New Balance polo shirts: price by condition
| Condition | Typical |
|---|---|
| New with Tags | £34 (~$45) |
| Like New | £29 (~$38) |
| Good | £22 (~$29) |
| Fair | £15 (~$20) |
| For Parts | £8 (~$11) |
Seller-declared grades, sterling with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). What each grade means.
What holds its value across New Balance
- The 990 series and the 991, 992 and 993, which are the Made in USA models and the backbone of the brand’s secondhand market
- Made in England production from the Flimby factory, which is stated on the shoe and carries a clear premium
- The 550, 2002R and 327, which brought a much younger set of buyers to the label and still move quickly
- Collaboration releases, which are produced in small numbers and sell for multiples of the general-release equivalent
What pulls New Balance resale value down
- Compressed and crumbling midsole foam, which is what ends these shoes and is not repairable
- Yellowed midsoles on the white and off-white colourways, which are most of the range and where discolouration shows most
- Standard overseas production of the same model number, which sells for a fraction of the Made in USA or England version
- Worn suede overlays and scuffed toe boxes, which are the visible wear points on almost every model the brand makes
Identifying and dating yours
- Made in USA and Made in England are printed on the shoe itself and on the box, and the difference in value against standard production is large
- The model number is on the tongue label and the box label — buyers search by that number, so it belongs in the title
- Press the midsole with a thumb and photograph it; compressed or crumbling foam is the fault buyers most want to rule out
What lifts any polo shirt, whatever the label
Polos are heavily supplied second hand, so brand and collar condition are what separate a sale from a listing that sits.
- Recognised heritage and sportswear labels
- Collars that still stand rather than curl
- Pique cotton with no thinning
- All buttons present and matching
And what pulls one down
- Curled or misshapen collars
- Bobbling on the placket and under the arms
- Missing or replaced buttons
- Faded logos and embroidery
Working out what yours is worth
- Stand the collar up and see whether it holds
- Check the placket buttons all match
- Inspect the underarms for thinning
What to state in the listing
- Chest measured flat and length from shoulder, plus label size
- Fabric composition and whether it is piqué or jersey
- Fit description if the brand uses one
- Collar condition, and any bobbling, mark or thinning
Brand, colour and size: “Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt, Navy, Size L”. Brand is most of the value in this category and buyers search it directly. Say the fit — classic, custom or slim — where the maker uses those terms, because they differ significantly.
Preparing and photographing it
- Check the collar sits flat. A collar that has curled from washing cannot be reliably restored and must be shown honestly.
- Look at the placket buttons and the underarm area for thinning and staining.
- Iron the collar and placket before photographing — ten seconds of work that changes the photograph entirely.
- The shirt laid flat, front, collar arranged naturally
- The collar close up, showing whether it lies flat
- The placket buttons and cuffs
- The label with brand and size, plus any mark, bobbling or thinning
When it sells best, and handing it over
Lifts from April to August. Branded polos sell year round; unbranded ones are seasonal and best bundled.
Very cheap to post. Fold with the collar supported so it arrives flat rather than creased across the collar stand.
What buyers ask
Why are some New Balance trainers so much more expensive?
Because the Made in USA and Made in England lines are a different production entirely from the standard overseas models, even where the model number is the same. It is printed on the shoe, and it belongs in your title.
What ends the life of a pair of New Balance?
The midsole foam. It compresses and eventually crumbles with age, whether or not the shoe was worn much. Photograph the midsole rather than only the upper.
How much is a New Balance polo shirt worth?
Roughly £7 to £34 depending on condition, against £6 to £30 for polo shirts generally. The identification points above are what move a listing to the top of that range.
What the fees would take elsewhere
At the mid-range £20 for a New Balance polo shirt, against what the commission marketplaces would deduct:
| Platform | Fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Poshmark | −£4 | £16 |
| eBay | −£3 | £17 |
| Mercari | −£2 | £18 |
| Etsy | −£1 | £19 |
| WishThrift | −£0 | £20 |
Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026, percentages only — the per-order and processing charges those platforms add are excluded, so the real gap is wider.
Listing is free and there is no commission — read how to sell a polo shirt for the title, handover and timing, or the general polo shirt value guide if yours is not a New Balance.
See also: all New Balance value guides · value guides by brand · buying a polo shirt · Clothing · condition grades.