As eBay continues to invest in the trading card space, the e-commerce company announced Wednesday three significant commercial transactions with Collectors, the parent company of PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), the third-party authentication and grading provider in the collectibles industry.
The transactions include a trading card commercial agreement that aims to provide trading enthusiasts a seamless buying, selling, grading, and storage experience. As part of the partnership, eBay and PSA plan to introduce a “customer-centric product experience” over the coming months. Plus, PSA is launching a new service for customers to list trading cards on eBay as soon as the card is graded, effectively speeding up the selling process.
Furthermore, eBay has acquired Collectors’ auction house Goldin in a significant move that will greatly benefit collectors. The sale expands the range of inventory for buyers and provides Goldin sellers with a larger audience.
eBay is also selling the eBay Vault to Collectors, creating a new offering that merges the existing vault services. Introduced in 2022, the eBay Vault enables collectors to store trading cards valued at more than $750 in a secure, temperature-controlled facility.
The financial terms of these deals were not publicly disclosed, but all three transactions are expected to close simultaneously in the second quarter of 2024.
“The deals announced today further our mission of reinventing the future of e-commerce for enthusiasts, and we are excited to partner with PSA to offer a simpler, more personalized experience for passionate collectors,” eBay CEO Jamie Iannone stated. “PSA is a premier player in trading cards and collectibles with unmatched capabilities, and we believe our shared expertise will inspire even more people to sell, shop, and collect with confidence.”
This announcement comes four months after eBay teamed up with sports trading card company COMC, allowing eBay customers to easily digitize their inventory.
Last year, eBay acquired collectibles platform TCGplayer for $295 million, further solidifying their presence in the collectibles industry.
