This process describes unsorted collections by weight. Counted sorted bulk follows separate category rates and seller-paid shipping. Existing accepted quotes keep their agreed terms.
How we buy Pokémon collections
You should be able to check every step of a quote yourself. Here is the whole process, in order, with nothing left out.
You tell us about the pile
Rough weight from a bathroom scale and two or three phone photos: one of the whole pile, one of a stack edge, one of any cards you think are special.
We read the era from the photos
Yellow borders, set symbols, copyright years, 1st Edition stamps. We judge what we can see, not the title of the email.
You get a written quote
Never below $2.25 a pound. Card count, rate, which cards get quoted individually, and what we'd deduct. One email, no phone call.
Ship free or meet us
Say yes and we send a prepaid label and packing notes. Around Sanford and Orlando, we meet you instead.
We weigh and sort on arrival
Packaging and anything we don't buy come off first. We tell you what share was original era and what rate that earns.
You get paid
PayPal, Venmo or Zelle, usually the same day it lands. Heavier than quoted? You get the difference.
How we weigh
For planning, we estimate 234 loose cards per pound. Actual counts vary; payment is based on eligible card weight. But nobody weighs loose cards — they weigh the box. So we take the packaging off before the arithmetic:
| Stored in | Typical packaging share |
|---|---|
| Loose in a box | about 7% of the scale weight is packaging |
| Plastic storage bin | about 10% of the scale weight is packaging |
| In binder pages | about 17% of the scale weight is packaging |
| Tins, toploaders, deck boxes | about 25% of the scale weight is packaging |
If your pile is in binders, we count pages rather than guess. If it's in a bin, we tip it out. The number we pay on is the weight of the cards, and it's written in the payout email so you can check it.
How we price
Every pound of Pokémon cards earns at least $2.25. Three things move it up from there:
- Era. The bigger the share of original 1999–2003 cards, the higher the rate, up to $14 a pound for a pile that's mostly Base Set through Neo. The offer is posted here and dated.
- Holos and 1st Editions. Pulled out and quoted individually at about 65% of market. If you've already searched the pile and taken those, tell us — the rate for what's left is lower, and we'd rather quote it right than find out on the scale.
- Deductions. Basic energy, counterfeits, code cards, sealed product and merchandise don't count. We photograph counterfeits rather than quietly tossing them.
The quote email shows the line items. If we got the era wrong from your photos, send a better photo and we'll redo it.
What we will not do
- Tell you the pile "could be worth thousands" to get it in the door, then pay you for commons.
- Pay you less than the floor we posted.
- Keep cards you decide not to sell. If you change your mind after we weigh it, return shipping is on us.
- Make you take store credit. Cash out, every time.
Minimums and shipping
By mail, 10 lb or more. Below that, the postage costs more than the cards. Smaller piles are welcome at a local meetup. We pay shipping once you accept a quote, and the return trip if you don't go through with it.
Got a big pile?
Rough weight, two photos, and we reply with a quote and the reasoning.
Get a quote