Uncut Sheet of Proofs - To Cut or Not to Cut
 

My apologies to the seller, if you are a Net54 member, but I just picked up an uncut sheet of 1970 Topps football Super Proof cards on eBay. There are supposedly only 100 of these in existence, and this one is pretty pristine looking. Note that the cards which are supposedly short-prints, the single printed ones in the center column are not Nobis, Hayes, Kapp, Lamonica, Namath, Webster, and Griese, as is commonly assumed, because those have been double-printed on this sheet. So evidently, Topps wanted to mix up the single prints on these sheets. Now I need some advice about how to maximize its value. Should I cut it up into individual cards (I have a steady hand with an exacto-knife)? If I do this, you would have to really twist my arm to get me to submit them for grading. I don't believe PSA or SGC will even grade hand-cut cards, so that leaves Beckett. But at the grading price of $17 each (the cheapest option), it isn't very practical. Of course, the other option is to keep it as an uncut proof sheet. Should I keep it or cut it?

Just for reference, here is the URL from the eBay listing (I had trouble uploading it):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/322014139783...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I would leave it alone if it was my sheet. I presuming the sheet's back is blank. I have a number of hand-cut, square-cornered 1970 Topps football "proofs," and I've never found much of a market for them. While I suspect they are rarer than the regular cards with rounded corners, I can't imagine many folks collect them. There are quite a few listed on eBay at high prices, but I'd have to sell one to believe it.

How is it a proof sheet? I don't know the set so is it missing printing on the front or back?

Maximizing value depends on what you have.

There were quite a few of these, Deckle edge Hockey and Basketball tripleheaders from the 1970-71 time period, that were found in the 80's.

I had several of each one of these sheets back in the late 80's. Ended up bringing them to a professional printer and having them cut up, because there was really no market for the full sheets at the time.

PSA didn't exist at the time, so I never had any intention of getting them graded.

Kind of wish I still had them now in full form. They were really neat, especially the Basketball tripleheader sheet.

Everyone has to make their own decision on these types of things but I, for one, prefer keeping things in the state they are found in. While this is a hobby, I feel we have an obligation to preserve history.

This is one of the reasons I don't like cards made up of bat splinters, cut up jersey's, etc.

jeff

I agree with Jeff - even if cutting a sheet results in a monetary profit, I'd be on the side rooting for preservation (I know the 70s isn't exactly ancient history, but still). I don't know anything about these and the link didn't work for me, but in general I'd think there would be more sheet collectors found browsing AH catalogs then eBay, so that's probably the route I'd go if I wanted to sell.

Ben, the back of this sheet is completely blank cardboard.

Don't cut!

And the guy selling these is on crack regarding the price if you were to cut them up. I have the complete proof set and paid less than $200 for it.

Here is a link to an auction of the complete cut up set that went for $177.

http://www.milehighcardco.com/1970-t...-lot35304.aspx

jeff

Of course, the ones I have would all be in NM/MT condition if cut up. That set you mentioned that sold on Mile High only featured 20% of the set in NM or better condition, with a bunch of VG/EX and cards with creases, etc.

To Cut or Not to Cut?
 

Hey guys, thanks for weighing in. When I won the listing, I had every intention of cutting it up. But when it arrived in the mail and I saw it firsthand for myself, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Thanks to your feedback, I now have serious reservations about going through with it. The only downside is that its size is too obtrusive to hang on any of the walls in my house; I have to be considerate of my wife in that respect. And I don't have a man-cave either. Therefore, it now resides in my closet, where it can be protectively stored and brought out for admiration now and then. In that regard, it is a bit inconvenient. It sure would be a lot easier to enjoy them and provide them with a lot more protection at the same time if I decided to cut them up and insert them in Card Saver IVs. But I'm not even going to consider doing that any time soon.

Hi Rob, glad you followed up and glad your keeping the sheet intact. I've heard others say the same about the difficulties of having sheets in their collection. I have one wall I use for display, so I can understand about space being at a premium.

Good point. I found an auction with another set with 83% at NM or higher and all graded that went for $477. Not sure how much you are estimating it will cost if you cut them and then have them grading but still looks pretty much like a wash with the ebay price for the uncut sheet.

I hope you find a nice place to hang it! That's a cool sheet.

jeff

Thanks for that input, Jeff. The best price for grading these over-sized cards would be right at $17 each, by Beckett BVG (ouch!). That would be totally impractical. And I believe Beckett is the only major TPG that would grade these. As of right now they're going to stay uncut, but I may be tempted to cut them up some day because I LOVE raw, pristine looking vintage cards like these.

do these roll up to put into a tube, or maybe would they fit in a poster frame?

just thinking of storage options.

Don't want to spend your money for you but you might consider keeping an eye out for a set that is already cut up. Then you'd have both :)

That would be cool.

jeff

It is already very nicely framed. Rolling it up would likely result in creasing it.