Trading in the shiny stuff to fund your post war addiction

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Posted By: Joe Drouillard

Hello Everyone,

I'm really hooked in trying to complete the monster (I'm nearing two hundred cards in my collection), but like many collectors I'm always short on funds. The only way I can buy a new T206 is to flip cards on eBay. I've been pretty successful buying large lots from the 50s, 60s and 70s, and reselling them in smaller lots or individual cards, but it is still slow going. I've been unsuccessful in flipping prewar cards because I've found that most issues sell in a consistant price range that doesn't allow for a reasonable markup. I can usually add two to five cards a month to my collection, but naturally I would like to complete the monster before I die.

Recently, I've purchased some mixed lots of cards that had some 2008 issues, and I was surprised that they sold at higher than expected prices. At least higher than other post-war issues. I imagine that the newest cards are always in demand. I remember in the 1980s that a co-worker was heavy into buying new issues directly from the manufacture, picking out rookie cards, and making up sets to sell at card shows. My question is are there any collectors out there who are buying directly from Topps and Upper Deck sorting and selling the cards on eBay to fund their collections? Can it be profitable? If so, how does one contact the manfacture to set up an account? Any other suggestions or advice?

Thanks,

Joe

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Posted By: T206Collector

...talking about setting up a small business, for the purpose of making a profit on ebay that you can use to fund your T206 collecting. If you're really interested in doing that, I would suggest that being a new shiny card dealer is probably not going to get you as far as any other number of ebay small business models.

I don't have any answers to your specific questions, but I think there are probably drop shippers of a variety of merchandise that do better than someone peddling 2008 Upper Deck cards.



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Posted By: Joe Drouillard

Thanks for the quick response and good suggestion.

I'm aware that many eBayers go the drop shippment route, and it may be very profitable, but I would like to keep it baseball related. I don't want to make a fortune on eBay, just make some extra money to build to my collection. I always hope to be a collecter at heart.

The real joy for me in collecting vintage cards is that it connects me with the past. I have a near set of 1961 Topps, for example, and everytime I pull out the binder and look at the cards I feel like I'm back in 1961 as a small boy listening to the radio with my dad rooting for Mickey Mantle or Rocky Colivito to hit another homer.

I love the T206s because of the artwork and their availability (of course I'm talking about collecting the set without the big four). The only thing stopping me from buying the lot is money--the cards are out there. I wish I could just whip out the checkbook and buy the cards, but on a teacher's income I need to buy and sell to make it all work.

By the way, 60% of my T-collection I've purchased from board members, and not eBay. I like to think that I've made some good connections on the board and have been a good customer. I know that if I had the funds there are several cards that I would like to buy right now that are listed on the BST. So, if anyone has some strategies that they would like to share on building inventory by selling on eBay it may help everyone, because I'll be spending the profits right here.

Thanks for your help,

Joe

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Posted By: James Gallo

If you know what your doing and you act at the right time this can work somewhat.

The way I do it is get the hot or rookie cards graded and try to move them. The problem is a card that books for $100 might only auction for $10. You can do better out of an ebay store but it requires some level or risk and a chunk of money to start out.

I have had several hundred modern cards graded with the specific purpose of doing what you are talking about. I do also enjoy some of the modern players and cards so it isn't totally for profit.

It's tricky and you have to know what to buy and sell and what to sell it for. There isn't any good guide on most modern graded cards and prices on ebay can be all over the place.

That being said I have pissed away and invested more money then I will probably ever get out.

I would say try and buy smaller lots of specific players rather then packs or boxes.

James G

Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-1.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

You can't buy directly from Topps, Upperdeck or Donruss (Playoff and Leaf included) without a Brick 'n Mortor Sports card store. I do know there are folks buying cases of new stuff from distributors like blowoutcards.com, they bust the cases, and flip the cards on eBay. It's a crap shoot because some cases make money and some don't what your looking for is a major hit from your case (Autographed/Game Used patch of a HOT Rookie) or something like that to make most of your case money back..

My understanding is Topps is the BEST product to buy and flip, Upperdeck is the worst... but of course each product is unique and you just never know what will make money until you buy and try to sell. The key on selling NEW stuff on ebay is hitting ebay FIRST.. you can't wait for a week or two after a product is already released and expect to make a lot of money...

marty

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Posted By: Anonymous

Thanks Jim and Marty. Sound advice. I appreciate it.

Joe

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Posted By: Anonymous

Not to sound negative, but it is a tough market.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

As noted, you have to be a brick and mortar store to get the cases directly from the manufacturers-- and they wouldn't allow you to break up the cases on eBay. I would think it might be tough to resell the cards for profit on eBay anyway, so I don't think you're missing out. Plus new stuff tend to drop off a cliff price wise when the next year's stuff.


There are wholesalers you can try to get cases from, if you want to try the avenue.

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Posted By: Scott Mt. Joy

I have had very good luck the last 2 years flipping cards to reinvest in more cards.

I started after working on a PSA Clemente Master set for 3 years, I got to know how these collectors work, I then picked a couple issues/players and looked for them raw and then got them graded and resold them. I stuck with harder to find cards, not topps or bowman regular issue.

Then I moved into collecting exhibit cards and after collecting them for a while I got an idea of that market and started to look for deals and have done very nice.

I also used the pop reports and sent in cards that had little or no graded cards. An example I purchased a box of 2007 Goudey cards at the Houston tristar show, the bonus card I got was a Sports King Tiger Woods. I felt I was lucky right there and had made a little money on the deal, but after checking the pop report and only 3 cards had been send in with none higher than an 8, I sent it in. It came back a 10 (yes very lucky) and I sold it 4 days later in my ebay store for $950, I was real happy I didnt just put the raw card on ebay and sold it for $200. That helped to buy a lot of exhibits, haha.

The key for me is I learned the ins and outs of these two areas (my niches) and felt it gave me a competitive advantage. I had a real good feel for what the cards would sell for both raw and graded, I knew the really scarce cards, learned what the fakes or trimmed cards looked like and I took my chances on ebay. When I got real lucky with my grades, like any Clemente psa 9 or an SGC 60 exhibit walter johnson, I flipped them to fund other deals.

Good luck on your T206 set!