Here’s Where to Sell Unauthenticated Sports Memorabilia
If here where sell unauthenticated is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.
Key Takeaways
- Share This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, advisory, or brokerage services.
- We may earn compensation from some links on this page.
- Whether you’ve just come by some unauthenticated sports memorabilia or you’re a lifetime collector, it can feel like there’s nowhere to sell...
Whether you’ve just come by some unauthenticated sports memorabilia or you’re a lifetime collector, it can feel like there’s nowhere to sell your goods without certification. Fortunately, you have plenty of options.
In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best places to sell your collectibles and outline key tips for getting the best possible cost for each item.
Table of Contents
Toggle#1. eBay
Best for: Mid-value items for which there’s significant demand and some level of cost predictability.
eBay is the best-known site for auctioning items on the internet and has few requirements to become a seller. That makes it a excellent place to start selling your unauthenticated sports memorabilia. The site will give you near-total control over the presentation and pricing of your items, though competition from other sellers is fierce and may keep you from getting top dollar.
Pros:
- More than 100 million buyers across the world.
- Control over listings, including titles, product images and descriptions.
- Memorabilia can be given a fixed cost or put up for auction.
Cons:
- Competition and fake items can drive prices down.
- eBay takes a big cut of the final sale cost.
- Sellers can face additional requirements or restrictions depending on an item’s category.
While eBay is famous for its auctions, the better bet is to put a fixed cost on your memorabilia. Using eBay’s auction function will result in a faster sale, but it risks getting substantially less than your item is worth.
Using the “Purchase It Now” feature is the inverse of that; sales will probably take longer, but you’ll typically get a significantly higher cost. You can also accept offers. Whichever format you choose, expect eBay to take a 10-15% cut of the final sale cost.
#2. Online Auction Sites
Best for: High-value items that appeal to serious collectors.
Online auction sites are a good bet when you have something extraordinary to offer, such as game-worn items, rare collectibles, autographs from iconic players and the like. Some auction houses, including Sotheby’s, even provide authentication services for you.
Some of the most reputable online auction sites for sports memorabilia include:
Pros:
- Your items may be authenticated or appraised by experts in the field.
- Sites are well known to passionate collectors who are willing to spend.
- Auction houses do the marketing for you.
Cons:
- Most online auction companies are only interested in top-tier memorabilia.
- Getting listings without authentication can be difficult, depending on the item and how you acquired it.
- Lack of control over the auction process.
Getting an online auction house’s attention is frequently straightforward. Numerous have a form on their website for you to submit details and images of the item or collection you’d like them to sell. If they’re interested, they may offer an appraisal and/or authentication services, which is the last step before deciding to work together.
#3. Facebook Marketplace
Best for: Items that are popular in your local market.
Facebook Marketplace makes it simple to create listings, giving you full control over the pricing, images, descriptions and other relevant details.
Pros:
- Listing items for sale is very simple.
- Allows you to ship items anywhere in the United States.
- Offers seller protection for shipped items.
Cons:
- By default, listings only appear within a limited radius of users, so memorabilia for a team across the country may be hard to sell.
- Scam buyers are rampant on the site, and while Facebook offers seller protection (if you follow all their rules), the volume of scam messages can be a major time-waster.
One notable downside to Facebook Marketplace is that users can’t search the “sports memorabilia” category, so your collectible jerseys will likely appear in search results alongside off-the-rack jerseys.
#4. Your Own Online Shop
Best for: People who have numerous items to sell, ideally all relating to a certain theme (like a particular team or player).
If you have a lot of memorabilia, including hard-to-find items, you may want to open your own online shop using a service like Shopify. This gives you the most control possible over how your items are sold, and insulates you from pricing pressure found on platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
Pros:
- Control every aspect of the sale, from branding to cost point.
- Relatively simple to set up.
Cons:
- Have to do your own marketing.
- Ongoing fees to keep the website running.
- Occasional website maintenance required.
You
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on here where sell unauthenticated goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at thewaystowealth.com.
Cleveland Dietz
Our editorial team researches and verifies every money-saving guide before publishing. Editorial policy · About us