Bartr

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Card trade checklist

Ten quick checks before you say yes to a trade. One page, made to print and keep in your binder.

Most trades that go wrong go wrong in the same few ways: two cards that look alike but are different printings, a bent corner nobody noticed, or somebody feeling rushed. This checklist covers each one. It works for Pokémon, One Piece, Riftbound and any other card game.

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Before you say yes

A card trade checklist. Tick each one before any cards change hands.

  1. Is it the same card?Match the name, set, card number and language on both copies.
  2. Which printing is it?Holo, reverse holo, full art, alternate art, a stamp or 1st Edition can each change the value.
  3. What condition is it in?Look at the front and back: corners, edges, scratches and bends. Ask before taking a card out of its sleeve.
  4. Raw or graded?For a slab, read the grading company and the full grade on the label, and look up the cert number.
  5. Look up both sides the same way.Same source, same day, for every card. Check what copies sold for, not what people are asking.
  6. Compare the gap.Add up each side. A gap under 3% of the larger side is close to even.
  7. No price is not zero.If a card has no price, agree a value out loud or leave that card out.
  8. Ask for a moment."Can I have a minute to check?" is a normal thing to say. Good traders wait.
  9. It is OK to say no."No thanks" is a full answer. You never have to explain.
  10. Trade with a grown-up nearby.Younger traders: keep a parent or grown-up close, and check with them before trading a card you love.

Bartr adds up both sides of a trade for you. Scan to get the app, or visit bartr.cards. Free on the App Store, iPhone only for now. Prices are estimates, not appraisals or offers.

Why each check matters

Cards that share a name and a picture can be very different cards, which is why the printing comes before the price. The printing checklist goes card game by card game. For prices, what copies actually sold for beats what someone is asking: sold price vs asking price explains why. Is my trade fair? works the 3% gap with an example, and what to do when a card has no price covers the blank ones.

Heading to a show? Your first card show has a checklist for the whole day, and trading cards with friends has tips for trades at home. The table kit adds a want list you can print alongside this sheet.

Bartr is an information tool, not financial advice. Prices are estimates. See the Terms of Use.

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