eBay has made significant moves in the trading card industry, announcing three key commercial agreements with Collectors, the parent company of PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), a renowned authentication and grading provider in collectibles.
One of the agreements is a trading card commercial deal aimed at enhancing the trading experience for enthusiasts by offering seamless buying, selling, grading, and storage services. eBay and PSA plan to introduce a customer-centric product experience in the coming months. Additionally, PSA is launching a new service enabling customers to list graded trading cards on eBay promptly to expedite sales.
In a major acquisition, eBay has purchased Collectors’ auction house Goldin, expanding inventory options for buyers and providing Goldin sellers with broader exposure.
Moreover, eBay is transferring the eBay vault to Collectors, integrating existing vault services into a new offering. Launched in 2022, the eBay vault allows collectors to store high-value trading cards in a secure, temperature-controlled environment.
The financial details of these transactions were not disclosed but are expected to close concurrently in the second quarter of 2024.
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO, commented, “The deals announced today further our mission of reinventing the future of e-commerce for enthusiasts. We are excited to partner with PSA to offer a simpler, more personalized experience for passionate collectors. PSA’s expertise in trading cards and collectibles, combined with eBay’s capabilities, will inspire more people to engage confidently in selling, shopping, and collecting.”
This announcement follows eBay’s partnership with COMC, enhancing digital inventory management for eBay customers. Last year, eBay acquired the collectibles platform TCGplayer for $295 million.