eBay offers collectible trading card events
eBay will train casual trading card hobbyists to become serious collectors.
The e-commerce giant is unveiling “Collectors Camp,” a series of training events for card enthusiasts. Kicking off in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 the initiative will offer participants premier card collecting training from an industry expert.
Following the Brooklyn event, Collectors Camp will head to Seattle in time for Major League Baseball All-Star Week (week of July 9, 2023).
Participants will have access to rare basketball merchandise, and a curated online merchandise collection will be made available beginning Wednesday, June 21.
The first event will take place in Brooklyn, June 21-22, from 3-7pm ET. A curated online merchandise collection will be also made shoppable beginning June 21.
The in-person event is first come, first served; entry may be limited. All participants will receive an eBay gift card and limited-edition eBay merchandise. In addition, the eBay Live livestream platform will feature Brooklyn Nets NBA team star and Collectors Camp trainer Mikal Bridges and a local eBay seller to bid on collectible sports trading cards and memorabilia.
eBay supports collectible trading card sales
eBay first launched an authenticity guarantee service for trading cards in January 2022. The service provides authentication for single ungraded trading cards (including collectible card games, sports and non-sports) sold for $750 or more in the U.S.
In August 2022, the company purchased TCGplayer, an online marketplace for collectible card game products. This followed the June 2022 opening of the eBay vault, a 31,000-sq.-ft., 24/7 secured, temperature-controlled facility and digital marketplace for collectors. Single, graded trading cards worth $750 or more may be eligible for eBay vault access. Once an item is in the eBay vault, ownership transfers from seller to buyer in a matter of seconds, without need to re-authenticate or ship the item anywhere.
"As sports fans catch the collector's bug, it can take many years to acquire the skills needed to formulate a valuable collection, but we have an engaged and excited community, and the tools and services to help," said Gene Cook, VP of collectibles at eBay. "We see surges in interest for collectibles timed to major sports moments, like the NBA Draft and MLB All-Star Game, since collectors are always on the hunt for the next Jordan or Jeter. eBay created Collectors Camp to fuel this passion, giving enthusiasts the opportunity to connect with each other and the athletes they admire."
"I started collecting as a kid with my first Tracy McGrady card, and over time a childhood hobby led to a serious portfolio," said Mikal Bridges. "Now my collecting game has become almost as intense as my NBA game. I've invested a ton of time searching for and scoring the best cards, and I know I can share my talents to help other people take things to the next level."
Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay operates in more than 190 markets globally. In 2022, eBay enabled nearly $74 billion of gross merchandise volume.