eBay opening up its vault to collectors and dealers who want to submit graded trading cards—not just those that have been purchased through its website.
The company announced Monday that cards valued at over $250 can be sent to its Delaware vault facility where they can be permanently stored and/or listed directly for sale on eBay at a future date. Raw cards can not be submitted.
eBay launched its vault a year ago, joining other entities including PSA, PWCC, Alt and Goldin who offer secure storage for cards and some other collectibles.
eBay’s 31,000-square-foot vault includes 24/7 surveillance, biometric authentication systems and intrusion detection systems along with temperature and humidity controls. Additionally, all employees who work in the eBay vault undergo high level background checks and are experts in working with high-value collectibles.
eBay vaulted cards sold through their platform can mean ownership simply changes hands, with the card never leaving the facility. There are currently no submission fees. There is no sales tax on items sent to the vault, and future selling fees on vault transactions are waived. There are, however, withdrawal fees.
Gene Cook, eBay’s Vice President of Global Collectibles says the service “delivers easy and secure buying, selling and storage for collectors to excel in the fast-paced world of sports collecting.”
eBay won’t say how many cards ae currently stored in its vault but did indicate that a 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle graded PSA 10 is among the most valuable items it is holding.
The steps to vault cards with eBay include:
- Visit the vault home page. Collectors can choose to send cards by mail, or drop off in-person.
- Input submission details using the eBay app, a web-based form, or via spreadsheet – whichever method is easiest and accommodates the volume of cards being submitted.
- Cards from multiple categories (sports trading cards, collectible card games or non-sports trading cards) can be shipped in one submission.
- Review and confirm submission details.
- Follow the instructions for packaging and shipping, or for drop-off.
- Track the submission progress online with regular order confirmation, shipping confirmation, and authentication update emails along the way.
eBay will also be accepting vault-eligible cards at its booth at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago, July 26-30.
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