I need to decide what to do with my Pokemon collection.
Much of the sealed product is non-English, and I have a handle on price ranges from sources like Ebay. I will likely sell most of the non-English items, and will go through whatever is necessary on Ebay or Facebook to prove myself and what I am offering.
I also have a bunch of English product, but almost none of it is sealed product.
I have large quantities of Base product, including 1st Edition (a full set plus dozens or rares and hundreds of extras), shadowless (5 full sets plus dozens or rares and hundreds of extras) and unlimited (12 full sets plus dozens or rares and hundreds of extras).
I also have quantities of Jungle and Fossil, both 1st edition and unlimited, as well as dozens of early english promos.
Condition ranges from LP or SP or ExMt (what should be a PSA-6) up through pack fresh. Much of the product I opened myself and immediately put into sleeves. Some cards are likely PSA 9 (I don’t ever presume to know what PSA 10 is) but some suffer from the typical manufacturing issues, such as rough cut edges or shiny spots (not scratches but print defects).
It seems from the threads that there is no easy way short of grading to determine the worth of the more valuable cards, so I am looking to have a few key cards of the 1st edition and shadowless sets graded. Depending upon how that goes I might then try a bulk submission. It seems that PSA 7 or PSA 8 is the cutoff where grading is worthwhile for base set 1st edition and shadowless. It seems that PSA 8 is the cutoff where Jungle and Fossil 1st edition is worthwhile. And it seems like PSA 9 is the cutoff for any of the early non-1st-edition cards.
Is this all correct? Am I missing something? If I were looking to sell everything (I’m probably not) would there be any easier way to liquidate and not lose a ton of value simply because condition of key cards was uncertain? I have received a few offers for my English sets, but they bordered on ridiculous.
For Jungle Fossil, skip the unlimited unless it looks like a 10 candidate - and for holos only. Even then they don’t go for much more than your grading costs so selling them as sets would be a lot easier.
1st ed Jungle Fossil anything that doesn’t look pack fresh minus a few nicks or printlines/light scratches (basically PSA 8-10) I would skip and just sell as ex-nm sets.
I would advise you to send a good amount of holos to PSA and write down your expected grades. It’s important to know what you have, especially if you intend on moving your full sets.
I wouldn’t split the full sets unless the condition is really amazing. Even with Shadowless, anything other than the 3 starters barely bring more than $20-50 graded 6-8.
This is only for WoTC holos but I think it might help. Below these grades are diminishing returns compared to costs and so are better served as binder cards
Base set:
Grade all 1st ed. PSA 7 and up (4-5 and up for Charizard)
Grade all Shadowless PSA 8-8.5 and up.
Grade all unlimited PSA 9 and up.
Jungle & Fossil:
Grade everything that’s 1st edition PSA 8.5-9 and up. If unlimited, only grade if there’s a shot at a 10.
Rocket, Base 2, Gym Heroes & Gym Challenge:
Grade everything that’s 1st edition PSA 9 and up. If unlimited, only grade if there’s a shot at a 10. Grade Charizards PSA 8 and up (unl. Dark Charizard PSA 9-up)
Neo series (Genesis, Discovery & Revelation):
Grade everything that’s 1st edition PSA 8-8.5 and up. If unlimited, only grade if there’s a shot at a 10. Grade Lugia, Espeon, Umbreon & Shinings PSA 8 and up.
Neo Destiny:
Grade everything that’s 1st edition PSA 8 and up. If unlimited grade PSA 9 and up. Grade 1st ed Shinings PSA 7-8 and up, unlimited Shinings PSA 8-9 and up
Legendary Collection:
Grade only the Rare holos/Reverse holos 1-19 if PSA 9 and up. Grade only the Choice characters of Rev holos #’s 19-110 (Snorlax, Mewtwo, etc) PSA 9 and up. Grade Charizards PSA 8 and up and 7-up if Reverse.
Expedition:
Grade only Choice character regluar Holos PSA 9 and up. Certain holo characters like Wheezing for example are not that valuable in PSA 9.
Aquapolis & Skyridge:
Grade all holos PSA 9 and up. Grade only choice character Reverse holos. Grade all Crystals type cards PSA 7-8 and up.