- collectors
- insurers
- attorneys
Trading card appraisal
A written value opinion for insurance, estates, sales, donations and disputes, with the reasoning and photos.A written appraisal tells you what your cards are worth under a stated definition of value, for a stated purpose, with the reasoning and photographs to back it up. We prepare them for insurance, estates, sale decisions, donations and disputes, in person across the Yuma area and remotely anywhere in the US.
Flat fee per report, quoted in advance
Who it is for
Built for the people who need the answer in writing
- Collectors who need a defensible number before they insure, sell or divide a collection
- Estates and executors who need a value as of a date
- Insurers, agents and attorneys who need a report that can be relied on
In practice
Appraisal in practice
A written appraisal suits anyone who has to hand a number to someone else: an insurance agent scheduling a collection, an executor dividing an estate, a family deciding whether to sell, or an attorney preparing for a dispute. If you only want a rough idea of what a card sells for today, a price check you run yourself is enough. A report is for when the answer has to be relied on.
The fee is a flat fee per report, quoted in writing before any work begins. What changes it is the scope: one card or a collection (collections are tiered by item count), and how much research the purpose needs. It never changes with the value we conclude, and it is never a percentage of that value.
A typical example: an executor with a binder of vintage cards and a few graded slabs needs a value as of the date of death. We fix that date and fair market value in the scope, inspect and photograph each card, and deliver one report the estate attorney can file.
How it works
How appraisal runs
- Tell us what the cards are and what the value is for: insurance, an estate, a sale decision, a donation or a dispute.
- We send a written scope with the definition of value, the flat fee per report and the timeline.
- We inspect the cards in person across the Yuma area, photograph each one and research comparable sales.
- You receive a signed PDF report, usually within a week of inspection for a single item.
Fees
Flat or hourly, quoted before work begins
| Service | Unit | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal consult (in person or video) | per hour | Custom quoteHourly | 30-minute minimum |
| Appraisal day hosted by a card shop | per item | Custom quoteFlat fee | Walk-through of a collection quoted separately |
| Written appraisal: single item | per report | Custom quoteFlat fee | Prepared to USPAP standards |
| Written appraisal: collection | per report | Custom quoteFlat fee | Tiered by item count |
Written appraisals are flat fees per report, tiered by the number of items. Consults and claim work are hourly with a stated minimum.
Questions
How long does a written appraisal take?
Most single-item reports are delivered within a week of inspection; collections are quoted with a timeline in the written scope.
What does "prepared to USPAP standards" mean?
USPAP is the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice: a set of rules for how an appraisal is scoped, researched, reported and kept on file. It is a standard, not a licence. Our reports follow it so that insurers, attorneys and courts can rely on them.
Can you appraise cards that are already graded?
Yes. The grade is part of the description; the value opinion still has to be researched and stated for your intended use.
Do you buy cards, or make offers?
No. We never buy, sell, broker or consign cards, and we do not negotiate sales for clients. That independence is the point of the report.
More in Sleeve Notes
- What does Break Check Barragan actually do?
- Will you tell me what my card is worth in a message?
- Why don't you charge a percentage of my card's value?
- Is there a minimum for a verbal consultation?
- What is a trading-card appraisal?
- What is USPAP, and why does it matter?
- How is an appraisal different from a price check?
- Which kind of value does my report state?
Get in touch
Ready when you are
Message with what you have and what it is for. A written scope and quote follow by email before any work.