eBay Launches New Event Series to Authenticate and Showcase High-Value Collectibles

Addressing the enormous surge in popularity of collectible goods –  such as sneakers, luxury watches, and trading cards – eBay has announced that it will host events across the country to authenticate some of the most sought-after items in these top sales categories. Taking place in select major cities over the next several weeks, eBay will invite enthusiasts to have their items authenticated on-site, mirroring the authentication practice that the online marketplace offers across these categories.

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“Younger generations have upended the idea of a traditional portfolio by marrying their passions with financial opportunity,”

“We’ve transformed the eBay experience to reflect that change in behavior, ensuring the authenticity of the most covetable, collectible and investment-worthy items in our marketplace.”

Jordan Sweetnam, Senior Vice President, eBay North America.

In each city, eBay will also give fans an all-access look at some of the most unique collections of athletes and celebrities, starting in Atlanta with basketball star Trae Young’s collection of luxury watches. 

“Today’s most recognized personalities are frequently known for their unique collections as much as they are their professions – for a lot of celebrities, it’s become part of their brand,”

“We’re partnering with these high-profile collectors to unearth incredibly rare and one-of-a-kind collectible items, offering a peek into the most jaw-dropping collections across the country.”

Charis Márquez, Vice President of Fashion, eBay.

Basketball Star Trae Young Shows Off his Enviable Watch Collection:

The first stop in Atlanta will be to visit basketball star Trae Young to check out his collection of new and vintage wristwatches. From Rolex and Cartier to Hublot and Tissot, Trae will give eBay an inside look at his collection, share what he considers before investing in a watch and discuss the pieces that are on his radar for the future.

Collector Events

At each collector event taking place across the country, enthusiasts can bring their own items – including sneakers, watches and trading cards – for authentication and appraisal. Guests will pull up to a drive-in authentication station and watch while third party authenticators evaluate their items. They will leave with an estimation of the item’s worth and the option to list their items on eBay. The first event will take place on April 9 and April 10 in Atlanta.

After Atlanta, eBay will host additional collector events in Nashville, Seattle, Las Vegas and Austin, showcasing top collections in each city, including rare and 1 of 1 items from celebrities, sports stars and collectors.

How it works:

• Collectors will drive up and pass their item to a staff member
• The item will be photographed and delivered to the third party category expert
• Collectors can watch their item go through the evaluation process on the screen in front of their cars and fuel up with a beverage and treats provided by eBay
• The item will be returned along with an estimated value based on current marketplace trends
• One item per collector can be authenticated/evaluated
• The event is free and appointments are not required
• Masks are required and social distance protocols are in place

eBay Authenticate Event dates:

• Nashville, TN: April 13, 14
• Seattle, WA: April 21, 22
• Las Vegas, NV: April 30, May 1
• Austin, TX: May 7, 8

Recent data shows that the global sneaker, watch and trading card resale markets are valued in the billions, and expected to continue to surge. As collectors begin to regard these “hobbies” as serious investment opportunities, authentication has never been more important for confirming the value of these collections.

As the original marketplace for enthusiasts and collectors, eBay acts as one of the biggest “trading platforms” for these growing investment categories, including new and vintage sneakers, luxury watches, and trading cards from sports, to Pokemon to Magic the Gathering.

With the launch of Authenticity Guarantee, eBay has changed the way people buy and sell on the platform. Since launching the program six months ago, the variety of products that eBay is authenticating has kept pace with the types of items and inventory that its collector base is seeking out. Core to eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee offering are the third party independent experts that fully vet and verify items through comprehensive inspections. More categories will be added to the program in the coming months.

Learn more about eBay’s elevated authentication experience at ebay.com/buyauthentic, and head to ebay.com/sneakers and eBay.com/luxurywatches to shop.

More on eBay’s Most Popular Collectibles:

eBay Sneakers by the Numbers:

• On average, there are 1.64M sneaker listings on eBay each day*
• In 2020, eBay sold 7.69 million sneakers in North America
• 15 pairs of sneakers are bought every minute on eBay

*average daily live listings number for 2020

eBay Luxury Watches by the Numbers:

• eBay sold over 4 Million watches in 2020 with over 12 Million watches sold over the past three years
• 57% of eBay’s watches inventory comprises new watches, contributing to 33% of watch sales. 42% of eBay’s watches inventory comprises pre-Owned inventory, contributing to 63% of watch sales
• There were over 1.2M daily live listings on average for watches in 2020
• In 2020 Rolex sales increased by 4% compared to 2019

eBay Trading Cards by the Numbers:

• eBay’s trading card category grew by 142% in 2020 with over 4 million more cards sold on eBay than in the prior year
• eBay trading card sales to other countries grew 162%
• The most notable sports trading card ever sold on eBay is the 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie RC Auto #144 PSA 10 Gem Mint card for $555,988, and the most notable collectible card ever sold is the Gem Mint PSA 10 Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus card for $511,100
• Gross sales in basketball cards on eBay have exploded in the past year, increasing by more than 370%
• Pokemon trading card sales increased 574% from 2019 to 2020