7 Best Places to Buy Sports Trading Cards for Cheap (2023)

Where do you buy sports trading cards? Our list consists of sports trading card shops, retailers, and auction places and breaks them out based on if the buying experience is in-person or online.

You can buy sports trading cards in several places, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs and tastes. Popular choices comprise:

1. Online marketplaces: You may find various sports trading cards at various costs on websites like eBay and COMC (Check Out My Collectibles). These websites let you browse a wide variety of cards, and you can frequently find excellent prices by placing a bid on products or buying cards with a “Buy Now” option. For example, we wrote an article on Where To Buy Sports Cards On Facebook to get some good deals.  
2. Local card stores: Visiting a local card store can be accomplished by looking for cards and receiving one-on-one assistance from the store’s personnel. The inventory of many stores is also accessible online.
3. Trading card conventions and shows: Going to one of these events can be a terrific way to find uncommon and unique cards, meet other collectors, and engage in card trading.
4. Online retailers: Trading cards you can purchase from websites like Beckett, DA card World, Target, and Walmart.
5. Social media marketplaces: Facebook and Instagram are other fantastic resources for finding cards and interacting with sellers. It’s crucial to confirm the vendor’s legitimacy before making a purchase.

The ideal location to buy sports trading cards depends on your requirements and tastes and the cards you want. Online marketplaces’ convenience and diversity appeal to some people, yet. 

Our list includes sports trading card shops, retailers, and auction places. We break it out based on if the buying experience is in Person or online, as it’s essential to know your options. 

Where to Buy Sports Cards for Cheap 

1. Comic (Check Out My Collectibles) – Online

 

Like auction sites, COMC (also known as Check Out My Collectibles) is a seller consignment platform for selling sports cards through the internet and helping connect buyers and sellers without going through too much red tape. 

They make their process to list cards simple and professional and have been around for years. Collectors buy from this trustworthy site because of the large size and variety of products they have in stock at all times. 

For example, you can buy multiple cards getting a discount on shipping when bundling. In addition, each card gets a small receipt in the top loader, giving you an idea of the cost of the card you bought and additional information like its serial number or title. 

It’s a great platform to fill your showcases with good high-quality cards or cheap affordable dollar bin cards before going to a card show. Bulk deals work best on CMC and give the best opportunity to profit from reselling. Also, it works out great for set collectors as they have such a large inventory. 

You can filter through the inventory based on year, number, title, sports team, etc. Also, it includes historical sales data giving you an idea of how popular the particular card is before buying it. 

What We Like 

• They have a massive inventory of cards, so you’ll likely find what you want. Find rookie cards, hall of fame cards, and one-of-one trading cards. Multiple copies of cards are available, giving everyone the best chance to complete their collection. 
• You can save money by bidding on items or purchasing cards with a “Buy Now” option.
• Great opportunity to save on shipping by bundling simply ‘add to cart’ multiple items, and the shipping becomes an additional .50 cents. 

What We Don’t Like

• You can’t physically touch the card before buying it, so it isn’t easy to understand how overall condition. For example, collecting in Person helps you identify whether the card has sharp corners or is centered correctly. In addition, it helps you avoid picking up a card that wouldn’t grade well or is not in good condition. 

2. Burbanks SportsCards – Local Card Shop – In-Person / Online 

Burbanks SportsCards is a local card shop that sells both in-person and online at 1500 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506. It’s well-known for its owner, ‘The CardGod Father.’

They have a popular series on YouTube called ‘The Card Shop,’ which takes you behind the scenes into what their sports card shop looks like, giving you a virtual experience and tour of the place beforehand. 

Burbank focuses on customer service and providing a good customer experience by sharing where cards available for sale are within the store with Instagram reels. 

What makes Burbank Sports Cards competitive in the card collecting industry is their position on ‘selling for everyone,’ ‘saying yes more often than no,’ and ‘buying everything.’

They give store credit and allow collectors to sell their cards directly for a short time each day. In addition, collectors can join a waiting list to have their cards appraised to determine their worth and sell them on the spot, trading in their cards to get others within the store. 

YouTube Channel: Burbank Sportscards 

What We Like 

• Shopping in Person at a local store can provide a more personal experience and help you find cards that you may not have known you want.
• They have an excellent reputation in the community and many satisfied customers. In addition, they were getting cards at a fair price and being able to sell their cards back for store credit. 
• Collectors can meet the owner since it’s a local shop and remains popular in the hobby. 

What We Don’t Like

• While shipping is fast, sometimes the cards need to be protected as best as they can be when buying online. One of the times, we bought from them online, and our package was half-opened as if it needed sealing. Other times, it went great. 

3. WhatNot – Online 

WhatNot is a selling platform through live streaming, allowing sellers to connect with buyers on a more personal level. Buying from WhatNot can be intimidating initially; however, it has a simple user experience within the app. In addition, sellers can do 1-dollar auctions for single trading cards giving buyers a chance to snag some deals at up to 75% off comps. 

They also have a giveaway option making the experience enjoyable because collectors who participate in these live stream auction events have the chance to win some high-end graded cards. 

It largely depends on the seller and which ‘room’ you select to join, but sellers like MoJo Sports do a great job of making you feel comfortable and entertained.

So find your tribe, enjoy the ‘virtual’ card show, and start negotiating in real time. It’s also efficient and effective for sellers. 

The buyers come pouring in quickly, and sellers can move through selling cards that may have gone stale on their eBay or own website. 

What We Like 

• They offer a satisfaction guarantee for their products, giving you peace of mind with your purchase.
• Super easy to purchase on the platform due to the user experience within the WhatNote App. 

What We Don’t Like

• You need to know the seller to avoid falling trapped in a scam because you only get a confirmation receipt you’ve bought it. Find reputable sellers to avoid dealing with those who don’t send the cards after your payment. 

4. Target or Walmart – In-Person / Online 

Retail stores have become a reliable source of getting trading cards due to their location. If you are grabbing groceries or going to pick something up, there’s usually an entire section dedicated to sports trading cards.

It’s usually near the cash registers because they don’t want people to sell them. However, finding the section within a Target or Walmart can give you plenty of opportunities to rip WAX boxes like Prizm, Select, Mosaic and Optic. 

Expect blasters (retail sports card boxes) and small packs with around 10-20 cards. For example, you can pull Downtown Rookie Cards from Donruss Optic boxes. 

You likely won’t find individual single trading cards at a local card shop or online, making it challenging to pick the cards you want. The benefits of going in Person are that you won’t have to pay for shipping and can buy multiple boxes.

When buying online, you have to pay for shipping. Sometimes retailers have a limit as well. 

What We Like 

• There are multiple stores with thousands of sports trading card boxes available; it’s just a matter of going to the right store at the right time. 

What We Don’t Like

• You can only buy individual single trading cards indirectly. 
• Also, retail boxes usually have high-end cards worth less than 500+ on average. 

5. Card Shows (Conventions) – In Person 

Card Shows, also known as Card Conventions, are events where dealers set up tables to sell their cards in Person. It’s an excellent opportunity to find affordable prices, and you can negotiate an exchange to win a deal. For example, The Philly Card Show is a great location to buy sports trading cards of football team like from the Eagles (top #1 seed of NFC). 

Here are a few popular cards show conventions where you can get good deals. 

• Dallas Card Show in Texas
• Collector Con in Florida, Orlando 
• NJ Sports Card Show in New Jersey 
• The National in New York 

You can find more card convention events (show) dates at Sports Card Shows, Collectible Conventions Calendar, and Directory (cardboardconnection.com)

What We Like 

During conventions, there’s a wide variety and access to cards you’ve never seen due to the number of sellers in one area. It’s fun to see high-end cards as sellers try to bring their best cards to the show to maximize the selling opportunity. 

What We Don’t Like

Getting to a trading card show is costly if they aren’t local. For example, traveling and paying for a hotel makes it expensive to go on a weekend trip. 

It’s better when you can go to local card shows and find deals since the money you spend on the trip could instead go towards cards. 

6. Fanatics or Panini – Online 

Purchase cards directly from the supplier to get the best deals and the rarest cards. For example, Fanatics and Panini have websites where you can buy sports trading cards (individual also known as singles) or wax boxes upon release. 

It’s an opportunity where they offer some of the best products at specific times of the year. 

So, keep an eye out during the holidays like Black Friday and Christmas. You can get heavy discounts and find cards at an affordable price during those times. 

What We Like 

• Suppliers have exclusive products they don’t sell anywhere except on their websites. 

What We Don’t Like

• Sometimes prices are at a premium because you get it directly from the supplier. 
• Shipping times can vary and take longer than expected. 

7. eBay or Mercari – Online 

eBay and Mercari are reseller platforms connecting buyers and sellers to make deals happen within the hobby. As they continue to grow in popularity and become a go-to resource for buyers, there’s a high demand for sellers to create the perfect blend. Sellers who list every day have a higher chance to increase their sales, and buyers looking at the auctions ending can snag some good deals. 

What We Like 

• eBay or Mercari are great for finding low/mid-end single sports trading cards, team lots at a discount, and autographed cards with low serial numbers. 
• Find dealers online who you repeat purchases because of the available high-quality trading cards. 

What We Don’t Like

• High fees taking a percentage of profit from its sellers and buyers 

What To Look for When You Buy Sports Trading Cards 

Take the time to analyze where you plan to buy your sports cards before it’s too late. Here are three ways to think about it and what to look for: 

1. Trustworthy and Reliable: Does this card shop, WhatNot seller, or retailer have a good reputation? Decide on what you are willing to accept. For example, on eBay, we buy from those with 100% feedback or no lower than 96% overall feedback. It protects us from having to put up with sellers who could be better. 
2. Reasonable Prices: Are all the items have high prices (overpriced)? As that’s a telling sign that they aren’t a good seller as they do not know the business enough. 
3. Selection and Variety: Does the seller have multiple options like graded cards, raw cards, and patch cards? Multi-color patches or rated rookies have different styles and serve different collectors. 

Other unknown hidden places where cards can come available: 

• Does Costco sell sports cards? No, Costco does not have trading cards available in their locations. 
• Does dollar general sell sports cards? Yes, Dollar General has trading cards available in their locations. 
• Does Goodwill sell sports cards? Yes, Goodwill has trading cards available in their locations. 

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