn extra cash.

Condition

Like any item, the present condition of the Pokémon cards you’re trying to sell is quite important. If your card is near mint, it will sell at a higher price. 

On the other hand, heavily played cards will not attract many buyers because of creases and damages. 

Here’s a sample list of Pokémon card’s conditions.

  • Mint
  • Near mint
  • Lightly played
  • Moderately played
  • Heavily played
  • Damaged

What Are The Steps To Spot A Fake Pokémon Card?

Are you doubtful of your card’s authenticity? Watch out for the following signs that your Pokémon card is fake.

  • Look for grammatical and spelling errors.
  • Be wary of washed-out colors.
  • Observe differences with an authentic card.
  • Check if the set symbol or set number is correct.

How to Buy and Sell Pokémon Trading Cards for Neat Profit?

Being a Pokémon card dealer also has its perks since you can purchase the cards at a lower price, but how can you get started?

  1. Compare prices before buying the cards in bulk from reliable websites or local stores.
  2. Learn to assess if the cards are authentic to prevent loss of profit.
  3. Make sure to purchase in-demand cards so you can attract many buyers.
  4. Sell for a higher price by highlighting key features and taking great pictures.

Should I Sell Pokémon Cards?

Although the income from selling Pokémon cards varies depending on the set that you own, it’s still an uncomplicated way to earn extra cash. Who knows, you might have an ultra card in your collection that you can sell for a hundred thousand dollars!