Middleman, buyback and grading for UK card collectors

What does a card middleman actually do?

You agree a sale or a trade on TCG Hamster, and instead of posting to each other, both of you post to an independent verification partner: a UK card shop we have vetted, not us. The partner checks every card against the listing for authenticity and condition, photographs it, and sends it on by tracked, insured post. The buyer's money sits with TCG Hamster the whole time and is only released once the cards have been checked. Nobody has to trust a stranger with the cards or the cash, which is the part that goes wrong when a deal is done in a DM.

1. Match & Agree. Both parties agree to the trade or sale. The platform shows the intermediary fees upfront.
2. Ship to our partner. Each party ships their card(s) to one of our trusted partners. We fund that label too: the protection fee covers every leg, in and out.
3. Verification. Our expert team inspects every card: authenticity check, condition verification against listing photos, and confirmation the card matches the description.
4. Professional Photos. We photograph each card before dispatch as proof of condition at the time of sending.
5. Secure Dispatch. Cards are securely packaged and sent to their new owners via tracked, insured delivery. Postage from us is included in the service fee.
6. Complete. Both parties receive their cards. Any disputes are resolved using the verification photos taken in step 4.

How much does the middleman cost?

One protection fee, which includes the postage in both directions: the insured label to the partner and the insured label on to the recipient. On a sale the buyer pays it. On a trade each side pays its own. The seller keeps their usual 90% to 92%: the commission (10% to start, falling to 8% as you sell) is the only thing taken from the sale price, and there is no extra charge for using the middleman beyond the fee below.

A shop trade-in takes a 20 to 30% margin however big the card is. Here the fee is a fixed sum built from what two insured postal legs actually cost, so it falls as a share of the deal the dearer the card gets. The calculator above gives the exact figure for any value.

When is the middleman required?

On any deal above £250.00, or above £500.00 for a graded slab whose certificate number we have verified with the grader, because PSA, Beckett, CGC or Ace have already done the authenticity and condition work. Below those lines it is optional: you can post straight to each other with tracked, insured postage included in your fee, and the site tells you plainly that nothing is checked and no money is held on that route. Our guide to trading safely sets the two options side by side.

What happens if a card is not as described?

The partner finds out before the other side does. If a card fails its check, both parties can agree a new price or a different swap, and if no deal can be reached the buyer is refunded in full and the cards go back to their owners, with the return postage covered. Every card is photographed before it leaves the partner, so a claim that something arrived damaged is settled against those photos rather than one person's word, and damage in transit is covered by the insurance on the label.

Can someone just buy my cards outright?

Yes. The Sell to Us tab above gives an instant offer from a buyback partner at 80% of the live UK market price, using the graded price where a card is slabbed. You post the cards in, the partner checks them, and you are paid once they have. It is the quickest route and the lowest return: listing the same cards yourself keeps 90% to 92% of whatever they sell for, and our sell-to-us page is honest about which to choose.

How does the grading estimate work?

Before you pay a grading company's fee and wait weeks for a slab, a partner examines the card and gives you a grade estimate, so you know whether it is worth sending. The fee is 10% of the card's value, never less than £15.00 and never more than £150.00. If the card is already with a partner for a middleman deal you can add the estimate without posting it twice. We do not grade cards and no partner issues a slab: that is PSA, Beckett, CGC and Ace, and the estimate is a view on what they would say.

Who are the partners?

Established UK card shops in good standing on the marketplace, each listed above under the services it offers. TCG Hamster runs the marketplace, holds the money and funds the labels. The partners do the checking, the photographing, the buying and the grading estimates. A shop that wants to join applies through the Become a Partner section above.

How long does it take?

Two tracked legs of two to three working days each, with the check in between, so a protected deal is normally with its new owner inside a fortnight of both sides posting. Each stage shows on the deal page as it happens, with the tracking numbers.