Memorabilia Guy - needs card help pls PHOTOS ADDED
 

Love to check this side out but never have anything to post about, as I am a memorabilia collector (bats, jerseys, tickets and photos etc mostly).

Have a buddy in Toronto that is being entrusted with selling a collection of 1950’s baseball cards from a the estate of a friend of the family. It includes some big names (Mays, Robinson etc) and a rough, 1952 Topps Mantle.

The family wants the cards sold visibly, so different stakeholders can witness what the cards realize and they had assumed selling these raw through Ebay would be the way to go. I would like to help my friend and the estate maximize their returns and I believe slabbing the cards and perhaps if the collection’s value is solid enough, an auction House like Heritage (where I have sold some non card, pieces) can expedite the grading process and waive the seller’s commission, will likely ensure they bring the best prices.

That is sound advice, right? It’s hard to convince a family who has not done this before, that paying $1,000 to have a Mantle graded “authentic” (is that the right grading fee price?) is the right thing to do.

With approx 100 cards (list and photos coming to me soon and I will post) it looks to be an interesting collection.

I would appreciate any advice I can give them. Thanks!

Your advice is really sound.
The only thing that would make me nervous would be shipping the cards internationally to get it to Heritage or REA or similar.
I know Canada is still refusing travelers from the US but not sure if Canadians can get around that and both leave and return to their home country.
If at all possible I'd have your friend by a round trip ticket to Dallas/NJ and hand deliver the cards. I just checked for a family trip were planning and return KC - Vancouver is only $335 per person.
Well worth the piece of mind in my opinion.

Thanks Daniel! Good to know that I’m on the right track. Is there any way to get a rough estimate of what grading fees might be? I will have a list of the cards soon.

Hi Chris,

I agree your advice is sound. If you have a collection that is substantial enough to consign with a major auction house, I believe they will handle sending specific cards in for grading on your behalf taking that hassle out of your hands and be the best option. By not selling on Ebay they can also avoid a lot of potential hassle that would be best to have non-collectors steer clear of IMO.

I agree that consigning to a big auction house is the best way. The folks can be assured that it's done professionally, with a wide audience and they can all witness the sale. As I tell such folks, the auction house's motive is to get the best prices.

Thank you Bill!

Thanks David!

avoid ebay... especially for higher price items.

auction house would be the best way to go.

Consigning is the way to go but make sure they know they have agency in the negotiations.

For example, a lot of AH take 20%. That 52 Mantle is going to bring a lot of eyes to the rest of the catalog. I would try to negotiate a 0% fee on that lot in exchange for the eyes.

Agree!

Lots of stories on this board about buyers who receive the card and file a claim stating they didn't receive it. Then they end up with the card and the cash. Auction house is the way to go.

Let the auction house get the cards graded ?

Thanks. Agreed.

Yes, but the AU will charge those costs back to the consigner, or that is what I have been told and the seller would like to know what typical grading fees will run.

If family decides to use Heritage or REA they should make sure they don't pay a consignors fee (20%) if the collection does prove to be as valuable as you say. A $1,000 grading fee for the '52 Mantle will more than pay for itself if it grades out at least a 1.

Depending on how quickly the Seller wants to get the cards into the next available auction will affect the grading fees asked by TPG's. Super quick turnaround will cost you more.

The grading companies all list out their fees so you can see the charges, I don't believe the Auction houses get actual discounts but they do often manage to get ahead in the line and shorten waiting times for return of cards.
Some of the TPGs will also charge more depending on value of card, so cards like the Mays/Robinson/Mantle will likely cost more than others.

The great thing with most of the Auction houses is they will offer to deduct the grading cost off the final number that you get as a return for the sale.
So they'll carry the outlay for you until the cards have sold and simply hold back the grading fees as well as any other negotiated fees or premium.

I can only speak for myself but I sent in a raw card to REA and they graded it for me. I don't remember being charged outside of the usual fee.

Thanks John!

Thanks for that info.

Have obtained some photos. Looks to be 225 different cards from the 1952 Topps set (highest number is 406) and several from the 1955 set (more info to follow).

1952 Topps :

4. Lenhardt
6. Hutton
11. Rizzuto
12.Basgall
13. Wyrostek
14. Elliott
15. Pesky
16. Herman ski
17. Hegan
18. Combs
21. Fain
22. DiMaggio
23. Goodman
26. Irvin
28. Pride { black }
29. Kluszewski
30. Parnell
34. Valo
35. Sauer
36. Hodges
37. Snider
38. West lake
41. Wellman
43. Scarborough
44. Dempsey
46. Golds berry
49. Sain
51. Russell
52. Mueller
52. Cuyk
55. Boone
56. Glaviano
57. Lop at
58. Mahoney ( black }
61. Gilbert
62. Stubbs
64. Sievers
66. Roe
68. Chambers ( black )
69. Stallcup
70. Zarilla
72. Olson
73. Werle ( black )
76. Stanky
78. Kinder
81. Law
83. Johnson
87. Coogan
88. Feller
90. Grasso
91. Schoendienst
93. Sima
94. Mele
95. Holcombe
96. Marshall
98. Pierce
99. Woodling
100. Rice
102. Kennedy
103. Mapes
104. Kolloway
106. Vernon
107. Ryan
108. Konstanty
109. Wilks
111. Lowrey
112. Majeski
113. Sisler
114. Ramsdell
116. Scheib
117. Lollar
118. Raffensberger
119. Chakales
121. Niarhos
122. Jensen
123. Yost
124. Kennedy
127. Minner
129. Mize
130. Jones
169. Judson
175. Martin
191. Berra
192. Ginsberg
193. Simpson
194. Hatten
195. Min so so
196. Hemus
198. Haugstad
199. Zuverink
203. Simmons
205. King
208. Stuart
210. Fowler
211. Coleman
212. Garver
213. Jones
215. Bauer
216. Ash burn
217. Stirnweiss
218. McCullough
221. Hamner
223. Ennis
225. Baumholtz
226. Philley
227. Garagiola
228. Brazle
229. Beardon
231. Zoldak
232. Cox
233. Friend
234. Souchok
235. Dropo
236. Gerald
238. Houtteman
239. Bridges
240. Phillips
243. Doby
244. Wertz
245. Robertson
246. Kell
247. Gumpert
248. Shea
249. Adams
251. Carrasquel
252. Bickford
254. Dobson
256. Suder
257. Avila
258. Gromek
261. Mays
262. Trucks
263. Brecheen
264. Hartsfield
265. Diering
266. Dickson
267. Gordon
268. Lemon
269. Nixon
270. Brissie
271. Delsing
274. Branca
275. Mullin
276. Wilson
277. Wynn
278. Clark
280. Boyer
281. Brown
282. Tebbetts
283. Masi
284. Arft
285. Fannin
286. DeMaestri
287. Bilko
288. Nichols
289. Holmes
291. Coan
292. Baker
293. Sisti
294. Cooper
296. Rolfe
297. Seminick
298. Ross
299. Murray.
300. McCosky
302. Surkont
303. Dovish
304. Dente
305. Richards
306. Sleater
307. Campos/Lopez
308. Barba
310. Metkovich
311. Mantle
312. Robinson
314. Campanella
316. Williams
320. Rutherford
321. Black
322. Jackson
323. Church
325. Serena
326. Shuba
332. Bartirome
333. Reese
335. Lepico
339. Meyer
341. Jeff coat
342. Labine
343. Blackwell
345. White
346. Spencer
347. Adcock
348. Kelly
349. Cain
351. Dark
352. Drews
356. At well
357. Burgess
358. Kucab
364. Sukeforth
365. Lava get to
366. Madison
367. Thorpe
368. Wright
370. Hoeft
372. McDougald
374. Benton
377. Dressen
378. Fusselman
379. Rossi
380. Koshorek
381. Stock
383. Wilber
385. Franks
386. Yuhas
388. Chip man
391. Chapman
393. St. Claire
395. Pitler
398. Riced
402. Harriet
405. Pellagrini
406. Nuxhall

They appear lower grade, but with high numbers and the Mantle and Mays. From the pics, they appear authentic.

Pick and good auction and have them handle them.

Obviously, the Mantle (in andy condition) is in high demand these days and is the money card.

Thanks!

I hope they aren't looking at PSA 10 prices online, as these all are lower grade. But they would get $$ from the Mantle alone.

Thanks. Right, I have advised my buddy to temper their expectations due to condition issues.

Screw Downs
 

Tell him to get those cards out of the screw downs and into top loaders carefully! Although on second thought maybe he should just leave them alone and get them to whoever is selling them quickly. If he is holding them for a while longer...... get them out!

Agreed! Already communicated :)