CardVault
8 Platforms · Fee Calculator · Liquidation Timeline

Collection Liquidation Planner

Sell your card collection strategically for maximum value. Add your cards, get platform recommendations per value tier, see estimated fees, net proceeds, and a realistic selling timeline.

Your Cards

Add cards to plan your liquidation strategy

How It Works

1

Add Your Cards

Enter cards with their estimated market values, or load sample cards to see how the planner works.

2

Set Your Speed

Choose quick liquidation (fastest, lowest return), balanced (moderate timeline), or maximum value (patience pays).

3

Get Your Plan

See which platform to use for each tier, expected fees, net proceeds, and your liquidation timeline.

Platform Quick Guide

eBay~13.25% fees

Best for: All value ranges

Typical time: 3-14 days

Largest audience, most buyers

Goldin Auctions15-20% fees

Best for: $200+ cards

Typical time: 30-60 days

Premium sports card auctions

Heritage Auctions10-15% fees

Best for: $500+ vintage

Typical time: 60-90 days

Best for vintage and high-end

COMC20-30% fees

Best for: $10-200 cards

Typical time: 14-60 days

Consign and forget

MySlabs8-10% fees

Best for: $50+ graded

Typical time: 7-30 days

Growing graded card market

Facebook Groups~3% fees

Best for: $20-500

Typical time: 1-7 days

Low fees, community trust

Local Card Shop30-50% fees

Best for: Quick cash

Typical time: 1 day

Instant but lowest return

Bulk Dealer50-70% fees

Best for: Sub-$10 cards

Typical time: 1-3 days

Move volume fast

Liquidation Tips

Start with high-value cards — Sell your most valuable cards individually first. These have the biggest margin between quick-sell and max-value approaches.
Batch mid-range cards — Cards in the $10-50 range sell well in small lots (3-5 similar cards). Saves time vs individual listings.
Dump bulk last — Sub-$10 cards are not worth listing individually. Sell as bulk lots by sport, year, or team. Accept 30-50 cents on the dollar.
Time it right — Football cards peak during NFL season (Sep-Feb). Baseball peaks during playoffs and HOF weekend. Basketball peaks during March Madness and playoffs.
Document everything — Photograph cards before shipping. Keep tracking numbers. Screenshot sold prices for tax purposes if total sales exceed $600/year.
Consider grading first — Cards worth $100+ raw in near-mint condition often double or triple in value with a PSA 10 or BGS 9.5. Factor in grading cost and wait time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Collection Liquidation Planner work?

Add your cards with estimated values, and the planner categorizes each into value tiers: bulk ($0-10), mid-range ($10-50), notable ($50-200), high-value ($200-1,000), and premium ($1,000+). Each tier gets a recommended selling strategy with the best platform, expected fees, and estimated time to sell. The summary dashboard shows your total collection value, expected net proceeds after all fees, and a realistic liquidation timeline.

Which selling platforms does the planner recommend?

The planner considers 8 selling channels: eBay (individual listings and auctions), COMC (Check Out My Cards for mid-range consignment), Goldin Auctions (premium sports cards), Heritage Auctions (high-end vintage), local card shops (quick cash, lower return), Facebook card groups (low fees, community sales), MySlabs (graded card marketplace), and bulk dealers (fastest but lowest return). Each tier maps to the platform with the best net return.

How accurate are the fee estimates?

Fee estimates are based on published platform rates as of 2025: eBay charges ~13.25% (final value fee + payment processing), COMC takes 20-30% commission, Goldin charges 15-20% seller premium, Heritage takes 10-15%, local card shops typically offer 50-70% of market value, and Facebook groups have minimal fees (just PayPal/Venmo at ~3%). Actual fees may vary based on your account level, listing type, and current promotions.

How long does it take to liquidate a collection?

Time varies dramatically by method. Quick liquidation (selling everything to a dealer or bulk buyer) can happen in 1-2 days but nets 40-60% of market value. Moderate liquidation (mix of platforms) takes 2-8 weeks. Maximum value liquidation (individually listing everything on the optimal platform) can take 3-6 months for a large collection. The planner estimates time based on your chosen speed preference.

Should I grade cards before selling?

The planner flags cards in the $50+ tiers where grading could significantly increase value. Generally, cards worth $100+ raw that are in excellent condition benefit most from grading. However, grading adds $20-150 per card plus 1-6 months of turnaround time. For liquidation, only grade if you can wait and the expected grade bump exceeds the grading cost by at least 2x.

Bulk Sale Calculator

Compare 6 selling methods side-by-side

Consignment Tracker

Track cards consigned to auction houses

eBay Fee Calculator

Calculate exact eBay selling fees

Fee estimates based on published platform rates as of 2025. Actual fees may vary.