Best Baseball Card Appraisal Services

PSA is the best overall for baseball card appraisal services

Jacob Wade By
Jacob Wade
Jacob Wade
Jacob Wade
Jacob Wade is a nationally recognized personal finance expert and writer specializing in appraisals of jewelry, sports memorabilia, and collectibles. He helps others learn to manage their money and his work has appeared on LendingTree, MSN Money, and Yahoo! Finance.
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Updated on 05/13/22
Fact checked by
Elizabeth Brownfield
Elizabeth Brownfield
Fact checked by Elizabeth Brownfield
Elizabeth Brownfield is a writer, editor, and researcher who specializes in food, travel, home, and lifestyle content. She's worked on the staffs of Domino, Martha Stewart, Metropolitan Home, and Every Day with Rachael Ray magazines, and was Senior Digital Editor at Food Network.
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Best Baseball Cards Appraisals

Spruce Crafts / Design by Amelia Manley

Collecting baseball cards is as much a favorite pastime as the sport itself. From buying bubblegum packs and finding your favorite player to trading cards with your best friend to build your own fantasy team, baseball cards are a fantastic collectible item.

But have you ever wondered if that old shoebox of baseball cards is actually worth anything?

If you have any rare or old baseball cards, getting them appraised by a professional service will help you determine exactly how much they are worth. We’ve put together the best options for baseball card appraisal services based on price, process, and industry reputation.

Best Baseball Card Appraisal Services of 2022

Best Overall: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Card Services

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Card Services

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Card Services

Why We Chose It: The PSA is the industry standard for sports card grading and appraisal services. Any serious baseball card collector will want to see a PSA grade on their most valuable cards to get a truly accurate value of their worth.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Online pricing guide to get an idea of what your card may be valued at

  • PSA certification is the only card-grading service that offers a guarantee

  • Provides a letter of appraisal and authenticity with every service

  • Seamless process to submit cards online

Cons

  • Cannot get appraisal unless already PSA certified

The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) company has been grading baseball cards since 1991. It started with a focus on sports cards and has grown to include other sports memorabilia as well. Its appraisal services offer a certificate of authenticity.

To get an appraisal, submit your card(s) for PSA grading and, once graded, submit them for appraisal services. Since the PSA will only appraise items that it has certified, the organization's authenticity and accuracy are valid in a court of law and for insurance purposes.

PSA offers a tiered pricing structure for both grading and appraisal, depending on the value of the item submitted. For the card appraisal service, pricing starts at $200 for a value of $2,000 minimum, up to $1,000 for a value of $100,000+.

To get started with a PSA appraisal, create a free account and submit your items for grading.

Best for Selling Your Baseball Cards: Just Collect

Just Collect

Just Collect

Why We Chose It: Just Collect is a nationally recognized online auction house that offers free baseball card appraisals for modern and vintage cards alike. It will give you a market value and will even offer to purchase your cards or collection directly, skipping the auction process.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Can get an appraisal online, through the mail or in-person

  • An offer is included with appraisal for valuable cards

  • The story behind cards is considered in appraisal valuation

  • Seamless process to submit cards online

Cons

  • No official appraisal report or certificate included

  • No card grading services

Just Collect is an online auction house that has bought and sold over $20 million worth of sports memorabilia. Founded in 2006 by the former director of acquisitions at Leland’s, it focuses on appraising and purchasing modern and vintage sports cards.

Just Collect offers four ways to get an appraisal for your baseball cards:

  1. Submit a digital scan of your card(s) online.
  2. Mail your card(s) directly.
  3. Make an in-person appointment in New Jersey.
  4. Just Collect will fly out to meet you (for high-value cards only).

For cards with some relative value, Just Collect will give you an offer to buy them directly once they are appraised. This allows you to skip the auction process and get a flat-rate offer for your collection. All appraisals are offered for free.

To get started with a Just Collect appraisal, fill out the online form and submit your items for review.

Best for Vintage Baseball Cards: All Vintage Cards

All Vintage Cards

All Vintage Cards

Why We Chose It: All Vintage Cards offers free appraisals for vintage baseball cards. It specializes in evaluating and purchasing cards from the tobacco cards era up through the 1950s.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Simple online submission form

  • Price estimate guide organized in Google sheets

  • 30+ years experience in buying and selling vintage cards

Cons

  • No official accreditation

  • No certificate of appraisal included

All Vintage Cards was founded by Chris Rogers during the 1980s as a small collector’s shop. It has since expanded into an online appraisal and card shop, giving customers free appraisals and offers to purchase their baseball card collections directly.

All Vintage Cards appraisals can be done online or in-person, depending on the cards being evaluated. It does not typically review any cards after 1980, and specifically focuses on pre-1950 baseball cards.

It also makes offers with its appraisals, giving card-owners the chance to sell their collection for top dollar.

To submit an appraisal online, simply fill out the company's sports card appraisal form, along with a digital photo or scan of your collection. All Vintage Cards will respond with an estimated appraisal and offer to purchase (if it's deemed valuable).

Best for Online Appraisals: Lelands Sports Memorabilia and Card Appraisals

Lelands Sports Memorabilia and Card Appraisals

Lelands Sports Memorabilia and Card Appraisals

Why We Chose It: Lelands offers free online appraisals for baseball cards. Simply submit a description of the item, upload a few pictures, and receive a free appraisal within a week.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Simple online submission form

  • No cap on the number of items submitted

  • Over 35 years in the sports appraisal industry

Cons

  • Free appraisals are not valid for insurance purposes

Lelands has been in the business of appraising and selling sports memorabilia since 1985. As an online auction house, it has handled hundreds of millions of dollars of sports collectibles over the years.

Since Lelands is also an auction house, in addition to getting your items appraised and considered for consignment, you can take advantage of its auction services. To get your piece or collection submitted for consideration, fill out the company's online submission form. It will be reviewed in-house for its current and future value, receiving in-house authentication by their experts.

Final Verdict

Whether you are looking to sell your collection or simply see how much your cards are worth, getting your baseball cards appraised by the right service can help you understand their true value. There are many appraisal services available online and at local card shops, so understanding the differences between these services and their offerings can help you find the right one for your collection.

If you are looking to insure your collection or need to report its value for tax purposes, getting a certified appraisal by an accredited company is a must.

Always compare services to make sure you are getting the best price possible. If you're using a free service, acquire multiple quotes to get an accurate value of your collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Get My Cards Graded Before Selling Them?

If you believe your card is valuable, most serious collectors will only consider purchasing a baseball card that has been professionally graded. These services will evaluate the cut, finish, and overall condition of your cards and give them a score. The most widely accepted grading service is offered by PSA, but Sportscard Guaranty and Beckett offer grading services as well.

What Is the Best Way to Sell a Baseball Card Collection?

There are several ways to sell your baseball cards, both online and in-person. Many of the companies that do appraisals may offer to purchase your baseball cards as well.

There are also local places to sell your collectibles, including sports card shops and consignment stores. You might not get the best price from a local shop because they are typically trying to flip cards for profit. You can also try eBay or Craigslist, but beware of online scams.

No matter where you sell your baseball cards, make sure to first get their fair market value with an online price guide such as Beckett.

Methodology

We compared the top appraisal companies by looking at customer reviews, service offerings, and industry notoriety. All paid appraisal services on our list are accredited by the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), or the ISA. We’ve included both free and paid offerings with a variety of services to help you choose a company that will fit your specific appraisal goals.