I made an interesting trade today, I’m happy with what I got and the other party is satisfied with what they received, but I’m just curious what the community here would prefer in such a trade. Which of the following would you rather have, and do you think either side of the trade is “unfair”?
On one side of the trade is a card that needs no introduction, a PSA 9 Base Set Unlimited Charizard. Estimated value right now is right around $2200.
On the other side of the trade is the following lot of ~1400 near mint 1st edition WOTC Non-Holos. These cards are actually near mint, for the sake of simplicity assume that 50% of them would grade PSA 8, 25% would grade PSA 7, and 25% would grade PSA 9.
Set Card QTY
Gym Heroes Misty’s Seaking 11
Gym Heroes Misty’s Starmie 7
Gym Heroes Misty’s Tentacool 8
Gym Heroes Sabrina’s Haunter 10
Gym Heroes Sabrina’s Jynx 3
Gym Heroes Sabrina’s Abra 10
Gym Heroes Sabrina’s Drowzee 13
Gym Heroes Erika’s Exeggcute 4
Gym Heroes Erika’s Exeggutor 8
Gym Heroes Erika’s Gloom 11
Gym Heroes Erika’s Oddish 7
Gym Heroes Erika’s Weepinbell 9
Gym Heroes Lt. Surge’s Magnemite 9
Gym Heroes Lt. Surge’s Raticate 5
Gym Heroes Lt. Surge’s Spearow 8
Gym Heroes Misty’s Poliwhirl 9
Gym Heroes Misty’s Psyduck 7
Gym Heroes Sabrina’s Gastly 1
Gym Heroes Vermillion City Gym 9
Gym Heroes Blaine’s Gamble 1
Gym Heroes Energy Flow 1
Gym Heroes Narrow Gym 3
Gym Heroes Sabrina’s Gaze 23
Gym Heroes Trash Exchange 9
Gym Heroes Fighting Energy 12
Gym Heroes Fire Energy 20
Gym Heroes Grass Energy 21
Gym Heroes Lightning Energy 15
Gym Heroes Psychic Energy 17
Gym Heroes Water Energy 13Neo Discovery Hitmontop 1
Neo Discovery Politoed 1
Neo Discovery Unown D 5
Neo Discovery Unown M 1
Neo Discovery Unown N 4
Neo Discovery Unown U 1
Neo Discovery Xatu 4
Neo Discovery Corsola 5
Neo Discovery Houndour 1
Neo Discovery Igglybuff 1
Neo Discovery Kakuna 1
Neo Discovery Omastar 2
Neo Discovery Poliwhirl 4
Neo Discovery Pupitar 2
Neo Discovery Caterpie 27
Neo Discovery Dunsparce 17
Neo Discovery Hoppip 15
Neo Discovery Kabuto 21
Neo Discovery Larvitar 17
Neo Discovery Mareep 20
Neo Discovery Natu 23
Neo Discovery Omanyte 19
Neo Discovery Pineco 18
Neo Discovery Poliwag 23
Neo Discovery Sentret 16
Neo Discovery Spinarak 22
Neo Discovery Teddiursa 21
Neo Discovery Tyrogue 24
Neo Discovery Unown E 16
Neo Discovery Unown I 17
Neo Discovery Unown O 20
Neo Discovery Weedle 21
Neo Discovery Wooper 16
Neo Discovery Fossil Egg 4
Neo Discovery Ruin Wall 3
Neo Discovery Energy Ark 20Neo Revelation Octillery 7
Neo Revelation Parasect 16
Neo Revelation Piloswine 13
Neo Revelation Seaking 15
Neo Revelation Stantler 15
Neo Revelation Unown B 15
Neo Revelation Unown Y 13
Neo Revelation Aipom 27
Neo Revelation Chinchou 32
Neo Revelation Farferch’d 31
Neo Revelation Geodude 31
Neo Revelation Goldeen 27
Neo Revelation Murkrow 31
Neo Revelation Paras 25Neo Destiny Dark Slowking 1
Neo Destiny Light Ledian 2
Neo Destiny Unown W 1
Neo Destiny Unown X 1
Neo Destiny Chansey 1
Neo Destiny Dark Croconaw 1
Neo Destiny Dark Flaaffy 6
Neo Destiny Dark Forretress 4
Neo Destiny Dark Haunter 1
Neo Destiny Dark Omanyte 1
Neo Destiny Dark Pupitar 1
Neo Destiny Dark Quilava 3
Neo Destiny Dark Wigglytuff 2
Neo Destiny Heracross 1
Neo Destiny Houndour 10
Neo Destiny Jigglypuff 3
Neo Destiny Light Dewgong 4
Neo Destiny Light Golduck 4
Neo Destiny Light Jolteon 1
Neo Destiny Light Slowbro 2
Neo Destiny Light Vaporeon 4
Neo Destiny Light Venomoth 1
Neo Destiny Light Wigglytuff 6
Neo Destiny Scyther 3
Neo Destiny Togepi 1
Neo Destiny Unown C 2
Neo Destiny Unown P 4
Neo Destiny Unown Q 1
Neo Destiny Unown Z 1
Neo Destiny Cyndaquil 8
Neo Destiny Dark Octillery 8
Neo Destiny Dratini 8
Neo Destiny Exeggcute 10
Neo Destiny Gastly 7
Neo Destiny Girafarig 7
Neo Destiny Gligar 18
Neo Destiny Growlithe 10
Neo Destiny Hitmonchan 7
Neo Destiny Larvitar 6
Neo Destiny Ledyba 10
Neo Destiny Light Sunflora 6
Neo Destiny Machop 8
Neo Destiny Mantine 12
Neo Destiny Mareep 5
Neo Destiny Phanpy 7
Neo Destiny Pineco 11
Neo Destiny Porygon 10
Neo Destiny Psyduck 7
Neo Destiny Remoraid 14
Neo Destiny Seel 16
Neo Destiny Slugma 9
Neo Destiny Sunkern 17
Neo Destiny Swinub 6
Neo Destiny Totodile 12
Neo Destiny Unown L 9
Neo Destiny Unown S 7
Neo Destiny Unown T 13
Neo Destiny Unown V 8
Neo Destiny Venonat 19
Neo Destiny Vulpix 6
Neo Destiny EXP.ALL 1
Neo Destiny Thought Wave Machine 1
Neo Destiny Counterattack Claws 2
Neo Destiny Energy Amplifier 6
Neo Destiny Energy Stadium 1
Neo Destiny Magnifer 3
Neo Destiny Pokemon Personality Test 4
Neo Destiny Team Rocket’s Evil Deeds 1
Neo Destiny Heal Powder 7
Neo Destiny Mail from Bill 5
Thanks for any input y’all! 
I’d take the Charizard, mostly because Im lazy and I don’t want to have to deal with 1400 raw cards lol
Maybe if the non-holos were mostly rares i’d consider it. But the zard is worth because of the time save.
Charizard lol, the amount or work, time, and risk in dealing with all those common cards is not worth it.
If I needed any for my collection I´d be happy with both sides, if this was a trade for something you´d like to hold as an investment or to sell, definitely the zard.
the non-holos aren’t all of popular pokemon so you might have to wait on them for a long while if you wanted to sell, plus the grading time
awful deal, someone got rid of his unwanted bulk and you gave him a charizard. I am sure you will earn more money at McDonalds flipping burgers than putting time and effort to sell these cards. Also counting energy and trainer cards? C’mon man
Having to get all of those cards graded (to accrue the value) is like $15k. Therefore, that person is out $15k ( not to mention a year of their life for PSA to grade them) + the $2,200 in Charizard. So, $17,000. To breakeven, each card needs to sell for like $12. That’s certainly doable, especially with first editions. But… the amount of work that goes into it? Wow.
Quality > Quantity so charizard all day.
Also thanks for pricing vintage bulk at ~$0.63 a card
Oof, I’m getting dragged! I didn’t clarify which side I was on, but I took the bulk, which is clearly the unpopular choice here lol. I had six PSA 9 Zards and figured I’d part with one to add some diversity to my store inventory and give myself a bit of a project. Absolutely not planning to grade all of them, but I figured the higher end cards that can pull 9+ grades (with CGC because I don’t want to wait over a year) could work the deal to my favor (Light Jolteon, Light Vaporeon, Destiny Cyndaquil, Dark Quilava, Dark Haunter, Sabrina’s Haunter, Destiny Vulpix, Sabrina’s Abra, Light Wigglytuff, etc.) I may just be an idiot, but thanks for the honest input! It’ll definitely be a learning experience, but perhaps a harsh one if the consensus here is accurate.
Don’t listen to all of these haters!!! LOL JK, JK!
Obviously, Charizard is A LOT more “liquid” and is the better route if you’re just looking to make some quick money. However, if you’re looking at this as a long-term “investment” and/or source for additional eBay Inventory and you’re willing to put in the time and effort to list / sell these cards individually; you’ll do well on this purchase! Personally, I’ve been selling my 1st Ed. Un. Character Cards for $7.49 Ea. and Gym / Neo are by-far the most popular cards!
I was actually going to purchase this collection myself for the intent to re-sell and profit off. My offer was actually pretty close to your offer; so, I really don’t see the downside to this trade - you’ll definitely make more on these than $2,200.00 (rough cost of trade).
There is a secondary risk that might not be immediately clear, which is that Charizard continues to rise in value as well. The question is whether Charizard rises faster than the collective cards.
But honestly, since you already had six of them, this is about having fun. Now you’ve got a ton of cards to play around with, try to grade, and make a profit on. We all have to drive our own journey. Good luck, @willyboy!
Mo’ cards mo’ problems
Mo’ zards mo’ problems
On the bright side… those non holos are probably the best to have of WotC. Gym - Neo sell fairly well. There’s definitely money to be made on your end, but like everyone is point out there’s a lot of work involved.
I too am a hoarder of 1st Edition commons and uncommons and I 100% take your side:)
You could grade each of those cards on the list and flip them for profit in todays market. Come up with way more than $2200 in value. The downside is you’d have to invest in the grading fees and timeline on getting the cards back.
Sure, but are you going to be able to come up with $15K which is the number to make profit from
Yeah putting in $15k of work and time grading and selling to get a minimal profit, maybe (if some of the cards grade 9 or 10) is not a game I would ever play
$1.57/card
The Zard for sure
The money + time you have to invest in grading 1400+ Cards is huge.
You will have to wait more than 2 years for sure.