Specialist UK accountants for trading card sellers — Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic The Gathering, One Piece, sports cards, sealed products and singles.
Trading card businesses come with a unique set of financial challenges: stock-heavy inventory, sealed vs second hand VAT treatment, grading costs, platform fees across Whatnot, eBay and TikTok Shop, and DAC7 platform reporting already sharing your income data with HMRC. We understand how trading card tax works, the VAT margin scheme rules and exactly what records HMRC expects.
Whatnot, eBay and TikTok Shop now share seller income data directly with HMRC under DAC7 platform reporting rules. If you sell on any of these platforms, HMRC may already have a record of your sales before you file. Undeclared income or inconsistent figures are a red flag. Read our guide on what records HMRC expects or book a call to make sure your returns align.
Most accountants see online selling and treat it as simple self-employment. We understand the realities of a stock-heavy TCG business — sealed vs second hand, grading, box breaks, live selling, and the VAT margin scheme rules that most accountants have never heard of.
Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic The Gathering, One Piece, sports cards, sealed products and singles — we understand every TCG format and exactly which costs can be deducted from your profits.
Sealed products are standard-rated for VAT. Second hand singles and graded cards may be eligible for the VAT margin scheme — meaning VAT on your profit, not the full sale price. The rules are strict. Read our full guide on VAT on trading cards.
Whatnot, eBay and TikTok Shop report seller income to HMRC. Your declared income must match what the platforms report. We make sure your Self Assessment is accurate and consistent before HMRC spots a discrepancy.
HMRC expects clear records — stock purchases, sales across platforms, grading costs, shipping, refunds and fees. Read our guide on what HMRC expects from trading card sellers and how we help you stay compliant.
Whatnot, eBay, TikTok Shop, Shopify, Discord and card show cash — we understand platform fees, shipping labels, refunds and chargebacks. Your bookkeeping reflects real profit, not just gross sales figures.
No hourly rates, no surprise invoices. A clear monthly fee that covers everything — you know the cost from day one regardless of how many platforms you sell on.
From your first Self Assessment to ongoing bookkeeping, VAT, limited company accounts and tax planning — we handle the financial side so you can focus on sourcing, selling and scaling.
Trading card businesses have a wide range of deductible costs across stock, shipping, grading and platforms. Read our guide on what records HMRC expects to make sure you are claiming correctly and keeping the right evidence.
HMRC expects trading card sellers to keep records of every purchase and sale — purchase price, date, platform, and sale price for each item. For sellers using the VAT margin scheme, the record keeping requirements are even more specific: you need evidence of purchase price for every individual card sold under the scheme. Many sellers grow quickly and find their records can not support a HMRC enquiry. Read our full guide on what HMRC expects from trading card sellers.
The VAT margin scheme may apply to eligible second hand trading cards — singles, slabs and graded cards — where you bought them from a private individual (not a VAT-registered business) and can evidence the purchase price for each item. VAT is then charged only on your profit margin. This can significantly reduce the VAT liability for sellers with high-volume second hand stock. Read our guide on VAT on trading cards for the full detail.
Selling cards from your personal collection is generally not trading income — it is a capital disposal, and whether it is taxable depends on the amounts involved. However, if you are buying with the intention to resell, those cards are business stock from the moment of purchase. Mixing the two creates real problems with HMRC and makes the VAT margin scheme records near impossible to maintain correctly. We help you set up clean, defensible records from the start.
Trading card businesses can scale quickly — particularly sealed product sellers with high throughput, who can hit the VAT threshold faster than expected because registration is triggered by gross turnover, not profit.
Unsure where you sit? Book a free discovery call and we will work it out. HMRC has guidance on registering for Self Assessment and VAT registration.
Clear advice, plain English and a team that actually understands how TCG businesses work — not just how to file a return.
We know the difference between sealed stock and second hand singles, understand grading costs, box breaks and live selling — so your books are set up correctly from the start.
Message us on WhatsApp and get a reply within 24 hours — no extra charge, no waiting until your next scheduled call.
No hidden costs or surprise bills. You know exactly what you pay each month and what is included from the start.
Whether you are scaling from side hustle to full-time, approaching the VAT threshold or considering a limited company, we help you plan ahead — not just file backwards.
Everything you need to know before booking a call.
Good record keeping is one of the biggest challenges for trading card sellers. Many grow quickly, sell across multiple platforms, and find their records can not support a HMRC enquiry.
Read more →VAT is one of the most misunderstood areas for trading card sellers. Sealed and second hand stock are treated very differently — here is the complete guide.
Read more →Whether you sell Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic The Gathering or sports cards, here is a clear guide to when card selling becomes taxable and what you need to do about it.
Read more →Book a free, no-obligation discovery call. We will explain exactly what we can do for you — no jargon, no surprise fees.