eBay, Collectors enter commercial agreement

eBay and Collectors, parent company of PSA, a third party authentication and grading provider in the collectibles industry, announced they signed definitive agreements to enter into a series of transactions that include a commercial agreement, the sale of Goldin from Collectors to eBay, and the sale of the eBay vault from eBay to PSA. The differentiated and complementary strengths of the respective companies will support more streamlined buying, selling, grading, and storage experiences for all who participate in the trading card hobby in the United States. eBay and PSA both have long track records of innovation in service of The Hobby, from helping people make their first trading card purchase with confidence, to supporting established small businesses and collectors with new tools and technology. These deals represent a compelling opportunity to accelerate innovation in the industry and enable game-changing benefits for collectors. Together, eBay and PSA will offer a full, seamless, customer-centric product experience for the collecting community that will be unveiled over the coming months. PSA has also agreed to acquire the eBay vault, while maintaining seamless access to vault services for eBay’s U.S. customers. There will be no immediate changes to the services provided for a period of time post-closing. After the deal closes, PSA will fold its existing vault services along with eBay’s vault program, into a newly branded offering with further details coming, including integrating selling and grading services. The transactions are subject to customary closing conditions, and are expected to close simultaneously in Q2.