Pre-War Cards

REA offers free appraisals of your prewar cards and collectibles.  To learn more about the value of your items and the options you have if you’re interested in selling, contact them today!

Advantages to Selling Your Collectibles Through an Auction House

Sports collectible sellers can travel down several different paths during the process of securing a sale. For example, you might have T206 Ty Cobb that someone in your circle of friends wants very badly. If that’s the case, you already have a built-in buyer and the transaction, provided both parties agree on price, should go smoothly.

Then again, you may want to dangle your item in front of a bigger audience to test the secondary market. You could list it locally on platforms such as OfferUp or maybe through a Facebook group. You might even create a seller’s account on eBay and roll the dice with a three-, five-, seven- or 10-day auction. With 135 million eBay users worldwide, chances are you might find someone who’s willing to pay big bucks for your prewar treasures.  You could also add a “Buy It Now” option to your listing with a fixed price and see if anybody bites.

But wait? Have you had the card graded by a third-party firm like Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)? What kind of proof do you have that it is real, and not a reprint or counterfeit? Offering the potential buyer peace of mind that the cards are authentic goes a long way toward closing the deal, and confirmation of condition by a third party can substantially increase the value.  If you’d prefer to mitigate these risks and position your collectibles for a top dollar payout, you might want to try consigning to a reputable auction house, like REA.

EXPERT ADVICE

A seasoned auction house representative should be able to assess your item(s) and provide an educated opinion on market value; tell you when is the best time to bring your cards, memorabilia or game-used equipment to auction; and guide you on what further requirements must be met in order to move forward. Since third-party authentication and/or grading is the norm, the auction house rep can help get your items submitted for verification to make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. And based on volume, auction houses are often granted bulk discounts for their business, which will provide a better price and turnaround time than if you submitted them yourself.

MARKETING

A big responsibility that falls on the shoulders of the auction house team is to properly publicize and market the upcoming auction. Press releases should be distributed throughout the hobby media (Sports Collectors Digest, Sports Collector Daily, etc.) and social media posts should tout the fast-approaching lots going up for bid. And if an item is newsworthy enough, like a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth, segments on local TV news stations and national news programs (Fox Business Channel, ESPN, etc.) will provide increased awareness.

REACH

A result of strategic marketing efforts should be that the upcoming auction’s audience will undoubtedly increase. Something else that all reputable firms have in their back pockets is an extensive email list that can be targeted to specific collectors and buyers looking for what you have to offer. In most cases, auction houses will run an online event for about two-and-a-half weeks, which gives them plenty of time to solicit, advertise and promote your lot. The more eyeballs that find your item, the more likely you are to have multiple bidders vying for it.

REWARD

 A big benefit that comes with consigning with an auction house is that the onus is on them to sell your item. They receive your item and secure it under lock and key. They photograph, publicize and promote it, and then they handle the oftentimes arduous task of shipping the item out once the winning bid is recognized and payment has been made. They will even offer cash advances in many cases to convince the consigner to get on board. No heavy lifting on your part; lots of due diligence on theirs. After the auction closes, you will walk away with the lion’s share (up to 70 or 80%) of the winning bid. Many auction houses charge a 10% consignor’s fee, but some will waive it if the buyer’s premium (20% of the winning bid) will cover their costs and still provide a profit. And if you want to set a reserve price that must be met in order for the sale to go through, that can be arranged as well.

Interested in learning how much your cards are worth in the current market?    Email pictures to REA for a no-obligation review!