Trading card photos: a guide to clearer listings

Place the card beside its inventory reference and check the set, collector number, language and finish. Photograph one copy at a time; return it to its storage position before moving on. This helps you avoid pairing the back of copy A with the front of copy B.

CardTrader’s condition guide considers both sides of a card. Apply that approach to your photos too: a clean front does not show wear on the back. Choose the condition after inspecting the physical card, using the destination marketplace’s guide.

Start with a steady phone, a clean surface and diffuse light. Mark the phone and card positions on the table, outside the frame, so you can reuse the same distance. Keep all four edges visible and check focus on the collector number.

For foil cards, slightly change the angle of the card or light and compare two shots: the reflection should reveal the surface rather than hide it. If a sleeve causes glare, remove it only when you can handle the card without risking damage. Do not polish the card or digitally retouch scratches or edges.

eBay’s card guide recommends your own photos of the front, back and imperfections. The table below turns that principle into a workflow suggested by Cardunity. It is not a required image count: add whatever details are needed to describe that copy.

Photograph the whole holder from front and back, then the label with the company, grade and certificate clearly readable. Distinguish a mark on the plastic from a card defect in the description; if you cannot tell, say so. For a numbered copy, show its serial number and print-run size without cropping them out.

For a PSA certificate, use the official verifier and compare the details with the label. A number found in the database does not, by itself, authenticate the photographed item: PSA explicitly states this limitation.

This is a fictional example, with no prices or sales results: you own two copies of the same card, language and finish. Copy A has a small white spot on the back; copy B has a surface scratch. Photograph them separately and assign distinct internal references, such as INV-017-A and INV-017-B.

Keep the originals in the two folders and use numbered filenames, such as 01, 02 and 03, for the sequence. If the listing promises copy A, do not ship B simply because the name matches. When a channel groups multiple copies, check how it can show their differences before using one gallery for all the stock.

Cardunity’s public “How it works” page distinguishes the catalog thumbnail from photos uploaded for listings. The thumbnail in the Stock list alone cannot confirm which photos the buyer sees. Check the product and, after synchronisation, open its listing on the connected channel.

Check image order, full-size viewing and any cropping of the main photo on a phone. If an image is missing, check the update result before uploading everything again. Keep the originals: a copy retrieved from a chat or preview may already be compressed.

The eBay policy checked for this guide requires at least 500 pixels on the longest side and prohibits watermarks, added borders and promotional material on photos. Check each channel’s requirements before uploading: this threshold is not a universal marketplace standard.