1) Do you buy only graded cards?
While we do purchase graded cards from the major grading companies such as PSA, Beckett & SGC, the majority of cards that we buy are actually ungraded (raw in hobby terminology). In short, graded or ungraded, we’ll want to buy them.
2) I want to get my cards graded; do you provide that service?
No. If you want to get your cards graded, you will have to submit them to one of the grading companies (PSA in California, Beckett in Texas or SGC in Florida). Keep in mind, with the recent resurgence in sports card collecting, the turnaround times to get your cards back are extremely lengthy.
3) Can I come in and have my cards evaluated or appraised?
Because of the surge in business, we no longer appraise collections. Also due to time constraints, we can no longer offer advice on which cards in your collection you may want to get graded.
However, if you’re looking to have your cards evaluated for the purpose of selling to us, we’d be happy to take a look and make you an offer. We are actively purchasing cards from Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey and Non-Sport.
4) Will you sell my cards on consignment?
Actually, we only purchase cards outright. If we’re interested in your collection, we can typically wrap up a purchase in a few hours and you can be on your way with payment.
5) Why should I sell to American Legends? Why not go to an auction house or sell them on eBay?
Well, a few reasons. Auction houses have a fairly large lag time before putting items up for bid. In addition to being charged a 20% Sellers Fees (which comes off the back end of the sale), auction houses charge the buyer around 20% extra in the form of a Buyer’s Premium. While some sellers don’t think the Buyer’s Premium affects them, it most certainly does. Potential auction buyers factor in the 20% up charge when determining their final bid amount. For example, as a buyer, if you only want to pay $100 for an auction item, your bid of $83.33 would turn into $100 after the Buyer’s Premium, so you are going to have to bid the lower number.
As for eBay, anyone who has ever sold cards online can tell you interesting tales about their interactions with some less than savory buyers.
In either case, another downside of auctioning an item versus selling it outright is the uncertainty of the final sale price of the item.
6) I see cards listed on eBay for large amounts of money. Is that what they are worth now?
Not necessarily. What people are trying to sell cards for and what they’ve actually sold for are two completely different things. Remember, someone can list a 1988 Topps Kevin McReynolds for a million dollars. It doesn’t mean that it’s worth more than a dime.
If you want a more accurate figure, look at “Sold Items” rather than the active listings.
7) When I look at my cards, they look really nice, so they’ll have to grade as 9s and 10s, right?
Sorry, more than likely, they won’t. When the major grading companies examine your cards, they’re looking at them under a 10x magnifying glass with a bright spotlight shining on them. They’ll notice defects on your cards that you can’t detect with the naked eye. Also, centering, which is a manufacturing issue, is extremely important in determining a card’s grade. If your card is more than a touch off-center, you’re probably looking at a 7 at best.
If you really want to get an idea what shape your cards are in, pick up a 10x lighted magnifying glass. They’re readily available for around $15 and they’re a valuable tool.
8) Are there any cards that you’re NOT looking to buy?
It’s actually easier for us to list the cards we don’t want to buy than the huge lists elsewhere on this website of the ones that we are buying.
Generally, we will purchase just about everything EXCEPT for cards produced from 1988 to 1992.
9). Do you purchase autographed items?
While we used to buy and sell a ton of autographed items, the business is currently suffering from a great deal of oversaturation. However, if the items are authenticated by PSA/DNA, JSA, Mounted Memories, Steiner Sports or Upper Deck Authenticated, we may be interested.
10). Do I have to schedule an appointment, or can I just drop in the store?
It’s probably best to schedule an appointment. Please call 914-725-2225 and Mark will be happy to put you on his calendar.
11). I have a room full of cards, do I have to bring them all in or will you come to my home?
If your collection isn’t easy to move, we can certainly come to you.
12). I don’t live in the area; can I still sell American Legends my cards?
Absolutely! We buy collections all the time from people all over the US and Canada who ship them to us. Give us a call at 914-725-2225 to discuss your collection and we can walk you through the process.
