How to Search eBay for a Specific Pokemon Card

Build the search from what's printed on the card

A card name alone returns every printing of that Pokemon, across dozens of sets. Three things printed on the card cut that down:

• The name, as printed: "Lugia", "Charizard", "Dark Charizard".

• The set name, such as Neo Genesis or Jungle. Sellers don't always write it, but most do for vintage cards.

• The card number, such as 9/111. It is the most precise word you can type, because it separates cards with the same name in the same set (see Card number (set number)).

This is what I type myself: the Pokemon name, the set name, the card number, and the condition or grade. A real one, from my own hunt for a Base Set Charizard, is charizard base set unlimited near mint -"base set 2" (the minus part is explained below). That one leaves the number out; add 4/102 and the results get tighter still.

Some examples, each checked against a card database:

The Vaporeon pair is why the number matters. The same card was printed as a holo (12/64) and a non-holo (28/64), and "vaporeon jungle" returns both. Type the number and you get the one you want.

Sellers write numbers in different ways: 4/102, 004/102, #4. If a search by number looks thin, try the other forms, or drop the number and scan the photos instead.

Add the grade or the condition

For a slab, add the grader and the grade: "lugia neo genesis 9/111 psa 8". For a raw card, add a condition word such as "nm" or "near mint" if sellers of that card tend to use it (see Near Mint and card condition (NM to DMG) and Graded vs raw cards).

Be careful with grade numbers. A "10" can also be part of a card number, and a raw listing can mention a grade it hasn't got. Words like "potential", "contender" or "candidate" next to "PSA 10" usually mean the card is raw and the seller hopes it would grade well. If you want only slabs, exclude those words.

Exclude what you don't want

eBay's Advanced Search has a box called "Exclude words from your search", and you can do the same from the normal search bar by putting a minus sign directly in front of a word, with no space. Put quotes around a phrase to exclude the phrase.

The only words I exclude every time are "base set 2", when I'm looking for Base Set.

What the test searches showed (eBay's Collectible Card Games category; result counts move every hour, so yours will differ):

• "lugia 9/111 neo genesis" returned 90 results. Adding -psa -cgc -bgs cut it to 52, and none of the first page's titles named those three graders. Slabs from other graders, with titles saying ACE, PCG, PGC or just "Grade 7", stayed in. Excluding three graders is not the same as excluding every slab.

• charizard "base set" returned 913 results, and Base Set 2 copies (card 4/130) were all over the first page. Adding -"base set 2" cut it to 818, with no Base Set 2 titles left on the first page.

• Adding -german to the Lugia search cut 90 results to 83, but several titles with the word German were still on the first page. A word inside parentheses after a minus, like -(italian,german), did not remove those titles either.

So treat exclusions as a strong first pass, not a guarantee. Read the titles, then the photos.

Filters worth setting

Most of these are on the left of the results page or in Advanced Search (on a computer, select "Advanced" next to the search bar; eBay says Advanced Search isn't available in its mobile app, where you use the sort and filter options after searching).

• Category: Collectible Card Games. It drops a lot of toys, clothing and books.

• Price: set a minimum as well as a maximum. I usually set a minimum price, roughly 20% of the card's value, just as an estimate, to skip the irrelevant low-price listings. Cheap matches are often accessories or proxies that only mention the card's name.

• Buying format: Auction, Buy It Now or Accepts offers, depending how you want to buy (see Buy It Now vs auction).

• Authenticity Guarantee: a filter in Advanced Search's "Show results" section. For single cards sold for $200 or more, eBay's guarantee has the card inspected before it ships to you.

• Item location: US Only, North America or Worldwide.

• Sold items: before you buy, run the same search with "Sold items" ticked to see what the card actually sold for, rather than what sellers are asking (see Comp (comparable sale)).

• Sort: "Time: newly listed" to see new listings first, or "Time: ending soonest" for auctions about to close (How to Win eBay Auctions for Pokemon Cards covers bidding).

Check the listing, not just the title

A title can be wrong and still match your search. Before you pay, do four things:

• Read the card number in the photo, not only in the title.

• Look at the back. A listing without one hides half the card (How to Spot a Fake Pokemon Card Before You Buy).

• For a slab, read the label. The grader, grade and cert number should match the title, and the cert should match the card (Verify a Graded Pokemon Card Before You Buy).

• Check the version. 1st Edition, Shadowless, holo and reverse holo can share a name and sometimes a number (see First edition (1st Edition) and Reverse holo).

What changed for me

Before ChaseBoard, I was going into eBay all the time, refreshing every search, losing track of which cards I still needed and starting over. "I spent so many hours on eBay." Now I set it up, wait for a clear notification and look at the card. "It saves you so much time."

A ChaseBoard watch is built from the same parts as a good search: the card and its number, the grade or condition, a price range and the words to exclude. It also skips titles that say "lot", "proxy", "replica", "reprint", "fake" or "custom" without you adding them.

A search checklist

• Type the name, set and card number

• Add the grader and grade, or a condition word, if you want one

• Add minus words for other printings, slabs or raw cards, proxies and accessories

• Put phrases to exclude in quotes, like -"base set 2"

• Set the category to Collectible Card Games

• Set a minimum price as well as a maximum

• Pick the buying format and, for $200 or more, the Authenticity Guarantee filter

• Check sold items before you set your price

• Read the titles and photos anyway: exclusions miss some