Willie Mays 1962 Topps #300 (PSA, SGC, BVG, GAI)
 

Hello, first time poster. Long time lurker. My first thread of course a little taboo ,but I figured I would have better luck on here than some of the other card forums based around modern cards.

I've currently been putting the '62 topps set together. Stuck with PSA and SGC with a few crossovers from BVG with some success. The PSA 8 1962 Mays recently brought almost $4,000. A BVG 8 recently sold for $900ish ,but it just didn't tickle my fancy. I was browsing around and ran into this card and was hoping to get a little info on it.

I know some people put GAI in the same category as PRO and Home Grown Basement grading companies. Is there any chance this particular card would crossover (not looking for miracle) and what the most you would consider spending if you did decide to gamble on it? It's early GAI case, 1st graded, but there is typically a reason a card that looks like this graded by GAI and not PSA. Anything instantly stick out? I've spoke to the owner and I believe it was graded in 06-07 and he thinks pretty highly of it. Any information would be great and I'm ok with " You are a idiot for considering it ". Thanks again

People still gamble on GAI stuff from the looks on ended ebay auctions. Not sure if they know any better or just go after earlier labels.

http://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/1962/...&size=original

depends how much for the card...but at best pay a psa 6 price which is about 100 bucks...so if its trimmed or not authentic its only a 100 dollar lesson...many of these cards become available to just wait on a psa copy..

That card is so overpriced it is simply amazing. At 1/10 of that price it would be overpriced. It is best to just assume anything in a GAI slab is altered and/or highly over graded. The only semi safe way to buy a card in a GAI holder is to at least have it in hand to closely inspect and then you better be really good at spotting alterations.

Welcome to the forum and good luck on your set.

1962
 

Welcome aboard ? Why 62 ? How far along are you ? I have done the set, but all ungraded.

Darren (jolly elm) has a very good thread in here somewhere on the 62 greenies

It was a project my grandma and I started back in the day when I was young. She passed years ago ,but it just stuck with me. Nothing was graded back then she picked up for me. There is no telling how many times she was swindled at a flea market or shady hobby shop lol ,but I'm not sure she cared anyways. I'm just putting together a graded set of it now ( I still have everything she got me through the years...i'll just keep those ungraded lol). The size of the set, condition sensitive aspects of it, and the reminiscing makes it fun little side hobby to keep alive. I'll update the forum on my progress this weekend and let show you what I'm looking for. It's most of the obvious top dogs in the set.

Well.... All things considered, the card really isn't absurdly overpriced in my opinion. I don't collect 62's, but I know the set is condition sensitive. If you could get the card to cross to a 9 you could double your money in the right auction. Big IF, however, to preface that statement. The good news, it is an earlier GAI submission. By the cert number I'd place it's submission in late 2003 - early 2004. That doesn't match the seller's timeframe, but it's just an estimate on my part.

Look, GAI doesn't have the best reputation (and with understandable reason) but in my experience they were a fairly consistent grading for a short period following their inception. Some people will tell you anything grading by the company is garbage. If you want to live with that assumption more power to you, but by association you are also implying that early PSA graded items are garbage too. You know, considering the company was founded by early PSA President Steve Rocchi and he poached a number of their graders to create GAI. Times change, tech changes, grading standards have changed. I'd be just as nervous crossing or regrading early PSA and SGC cards as I would early GAI cards. It's all a gamble, but more importantly it is a gamble on someone's opinion.

Personally, no... If I was working the set in high grade I likely wouldn't gamble on the card. That opinion, however, comes from my biased way of collecting. I don't particularly have a need from my cards to all be ultra-high grade. I don't put my cards on a registry. I don't consider my collection an investment. I don't disparage people who do, and if I did (knowing what I do) it might be a card I would consider gambling on although I would have been fine with the BVG card you mentioned.

Anywho, good luck with the set and have fun.

Thanks for the information. The card was actually purchased in 06-07 buyer the owner (mistype on my part) ,so I'm not sure when it was slabbed. I'm not as much hung up on value or profit possibility as I am on saving a buck if crosses over to a PSA 8? I would keep it (well unless PSA gave it a 10 lol..then i would buy a new truck) , but I don't want to lose my pants either and own a really nice looking trimmed '62 Mays (even though my Grandma would get the last laugh). Again, I was referred to this site for vintage information awhile ago and have been lurking forever. I will keep everyone updated. Thanks again

Are you in a position to measure or have the card measured? You could have the seller hold a ruler to the card....

Rightly or wrongly, I am assuming that the gasket holding the card is wavey and the card doesn't have a bad trim job.

Do some due diligence and you may get a great card at a good price.

Do yourself a favor and pass on the GAI card and just buy a PSA centered 7 It will save you a big headache.

The 7's aren't even popping up as much anymore and the ones that do all seem to have jacked up centering (recent ones). Centering and my OCD don't mix. I'm shooting for a 8 for now though. PSA 8 '62 topps seems to be getting buried in collections or maybe it's just high graded vintage in general.

'62's are great. I would hold out for a different card. The gaskets make all their stuff look trimmed but I'm curious about the upper right corner. It doesn't sit right with me. Of course, that is just in the picture.

I'd just hold out. I think there are TONS of REALLY nice ungraded 62's out there. If they are realizing these prices I feel more will become graded.

Good luck with the set.

It's a very long shot at best that there hasn't been an attempt to cross it yet. But if you can get it for around the price of a PSA 7 and feel like taking a gamble I would think worst case scenario you send it in, it doesn't cross, just send it to an auction house and you should get what you paid back out of it. There are plenty of other gamblers out there as is evident by the sales of all the mantle reprints on ebay.

Little Update: I noticed '62 PSA 8 Mantle just ended for $5,755.00. I figured it would bring a bit more than that considering the Mays got $4,000. Is Mays going up or is that about the going rate. I've decided against gambling on GAI 9.5 and just buying a PSA 8 Mays next time ones comes up. Just wondering if $3800-4200 bid will put me in the ballpark. I'm not to familiar with current rates on the big names in the set and they've obviously spiked a bit in the last year.

1962 MAys
 

This card is notoriously a tough card in non altered PSA 8 or better condition. That is why it brings so much money. A truly tough card from the 1960's. Good luck on your quest. I personally would avoid that particular (GAI 9.5) Willie Mays card.

I am likely wrong, based on what glynparson stated, but going by this and the price for a 7, I would think $3,800 to $4,200 would get you one?

http://www.vintagecardprices.com/car...lue-Prices.htm

Irv
 

I agree you can probably get one in that range but with prices climbing on tougher material I wouldn't be shocked if one had to pay the high end or even a slight premium to get a nice unaltered psa 8 1962 Mays.

Given that data which shows almost a 1000% price jump from a 7 to an 8, unless buying purely for investment I think a nice 7 would be the way to go. Put the extra 3,500 towards something else.

Well my post must have jinxed any new listings from popping up.

Guess I'll just have to keep an eye out for Probstein and PWCC listings.

On the lookout for centered Koufax, Aaron, Brock PSA 8's also from '62 Topps to.

Not having any luck on even finding a PSA 8 Mays to offer/bid on. Thinking about knocking off Gibson off my list with my Mays funds.

Anyone have a ballpark range Gibson PSA 9?

Probtein has a psa 9 go get him.

yup

GAI, at least in my opinion, was legit at that time. I would bet the card is legit, although the chances of it crossing to PSA are unknown. For all we know, a cross was attempted with no success. The "1st Graded" gimmick never took off, so there is no reason to keep in that holder for the seller, GAI cards are getting tougher to find as most were crossed back to PSA, and the new GAI flips are from a different GAI than the one that had such a great shot of taking over PSA .... just my opinion.

Yea, I saw it pop up with some other nice stuff. That ones going to end up way out my range lol

Probstein '62 Mays PSA 9 doesn't look much better than the last PSA 8 that was up. Paying for the label on that one.

Thanks to you, 62, I purchased a Mays last night on E-Bay. (j/k)

I honestly didn't think I'd win it but it must have been a slow night?

PSA 4 for $38.00, which I didn't think was too bad?