"Common" question for set builders

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I want to build a VGish 1958 Topps set. The Standard Catalog prices commons in this set in VG at $2.57. I see some of the sources I have purchased cards from in the past have commons in this set for about $2.50 per...which is a lot cheaper than the higher grade stuff I have traditionally gone for. I figured I could get commons for this set cheaper in lots, but many if not most of the lots I am finding don't appear to be dramatically less expensive when I break down the price per card. Am I missing something? Is $2.50 per too much, or do you guys think it is an ok (but not great) price?

I probably should have a better handle on this than I do, but I have customarily been a one card at a time set builder. Another member of this board pointed out that it is easy to start chasing condition rather than just the cards themselves. I can live with a VG set because I really just want to have the cards and build the set. Not looking for beaters but a VG set would still be satisfying for me and would be easier on my budget and lead to quicker completion.

Anyway, how much is "too much" per card for VG commons?

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[swarmee]

https://www.comc.com/Cards/Baseball/...aUngraded,i100
If you're going to buy many of them online, definitely get a Comc account. You can make offers on cards and wait until you have hundreds and pay only one shipping price when you want to take delivery. You can filter out the Dean's cards by selecting either "raw" (usually EX or better) or "COMC" on the left menu bar.
If you see any you like of mine, send me a message on this site and I'll drop the price. But $2-3 sounds right for a nicely presenting common in VG.

[savedfrommyspokes]

For a VG 1958 Topps common, $2.50 is too much. Many can be had for $2 and under. In the recent past, when purchasing larger lots of VG type 58 Topps cards, I have generally paid between 50-75 cents per.


link to current listings:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...dhi=2.00&rt=nc

[BradH]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

For a VG 1958 Topps common, $2.50 is too much. Many can be had for $2 and under. In the recent past, when purchasing larger lots of VG type 58 Topps cards, I have generally paid between 50-75 cents per.

I agree with this....There are a couple dealers at the twice-a-month card show here in Atlanta who routinely have the white two-column shoeboxes filled with VG-EX 50s and 60s commons for 50 cents to a buck apiece.

[Rrrlyons]

Would agree with the .50 to $1
Looking at eBay completed lists you can see 52 cards for $30-32 cards for 17.50,130 cards for $75 etc.
Rick

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Thanks for all the replies. I will keep my eyes open for less expensive singles, auctions involving lots, and for lots here on the B/S/T. I was able to pick up a lot of 32 for $25 the other day and hope to replicate that on a larger scale down the road. I know they are "just" commons, but overpaying for 350-400 of them really can add up. There just aren't any card shows in my neck of the woods.

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[G1911]

With patience, you can get most for .50-$1 in solid VG. I've never paid a penny more than a dollar (including shipping) per common, and have only 6 commons left, I think.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by G1911

With patience, you can get most for .50-$1 in solid VG. I've never paid a penny more than a dollar (including shipping) per common, and have only 6 commons left, I think.

That is encouraging. I will aim for that. Thanks.

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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by swarmee

https://www.comc.com/Cards/Baseball/...aUngraded,i100
If you're going to buy many of them online, definitely get a Comc account. You can make offers on cards and wait until you have hundreds and pay only one shipping price when you want to take delivery. You can filter out the Dean's cards by selecting either "raw" (usually EX or better) or "COMC" on the left menu bar.
If you see any you like of mine, send me a message on this site and I'll drop the price. But $2-3 sounds right for a nicely presenting common in VG.

I am probably the only one to have never used Comc. Are the prices there better than ebay?

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[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

I am probably the only one to have never used Comc. Are the prices there better than ebay?

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I have found them to generally be better than eBay for commons. For some reason, I usually find stars are cheaper on eBay.


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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Thanks, Ed. I was operating under that impression from the comments I have seen over the last couple of years. Looks like it is time to sign up.

Originally Posted by Vintagevault13

I have found them to generally be better than eBay for commons. For some reason, I usually find stars are cheaper on eBay.


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[swarmee]

Here is my basics of COMC thread:
https://www.blowoutforums.com/showth...ghlight=primer

Oh, and feel free to ask questions. I love the site; it's enabled me to have a collection and place to buy/sell without a whole lotta packages coming and going from my house.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Spent some time on COMC. That site could be truly addictive! For the stuff I am looking for, much cheaper than ebay from what I saw.

[swarmee]

You can add cards to your cart, then make offers to different sellers. Most sellers that cross-post their cards to Amazon or eBay (shown by the orange 'a' next to their name) usually automatically accept 20% off. Min site offer is 50% off, but sellers can reduce that, or not accept offers at all.

Or put cards on your watch list and wait for the seller to put them on sale. I always check "Recently posted" cards to see what is new on site.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Good tips, thanks. It has a different approach, but it also has a lot of possibilities. It will be a while before I look for commons on ebay again.

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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

One more COMC question: I purchased a lot of cards last night. It says the ship date is 8/28. Do packages usually get shipped early, or do they tend to stick to that? Nine days just seems like a long time. Thanks.

[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

One more COMC question: I purchased a lot of cards last night. It says the ship date is 8/28. Do packages usually get shipped early, or do they tend to stick to that? Nine days just seems like a long time. Thanks.

I have noticed that items ship sooner than the estimate. They usually ship 3-5 days after you receive the email stating that your cards are being packaged.


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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Thanks, Ed. In the future, I won't have every purchase shipped immediately like I did on this one so that I can save $ on shipping. However, I was excited after this first go around on COMC and wanted to see them in person. 85 cents per card for what I was looking for made me happy. Just couldn't wait! LOL! I won't do that in the future.

Edit to add: I just received the notice from COMC that my order is being packaged.

[jchcollins]

Interesting topic, and one I may be looking for similar info. on for 1967 Topps. As someone who has never seriously bought commons for set building purposes (over 30+ years of collecting, I'm usually easily distracted by the shiny objects that are higher mid-grade stars and HOFers...) but who is trying to work on '56 and '67 sets right now. Will have to do some additional homework...

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Interesting topic, and one I may be looking for similar info. on for 1967 Topps. As someone who has never seriously bought commons for set building purposes (over 30+ years of collecting, I'm usually easily distracted by the shiny objects that are higher mid-grade stars and HOFers...) but who is trying to work on '56 and '67 sets right now. Will have to do some additional homework...

John, I spent more $ than I needed to for quite a while. If any collector on a budget is going to build a large set like I am trying to do with 1958 and you are with 1967 (really large at 609), he had better try and figure out how to get the commons cheap. I am just totally making up numbers here, but let's say you are working on a set and go to your favorite ebay seller and buy a few cards at $2.50 each. That is a small amount of money, but multiply $2.50 × 300 commons, and you've spent $700...on commons. I went at things like this for a while. I never will again. I am looking for lots, shopping on COMC (huge difference maker), and lowering my standards for commons. I, and I suspect most set builders on a budget, can ill afford to sweat each and every common and pay anything approaching the mythical "book value."

Make no mistake about it, I want the sets...every single card, but I want to build them cheaper and faster than I have up to this point and maybe spend a little more on my star cards...or not. There's nothing wrong with solid, mid-grade for the stars with commons that are a little less than perfect.

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