You get the urge to get some hockey cards and there are no sports collectibles stores in your area. Before the days of the Internet, you’d have to find collectibles catalogs or find out when some shows would be in your area. That’s not the case now – you can just fire up your web browser. Can you buy hockey cards online with confidence? Generally yet. First you can go on Google and type “How to Buy Hockey Cards Online.” One blink of an eye later you have nearly 50 million results. Not even you, your children and your grandchildren could look at every one of those links.
Hockey cards can be found on eBay under under several sortable categories-- “Professionally Graded” – though a good amount are listed as “Not professionally graded”--Graded (you can choose a range of grades either ranging from 1-10, Condition from New to Used. You can assign a price range as well and also winnow down your results by choosing a range of years. eBay also offers ‘related searches’ to help you narrow down your choices.
As strong as eBay has been over the years, there’s always an inherent risk that you could be buying something from a fraudulent seller. That's why it's best when you click the eBay links that you buy from someone who makes a habit of selling vintage graded hockey cards and has the feedback to prove it. Don't be afraid do ask the seller a question through the online form. The quality of their response may give you more confidence about the type of seller they are trying to be.
Be sure to compare prices for various grades, which can vary widely. A vintage Gordie Howe card graded '7' may have a wide price range. Make sure the card doesn't have a qualifier such as OC (off center), ST (stain) or MK (miscut) as this will impact its true value. Use the search for completed items function to see what cards have sold for over the last several months and bid or buy accordingly.
Make sure the buyer will ship to your country. If you're in Canada or Europe, and the seller is American, check the details in his listing or send him an email to ensure he's OK with shipping internationally before you bid.
Following these easy tips will help you buy hockey cards to add to your collection without worrying about whether you've made a good deal.
Click here to visit eBay now. Believe it or not, Amazon.com has nearly 20,000 pre-1980s hockey cards online right now, too. Click here
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