Removing Card From Graded Case
 

I building a 1952 Topps set and have purchase several graded cards in the 4 to 6 range. For my on personal enjoyment I'd like to remove some of them from their case and put them with the other cards in sheets. What is a easy and safe way to remove the cards without possibly damaging them? If it makes any difference some are PSA, some SGC, some Beckett and a few KSA. Also some of the SGC say they are form the Rothman Collection. Would these cards have an extra premium and need to be left in their case? A collector friend says he has used a hacksaw to remove some. I want to be safe no sorry.


This is actually my second 1952 Topps set. I purchased the first one in 1973 for $525 and sold it in 1987 for $15,000 for college money for one of my kids. It was actually 4 cards short of a set missing 3 high numbers and card #253. The Mantle was probably a 5.

Keith

Bradmar,

If you have a dremmel power tool they work awesome for removeal. Use the cutting wheel attachment it works great and the wheel is only abouty 1 inch round so you can control it easily. it makes a very thin cut too. I use it to cut around the card and lift the cut portion of the case off. Easy and safe!

Sorry to hear about the sale in 1987, but you gotta do what you gotta do! :)

If you don't have a dremmel, you can use a pair of pliers to snap off one of the corners of the slab (I usually cut the top right) and then slide a thin piece of metal (like a knife blade) between the two plastic halves.

I, too, am building a '52 Topps set and I buy graded cards when I can find them cheap enough and crack them out as well.

I've found SGC cards to be the easiest, followed by PSA. BGS/BVG are tougher so be careful.

I'd probably keep the Rothman collection ones in the slabs, more for the tie to a known collection than any premium.

I haven't checked 52s in some time, all mine are raw- most of them very raw.
If the 5-6s carry some premium I'd crack those out last. The others, crack away.

Steve B

Lay it on cement. Take a hammer and smash the top. Pry open with fingers and it beaks in two.
Sounds crude but I have done it dozens of times with no problems.

Steve, I've cracked several '52 Topps Rothman SGC 60's that I've purchased on eBay lately. Who was Rothman and why would you leave them in the slabs?

I've also seen the same pedegree on several other SGC slabs lately.

52t
 

I also purchased a 1952T set ..way back in the early 70s..pays about $1000,.sold it in 1987...and used the money for a 1 year "all access" pass to Studio 54 in NY.

keep on dancin

I don't know who Rothman was/is, but aren't the personalized slabs only for special collections?

All I could find online was the place that's selling the collection.
http://www.vintagecollectables.net/page.php?page_id=44
At any rate, it's probably not something that would draw a big premium if any. I'm coming to like the connection to other collections. Probably no big deal cracking out, just me being a bit ecccentric---Or maybe crazy. I don't have enough money to be eccentric.

Steve B

Freein Up Cards
 

I keep all my sets in binders for easy access. I use a bolt cutter to free any slabbed cards. Takes only one second, works every time, and I have never damaged a card

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I'll try using the dremmel saw first on one of the lower value ones.

I've got a few extra 1952's
#63 Black back VG+ off cut 90/10 left to right
#149 EX 60/40 left to right
#170 EX 70/30 Top to Bottom
#204 VG+ 80/20 left to right
#221 EX+ perfect centering, small ding top right corner
#247 EX Back bottom to top 60/40
#219 BVG 5.5 70/30 left to right, 80/20 top to bottom

If anyone needs any of these send me a message

Rothman was a big time dealer in the 80's and early 90's.
If it's the same one I knew of.
I used to see his ads every week in SCD.

U240----
 

I believe you are remembering Rotman Collectibles out of Worcester MA.

Bolt Cutter
 

When you say, "bolt cutter," do you mean the large device with about three foot long arms and jaws wide enough for really heavy bolts? Or are you meaning a smaller tool of some sort? Would a large vise-grip pliers do the job?

Bolt Cutter
 

The smaller tool you mention might work fine. I tried several things but it always took some time and seemed to involve some risk. I had one of the big bolt cutters and tried that, at the seem where the card holder meets the title holder, and it worked great with one snap. Been using it ever since

I gotta ask this question. I buy all graded and pay a premium over the raw version as I'm sure everyone does. Does it bother you for example to take a graded card that you paid say $30 for out of the slab and now its worth say $15? I have wanted to bust mine out for sometime and have been told to keep them in the slab and buy a raw version. There are cards I want that I can't seem to find graded so I wanted to make everything raw. Any advice?

Busting Out
 

It's all just a hobby for me and being able to display my sets and having easy access to them are my most important goals. I buy ungraded if possible...and bought or put together most of my sets years ago. If I have to buy a graded card ,I usually will not pay the premium for a 9 or 10 if I know I will be busting it out.

Have I ever lost money in the process, probably, but I will probably never know and my heirs won't care

eyewear required
 

Wear glasses --- those shards of plastic fly everywhere at high speed ...ask me how I found out.....

+1
I had a piece of plastic shoot up and get stuck in my face. Small cut, but I thought what would have happened if it hit my eye.
Drew

shards
 

Mike---I agree, good advice. I do wear a pair of goggles I keep at my work bench. I generally use them with any tool work

How about taking a hacksaw to one of the corners so as to avoid the flying plastic shard danger - wouldn't that allow you to pry the two pieces apart with a screwdriver?

Hate slabs
 

Yeah, it does annoy me to pay a premium for slabbed cards and even more to sacrifice that money to get the things out of the plastic. I would never buy the graded cards, except that I wanted to complete some scarce sets and the only way I could do that was to buy the slabs. But, to me, the cards are more aesthetically appealing in raw form, or perhaps a thin mylar sleeve. In a slab, it's almost as if you're really collecting the big, clunky pieces of plastic for their monetary value, instead of cards for their emotional impact.

hack saw
 

Steve...that would seem to work fine, but take a little longer if you are impatient...like me :)

Al

I decided this morning to remove the cards from their graded cases. I first tried the Dremel tool using a plastic saw blade. My opinion is it's not the way to do it. The saw blade gets very hot and melts the plastic causing the two pieces of the case to melt together. I damaged this card trying to remove it.

Using a hacksaw and sawing off the top left corner and then using a small chisel
to crack open the case worked perfectly on both PSA and KSA cases.

Keith

Campyfan39- I had some graded cards that I've wanted out of their cases for a while, didn't know how to do it. Used the hammer method, and it worked perfectly every time. Thanks a lot.

Breaking the Case
 

I use a miter saw. I have an expensive powered miter saw with fences bolted to my work bench. It easily cuts through any case, even the more difficult BVG cases. I have always been worried about the plastic card sleeves binding and creasing the card when taking out in another manner...or having the tool accidentally slip and cut the card.

I've liberated about 20 cards this way and have never had any problems. This has worked real well for me.

ZWheat

I guess I'm a bit more 'uncivilized' when it comes to freeing cards. i place the case on the counter with only the upper right corner hanging off. I hold the case down with my left hand, and with a hammer break off the corner...then I slip a small flathead screwdriver into the case and separate it. Has worked every time.

Though, I totally agree about WEARING GOGGLES...that plastic FLIES!