How to Trade Baseball Cards

Many baseball card enthusiasts trade cards with other collectors to build up their collections. This is an excellent way to parlay valuable cards into coveted additions to your baseball card collection. Read on to learn how to trade baseball cards.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baseball card price guide

1. Pull out your price guide. Evaluate the condition of the baseball cards involved in the proposed trade and price them out accordingly. Total the value of the cards being offered on either side, in your head if you prefer to keep your cards close to your chest, so to speak, during negotiations.

2. Remember that it's not always what a card is worth, but what a card is worth to you. If another collector wants to get his hands on a valuable card that's particularly dear to you, don't be shy to demand more in return than guide value dictates the card is worth. You'd probably be happier keeping your card than trading it for cards of equal value that you don't really want all that badly.

3. Identify cards in your trading partner's collection that you covet. Determine how much they're worth to you. Again, it's not so much what the guide says as much as it is what you're willing to part with to get the cards you're trading for.

4. Low ball your trading partner to open negotiations. Remember, you're trying to get the best value you possibly can for the cards you trade. As with any negotiation, both parties will get a feel for one another by making an initial offer they're not expecting the other party to accept.

5. Add additional cards to the mix and demand additional cards from your trading partner. During collectible card trading, it's not unlikely for one party to offer a large number of less-valuable cards for a single valuable card. In such cases, it is not uncommon for the person offering the package of less-valuable cards to exceed to value of the valuable card with the offer.

6. Complete the trade when both parties are satisfied with the cards they're going to receive. Keep in mind that one man's trash may be another man's treasure. You may find that a card you don't give a hoot about is worth a great deal to another collector, who might offer you a mint for it.

Tips & Warnings

• There's an old saying in baseball: the winner of the trade is the team that got the best player. It's equally applicable to trading baseball cards: the winner of the trade is the person who got the most valuable card.

[cardtrader1]

on 8/8/2009 I have been a collector for many many years.
I have vintage mantle, mays, ect.
my goal is to find someone interested in vintage or current players, and trade for Albert Pujols cards.
I am from St. Louis, now live in St. marys , GA.
I am trying to collect as many if not all Pujols cards.
I will somewhat sacrifice for the right deal.
Thank you, Mike Martin

[cardtrader1]

on 8/8/2009 where do i go to trade?
all i see are people who want to sell cards.
thank you