Lou Minati

Step by step

How It Works

From your first quote to getting paid, plus how to pack and ship your bulk, or drop it off in Bay Area, CA.

  1. 1

    Quote

    Use the calculator to estimate your payout and submit your request.

  2. 2

    Approval

    We email you to confirm what we’ll accept, and where to ship or when to drop off. Don’t ship before this.

  3. 3

    Ship or drop off

    Pack by game and category. Ship with tracking at your cost, or drop off in the Bay Area.

  4. 4

    Count & pay

    We count and verify, email you the final tally, and pay by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or store credit.

Drop-off · Bay Area, CA

Live in or near the Bay Area? Skip the box, the tape and the postage.

  • Choose Local drop-off on the quote form.
  • We’ll email you to arrange a drop-off time. We don’t publish a street address.
  • No shipping cost. Bring your cards sorted by game and category in card storage boxes (no rubber bands).
  • Get paid by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or store credit, or take cash in person (drop-off only).

How You Get Paid

PayPalCash price, sent to your PayPal email.
VenmoCash price, sent to your @username.
ZelleCash price, to your Zelle email or phone.
Cash AppCash price, to your $cashtag.
Store creditPays the higher price on every card.
Cash in personCash price, for local drop-off only.

The Packing Guide

1. Sort before you pack

  • Separate by game: Pokémon, One Piece and Magic in their own sections or boxes.
  • Separate by category: for Pokémon, keep commons/uncommons, holos/reverse holos, basic energy, EX/V and full arts apart.
  • Pull what we don’t accept: code cards, non-English cards, damaged cards (bends, creases, water damage, heavy wear), and anything that isn’t a real card.
  • If you’re unsure where a card belongs, put it in a section marked “Unsure”. We’ll sort it for you.

2. Pack it tight

  • Use cardboard card storage boxes (800, 1,000, 3,200 or 5,000-count). Shoe boxes and loose cards in a shipping box are the main cause of damage.
  • No rubber bands. They dent edges. If you need to group cards, use card dividers or small bags.
  • Fill empty space in each row with paper or foam so cards can’t slide or fan.
  • For extra safety, put each storage box in a plastic bag in case of rain.
  • Put the storage boxes inside a sturdy outer shipping box with padding on all sides, and tape every seam.

3. Label each section

Write the game, category and approximate count on each divider or box, e.g. “Pokémon · Holos · ~1,200”. Add a sheet of paper on top with:

  • Your name and email
  • Your reference number (for example, LOU-XXXXXX)
  • Your payout method and handle (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or store credit)

4. Ship with tracking

You pay inbound shipping. Always use a tracked service and keep your receipt. We can’t pay for a package that never arrives, and tracking protects you. In the Bay Area? Drop off instead and skip shipping.

  • Rough weight: about 4 lb per 1,000 cards, plus the box. Weigh before you buy a label.
  • Ground services (for example, USPS Ground Advantage or UPS/FedEx Ground) are usually cheapest for heavy boxes. Compare prices before you buy.
  • Add insurance on large lots if you want protection for the full value.
  • Reply to your approval email with your tracking number.

5. The count

When your box arrives, we count it, check condition and language, and move any cards in the wrong category. We email you the final tally. If it differs from your estimate, we show you where. Then we pay by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or store credit within 2–5 business days.

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