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How to sell bulk Magic: The Gathering cards

By Geega Games · Updated

“Bulk” is the Magic: The Gathering term for cards worth only a few cents each — mostly commons and uncommons, plus basic lands, tokens and “bulk rares” (rares and mythics that sell for well under a dollar). Bulk is bought and sold by the thousand rather than card by card. Before you sell any, make sure nothing valuable is hiding in it.

Pull these out before you sell bulk

  • Every rare and mythic (gold or orange-red set symbol). Most are bulk, but check each one — this is where most of the value in a box usually hides.
  • Foils, especially from older sets.
  • Old cards — anything in the pre-2003 frame, and anything with no set symbol. Some old commons and uncommons are worth real money.
  • Playable staples printed at common or uncommon, such as Sol Ring, Lightning Bolt, Counterspell, Dark Ritual and Swords to Plowshares. Older printings of cards like these can be worth a few dollars each.
  • Special versions: borderless, extended art, showcase and non-English printings.

How to count bulk

Nobody counts bulk card by card. A single card weighs roughly 1.8 grams, so 1,000 cards come to about 4 pounds (around 1.8 kg) — a kitchen or bathroom scale gets you close. Storage boxes are sold by capacity (“1,000-count”, “5,000-count”), which makes a full box an easy estimate.

Ways to sell bulk

  • Local game stores often buy bulk by the thousand, though some only take certain colors, rarities or recent sets.
  • Mail-in bulk buylists accept large quantities, but bulk is heavy, and shipping cost can eat into a small lot.
  • Selling lots yourself on a marketplace can bring more per card, in exchange for photos, listings and packing.
  • Include it with a collection. The simplest option: sell the bulk together with everything else and let the buyer sort it.

Packing bulk to ship

  • Pack cards tightly in storage boxes so they can’t slide around, then put those in a sturdy shipping box.
  • Never use rubber bands. Fill empty space with paper so nothing shifts.
  • Wrap boxes in a plastic bag to protect against moisture.
  • Use a tracked service, and insurance if anything valuable is in with the bulk.

Selling us your bulk

We look at bulk as part of a collection, so there’s no need to separate it first — mention roughly how much you have when you tell us about your collection. In the St. Louis area we can meet up, and heavy boxes are one more reason an in-person meetup is often easier than shipping.

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