Mid-Grade Collectors

[Tere1071]

My war crimes against cards:

In 1970 I collected the Odd Rods stickers along with my baseball cards. I stuck the Odd Rods on a box and when they began to come off I glued them to my baseball cards.

Also, my grandmother decided to separate mine and my brother's 1970s by writing "Santa Claus" on the fronts of his cards. He was going through an identity crisis as a 5-year-old at the time, calling himself Santa.

For 1971 I discovered the magic of push pins and I put several of my 71 Topps on the wall by pushing the pin through the dot on the front of the card.

Finally, in 1976, I wanted to display some of my Clemente cards in frames on the wall of my bedroom. Lacking plastic sheets I taped them to the backing of the frames. Needless to say, when I finally decided to remove the cards, it damaged the backs. I had to replace them all.

Just wondering, did any of my former cards end up in anyone's collections?

[mortimer brewster]

I have been collecting since 1978 and have always liked cards in ex-mt or better condition.

Card prices for cards in NM condition (pre 1980) are bordering on the ridiculous.

I attempted to buy a 1975 common in a Greg Morris auction several weeks ago. It was NM with a big print dot. I was willing to pay 2.00. The darn thing sold for 11.50. A bidding war for Larrin freaking Lagrow.

I've come to the conclusion that even tho I don't collect graded cards I am still bidding against investors who are buying cards to grade.

For this reason, mid grade is the way to go. As long as the card has decent centering with honest wear, that's good enough for me.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Tere1071

Also, my grandmother decided to separate mine and my brother's 1970s by writing "Santa Claus" on the fronts of his cards. He was going through an identity crisis as a 5-year-old at the time, calling himself Santa.

That's the best anecdote I've heard in quite some time...

[jchcollins]

I have mentioned it before, perhaps even somewhere back in the history of this very thread - but to me the tradeoff between midgrade or lower and true high grade cards also comes back to my eventual disappointment with true high grade cards. Whether subconsciously or not, if I buy a vintage card in a PSA 7 or 8, I'm going to expect it to be virtually perfect. The problem there of course is "virtually perfect" cards are 10's, not 7's. I've fallen into that trap again at least once even as recently as this spring - that PSA 7 which was so nice looking actually had an edge ding I'm not happy with, or that SGC 88 which looked great online has dull color in real life. The truth is I would not be unhappy with either card if they had been in the 5 - 6 range and I had paid correspondingly lower for them. But when I pay for higher, I apparently get the problem of unrealistic expectation onset - even though I've known how to properly grade for decades.

[Tere1071]

Two thoughts- Back in the 1970s having a card that was ex/mint was fine. The notion of having something "gem mint" was exploited by a number of the "rock star" dealers who hyped cards as an investment. I remember that even Mr. Mint himself, Al Rosen, initially opposed graded cards, but he sure pushed his other inventory.

Secondly, some of you may be familiar with Bill Heitmann. I once had a conversation with him back in the 80s where we mused on the notion of "gem mint." He noted that most cards are printed on acidic paper which over time breaks down. His point was that the term "gem mint" was a misnomer as our objects of devotion begin to break down little by little over time- much like our significant non-sports card others (my comment, not his.)

A card doesn't have to be "perfect" to validate a collection.

[IgnatiusJReilly]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I have mentioned it before, perhaps even somewhere back in the history of this very thread - but to me the tradeoff between midgrade or lower and true high grade cards also comes back to my eventual disappointment with true high grade cards. Whether subconsciously or not, if I buy a vintage card in a PSA 7 or 8, I'm going to expect it to be virtually perfect. The problem there of course is "virtually perfect" cards are 10's, not 7's. I've fallen into that trap again at least once even as recently as this spring - that PSA 7 which was so nice looking actually had an edge ding I'm not happy with, or that SGC 88 which looked great online has dull color in real life. The truth is I would not be unhappy with either card if they had been in the 5 - 6 range and I had paid correspondingly lower for them. But when I pay for higher, I apparently get the problem of unrealistic expectation onset - even though I've known how to properly grade for decades.

I feel the same way! If I get a great looking 6 I think I got a deal, but if I see a flaw in a 7 I’m annoyed. It’s like my optimism-pessimism for expectations flips.


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[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by IgnatiusJReilly

I feel the same way! If I get a great looking 6 I think I got a deal, but if I see a flaw in a 7 I’m annoyed. It’s like my optimism-pessimism for expectations flips.

I don't have this problem for the most part with 60's cards and earlier because it's rare that I buy a 7 or higher there. But recently for '72 and '76 projects, I decided to buy a few 7's and 8's. Some I was happy with. But the '72 Clemente in an 8 which was basically a 10 with a noticeable edge ding was horrible. I couldn't get over it. I sold the card and bought a slightly o/c 6 for a price I was happy with. (The corners on the 6 are gem, btw. Centering and a minor print flaw were apparently the only problems...) My '76 Nolan Ryan in an SGC 5.5 looks better than my original of the the same card in an 8, which has sharper corners, but horrible dull coloring. So the lesson learned was I apparently don't need to buy super high grade in 70's cards either...

[wdwfan]

I love mid grade. It's the only way I can afford to collect. I can't afford NM-Mt or Mint stuff with my budget. I'd rather have a card in Ex over not having it at all. Also, I don't deal with anything graded. I like to put cards into binders when I'm building sets.

That said, I typically look for Ex with no creases, bends, indentations or wrinkles, no paper loss, pin holes, writing, no rounded corners and 70-30 or better centering.

I love seeing all these cards. Makes me want to up my game a bit. But my small budget ($40/week) doesn't allow for that. I'm not like most collectors in that I either have to save up to get something nice, or I have to sell some of my PC in order to get something nicer, quicker.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

I'm not like most collectors in that I either have to save up to get something nice, or I have to sell some of my PC in order to get something nicer, quicker.

I think you are in a bigger boat than you might imagine. I don't have a huge budget for cards. I generally buy stuff twice a year - around Christmas and my birthday. There are some far-between windfalls at times, but for the most part other than that, I will sell parts of my collection that are old or less interesting to me to buy more "new" old cards.

[STM56]

Originally Posted by Tere1071

My war crimes against cards:

In 1970 I collected the Odd Rods stickers along with my baseball cards. I stuck the Odd Rods on a box and when they began to come off I glued them to my baseball cards.

Also, my grandmother decided to separate mine and my brother's 1970s by writing "Santa Claus" on the fronts of his cards. He was going through an identity crisis as a 5-year-old at the time, calling himself Santa.

For 1971 I discovered the magic of push pins and I put several of my 71 Topps on the wall by pushing the pin through the dot on the front of the card.

Finally, in 1976, I wanted to display some of my Clemente cards in frames on the wall of my bedroom. Lacking plastic sheets I taped them to the backing of the frames. Needless to say, when I finally decided to remove the cards, it damaged the backs. I had to replace them all.

Just wondering, did any of my former cards end up in anyone's collections?

Along these lines recently I had a conversation with a childhood friend about our card collections. We both have our original cards from the 60’s/70’s. I told him that I had sent some of my cards in for grading and he got interested and asked a few questions about the process. I asked him about the condition of his cards and he indicated that they were in pretty good shape. After a few more minutes he said “at some point I decided I needed to be able to identify my cards in case they got stolen or mixed up with somebody else’s cards so I took a hole punch and punched holes in the top left corner of my cards”. I think my reply was “Ouch that’s not good”.

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by STM56

Along these lines recently I had a conversation with a childhood friend about our card collections. We both have our original cards from the 60’s/70’s. I told him that I had sent some of my cards in for grading and he got interested and asked a few questions about the process. I asked him about the condition of his cards and he indicated that they were in pretty good shape. After a few more minutes he said “at some point I decided I needed to be able to identify my cards in case they got stolen or mixed up with somebody else’s cards so I took a hole punch and punched holes in the top left corner of my cards”. I think my reply was “Ouch that’s not good”.

..

[DeanH3]

I haven't sold any vintage lately. I did move a few modern cards this summer to fund vintage buys and I have no regrets on those. I certainly could make a few bucks from the vintage I bought just a couple years ago. But, I don't have any plans to sell.

It's really nice to see these mid grade gems get the attention they deserve. I expect the trend to continue as more people recognize the value offered. Thanks to all for sharing.

[Exhibitman]

I've sold a bunch and plan to sell a bunch more. I am 'streamlining' my collection, clearing out the odds and ends I've accumulated over the last 30 years, because I can do it profitably now.

I did pick up a 55 Topps Mays. I've been procrastinating over one for a while and decided to get it done with some of the proceeds of the sales.

[71buc]

Adam the 1955 Mays is my favorite Mays card. It’s a thing of beauty. I have one in a SGC 6 slab I purchased long ago. I collect raw cards when I can inspect them in hand unless I win them from Cleansweep. Otherwise I buy PSA/SGC 6s on line. Cards in those slabs have become pricey, at least for me, lately. I settled for a nice centered 1954 Banks PSA 4 last year that was nicer and cheaper than many PSA 5 and 6s I’ve seen. That 4 now sells for a similar amount that a 5 or 6 would have cost me last year. I don’t think that rookie cards of Banks, Clemente, Gibson and their ilk will return to pre-pandemic prices so I maybe lowering my standards and start buyin nice 4s and 5s.

[jb67]

I sold some of my vintage basketball (profits too good to pass on) during the big upswing in prices and redirected some of the profits to cards in the mid to lower grade with nice eye-appeal. Trying to refocus my collection on rookie cards.

I believe mid-grade is not a bad way to go in the future as high-grade prices of some cards are going to be too expensive for most. I believe the demand for mid-grade cards will be strong as more collectors jump on the band wagon.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by 71buc

Adam the 1955 Mays is my favorite Mays card. It’s a thing of beauty. I have one in a SGC 6 slab I purchased long ago. I collect raw cards when I can inspect them in hand unless I win them from Cleansweep. Otherwise I buy PSA/SGC 6s on line. Cards in those slabs have become pricey, at least for me, lately. I settled for a nice centered 1954 Banks PSA 4 last year that was nicer and cheaper than many PSA 5 and 6s I’ve seen. That 4 now sells for a similar amount that a 5 or 6 would have cost me last year. I don’t think that rookie cards of Banks, Clemente, Gibson and their ilk will return to pre-pandemic prices so I maybe lowering my standards and start buyin nice 4s and 5s.

A 3 worked just fine for me.

[jb67]

[QUOTE=DeanH3;2038685]I haven't sold any vintage lately. I did move a few modern cards this summer to fund vintage buys and I have no regrets on those. I certainly could make a few bucks from the vintage I bought just a couple years ago. But, I don't have any plans to sell.

It's really nice to see these mid grade gems get the attention they deserve. I expect the trend to continue as more people recognize the value offered. Thanks to all for sharing.

[IMG]https://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=813&pictureid=28223[/IMG

Love that Mays!!! Not to mention the rest of the 57’s you posted.

[DeanH3]

Thanks David. You posted some beauties as well. Awesome stuff!

[Chicosbailbonds]

That is a great 57 Mays.