What are eBay's fees for sports trading cards?

On Nov. 10, 2026, eBay's fee page listed 13.25% up to $7,500 per item and 2.35% above that, plus $0.30 per order of $10 or less or $0.40 above $10. Fees change.

What is a buyer's premium?

It is a percentage added to the winning bid and paid by the buyer to the auction house. Check each house's written terms.

You give an item to a seller or auction house that sells it for you and takes a fee. Get the terms in writing.

The IRS page says platforms report payments above $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, but you may receive one below that and you must report income either way. Confirm the current rule on IRS.gov.

Selling vs. Consigning vs. Auction: Cards, Toys and Memorabilia

2026-11-09 · By CollectorsTrend Editorial · General information, not appraisal, tax, legal or investment advice

Definitions, one published fee table, and a checklist for written consignment terms.

Trading cards and a laptop showing an online listing next to a consignment form

You have a card, a toy or a signed piece to sell. There are three broad routes: sell it yourself at a fixed price or in an online auction, consign it to a house that sells it for you, or enter it into a scheduled auction run by a house. Each route trades money, time and control differently. This guide explains the terms, shows the one fee schedule we could read in full, and says where to find the rest. It does not rank anyone.

The terms you will see

Consignment. You hand an item to a seller or auction house, which sells it on your behalf and takes a cut. You usually do not get paid until the item sells and the buyer pays.
Reserve. A minimum price below which the seller does not have to sell. Houses and platforms handle reserves differently, and some charge for them. Read the terms.
Buyer's premium. A percentage added to the winning bid and paid by the buyer to the auction house. As a seller, you should know it exists, because it raises what your buyer actually pays and can influence bidding.
Consignor fee or commission. What the house deducts from your proceeds, sometimes a percentage and sometimes a flat charge or a sliding scale.

These are general definitions of how the terms are commonly used. Each house defines them in its own contract, so read the consignment agreement itself.

Selling directly on eBay: what the fee page says

eBay publishes a fee table. On its selling fees page on Nov. 10, 2026, the rates for the categories Collectibles > Non-Sport Trading Cards, Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop > Sports Trading Cards, Collectibles > Comic Books & Memorabilia, and Toys & Hobbies > Collectible Card Games were:

A final value fee of 13.25% on the total amount of the sale up to $7,500, calculated per item.
2.35% on the portion over $7,500, calculated per item.
A per-order fee of $0.30 for orders of $10.00 or less, and $0.40 for orders over $10.00.

The page shows no effective date for these rates. For other categories it lists a different rate, 13.6% up to $7,500 for "most categories," so confirm which category your item falls into. As an example of the arithmetic only: on a $100 total sale amount, 13.25% is $13.25, plus the $0.40 per-order fee, so the fee at those rates works out to $13.65. Check what counts toward the "total amount of the sale" on your own listing, and remember that fees change. Other items you may want to price in are shipping, packing, and any optional listing upgrades.

Designer toys and memorabilia may fall in categories other than the ones named above. Confirm the rate for your category on the live fee page.

What buyers can claim, and what that means for you

eBay's Money Back Guarantee page covers items not received and items not as described. It says a buyer can return an item that is not as described and get a refund even if the seller does not offer returns, and that the seller pays return shipping on those claims. It also says trading cards, bullion, coins, paper money and items sold as not working or for parts have a shorter window for some cases, and that counterfeit claims are handled differently. For sellers, the practical lesson is simple: describe condition precisely, photograph the actual item, and keep tracking. For orders of $750 or more, the page says signature confirmation is part of proof of delivery.

Consigning with an auction house

We tried to read the consignor and buyer's premium pages of Goldin and Heritage on Nov. 10, 2026. Goldin's pages returned only a title and Heritage's returned errors, so we are not quoting any rate. Do not accept a verbal number. Ask for the written terms and check the following:

Commission or consignor fee, and whether it is flat, a percentage or tiered by value.
Buyer's premium, which affects what bidders will pay.
Any fees for photography, insurance, shipping, listing or reserve.
When you are paid after the buyer pays, and what happens if the buyer does not pay.
Who holds the item and who insures it while it is in the house's custody.
Whether you can withdraw the item, and any penalty for doing so.
What happens if the item does not sell.

Payment protection

Many scams target sellers. The FTC lists payment methods scammers ask for: cryptocurrency, wire transfers, payment apps, gift cards, and checks that later turn out to be fake with a request to send money back. Never ship before funds clear, and treat any "overpayment, please refund the difference" request as a red flag. In person, wait until payment lands in your account.

An escrow service holds the buyer's money until the item arrives and is accepted. If you use one, verify the service's real website yourself rather than following a link in a message.

Taxes and the 1099-K

The IRS page on Form 1099-K says payment apps and online marketplaces must report payments for goods or services that exceed $20,000 in more than 200 transactions. The page we read does not state which tax year that threshold applies to, so confirm the current rule on IRS.gov before you rely on it. It also says you may receive a Form 1099-K below those amounts, and that you must report income whether or not you receive one. Keep records of what you paid and what you sold for, and ask a tax professional how to treat your sales.

Your next step: price the same card three ways, using the live fee page, a written consignment quote and a listing fee estimate, then compare what you would keep after fees.

General information only, not legal, tax, appraisal or investment advice. Prices, fees and policies change; confirm with the company or a qualified professional before you act.

Sources

eBay, Selling fees, checked 2026-11-10
eBay Money Back Guarantee policy, checked 2026-11-10
IRS, Understanding your Form 1099-K, checked 2026-11-10
FTC, How To Avoid a Scam, checked 2026-11-10

Frequently asked questions

What are eBay's fees for sports trading cards?: On Nov. 10, 2026, eBay's fee page listed 13.25% up to $7,500 per item and 2.35% above that, plus $0.30 per order of $10 or less or $0.40 above $10. Fees change.
What is a buyer's premium?: It is a percentage added to the winning bid and paid by the buyer to the auction house. Check each house's written terms.
What is consignment?: You give an item to a seller or auction house that sells it for you and takes a fee. Get the terms in writing.
Will I get a 1099-K?: The IRS page says platforms report payments above $20,000 in more than 200 transactions, but you may receive one below that and you must report income either way. Confirm the current rule on IRS.gov.

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General information only, not appraisal, tax, legal or investment advice. Prices, fees and policies change; confirm with the company or a qualified professional before you act. CollectorsTrend does not grade, authenticate, buy, sell or endorse any business listed. Sponsored placements are paid and always labeled.