What Records the ATO Expects for Collectable Sales
A CGT calculation is only as good as your records. Here is exactly what to keep for each card so your cost base and gains hold up.
Last updated 24 June 2026 · This page tracks the proposed legislation as it progresses.
What goes into a cost base
Your cost base is more than the sticker price. For a card it can include:
- The purchase price
- Grading fees (e.g. PSA submission)
- Postage and insurance to acquire the card
- Other incidental costs of buying and holding it
Proof of acquisition
Keep an invoice or receipt with the date and the seller’s details for every card. Acquisition date drives the hold period (and, today, the 50% discount), so it matters as much as the price.
The sale side
Record the sale price, the date, and any selling fees. Proceeds minus cost base is your gain — so both ends need to be documented.
Produce it by financial year
A CGT return is organised by financial year, so being able to pull every acquisition and sale for a given FY is what makes the whole thing manageable.
Buying from overseas?
Record the original currency amount and the AUD conversion so your cost base is defensible — see selling cards overseas.
How MyCardTracker keeps this for you
Log purchases as invoices with seller and date and export them as a PDF; the Sold tab keeps the sale side and filters by financial year. It is the proof-of-acquisition trail the ATO expects, kept as you go rather than reconstructed at tax time.
Frequently asked questions
What records do I need to keep for trading card CGT?
Generally: the purchase price and acquisition date with proof, the cost-base extras (grading fees, postage to acquire), the seller’s details, and the sale price and date. Keep them per card and be able to produce them by financial year.
Do grading fees count towards my cost base?
Costs of acquiring and holding a collectable — which can include grading fees and postage to acquire it — generally form part of the cost base, reducing the taxable gain. Confirm what applies to you with a registered tax agent.
How long should I keep card purchase records?
As a general rule the ATO expects you to keep records that support a CGT event for five years after you lodge the relevant return. Keeping them for the life of the card is safest.
Keep reading
Track your collection the tax-smart way
Record cost base, hold periods and values as you go — so tax time, and the 2027 transition, are already handled.