Should You Take the Courtyard Buyback? (October 2026)
- 84.6%
- of a card's fair market value: what the buyback pays on all 103 packs (Oct 16, 2026)
- 75.6% to 86.2%
- of real sold prices: the buyback on 4 cards MyCardRips checked (values Sep 9, 2026)
- 7 days
- to accept a buyback offer before it expires (Courtyard help center, Mar 23, 2026)
- 0%
- Courtyard marketplace fee for buyer and seller, confirmed on chain (Oct 15 to 16, 2026)
By The MyCardRips Team. Updated October 16, 2026. Method: how MyCardRips rates apps.
Courtyard.io’s buyback pays 84.6% of your card’s fair market value, per its pack feed on October 16, 2026. The buyback offer tracks the card’s current fair market value (FMV), not the pack price. A pull valued at $100 returns $84.60, an exit cost of $15.40. Take the Courtyard buyback when cash now is worth that 15.4% to you. A 0% marketplace sale beats it only when a buyer pays more than 84.6% of FMV.
Four ranking review pages MyCardRips checked on October 16, 2026 start from a 90% rate. Courtyard’s own feed lists 0.846 on all 103 live packs. Against real sold prices, the Courtyard buyback works out to 75.6% to 86.2% on 4 cards MyCardRips checked. Those Courtyard values date from September 9, 2026; the ratio dates from October 16, 2026.
The Courtyard buyback buys speed. On a $20 card, that speed costs $3.08. On a $1,000 card, it costs $154. The buyback offer expires 7 days after the pull, per Courtyard’s help center (March 23, 2026).
What the Courtyard Buyback Pays
The Courtyard buyback pays 0.846 of the card’s fair market value on all 103 live packs (October 16, 2026). Courtyard calls it an “instant cash offer.” The rate sits in Courtyard’s public pack feed, which MyCardRips reads directly. MyCardRips first reported Courtyard’s 0.846 buyback rate on October 15, 2026.
Courtyard’s help center says the buyback offer is “based on the card’s current Fair Market Value (FMV)” (March 23, 2026). The pack price does not set the buyback offer. A $25 pull valued at $40 draws a buyback offer of $33.84.
The Courtyard buyback ratio is identical on every pack. Across the 103 packs in the October 16 feed, the lowest and highest buyback ratio are both 0.846. A $15 Wildcard Basic pull and a $5,000 Mythic pull get the same percentage.
The Game Haus’s Courtyard review, checked October 16, 2026, says 90% less a 6% fee, about 84% net. Courtyard publishes no fee split. Courtyard’s own feed lists 0.846, so 0.846 is the figure to plan on.
Guaranteed value pack codes change the Courtyard buyback floor, not the ratio. With one of these codes, that pull’s buyback is at least the guaranteed amount. Courtyard’s help center states the rule (checked October 16, 2026).
| Card’s fair market value | Buyback (0.846) | Exit cost |
|---|---|---|
| $20 | $16.92 | $3.08 |
| $100 | $84.60 | $15.40 |
| $1,000 | $846.00 | $154.00 |
Arithmetic on Courtyard’s published 0.846 ratio, October 16, 2026.
How the Courtyard Buyback Compares With Real Sold Prices
Courtyard Buyback vs Sold Comps
On 4 cards with sold comps, the Courtyard buyback works out to 75.6% to 86.2% of the sold price. MyCardRips matched Courtyard’s FMV, captured September 9, 2026, against PriceCharting, Card Ladder and SportsCardsPro sales. The buyback column applies the October 16, 2026 ratio of 0.846 to those values.
| Card | Courtyard FMV (Sep 9, 2026) | Sold comp | Courtyard FMV as % of comp | Buyback (0.846) as % of sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bugsy’s Scizor 1st Ed PSA 10 | $4,026.90 | $3,950 | 101.9% | 86.2% |
| 1954 Topps Hank Aaron PSA 3.5 | $5,522.20 | $5,650 (last sale Jul 21, 2026) | 97.7% | 82.7% |
| Gardevoir & Sylveon GX PSA 10 | $5,057.60 | $5,259.81 | 96.2% | 81.3% |
| Keyonte George Spectra PSA 10 | $2,123 | $2,375 (thin: about 1 sale a year) | 89.4% | 75.6% |
Courtyard’s FMV ran 89.4% to 101.9% of sold comps, with a median error of 3.1 points (n=4, September 9, 2026). Keyonte George’s Spectra PSA 10 sells about once a year, and Courtyard’s FMV sat at 89.4% of its comp. The full study shows how close Courtyard’s values run to sold prices.
Three other cards had only an ask or guide price on September 9, 2026. Courtyard’s FMV for the Yamamoto Sapphire Auto Gold PSA 10 was 102.1% of its ask price. Courtyard’s FMV for the Charizard Gold Star PSA 1 was 87.4% of its ask price. Courtyard’s FMV for the MJ35 Jordan Tribute PSA 8 was 59.8% of a guide price.
How Courtyard Sets FMV
Courtyard sets a card’s FMV with a proprietary algorithm, per its help center (March 23, 2026). The inputs are recent sales of that item, market and category trends, and comparative data. Courtyard’s example of comparative data is the price gap between a PSA 10 and a CGC 10. Courtyard’s terms say FMV is “determined solely by Courtyard at its discretion” (December 23, 2024). The same terms state that “Courtyard does not disclose its model.”
Courtyard Marketplace Top Offers
Four of 11 standing top offers on the Courtyard marketplace matched the 0.846 ratio exactly (September 9, 2026). The other 7 top offers ran 84.44% to 98.14% of Courtyard’s FMV. On 4 cards with a market comp (2 sold, 2 ask), top offers ran 81.35% to 86.38% of that comp. Those 4 top offers averaged 84.8% of their market comp on September 9, 2026. Who placed those bids is unproven.
What Courtyard Buybacks Paid on Chain
Courtyard buybacks in MyCardRips’ on-chain index had a median payout of $19.29 (n=211, first snapshot, October 16, 2026). The snapshot runs from 11:37:16 to 11:55:46 UTC that day, about 19 minutes, with incomplete coverage. Those 211 Courtyard buyback payouts ranged from $5.41 to $1,025.01. MyCardRips has not yet matched each on-chain payout to its card’s FMV, so 0.846 is untested per card. The live numbers sit on MyCardRips’ on-chain Courtyard tracker.
Courtyard Buyback, Marketplace, Ship or Hold: A Rule by Card Value
Take the Courtyard buyback when cash within 7 days is worth its exit cost to you. On the October 16, 2026 feed, that exit cost is 15.4% of FMV. The rule below rests on known costs, not on a promised higher sale price. The eBay column assumes a sale at the card’s FMV.
| Card’s FMV | Courtyard buyback (exit cost) | Courtyard marketplace, 0% fee | eBay sale at FMV, before shipping | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | $16.92 ($3.08) | Beats the buyback only above $16.92 | $16.95 after $3.05 in fees | Take the buyback for cash now |
| $100 | $84.60 ($15.40) | Beats the buyback only above $84.60 | $86.35 after $13.65 in fees | Take the buyback for cash now; list only if you can wait for a bid above $84.60 |
| $1,000 | $846 ($154) | Beats the buyback only above $846 | $867.10 after $132.90 in fees | List on the marketplace if you can wait for a bid above $846; otherwise take the buyback |
Arithmetic on Courtyard’s 0.846 ratio, October 16, 2026. eBay fees use the Trading Cards rate: 13.25% plus $0.40 per order over $10 (checked October 16, 2026).
Shipping to sell on eBay beats the Courtyard buyback by $0.03 at $20, $1.75 at $100 and $21.10 at $1,000. Those margins come before FedEx shipping, and Courtyard publishes no shipping dollar figures (April 14, 2026).
Courtyard does not publish whether listing a card cancels its buyback offer. Check the buyback offer screen before you list a card you would still sell back.
| Path | What you get | Fee | Time to cash or card | What Courtyard does not publish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard buyback | 84.6% of FMV in USDC | Built into the 0.846 ratio | Instant cash offer (help center); no promptness guarantee (ToS); expires 7 days after the pull | Availability (ToS: “no guarantee”) |
| Courtyard marketplace | Your sale price in USDC | 0% buyer and seller | Depends on a buyer | Sell-through time |
| Ship and sell elsewhere | The slab, then the sale | FedEx at cost plus the venue’s fee | Up to 10 business days processing, plus transit | Shipping dollars, transit insurance |
| Hold in vault | The card stays vaulted | None stated; insured free in vault | Not applicable | What happens to the buyback offer after day 7 |
Sources: Courtyard pack feed, Oct 16, 2026. Courtyard help center, Aug 6, 2025, Mar 23, 2026 and Apr 14, 2026. Courtyard terms, Dec 23, 2024. eBay seller fees, checked Oct 16, 2026.
Holding the Card in Courtyard’s Vault
Holding keeps the slab in Courtyard’s vault and gives up that pull’s Courtyard buyback offer after day 7.
- Pro: Courtyard insures vaulted cards free, in a US vault monitored 24/7 (help center, April 14, 2026).
- Con: The Courtyard buyback offer on that pull expires 7 days after the pull (help center, March 23, 2026).
- Con: Courtyard’s terms exclude liability for vault loss except gross negligence or willful misconduct (December 23, 2024).
Hold if you want the card more than the cash and accept losing that pull’s buyback offer.
Other card-rip apps MyCardRips tracks with a buyback include Triumph and Arena Club. See Triumph vs Courtyard and Courtyard vs Arena Club. For every exit across apps, see every way to sell a card from a rip.
Does the Courtyard Buyback Offer Expire, and Is It Guaranteed?
Yes, the Courtyard buyback offer expires 7 days after the pull, per Courtyard’s help center (March 23, 2026). The guaranteed value code article repeats the rule: offers “expire 7 days after your pull.”
No, the Courtyard buyback is not guaranteed. Courtyard’s terms describe “an offer from Courtyard at a percentage of the card’s fair market value.” The terms also give “no guarantee about the promptness of the offer or its availability” (updated December 23, 2024).
Courtyard does not publish what happens to a card’s buyback offer after day 7. Courtyard also does not publish whether the buyback offer amount moves with FMV during the 7 days.
Selling on Courtyard’s Marketplace at 0% Fees
The Courtyard marketplace charges 0% to buyer and seller on peer-to-peer sales, per its help center (August 6, 2025). MyCardRips decoded sample sales on Polygon on October 15 and 16, 2026. In each decoded sale, the buyer’s USDC equalled the seller’s USDC.
Selling a card on the Courtyard marketplace takes three steps, at 0% fees:
- List the card from your Courtyard collection.
- Set your asking price.
- Collect the proceeds in USDC when a buyer pays, per MyCardRips’ on-chain trace.
USDC is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, so your balance reads in dollars. Courtyard publishes no sell-through time, so a listing has no promised sale date. Buyers on the Courtyard marketplace also place standing top offers; MyCardRips captured 11 on September 9, 2026.
Courtyard marketplace sales in MyCardRips’ on-chain index averaged $33.94 (n=253, first snapshot, October 16, 2026). The largest of those 253 sales was $740, for a One Piece Sabo BGS 9.5.
Shipping a Courtyard Slab Home and Selling Elsewhere
Shipping a Courtyard card home costs FedEx rates at cost, and Courtyard publishes no dollar figures. You request it at courtyard.io/redeem. Processing takes up to 10 business days, and the card ships from Courtyard’s Delaware vault (April 14, 2026).
The shipping price depends on destination, weight and carrier, and shows before checkout. Payment is by credit or debit card only; your USDC balance does not cover it (April 3, 2026). Courtyard’s terms also allow taxes and shipping and handling charges on redemption. The shipping article does not mention transit insurance.
| Cost line | What Courtyard publishes | Source, date |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | Up to 10 business days, from the Delaware vault | Help center, Apr 14, 2026 |
| Shipping price | FedEx at cost, shown before checkout; no dollar figures | Help center, Apr 14, 2026 |
| Payment | Credit or debit card only; USDC balance not accepted | Help center, Apr 3, 2026 |
| Transit insurance | Not published | Help center, Apr 14, 2026 |
| Taxes and handling | Allowed on redemption, at Courtyard’s discretion | Terms of service, Dec 23, 2024 |
| eBay selling fee, Trading Cards category | 13.25% of the total sale up to $7,500, then 2.35% above; plus $0.40 per order over $10 (sellers without a Store) | eBay seller fees page, checked Oct 16, 2026 |
eBay is one resale venue for a shipped slab. eBay’s fee base includes shipping and sales tax (seller fees page, checked October 16, 2026). For the shipping side, see how card-rip shipping works. For sellers, see where to sell Pokémon cards. Taxes sit outside this guide; see taxes on card-rip sales.
Getting Your Courtyard Buyback Money Out
The Courtyard buyback pays in USDC. MyCardRips traced sample payouts on Polygon on October 16, 2026. The USDC moves from Courtyard’s treasury to the marketplace contract, then to your wallet. Courtyard’s help center lists five withdrawal routes for US users (August 29, 2026).
| Method | Speed | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ACH via Coinflow | Same-day (within 24 business hours) or standard 2 to 3 business days | Bank transfer |
| Debit push-to-card | Not stated | Visa or Mastercard |
| PayPal | Not stated | |
| Venmo | Usually minutes (Courtyard’s wording) | US only |
| USDC on Polygon | Not stated | To your own wallet |
Source: Courtyard help center, withdrawals article, August 29, 2026.
Courtyard publishes no withdrawal fees, minimums or maximums, so check the withdrawal screen before you cash out. You verify your identity before your first withdrawal. ACH is the only route with two stated speeds: same-day or standard. Courtyard says Venmo usually lands in minutes, the fastest stated route.
Selling Every Pull Back: What the Courtyard Buyback Returns per Pack
An average pull sold straight back returns 81.2% of the pack price on 101 Courtyard packs (October 16, 2026). The figure is Courtyard’s published expected value of 96% times the 0.846 buyback ratio. Pokémon Starter and Wildcard Starter return 84.6%, because their published EV equals the $25 price.
The median chance one pull’s Courtyard buyback covers the pack price is 2.1% to 26.8% (October 16, 2026). That range covers the 91 Courtyard packs with odds and gives a lower and an upper bound. Across those 91 packs, the chance a pull’s card value lands below the pack price runs from 69.9% to 82.0%. For the wider question, see are card rips worth it.
| Pack | Price | Published EV | Sell-all-back value | % of price | Odds buyback alone covers price | Pulls, 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Starter | $25 | $25 | $21.15 | 84.6% | 4.3% to 27.3% | 225,317 |
| Wildcard Basic | $15 | $14.40 | $12.18 | 81.2% | 2.0% to 30.0% | 118,096 |
| Pokémon Pro | $50 | $48 | $40.61 | 81.2% | 2.0% to 30.0% | 67,693 |
| Sealed Pokémon Booster | $15 | $14.40 | $12.18 | 81.2% | 2.0% to 30.0% | 47,215 |
| Pokémon Master | $100 | $96 | $81.22 | 81.2% | 2.0% to 30.0% | 41,022 |
Courtyard pack feed, captured October 16, 2026 at 11:26 UTC; pull counts computed 11:21 UTC. Odds move daily.
Method and Limits
Pack figures come from Courtyard’s own feed (api.courtyard.io/vending-machines): 103 packs, captured October 16, 2026 at 11:26 UTC, full coverage. The market comparison uses 9 cards hand-measured on September 9, 2026. Four had sold comps from PriceCharting, Card Ladder or SportsCardsPro, and the set is not a random sample. The Courtyard buyback versus sold comparison assumes the buyback equals 0.846 times the same value. The dates differ. The on-chain index is a first snapshot from 11:37:16 to 11:55:46 UTC on October 16, 2026. Its coverage is incomplete. Per-pack buyback counts stay unpublished while attribution is fixed. The 90% rates come from 4 ranking review pages checked October 16, 2026. See the MyCardRips method and disclaimer.
Sources
- Courtyard pack feed, api.courtyard.io/vending-machines, captured October 16, 2026 at 11:26 UTC.
- Courtyard help center, Understanding buyback offers, March 23, 2026.
- Courtyard help center, How guaranteed value pack codes work, checked October 16, 2026.
- Courtyard, Terms of Service, updated December 23, 2024.
- Courtyard help center, A guide to the Courtyard marketplace, August 6, 2025.
- Courtyard help center, How to withdraw your balance, August 29, 2026.
- Courtyard help center, How to ship your physical collectibles, April 14, 2026.
- Courtyard help center, How can I pay for my shipment, April 3, 2026.
- Courtyard help center, Vault your cards, April 14, 2026.
- MyCardRips, valuation accuracy study, data September 9, 2026 (comps from PriceCharting, Card Ladder and SportsCardsPro).
- MyCardRips, on-chain Courtyard tracker, first snapshot October 16, 2026.
- eBay, Seller fees, checked October 16, 2026.
- The Game Haus, Courtyard.io review, checked October 16, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage does the Courtyard buyback pay?
The Courtyard buyback pays 84.6% of the card's fair market value. Courtyard's pack feed lists a 0.846 ratio on all 103 live packs (October 16, 2026). A card valued at $100 returns $84.60, an exit cost of $15.40.
Is the Courtyard buyback 90% of fair market value?
No. Courtyard's pack feed lists a buyback ratio of 0.846 on every pack (October 16, 2026). Four ranking review pages checked that day start from 90%. The Game Haus says 90% less a 6% fee, about 84% net. Courtyard publishes no fee split.
Is the Courtyard buyback based on what you paid for the pack?
No. The Courtyard buyback offer is based on the card's current fair market value, per Courtyard's help center (March 23, 2026). The pack price does not set it. A $25 pull valued at $40 draws a buyback offer of $33.84.
How long do you have to accept a Courtyard buyback offer?
You have 7 days after the pull to accept a Courtyard buyback offer, per Courtyard's help center (March 23, 2026). Offers from guaranteed value pack codes expire on the same 7-day clock. Courtyard does not publish what happens to that card's offer after day 7.
Is the Courtyard buyback guaranteed?
No. Courtyard's terms give "no guarantee about the promptness of the offer or its availability" (updated December 23, 2024). Guaranteed value pack codes set a floor on that pull's offer amount. The code article does not say whether the buyback offer itself is guaranteed.
Does Courtyard charge a fee to sell on its marketplace?
No. The Courtyard marketplace charges 0% to buyer and seller (help center, August 6, 2025). MyCardRips decoded sample sales on Polygon, and the buyer's USDC equalled the seller's USDC (October 15 and 16, 2026). Courtyard publishes no sell-through time for listings.
How do you get buyback money out of Courtyard?
Withdraw Courtyard buyback money by ACH, debit card, PayPal, Venmo or USDC on Polygon (help center, August 29, 2026). ACH takes same-day or 2 to 3 business days. You verify your identity before the first withdrawal. Fees, minimums and maximums are unpublished.
Are Courtyard cards insured when shipped home?
Courtyard does not publish transit insurance for shipped cards; its shipping article (April 14, 2026) does not mention it. Courtyard insures cards free while they sit in its vault. Shipping runs at FedEx cost, paid by credit or debit card. Processing takes up to 10 business days.