What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects them on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £40 (~$53) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £34 (~$45) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £26 (~$35) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £18 (~$24) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £10 (~$13) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Missing pieces, which turn a set into a parts lot, and sun-yellowed plastic that photographs far better than it looks.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether board games is worth what is being asked:
- Missing pieces, which buyers verify against the component list
- Crushed or split box corners
- Water damage to boards, which warps them
- Mass-market titles still widely in print
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Complete sets with every component and the rules
- Out-of-print titles and limited editions
- Boxes with sharp corners and no crushing
- Unpunched components on collectable editions
Common faults and fakes
Counterfeit trading cards and building bricks are widespread. On cards, print dots and edge layering give it away; on bricks, the clutch and the moulding marks.
Ask for a piece count against the official parts list, for the set number, and for the figures photographed together in daylight rather than under warm light.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about board games, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Count it against the rulebook and say the result. A missing piece disclosed up front is a small discount; a missing piece discovered at home is a complaint.
Photograph the back of the box, where the printing year and publisher are almost always shown.
Look at the card edges and say. Hobby buyers care about card wear because marked backs make a game unplayable competitively.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Check every component against the list in the rulebook
- Photograph the box corners and the board laid flat
- Search sold listings for that exact edition
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- The box lid straight on, filling the frame
- All the components laid out together on a plain surface
- The board opened flat, showing the hinge and any wear
- The rulebook, plus the box corners and any tear, water mark or repair
Details to confirm before you commit
- Exact title and edition or printing year
- Whether it is complete, and precisely what is missing if not
- Condition of the box, board and cards, described separately
- Whether any expansion content is included
Live board games listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse toys & games for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
Rises sharply from October to December and again in January. Out-of-print hobby titles sell quickly at any time of year; mass-market family games are seasonal and cheap.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have board games sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell board games for what to photograph and how to price, or what board games are worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for used board games?
Around £3 to £26 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check board games before buying?
Ask for a piece count against the official parts list, for the set number, and for the figures photographed together in daylight rather than under warm light.
Is buying board games second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Missing pieces, which turn a set into a parts lot, and sun-yellowed plastic that photographs far better than it looks.
See also: all buying guides · board games value guide · selling board games · Toys & Games · condition grades.