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Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Postwar Sportscard Forums > Postwar Baseball Cards Forum (Pre-1980)

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  #1  
Old 05-22-2018, 11:47 AM
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Default Mid-Grade Collectors

Hi all,

I would be interested in hearing from any of you that collect 1950's and 60's cards - particularly stars and HOF'ers...who have made a conscious decision to collect mid- or lower grade cards over the higher-end PSA stuff - and why. Any nuances to what changed your mind, what types of grades you go for today - what attributes of condition bother you (corners, creases, centering...) and maybe which you have found anymore do not and is that surprising?

I've always been more or less in a "lesser" range myself (I think a PSA 6 is a very nice vintage card, a 3 from the 50's is probably going to be acceptable) due to the desire to stick within a reasonable budget, plus that's what I grew up collecting as a kid in the 80's before the advent of third party graders - and honestly for much of that time I simply didn't know any better. The vast majority of vintage cards in shops in the 80's and early 90's were not NM cards.

Thoughts? Thanks.
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Old 05-22-2018, 12:13 PM
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Maybe too easy an answer but I collect raw in the VG range since it offers a nice compromise between cost and visual appeal.

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  #3  
Old 05-22-2018, 01:20 PM
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I'm pretty much in agreement with Jason. I build sets (58 to 62+70) to put in binders so raw is fine. I target VG or better. Actually, my prefered grade is LG or Looks Good. If I'm happy with how the card looks in its page and I paid a price I'm OK with then I'm satisfied. Creases will put a card in the 'upgrade needed' list before any other flaw. I have no problem with off-centered cards and I have quite a few with stray marks on the reverse.

I'd guess that except for my '62 set the overall grade on those I've collected would be close to EX. There are a few exceptions due to cost (my '58 Williams is F at best) or sentimental value ('59 Gibson survived from my youth, it's in poor condition). The '62 Topps set has proved to be a challenge to build in decent shape. I suspect that when I'm done it will be no better than F-G overall.

I worked hard building them and love these sets too much to ever sell them so future value isn't a concern. I just want to be able to flip thru the binder and rekindle memories of being a kid.
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Old 05-22-2018, 01:32 PM
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My raw 1970 - 1979 Topps sets in binders are mostly VG-EX+ probably if they are graded...but I like them that way.

My type card collections are mostly slabbed. avg no more than PSA 3 or 4 on the avg (some nicer others lower). It's cheaper and allows me to buy more for my collection without breaking the bank.

Ricky Y
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Old 05-22-2018, 02:11 PM
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Thanks guys. Glad to know I'm not the only one. I belong to a PSA group on Facebook, where there are routinely ridiculously high grade, PSA 8 and above vintage cards posted. I feel pretty down to earth when looking at that.
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  #6  
Old 05-22-2018, 02:47 PM
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I (usually) draw the line at intentional damage. Tape residue, trimmed borders, moustaches drawn on players, that sort of thing. Honest wear doesn't bother me.
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  #7  
Old 05-22-2018, 03:39 PM
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I collect the mid grade. VG and up, Crease free if possible. Then centering. But Im a cheapskate so if its dirt cheap I ll consider those too. I stay away from writing, tape, and paper loss. But if I ever venture back to prewar ill consider those too.

I have found a couple nice VG PSA 3 that have strong eye appeal that I bought and busted out of the insipid holder. Those have been my best buys.

A guy on here sold a Mantle 52 PSA 1 that I dreamt about for 3 days it looked that nice, so yeah like others have stated eye appeal is everything.

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Old 05-22-2018, 04:02 PM
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Lemme see, I can have one card in a PSA 8 case or a lower grade version of that card plus a whole buncha other cards too. I prefer the latter. I also remember the cards from the 1960s and earlier in lower grades, so they don't look right to me when they are crisp and clean.
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Old 05-22-2018, 04:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Exhibitman View Post
Lemme see, I can have one card in a PSA 8 case or a lower grade version of that card plus a whole buncha other cards too. I prefer the latter. I also remember the cards from the 1960s and earlier in lower grades, so they don't look right to me when they are crisp and clean.
Adam, I recently found and enjoyed a thread you had commented on about O/C cards and graded O/C cards. Gave me some good perspective in collecting particularly issues like ‘67 and ‘70 Topps baseball, where a collection focused on better centering is clearly going to be a real bear even if you can afford it. Centering was not so much an aspect of “pack fresh” that was important when I collected as a kid, so not sure how it became that way now suddenly when I’m in my 40’s. I don’t like miscut cards, but will agree with you there is some tolerable room with centering to still get nice cards (and at bargains) and not be quite so anal...

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  #10  
Old 05-22-2018, 05:00 PM
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I'm in my late 40's and have been collecting off and on since I was 9 years old. I've come full circle, starting out collecting in the VG or worse area as kid, moving to NM/Mint as I got older and earned more, and now in the last two years or so back to VG to VG/EX. For me, the best balance between eye appeal and the economic and time cost it takes to acquire cards is best at about VG/VG-EX condition. I don't have the time or patience (or the budget for that matter) to search for high grade cards, and frankly, I don't need them to be high grade to be satisfied. The other factor is that too many times I purchased cards online that looked to be high grade and were advertised as such only to be disappointed to have them be mid-grade once I had them in hand. I guess pursuing high grade stopped being fun and too much like work.
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Old 05-22-2018, 06:08 PM
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I look for low to mid grade cards with excellent centering and eye appeal. Great way to save some money.
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  #12  
Old 05-22-2018, 04:43 PM
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Was just browsing on the Bay. For $500 the PSA 9 collector gets a 1973 Willie Mays. And I end up with...

1. Same card in decent shape.
2. 1957 Ted Williams
3. 1955 Hank Aaron
4. 1956 Bob Feller
5. 1953 Stan Musial
6. 1956 Roberto Clemente

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  #13  
Old 05-23-2018, 12:03 PM
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I may be in the minority, but I grew up thinking T-206 and 1933 Goudeys were made with rounded corners.

I've seen mint examples of both and they just look plain wrong to me.
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  #14  
Old 05-23-2018, 01:42 PM
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Exactly. I want 1970s cards looking like they did when I pulled them out of the packs as a kid but older cards are supposed to look old. Though every once in a while I see a higher grade card and gotta get it.

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Old 05-23-2018, 03:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darkhorse9 View Post
I may be in the minority, but I grew up thinking T-206 and 1933 Goudeys were made with rounded corners.



I've seen mint examples of both and they just look plain wrong to me.


I can understand the sentiment. I knew they weren’t made that way but there are certainly some still fine looking T cards and Goudeys with rounded corners...


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Old 05-23-2018, 05:09 PM
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Yowza!! Talk about getting smacked in the face with reality!!! As a Mets and Mays lover, I was recently looking at that very card to possibly consider buying it (or hopefully a cheaper one) when ebay has another coupon code offering...but, man, that's a hard pill to swallow when I can see what I could get for the same money. Bravo.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jason.1969 View Post
Was just browsing on the Bay. For $500 the PSA 9 collector gets a 1973 Willie Mays. And I end up with...

1. Same card in decent shape.
2. 1957 Ted Williams
3. 1955 Hank Aaron
4. 1956 Bob Feller
5. 1953 Stan Musial
6. 1956 Roberto Clemente

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  #17  
Old 05-23-2018, 05:24 PM
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Hey guys,

I collect mostly low grade stuff. My collector friends and I typically trade or send each other cards without condition requirements at all. If we get a nice card from someone its rare.

I like the look of lower grade cards as they show the life of the card. There is something to be said of a really nice mint vintage card for sure. But like Adam said, I'd rather have a bunch of lower grade cards than one really nice one for the same price.

I think budgets dictate what we collect as well. I can't afford a high grade 56 Mantle, but the low grade one I have makes me happy all the same.
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  #18  
Old 05-23-2018, 06:40 PM
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This is a really encouraging thread. Thanks for sharing, guys. If I had more time, I have a few lower/mid-grade cards of my own that I could share. It is nice to see that I am not alone.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:19 PM
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I think budgets dictate what we collect as well.

This is a big part of it for me. A secondary factor is that in some cases, I could afford to buy higher grade, but just don't want to spend a ton of money on a card. The fact is that 99.9 percent of the cards in my 1950's to early 1970's portion of my collection cost less than $100 apiece, and most of those less than $20. I'm not comfortable spending more than that.

I've heard quotes like, "Buy the highest grade you can afford" and stuff like that. I follow a different path - "buy just nice enough of a condition that makes me happy." For 1950's through early 70's, that condition is VG/VG-EX, and in some cases, even poor/fair will do. For the rest of the '70's, EX-MT/NM (not difficult to find in this condition and generally very inexpensive at well less than 1 buck for a common). For the 1980's+, NM/NM-MT.
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Old 05-26-2018, 06:17 PM
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Back to the 1973 Mays for a second. This one (not mine, and I'm not trying to adversely affect whoever is selling it) is on ebay. How in heck did it get a 9???? Look at those bumped/rounded corners and the notch in the upper right (among other things). Yowza!!!!! Why would anyone pay almost $500 for that card?? No purple sticker for you!!!!!!!

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Old 05-26-2018, 06:32 PM
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Default Mid-Grade Collectors

Quote:
Originally Posted by JollyElm View Post
Back to the 1973 Mays for a second. This one (not mine, and I'm not trying to adversely affect whoever is selling it) is on ebay. How in heck did it get a 9???? Look at those bumped/rounded corners and the notch in the upper right (among other things). Yowza!!!!! Why would anyone pay almost $500 for that card?? No purple sticker for you!!!!!!!



Attachment 317550


Also notice that the raw ‘73 Mays that Jason showed for comparison purposes is centered better than the PSA 9 in his post. That’s ridiculous. If I’m going to spend $500 on a Willie Mays card - no offense to the ‘73 set - but it’s not going to be his last one, no matter how nice it is.


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Old 06-10-2019, 03:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JollyElm View Post
Back to the 1973 Mays for a second. This one (not mine, and I'm not trying to adversely affect whoever is selling it) is on ebay. How in heck did it get a 9???? Look at those bumped/rounded corners and the notch in the upper right (among other things). Yowza!!!!! Why would anyone pay almost $500 for that card?? No purple sticker for you!!!!!!!

Attachment 317550
This is a perfect example of why I boycotted PSA (way before the Moser/PWCC scandal erupted). No way this is a 9... no way! And recently graded too. Unbelievable...
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  #23  
Old 06-10-2019, 05:10 PM
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Someone mentioned buying cards from mail brochures back in the day. I did the same and purchased this “near mint” ‘69 Clemente from a reputable dealer, who now has a seemingly successful eBay business in cards so I won’t call him out. Besides, at the time this actually was considered NM. And I didn’t have any complaints when I received it. Apologies for the crappy iPhone pic; it actually looks better in-hand — definitely not NM though.
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Old 07-03-2018, 10:46 AM
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I try to collect two sets of cards.
My main set tries to get Ex or ExMt or better.
My second sets I try to go between Poor and VG, mostly trying to get cards around G/Vg.

It is not nearly as expensive to buy cards in lower grade and a lot of times there are really inexpensive lots or starter sets which can knock off much of the set.
The only thing I ask from my lower grade sets is that they are whole and don't have significant paper loss. Creases, dog ears, writing (to some extent) all are fine. I don't want a card for my sets which have a bite taken out of them. However, in some cases a hole punch is okay.
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Old 05-26-2018, 09:34 AM
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What's considered "mid grade" these days?

4-6 range?
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Old 05-26-2018, 10:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickey7mantle7 View Post
What's considered "mid grade" these days?

4-6 range?
Technically speaking, a 5 would be mid grade but I have always been curious what collector grade means as well?
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Old 05-26-2018, 02:28 PM
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Default I know the pic are probably going to be messed up but

So this thread is great because it’s what I collect! Here are a few low to mid grade gems from my collection. I never really understood why people snubbed theses cards. We’ve had a lot of conversations about high grade cards and the problem with them being in existence.

I’ve actually tried to sell card like theses and have dealers tell me that if they bought them no one would be interested because they are not high grade.

Theses cards have been played with and kept for years and cherished as I do now.
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Old 05-27-2018, 07:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rookiemonster View Post
So this thread is great because it’s what I collect! Here are a few low to mid grade gems from my collection. I never really understood why people snubbed theses cards. We’ve had a lot of conversations about high grade cards and the problem with them being in existence.

I’ve actually tried to sell card like theses and have dealers tell me that if they bought them no one would be interested because they are not high grade.

Theses cards have been played with and kept for years and cherished as I do now.
Love 'em all. Fun to look at!
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Old 06-02-2019, 04:27 PM
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I collect mid to lower end myself depends on the mid grade price and player, damage doesn't bother me either but I like a fully intacted card so when looking at them I can read the front and backs. Most of my 1960 Topps Baseball set is EX to EXMT and some of the lower end commons NM but those are the under 10.00 ones.
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Old 06-11-2019, 06:11 AM
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Over 30 yrs ago I received 148 1952 Topps cards from my Father. Since 2016, when i joined this site, I have been picking away trying my best to add to it as much as I can.

Most he gave me are in the 2 to 4 range with maybe a few 5's here and there. When I purchase cards I normally purchase in that range as they are more affordable and it keeps with the theme/condition of the cards he gave me.

I would love one/a few 8+ graded 52 Topps cards just to say I have one/some, but at the same time, knowing most are out of reach dollar wise, I am glad to be able to purchase more cards than what likely one of those would cost.

When I first joined the site, I didn't concern myself with centering much, but since then, I try my best to find decent centered cards if I can. Top to bottom bothers me a lot less than side to side centering but creases, unless they are subtle or almost invisible in scans, are usually a no go for me.

Currently I am around 306 cards and counting (FlickR link below) and I add here and there when money says I can.
In light of the recent scandal involving PWCC, Moser and PSA et al, the above bold is no longer on my wish list.
Like I said in another post, it was pointed out to me on a FB post about a current auction with some nicely graded 52 Topps cards with one being a PSA 9.
The 9 was a beautiful card to look at but my immediate thoughts were "Doctored"
Not saying it was as I have no idea but like I have stated numerous times, I find it hard to believe (sometimes) that these 60-70+ and beyond year old cards managed to stay in this condition for all these years.
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  #31  
Old 06-16-2021, 03:17 PM
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I love your kind of collecting , its collecting in its purest form. Slab collecting can be adapted to any range of condition or pricing. I buy both..Great stuff out there in lower range. I believe most people are focused on centering over all other attributes ( my view ) but old fashioned eye appeal works for me best..
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Old 09-30-2023, 09:27 AM
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Typically this is my domain. I generally collect raw/graded in the 3-6 range mainly due to my wallet. Some higher/lower.
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Old 05-26-2018, 08:57 PM
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Quote:
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Technically speaking, a 5 would be mid grade but I have always been curious what collector grade means as well?

Hi Irv,

I always thought of collector grade as a bit lower than mid-grade up to maybe VG at the top end of the scale. Cards that are being "collected" not bought for an investment of any kind. Of course not all high end cards are strictly bought for investments purposes. Some folks just have the means to collect high grade and plenty of it.

Just my thoughts anyway.

AndyH
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Old 05-22-2018, 07:24 PM
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My ‘56 #135 with some paper loss on the bottom right corner, but otherwise VG-ish and nearly perfectly centered. This card in a PSA 8 centered is between $10 and 15K. I figure on the Bay mine is probably a $350 card...not sure what real value I gave up for it at the time, I got this in a trade when I was about 13. But also to the point of just how exponentially different in price tag truly high grade vintage can get. You guessed it...I’ll take my card!




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Old 05-22-2018, 08:05 PM
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I'm basically in total agreement with what....everyone else here has said.

I'll take lots of VG-Ex cards over 1 or 2 Nrmt-mt cards anyday.

I would also add that there are a couple of ways in which, aside from price, mid grade cards are objectively superior to high grade ones.

1) You can actually hold them in your hands without freaking out about your breath affecting the molecular structure of the corners (or to whatever extent condition conscious people go with obsessing about such things). I love flipping through cards. If I had a pile of 56 Topps cards in high grade I would be very uncomfortable doing that, but with a bunch of mid grade ones I can go crazy. Great! (behold my flipping through a pile of 54 Bowmans without care: https://baseballcardsinjapan.blogspo...i-collect.html )

2) The cards actually look like they have a story behind them. When you see a beat up old card, you know that some kid really liked that card back in the day, maybe brought it to school in a back pocket or something, flipped through them with friends, etc etc. Its very compelling! A stack of pack fresh cards in contrast are boring - they've just sat on a shelf somewhere for the entirety of their existence. Nobody ever loved them enough to get them worn out. Its extremely depressing actually.
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Old 05-22-2018, 08:26 PM
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Default So I'll be the antagonist

But not entirely.

Firstly I will say that centering, surface (creases, etc), and registration are WAY more important to me than corners. Moving on - it really depends on the card and it's scarcity. For readily available cards, I draw the line somewhere between 7 and 8 (rarely 8.5) - The price jump on most readily available cards from 8 to 9 is usually astronomical with often times very little difference in appearance. Add to that the inherent subjectivity to the process and I as I'm sure many of you have seen lower grade cards that look better than the same card at higher grade. There is consideration to value and resale and I believe that lower grades of more readily available cards over time have less of a chance to hold their value than higher graded equivalents.

Now onto more obscure or rare cards - to me the card trumps the condition on these - not only would I jump on a mid grade copy of some, but would be overjoyed for almost any copy - I do have a handful in my collection and love them as much or more than my more highly graded more commonly found cards.

I am working on mid grade Pirates team sets from 1952-1973 with my kids - The only ones we have or are getting graded are the 1952 Groat rookie and the 1952 High numbers(4's-6's) - the rest are/will be raw. Let me tell you - trying to find those 52's centered without surface damage is quite a challenge! Anybody know someone who wants to sell a mid grade 1952 Bartirome for the price of the common it should be without the one crazy guy buying them all!?
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Old 05-22-2018, 08:44 PM
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I don't really care about the money side of the hobby. Slabbing cards and investing and all that just doesn't interest me. That's not to disparage collectors who are more into the investing aspect of the hobby, it's just not for me, that's all. I tend to go after affordable copies of cards I like that look good displayed on my bookshelf or wherever. I'm not super picky or anything, but I generally prefer centered cards without creases. I don't have any graded cards, but I'd say that most of the more expensive 50s and 60s cards in my collection would probably rate in the 3 to 6 range for the most part.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jchcollins View Post
My ‘56 #135 with some paper loss on the bottom right corner, but otherwise VG-ish and nearly perfectly centered. This card in a PSA 8 centered is between $10 and 15K. I figure on the Bay mine is probably a $350 card...not sure what real value I gave up for it at the time, I got this in a trade when I was about 13. But also to the point of just how exponentially different in price tag truly high grade vintage can get. You guessed it...I’ll take my card!




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Really nice Mantle - Mine is a PSA 2. I got mine on Amazon. Basically I had a lot of credit card points and even though the conversion rate on Amazon sucks, I was able to obtain the card without spending a penny. Mine is nicely centered as well but has some creasing and other issues. I'd say it presents very well for the grade. But to get that card in say a PSA 5/6 it would probably be the only purchase I made for 6 months!

I do agree with one poster - A 1956 Ted Williams in PSA 4 condition is great for me but not really a fan of say a 1975 Robin Yount in a PSA 4. That card is still cheap in PSA 7 lets say. It's all about price point for me and for 99% of cards from 1954 to 1969 I can buy cards in VGEX condition without a problem. Some exceptions would be the 56 Mantle, 55 Koufax/Clemente etc.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:33 AM
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Really nice Mantle - Mine is a PSA 2. I got mine on Amazon. Basically I had a lot of credit card points and even though the conversion rate on Amazon sucks, I was able to obtain the card without spending a penny. Mine is nicely centered as well but has some creasing and other issues. I'd say it presents very well for the grade. But to get that card in say a PSA 5/6 it would probably be the only purchase I made for 6 months!

I do agree with one poster - A 1956 Ted Williams in PSA 4 condition is great for me but not really a fan of say a 1975 Robin Yount in a PSA 4. That card is still cheap in PSA 7 lets say. It's all about price point for me and for 99% of cards from 1954 to 1969 I can buy cards in VGEX condition without a problem. Some exceptions would be the 56 Mantle, 55 Koufax/Clemente etc.
Thanks. My Mantle has no creases, but the corners are pretty rough. I would expect it to get either a 1 or an A for the paper loss, but have no plans to send it in.

I would agree that for most 50's and early 60's cards, VG-EX 4 is a very nice grade. Most 4's are not going to have noticeable creasing, generally they just have corner wear or other issues that are not acceptable for a 5. I have a '61 Topps Aaron right now that is a perfectly centered 4.5 and one of my favorite cards. It was really at that sweet spot where eye-appeal and price tag met.

Will agree with you that it's hard for me to look at VG or lower range once out of the 1950-60's. I'm considering doing the 1970 Topps set, and those cards in a 3 or 4 look a bit rough. The good thing of course is that it's also cheaper to get 70's cards in the 6+ range. Also I think going back to the 50's for lower grades - if you think about it, the cards then were the bigger size and the card stock was better / thicker. I think that's why some of them don't look so awful in grades 2 - 4. By the 1970's the card stock sucked in comparison and those cards got nastier quicker.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:41 AM
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Old 05-26-2018, 07:02 PM
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Another reason why for me at least it doesn’t make sense to buy super high-end graded cards:

If I get a vintage PSA 8 or above, especially if a star HOFer, and also especially if I’ve spent big bucks - I’m going to be very intolerant of the LEAST perceived imperfections, including those which are likely tolerable within the stated spectrum. Even PSA 9’s and 10’s can have “something” wrong; 10’s are claimed by PSA to be “virtually” perfect cards. For example, there are countless examples of vintage PSA 10’s with slightly noticeable tilt. That kind of thing doesn’t bother me at all on a PSA 5 or 6, but if I had paid for a 10? Personally, I’d rather have a PSA 5 that’s still a good looking card, but where I know what the flaws are and am not paranoid as to what else might inherently be wrong with the card-grade combo and how much I paid. If I had a card like that for a week, I would find something wrong with it, trust me. My OCD is not that bulletproof.

Mid-grade just is so much easier and takes the paranoia-level concerns away, in my case.


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Old 05-28-2018, 06:36 PM
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I posted this in May pickups. I was trying to complete my 63 set with my birthday money and the Rose card is just out of control expensive. Instead I saved over $100 and picked up this Banks and a raw Kaline RC. This Banks doesn’t even qualify as mid grade but it has great eye appeal and looks better than many graded 3-4. Can’t find a crease on it.


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  #43  
Old 05-28-2018, 06:47 PM
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Hey Stephen,

I'd call that Banks mid grade. Even though the technical grade is a 2 it looks nice to me. I need one like that for my 54 set. I only need the Banks, Aaron and a few commons still to complete that baby. My favorite Topps set.

AndyH
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Old 05-29-2018, 08:37 AM
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Fantastic cards everybody. Glad to see mid-grade cards get some love.

Here are a few more.





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Old 05-29-2018, 08:49 AM
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Thanks for the comments on the Banks. I was starting to build the 54 set but I had the Banks, Kaline, Aaron left and that was overwhelming. With the recent purchases I am only left with Aaron as a big card - I've got Mays, Jackie, both Williams etc. So I am in good shape. Need to acquire some of the common players I have left. Maybe 50 or so. Those should be pretty easy and then I'll wait for a big holiday or birthday to get the Aaron. That card is simply out of my normal card budget.

Awesome 53 Mantle. I am assuming some sort of paper loss on the back? I display all my Mantles in a case so that type of Mantle would work perfect for me. What a nicely centered Mantle!
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  #46  
Old 05-29-2018, 09:13 AM
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Dean...that's a terrific lineup of cards!
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Old 05-29-2018, 10:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeanH3 View Post
Fantastic cards everybody. Glad to see mid-grade cards get some love.

Here are a few more.
Gorgeous Mantle. If that is poor, I'll take poor cards all day long.
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Old 06-30-2018, 03:06 PM
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I am bumping this thread and thanking all of you guys for making it so great. I can't tell you how much finding this thread has helped me. I have been wanting to get back to 50s and 60s set building (mainly baseball but some football ), but had been feeling like the sets I could build wouldn't be " good enough." I started the 67 Topps baseball set and had purchased some PSA 6s and 7s...which I have now sold. I just can't reasonably sustain that kind of cost, especially when there are so many sets I want. My 67 set will now be in a binder, even the stars, in vgex to ex condition and a whole lot more affordable. I will do the best I can on centering and try to avoid creasing. Honest wear is just how it should be. After spending PSA 7 $, it is shocking to see how much more affordable crease free 4s and 5s (or even better---ungraded cards) are. It will be fun loading the pages in the binder, placing my cards that I already have in the correct spots, and then filling in the empty slots. This is what I always intended, but I guess I got caught up.

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Old 06-30-2018, 03:22 PM
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Hi Robert,

Good luck with your set collecting. All my sets are low grade and love them all the same. The low grade stuff allows me to pick up the stars and HOFers at much lower costs. I'd rather have a hole in my card than a hole in my set. I can always upgrade later, but for tough/expensive cards I go low/mid grade all day long.

AndyH
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Old 06-30-2018, 05:04 PM
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Hi Robert,

Good luck with your set collecting. All my sets are low grade and love them all the same. The low grade stuff allows me to pick up the stars and HOFers at much lower costs. I'd rather have a hole in my card than a hole in my set. I can always upgrade later, but for tough/expensive cards I go low/mid grade all day long.

AndyH
Thanks for the encouraging words, Andy. I like your style. I am regaining my focus and hope to make progress. The cards I can't find ungraded in the condition I want, I will buy slabbed and crack them out. I have an old purchase to get paid off, then I will get going again. I hope to have some cards to share.

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