What CardsHQ does

CardsHQ is a vertically integrated sports card and trading card game (TCG) commerce, media, and technology platform headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 2024 by Geoff Wilson, the company operates a 14,000-square-foot flagship retail superstore, a 24/7 Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront (cardshq.com), five dedicated live selling channels on Whatnot plus a Fanatics Live channel, a traveling Buying Station at card shows nationwide, and an in-store PSA-staffed Submission Center for grading drop-offs. The product mix spans graded singles, sealed boxes, and supplies across sports cards (football, basketball, baseball) and TCG categories (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Star Wars Unlimited, Lorcana), with a card-buyout program offering 70% cash or 80% store credit.

The platform's technology layer is built on Shopify for commerce, Squarespace for the Graded Grails repack program, and the proprietary Market Movers pricing and collection tracking platform used to comp card valuations during buying and selling operations. The Graded Grails program, co-developed with PSA, is the first third-party-certified repack service in the hobby, with PSA assembling, sealing, randomizing, and packing the boxes blind to address repack fraud. In June 2026, CardsHQ merged with Sports Card Investor under a strategic growth investment led by Shamrock Capital ($7.4B AUM) with EnOne Ventures participation, bringing the Sports Card Investor YouTube/social media audience into the combined entity.

CardsHQ monetizes through direct retail and e-commerce sales of singles and sealed product, transaction fees from live breaking and auction spots on Whatnot and Fanatics Live, margin on bought-in inventory, facilitation of PSA grading (with PSA setting the fees), one-time sales of $299 Graded Grails certified repacks, and advertising/sponsorship through the Sports Card Investor media platform. The customer base is a horizontal long-tail of hobbyist collectors and investors; pricing is unit-based for retail and live selling, with no enterprise contracts or subscription layer disclosed.

Name

CardsHQ

Legal name

Cards HQ, LLC

Website

https://cardshq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CardsHQ is a vertically integrated sports card and trading card game commerce, media, and technology platform operating a 14,000 sq ft Atlanta flagship, Shopify e-commerce, live selling on Whatnot and Fanatics Live, and an in-store PSA grading center, serving hobbyist collectors across sports cards and TCG categories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Cards & Trading Card Game Collectibles Retail

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Trading Cards Retail (CRALAGAA)

Keywords

• Sports card retail
• Trading card games
• Card grading submissions
• Live card breaking
• Card collection buying

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail & E-Commerce Sales (Singles & Sealed): CardsHQ generates revenue by selling graded singles, sealed boxes, and supplies through its physical retail superstore and its Shopify-powered e-commerce website, with 24/7 online shopping and in-store purchasing options. Cards, boxes, and gift cards are final sale; supplies and merch carry a 14-day return policy.
2. Live Selling & Breaking on Whatnot & Fanatics Live: CardsHQ streams live box-breaking and card-auction shows 7 days a week across multiple dedicated Whatnot channels (cardshqbreaks, cardshqblitz, cardshqhoops, cardshqpoké, cardshqshop) and a Fanatics Live channel, monetizing through product sales, per-spot purchases in group breaks, and personal breaks.
3. PSA Grading Submission Services: CardsHQ hosts a PSA-staffed submission center inside its Atlanta store, accepting card, ticket, memorabilia, and autograph grading submissions. CardsHQ acts as a drop-off point and interface; PSA handles all grading and charges standard PSA fees, with CardsHQ facilitating the process in-store.
4. Graded Grails Certified Repack Products: CardsHQ co-developed the Graded Grails PSA-certified repack program with PSA, selling repack boxes (initial price $299 each, 432 boxes per series) that contain one PSA-graded card each. CardsHQ serves as the retail launch partner; PSA handles certification and logistics through its eBay storefront and PSA Vault platform.
5. Card Buying & Trade-In Services: CardsHQ buys card collections and singles from collectors, offering 70% cash or 80% store credit. The company then resells acquired inventory through its retail and e-commerce channels, capturing the margin between buy and sell prices.
6. Sports Card Investor Digital Media Platform: Following the merger with Sports Card Investor, CardsHQ expanded its YouTube and social media content operations, generating revenue through advertising, sponsorship, and audience-driven commerce (live selling referrals, affiliate traffic).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CardsHQ is a full-service sports card and trading card game (TCG) superstore that sells graded singles, sealed boxes, supplies, and merchandise to collectors across the country. It distributes through a 14,000 sq ft brick-and-mortar flagship in Atlanta, a Shopify-powered e-commerce website, multiple daily live selling streams on Whatnot and Fanatics Live, a traveling Buying Station at card shows, and the Sports Card Investor digital media platform. The company also operates an in-store PSA grading submission center, a card buying/trade-in buyback service (70% cash / 80% store credit), and the co-developed PSA-certified Graded Grails repack program.

Product overview

CardsHQ operates as a unified commerce, media, and technology platform for the sports card and trading card game (TCG) ecosystem. The offering combines a 14,000 sq. ft. Atlanta flagship retail store with a comprehensive e-commerce platform (cardshq.com), live selling operations on Whatnot and Fanatics Live, the Sports Card Investor digital media brand, and an in-store PSA Submission Center. The company also runs Graded Grails (a PSA-certified repack program) and uses the Market Movers data platform for pricing. Products span graded singles, sealed boxes, and supplies across sports cards (football, basketball, baseball) and TCG categories (Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Star Wars Unlimited, Lorcana).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Market Movers: A data platform providing pricing and collection tracking services for collectors.

Products and services

• CardsHQ E-Commerce Storefront (cardshq.com) 24/7 Shopify-powered online store selling graded singles, sealed boxes, supplies, and merchandise across sports cards (football, basketball, baseball) and TCG categories (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, Star Wars Unlimited, One Piece) with global shipping, accepting Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Shop Pay, and major credit cards.
• CardsHQ Atlanta Flagship Superstore 14,000 sq ft brick-and-mortar superstore in Atlanta, GA offering graded singles, sealed boxes, supplies, merch, on-site buying/trade-in, grading drop-off, tournaments, and trade nights; open Monday–Friday 11AM–7PM and Saturday–Sunday 10AM–7PM; functions as both the local retail destination and the operational hub for nationwide e-commerce fulfillment.
• Live Selling & Box Breaking Live commerce streams on Whatnot and Fanatics Live featuring group breaks, personal breaks, and card auctions across baseball, football, basketball, and Pokémon categories; enables buyers worldwide to participate in real-time box breaking and purchase inventory not available elsewhere.
• Card Buying & Trade-In Service In-person and on-the-road buyback service for sports cards and TCG collections, singles, and sealed boxes; offers 70% cash or 80% store credit (non-expiring) with valuations powered by the Market Movers data platform; CardsHQ buys in-store 7 days a week and at select card shows nationwide.
• Graded Grails PSA-Certified Repacks PSA-certified sealed repack product co-developed with PSA; each $299 box contains one PSA-graded card with advertised ceiling of ~$1,800 and floor of ~$140, and PSA certifies that the complete checklist is published, all listed cards are included, and boxes are assembled, sealed, randomized, and packed by PSA without knowledge of placement — addressing widespread repack fraud.
• Market Movers Pricing & Collection Tracking Platform Data platform providing sports card pricing comps and collection tracking used to power fair-market-valuation buying operations at CardsHQ and select partner channels; planned for further investment post-merger.
• In-Store PSA Submission Center PSA-staffed in-store drop-off point for card, ticket, memorabilia, and autograph grading submissions at the Atlanta flagship; facilitates the PSA grading submission process in person, with PSA handling all grading at its standard fee schedule.
• CardsHQ Digital Gift Cards Email-delivered digital gift cards sold through the CardsHQ storefront in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $150, and $200 with no processing fees; usable online or in-store at the Atlanta flagship.

Quantifiable outcome

• $15 million revenue in first year of operation (doubled expectations)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sports Card InvestorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026CardsHQ and Sports Card Investor merged on June 1, 2026 under a strategic growth investment led by Shamrock Capital and EnOne Ventures. The combined entity operates under the CardsHQ brand, integrating Sports Card Investor's digital media platform, content library, and audience with CardsHQ's retail, e-commerce, live breaking, and data operations to create the largest unified commerce, media, and technology platform in the sports card and TCG ecosystem. Sports Card Investor was co-founded by Carter Musgrave alongside founder Geoff Wilson.
• PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025PSA and CardsHQ co-launched Graded Grails, the first PSA-certified repack service for sports cards and memorabilia, debuting July 30, 2025 at The National Sports Collectors Convention. PSA certifies complete checklists are published, all listed cards are included, and boxes are assembled, sealed, randomized, and packed by PSA with no knowledge of card placement. Additionally, PSA opened a full-time, PSA-staffed Submission Center inside the CardsHQ Atlanta store, allowing collectors to drop off cards for grading without shipping. PSA also uses CardsHQ's Graded Grails program as a platform to expand its 'Repack as a Service' model, sourcing inventory through PSA Offers and the PSA eBay storefront.
• WhatnotcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCardsHQ operates five dedicated live selling channels on Whatnot (@cardshqbreaks, @cardshqblitz, @cardshqhoops, @cardshqpoké, @cardshqshop) running 7 days a week. The partnership enables CardsHQ to reach buyers through live auctions and group breaks, with Whatnot providing the platform infrastructure for live commerce. CardsHQ also sells live after hours every day on Whatnot per the contact information page.
• Fanatics LivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCardsHQ streams live on the Fanatics Live platform (referral link: fanatics.live/ref/cardshq) from Tuesday–Friday, 9 AM–4:30 PM EST, primarily featuring baseball breaks transitioning to football and basketball as new products release. This is a second live selling platform alongside Whatnot.
• GotBaseball!minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCardsHQ accepts PSA group submissions through its third-party partner GotBaseball!, which facilitates the logistics of grouping submissions and sending them to PSA. This service is currently offered only in-store at CardsHQ.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fanatics Collect: The dominant vertically integrated sports collectibles platform encompassing Topps, Fanatics Live, PWCC Marketplace, and direct-to-consumer card sales. Comparable to CardsHQ as a competitor in sports cards and as the platform behind Fanatics Live, on which CardsHQ also streams.
• eBay: Dominant secondary marketplace for sports cards and TCG and a C2C platform where CardsHQ also sells (including via the PSA Vault eBay storefront). Comparable as both a competitor for hobbyist spend and a parallel distribution channel.
• Heritage Auctions: One of the largest U.S. auction houses for sports cards, memorabilia, and broader collectibles. Comparable to CardsHQ as a destination for high-value cards and as a channel competing for collector trade-ins and premium inventory.

Direct peers

• Star City Games: Major TCG-focused retailer and tournament organizer with a strong online store and live event presence. Comparable to CardsHQ on the TCG side of the business, including Magic, Pokemon, and similar titles, and event-driven community engagement.
• Blowout Cards: Long-standing online sports card and TCG retailer with a strong collector following and live-breaking presence. Comparable to CardsHQ in core product categories (graded singles, sealed boxes, TCG) and online-first retail approach.
• Steel City Collectibles: Established U.S. sports card and TCG retailer with both retail and e-commerce operations. Comparable to CardsHQ in product mix, customer base, and brick-and-mortar + online sales model.
• Card Kingdom: Long-established TCG-focused retailer with a flagship store, strong e-commerce, and deep sell/trade-in infrastructure. Comparable to CardsHQ in TCG retail, buy/trade-in operations, and emphasis on community and events.
• TCGplayer: TCG-focused marketplace and pricing data platform (now owned by eBay). Comparable to CardsHQ on the TCG retail side and adjacent to Market Movers as a data/pricing layer in the TCG ecosystem.
• Dave & Adam's Card World: One of the largest multi-channel sports card and TCG retailers in the U.S., operating large-format stores, e-commerce, and live breaking. Directly comparable to CardsHQ in product mix, customer base, and multi-channel retail/live commerce model.
• Goldin Auctions: Leading auction house for high-end sports cards and memorabilia, with deep collector reach and a strong digital platform. Comparable to CardsHQ in serving serious sports card collectors and competing for high-value graded inventory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/sportscardinvestor
• Facebookfacebook.com/cardshqshop
• Instagraminstagram.com/cardshqshop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CardsHQ