How to price a binder page (and finish it for less)
Before you buy cards for a page, it helps to know what the whole page will cost. Here's how to read card prices and keep a page affordable.
Market price vs listings
TCGplayer's market price is based on what the card has recently sold for, not the cheapest listing. The low listing might be a damaged copy or a seller with expensive shipping. The market price is a better guide to what you'll actually pay for a near-mint copy.
Binder Lab shows the market price on each card when prices are turned on (Settings → Show prices). The page header shows the total for the page, and the binder shows the total for everything in it. Prices update every night.
Condition matters
Prices you see online are usually for near-mint cards. Lightly played copies often sell for noticeably less, and in a binder, behind a pocket, small edge wear is hard to see. If a page is just for display, lightly played can be a smart way to save.
Ways to finish a page for less
- Check both languages. The English and Japanese versions of the same artwork can be priced very differently. The Cheapest button switches every card on a page to its cheaper version and tells you what you saved.
- Swap the most expensive card. Most pages have one card that costs more than the other eight together. Open it, scroll to Similar cards, and see whether a cheaper card with the same colors does the job.
- Use the less popular Pokémon. Illustration rares of less popular Pokémon are often cheap, and they look just as good on a page.
- Plan, then buy in one order. Mark the cards you still need, then buy them together from as few sellers as you can to save on shipping.