Want your thoughts

[Jim VB]

I am contemplating selling off my near complete run of Basketball sets to focus on Baseball. This includes 1948 Bowman, 1957 Topps, 1961 Fleer, 1969 Topps and then Topps or Fleer all the way through the early 90's.

At this point, very little is graded, except the Bowman (just back) and the 1957 Topps (at SGC now).

The Bowman is mid-grade. The low series averages between an SGC40 and SGC50. The high series was mostly hand cut, lots of gray variations so it's almost all "A".

In the 1957 Topps, the Russell is an SGC86. The Cousey is an SGC84. I expect most of the rest of this set to come back in the same range.


My questions are:

1. Is it worth it to get most of the rest graded, and if so, just stars, or entire sets?

2. What is everyone's thoughts on the best way to move this? (Ebay, BST, major auction house, etc.)


Love to hear everyone's thoughts.

[GasHouseGang]

I don't really collect basketball, but if the 1957 set is in that good of condition, I think you did the right thing getting it all graded. That will certainly make the set more valuable. I'm looking at the same thing now for my baseball. I would advise to get any very nice condition star cards graded. It will pay off, especially if you sell on ebay. You could play the game of looking at the population reports (if you do PSA), and try to submit any card you have in high grade that has a very low population of high grade examples. You might be surprised at what you can get for some of those cards. But it seems too cost prohibitive to grade everything unless you have deep pockets. Getting commons graded would be worth it for rare sets/series, but in general I don't really believe you end up making enough extra money on getting all the commons graded.

[ChiefBenderForever]

I would get all the hof graded unless they will be lower grades. My friend graded his 61 Fleer before he sold it off card by card and made a killing, esp with the Russell coming back a 9 ! Good luck !

[Jim VB]

Thanks for your thoughts. More ideas always welcome.

[aro13]

For the 1957's I think it is a good thing you are getting them all graded. Individual cards (Clifton, Gallatin, Fleming, Schnittker and a couple of other low pops) will sell for a premium in PSA holders but for a full set it should not matter. If you are selling this set completely graded I would go the auction house route.

1961 Fleer is worth getting graded.
1969 Topps is worth getting graded especially the HOF rookies if they are 8's and the checklist card (Psa might get more of a premium)
1970-1981 Topps
I would grade the following HOF rookies
Maravich, Erving, Archibald (if 8 or better), Gervin, Walton, Malone, Bird/Magic
1986 Fleer
I would grade the entire set with PSA, SGC or BGS if you think they are all 9 or better. 8's will not get your money back.


The high grade complete sets (61 fleer, 69 Topps, 86 Fleer if a lot of 10's could go to a major auction house)

The other sets would do fine on ebay or a smaller auction house.