Can you sell board games that are missing pieces?
Yes, and it is one of the easier incomplete things to sell — buyers are usually filling gaps in a set they already own. What kills the sale is a vague count. Say how many pieces are missing, and which.
What is usually missing from board games
These are the gaps that move the price, and the ones worth checking for before you list:
- 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
Grading it honestly
Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £2 to £18. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £1 to £10. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.
Working out what you actually have
Establish the gap properly rather than guessing at it:
- 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
Photographing the gap
Photograph the gap directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:
- 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
What to state in the listing
Alongside the gap itself, buyers of incomplete board games want these confirmed:
- 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
Title, edition and completeness: “Catan, 2015 Edition, Complete with Rules” or “Monopoly Deluxe, Missing 1 Token”. Edition matters to hobby gamers because components and artwork change between printings, and the word complete is what most buyers filter on.
What buyers will ask
Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:
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.
Is it worth completing the set first?
Only where the pieces are cheap and easy to source. What buyers pay for is what you already have:
- 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
If the work would cost more than the gap between £10 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are incomplete and let the buyer decide.
When to list it
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.
Getting it to the buyer
Boxes are light but bulky and corners crush in transit, so pack in an outer box rather than a bag. Collection works well for heavy bundles of several games.
WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.
Ready to list them? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full board games selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.
Frequently asked questions
Is incomplete board games worth selling?
Usually yes. Incomplete board games typically fetch £1 to £10 incomplete against £5 to £40 complete, and buyers replacing their own missing pieces shop for exactly this. Missing pieces, which buyers verify against the component list
Should I try to complete the set first?
Only if the missing pieces are cheap and easy to source. What actually lifts the price is the things you already have: Complete sets with every component and the rules Chasing one part rarely pays for itself..
How do I list what is missing?
Count it and say the number. “Missing 4 of 240 pieces” sells; “nearly complete” does not. Buyers ask this first — 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.
See also: what board games are worth by condition · how to sell board games · condition grades explained · all broken & damaged guides · all selling guides.