Pokemon card consignment means you send your cards to a dealer or auction house that sells them for you for a commission. Fees usually fall as the sale price rises, reserve rules vary by seller, and unsold cards are often vaulted or relisted rather than returned at once. That makes the three questions practical: what share you keep, whether you can set a minimum price, and what you pay if the card does not sell. The answers differ enough that you should compare sellers before shipping anything valuable.
Table of Contents
- How is the commission calculated?
- What do lower-value cards cost to sell?
- Can you set a reserve price?
- What happens to unsold items?
How is the commission calculated?
Most Pokemon consignors use tiered rates that reward higher sale prices. According to Kanto Shark, it accepts only graded Pokemon cards, booster packs or boxes valued at $50 or more and charges 20% under $250, 16% for $250-$2,500, and 12% over $2,500, detailed in its Pokemon consignment schedule. That structure means a $200 sale costs much more in percentage terms than a $3,000 sale.
ORB Trading Cards uses a split-rate version of the same idea. It reports charging 20% on the first $2,500 of sale price and 10% on the amount above, so the seller keeps a larger share of high-value sales. For a $3,500 card, most of the fee comes from the first tier.
What do lower-value cards cost to sell?
Low-value consignors usually pay the highest combined rate. According to Old Skool Pokemon, its eBay Pokemon consignment charges actual eBay fees plus 10% commission per item under $1,000 and actual eBay fees plus 5% for $1,000-$4,999, explained in its eBay consignment terms. A $90 card therefore faces both marketplace costs and the top commission tier.
Fixed-price marketplaces can be cheaper for inexpensive cards priced near market value. Sports Collectors Daily reports that Fanatics Collect's Buy Now marketplace charges a flat 6% seller fee on cards under $120 priced within 20% of Fanatics-assigned fair market value, down from 15%. Pricing accurately matters because the low fee depends on staying near that value.
Can you set a reserve price?
A reserve is the seller-agreed minimum below which a lot cannot sell. Baldwin's Auctions defines it that way, with minimum bids set on each item and most reserves set below estimated retail. In practice, the reserve protects you from a weak auction but can also discourage bidding.
Some Pokemon auction consignors do not allow that protection. According to Ungraded, it prohibits reserve prices for auction consignments and starts auctions at £1 to build engagement, while allowing a start price and prohibiting consignors from bidding on their own items, as described in its seller and consign guide. Before consigning, check these points:.
- Is a reserve, minimum bid, or only a start price allowed?
- Who sets the opening bid and can it be changed?
- Are owner bids banned and how is shill bidding handled?
What happens to unsold items?
Unsold does not usually mean returned right away. According to PWCC, as quoted in a Net54 forum discussion of its announcement, unsold August Monthly Auction items and later submissions would be placed in the PWCC Vault free of charge for resale through Premier, Monthly, Flash or Fixed-Price marketplaces, noted in the forum account of the PWCC notice. That keeps the card ready for another sale without another shipment.
Vaulting can still create withdrawal costs later. PSA reports that its PSA Vault charges no storage fees for collectibles sent from PSA, but U.S. withdrawals cost $5.99 per shipment covering up to 50 items, plus an added early-withdrawal fee for items vaulted under 90 days. Ask how long relisting takes, who pays return shipping, and whether storage becomes billable after a set period.
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