Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, AFL, NRL and cricket cards are increasingly recognised as investment-class assets.
Valuation of trading cards has become important in the context of capital gains tax reforms in the 2026 Australian Government budget.
Professional valuations should be undertaken by individuals with the respected AVAA Certified Valuer (CVAu) credential.
Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Australian sporting cards once swapped in schoolyards are now sitting in collections worth serious money. As their value grows, more collectors are discovering that knowing what they own, and what it is genuinely worth, is not always straightforward. That’s where the expertise of a certified valuer becomes important.
Trading card valuations are increasingly needed for insurance, capital gains tax, deceased estates, family law, finance and even investment decisions. In each case, the figure may have real financial consequences, making an accurate, independent and defensible valuation essential.
The Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia (AVAA) said valuing trading cards involves much more than finding a similar card online and adopting the advertised price.
“Two cards that look almost identical can have very different values. Authenticity, condition, grading, provenance, scarcity, card population, market location and comparable sales all matter. A certified valuer brings that evidence together and provides a considered opinion that can stand up to scrutiny,” said AVAA Chief Executive, Troy Williams.
Auction results, resale websites and AI tools can be useful starting points when researching Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, AFL, NRL and cricket cards. However, the figure appearing on a screen should not be confused with a professional valuation. An advertised price does not mean the card sold. Even a completed sale may involve a card with different grading, condition, provenance or authenticity. Online information can also be incomplete, outdated or taken from an overseas market that does not reflect Australian conditions.
The respected AVAA Certified Valuer (CVAu) credential helps collectors identify valuers who have demonstrated relevant professional experience and competency. Individuals with the CVAu credential maintain professional indemnity insurance, undertake continuing professional development and work within the AVAA Professional Standards.
The AVAA Professional Standards cover important matters including inspection, valuation methodology, market evidence, independence, disclosure and the information that must appear in a professional valuation report.
“Anyone can offer an opinion about what a card might be worth. A certified valuer does more than that as they have an evidence-based methodological approach to trading card valuation and work within a set of national standards,” Mr Williams said.
The need for reliable evidence has become more important following Capital Gains Tax (GST) reforms announced in the 2026 Australian Government Budget. As trading cards become recognised as investment-class assets, greater attention is expected to be paid to establishing and documenting their value around the commencement date of the new CGT framework.
“Collectors with significant holdings should speak with a qualified taxation professional and consider whether they need to engage a valuation. If required, it should be prepared by a professional holding the respected CVAu credential with expertise in valuing trading cards,” Mr Williams said.
AVAA will hold a national webinar on 29 July 2026 examining trading card valuation best practice. It will be presented by Jonathan Marin CVAu and Geoff Alway CVAu, two certified valuers with extensive experience in trading cards and specialist collectables.
The session will cover authentication, grading, condition, counterfeit and altered cards, provenance, market trends, comparable sales, valuation methodologies and professional reporting.
Information on the webinar is available online at:
www.avaa.com.au/cpd-cards
Ends.
About us:
AVAA Introduction: The Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia (AVAA) is the national professional body representing auctioneers and valuers. It issues the respected AVAA Certified Valuer (CVAu) and AVAA Certified Auctioneer (CAAu) credentials that identify experienced professionals committed to integrity, accountability and the AVAA Professional Standards, giving journalists access to trusted expertise across auctions, valuations, collectables, machinery, vehicles and cultural assets.
Contact details:
Troy Williams, AVAA Chief Executive
e: [email protected]
m: 0400 599 934
