Before you submit
What we buy
A two-minute read so you're not sending us photos of something we'll have to turn down. If you're still not sure after this, send it anyway — there's no charge and no obligation either way.
What counts as “vintage”
For us, vintage isn’t about which set a card is from, or how rare or shiny it looks. It's about the year it was printed. We buy cards printed up to and including 2011 — nothing printed in 2012 or later, no exceptions right now.
This trips people up because some sets ran across more than one year, and set names alone won't tell you the print date. The only reliable way to check is a small line of text printed on the card itself.
The one thing to check: the copyright line
Flip the card over, or look along the bottom edge of the front — you'll find a small line of copyright text, usually along the bottom, next to the card number. It reads something like ©2011 Pokémon/Nintendo. That year is what matters:
- 2011 or earlier — we can buy it.
- 2012 or later — we can't take it at the moment, sorry.
Illustrative diagram — the exact position and wording varies a little by set and print run, but it's always a small line along the bottom edge.
Not sure?
If you can't make out the print, or you've got a mixed pile with some newer cards in it, don't worry about sorting it perfectly first. Send a clear photo showing that corner of a few cards and we'll tell you what's in scope when we look it over — it costs you nothing to ask, and there's no obligation to go ahead with anything we come back with.
Binder or bulk?
When you submit, we'll ask which of these best describes what you've got — it just changes how we review it, not whether we can buy it:
Binder / organised collection
Cards sorted or sleeved into a binder, box or folder.
Bulk / loose cards
A big unsorted pile — a shoebox, tin, or bag of loose cards.