Collectors, eBay finalize deal for Goldin, vaulting service

Goldin will continue to be operated by CEO Ken Goldin

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eBay announced on Thursday afternoon that its deal with Collectors, the parent company of PSA, has closed six weeks earlier than expected.

Neither party disclosed the price of the transaction.

Hobbyists will notice several big changes as part of the stronger relationship between the two.

As part of the deal, eBay's vault will now be controlled by PSA, which already runs eBay's Authenticity Guarantee Program.

Through the partnership, hobbyists can buy a raw card on eBay, grade it with PSA and put it into the vault without ever seeing it. They can also send cards to PSA, get them graded and elect to have them immediately listed on eBay.

The deal includes eBay's acquisition of Goldin Auctions. As part of the deal, eBay and Goldin, which will be run separately by CEO Ken Goldin, promise to cross-market items and create new consignors and buyers on both sides.

The cross-marketing relationship will make it easier for sellers to be more specific when listing their PSA products.

eBay will also integrate real-time transaction data with PSA's Population Report, creating a one-stop shop for how rarity impacts pricing.

"Reducing friction for hobbyists at every step in the collecting journey is always a key goal of ours," said Collectors CEO Nat Turner. "And combining efforts and strengths with an industry leader like eBay allows us to effectively address each of those steps."

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.