3D-imaged Pokémon cards attract record high bids on new TCG marketplace

• Buyer willingly bids over £2k above market average for raw 1st Edition Charizard
• Full-disclosure on card condition creates a new price point for ungraded cards

Ungraded.com, the revolutionary new marketplace for trading cards, which is the first in the world to display all cards using a 3D high-definition viewer, is now open for use by sellers after a highly successful pre-launch series of auctions.

Among the best performing lots was a 1st Edition Base Set Charizard, which sold for a staggering £4,650. That’s over £2,000 higher than the recent average market value for similar cards in a “near mint or better” condition.

James Price of Pricey Collectibles, who won the card, commented: “With their amazing technology I was able to see all the defects, zooming in to see the condition better than if I was holding it in my own hands. This gave me the confidence to secure the card at this price.” He added: “I’ve since had it graded and it achieved a BGS 8.5, which I’m really pleased with. This is the future of buying and selling raw cards.”

The platform’s social accounts have been inundated with enthusiastic comments from collectors with one saying: “This is going to be an absolute GAME CHANGER”, and another “I think this is really great… my struggle as a buyer has always been that I can’t see the card clearly in photographs and I can’t zoom in to see it better… you guys truly knocked it out of the park.”

The pre-launch period was designed to showcase the platform’s unique technology, with its auctions featuring iconic cards from several popular product lines, including Yu-Gi-Oh!, Football (soccer), Magic: The Gathering, US Sports and, of course, Pokémon.

Aiming to become the go-to marketplace for ungraded cards in the UK and beyond, the platform hopes to transform buyers’ perception of raw cards compared to their professionally graded  counterparts.

Josh Williams, co-founder, explains: “There’s so much financial risk involved with buying raw cards from existing marketplaces based on inadequate photos that don’t tell the whole story of their condition. Buyers have to really weigh their bids against that risk. Our technology negates this by providing an exceptionally clear picture of card condition, with every scratch and scuff easily visible. We expect this to lead to a new price point for ungraded cards, somewhere between existing market prices and those seen for graded equivalents.”

Using an imaging process developed over the last two years, cards are presented in ultra high definition. Photos are taken from hundreds of angles and stitched together into a 3D viewing experience unlike any other. Exploration of each card through rotating, zooming and panning gives buyers an unparalleled insight, leaving no value-defining defect hidden from view. This, combined with an authenticity guarantee on every card, makes Ungraded the safest marketplace for raw card purchases.

With consignment submissions now open to the public, Ungraded, has already seen significant interest from sellers. John Brame, co-founder, says: “Right off the bat we were hearing from sellers who saw the potential of our platform to get them the sale prices their cards deserve. Some were casual collectors who had pulled something super rare from a booster pack. Others were big-time sellers who see the benefit of our consignment model, which can save them a vast amount of time listing and shipping multiple cards.”

“All sellers need to do is create a quick submission on our site and post us their cards. We then image them and put them into secure temperature and humidity monitored storage. Cards are insured based on values provided by sellers during submissions. We handle listing and shipping them out to buyers.”

The first official Weekly Auction ends on the 14th July and will be covered by YouTube live streams from two of the biggest UK trading card influencers, Mattculli and CasualYugiStuff.

How does Ungraded make its money?

Auction-based listings have a Buyer’s Premium like traditional auctions. Winning bidders will be charged a Buyer’s Premium in addition to the hammer price. This premium is a variable percentage based on the hammer price:

• Up to the first £250 there is a 20% Buyer’s Premium
• From £250 to £1,000 there is a 17.5% Buyer’s Premium
• From £1,000 there is a 15% Buyer’s Premium

For example, with a winning bid of £500, the Buyer’s Premium would be £93.75, with the first £250 subject to a 20% rate (£50) and the remaining £250 subject to a 17.5% rate (£43.75).

For Fixed Price listings, there are zero fees for buyers. Instead the Seller pays a premium of 15% of the sale price. For example, if your card sells for £110, the Seller’s Premium would be £16.50.

Shipping is FREE with Ungraded. To help ease in new sellers during the rest of the year, the platform is also offering guaranteed no seller fees for Auction listings, unlimited relistings and free returns for unsold cards.

Those interested in selling through Ungraded can do so by visiting www.ungraded.com. 

To view Ungraded’s introduction video click here.