The short version
- Typical range: £25 – £110 — see the full varsity jacket value guide
- What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
- Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
- Category: Clothing
Before you photograph it
Ten minutes here is worth more than anything else you will do. Buyers are deciding between your listing and someone else’s, and preparation is what visibly separates the two.
- Check the composition of the body and sleeves separately, since they are different materials.
- Check the ribbing at cuffs, collar and hem for stretch, and every popper.
- Photograph any chenille patches or embroidery, which are much of the appeal.
The photographs that sell a varsity jacket
Four photographs do almost all the work. Shoot in daylight, near a window, with the item against something plain — and do not use the flash, which flattens texture and hides exactly what buyers are trying to see.
- Front on a hanger, fastened, full jacket
- The patches and any embroidery close up
- The inner label with composition
- The ribbing, poppers, lining and any wear or stain
Photograph the flaws too. It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover. Buyers who can see the damage stop imagining something worse.
Writing the title and description
Materials and size: “Wool Body Leather Sleeve Varsity Jacket, Navy/Cream, Size L”. Materials are the price driver. If it is a genuine college or team jacket rather than a fashion piece, say so — authentic ones are collected.
Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:
- Body and sleeve materials, stated separately
- Pit-to-pit and body length laid flat
- Condition of the ribbing and every popper
- Any patches or embroidery, and whether they are original
What buyers will actually ask
You will receive the same three messages about a varsity jacket. Answering them in the listing itself removes the back-and-forth, and answering them well when they do arrive is what turns an enquiry into a sale.
Check the label and the grain. Real leather sleeves put the jacket in a different price bracket entirely.
Say what you know about where it came from. Authentic team and college jackets are collected; fashion reproductions are not, and buyers can tell.
Stretch a cuff and let go. Perished ribbing is the classic fault and it makes the jacket look tired.
Pricing it so it actually sells
Start from the honest condition grade rather than the price you hope for. WishThrift listings use five grades — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each grade means is worth reading before you choose, because grading up is the most expensive mistake sellers make. It does not raise the price; it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else.
The varsity jacket value guide prices all five grades for this item. Pick your grade, take the figure, and if you sit between two grades price toward the lower one. Items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully, and on a free platform there is no fee eating the difference anyway.
What you keep, compared
On a £67 sale — roughly the middle of the range for a varsity jacket — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:
| Where you sell it | Fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| WishThrift | £0 | £67 |
| Poshmark | −£13 | £54 |
| eBay | −£9 | £58 |
| Mercari | −£7 | £60 |
| Etsy | −£4 | £63 |
Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026 — Poshmark: 20% commission on sales of $15 and above; eBay: 13.6% final value fee, plus a per-order fee; Mercari: flat 10% selling fee; Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, plus a listing fee and payment processing. Percentages are applied to the sterling figure above; the fixed per-order and processing charges those platforms add are quoted in their own currency and are not included here, so the real deductions are slightly larger. Full breakdown: marketplace selling fees compared.
Timing and getting it to the buyer
Autumn and spring, with a lift in September. Genuine vintage varsity jackets sell year round to collectors.
Heavy, especially with leather sleeves. Weigh before quoting and box rather than bag it.
WishThrift does not process payments or arrange delivery — you and the buyer agree both directly — so confirm payment 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 it? It takes about two minutes, costs nothing, and there is no commission when it sells — create a free account or see how selling works.
Frequently asked questions
What is a used varsity jacket worth?
Typically £25 to £110, with genuine wool and leather examples well above synthetic ones. See the varsity jacket value guide.
Are original varsity jackets worth more?
Considerably. Genuine team and college jackets with authentic patches are collected and sell for several times a fashion reproduction. Photograph the patches and any inner label.
Does worn ribbing matter?
Yes, it is the most visible sign of age. A tailor can replace it for a modest sum, so show it clearly and let the buyer decide.
See also: what a used varsity jacket is worth · browse live clothing listings · condition grades explained.