Nolan Ryan Rookie - Colored eBay purchase in 2004/What to Do?

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by jingram058

New lingo to me...what are colored corners?

I'm assuming he means retouched with a marker or crayon. For '68 Topps, if you had a worn corner it would theoretically be possible to color back in some of the brown burlap design to make it look less obvious. I don't know if it would make the corners look sharper, but it may make wear less noticeable. This is of course alteration, and ruins the technical grade of the card.

[jchcollins]

My first question would be how is the condition of the card otherwise? If it's a beater I probably wouldn't bother getting it slabbed. But if it still has a nice image and surface, even altered cards can be very collectible or at a minimum worth something to somebody. I have a '56 Mantle with similar corner issues in an SGC Authentic slab. I have other cards that are worth more, but this one is sentimental to me because I've had it since I was about 13 years old. Yes, it's altered, but who cares? It's still a great looking card. You will find especially with more valuable vintage cards that there is still indeed quite a market for such things. Some people have to have only nicer cards in respectable, numbered slabs. For others interested more in eye appeal, important cards can sometimes be had on the cheap in A slabs.

[swarmee]

Yep, in order to get the card slabbed AUTHENTIC ALTERED by PSA, you would submit it with the following sentence under the line in the form for this card:
"SLAB AS AUTHENTIC ALTERED IF IT DOES NOT GET A NUMBER GRADE."

[jgannon]

Well, when you look at it, you still have a Nolan Ryan rookie card. Whatever they did to the card obviously wasn't an eyesore, or you would have noticed it right away when you got it. Just the other day, I received a card and it had a slight smudge on it. I erased it, and there wasn't any paper loss that I could see. If PSA got it, they might detect something. But maybe not. I'm not going to sell it. It's a nice card and I don't see the smudge or the paper loss. And I could see a kid approaching the card that way, doing something like that. You could look at what was done to your card the same way. It's still the card. I would take it out of the slab and just put it in a top loader and enjoy it!

[Bestdj777]

I recommend sending it to Nolan Ryan to get it signed. It would cost you roughly the same as sending it in to get graded, only it might give you a better appreciate/take some of the sting out of having it in your collection. My first significant card purchase of adulthood was a Ryan Rookie, and now it’s signed by Koosman and Ryan and a keeper.

[Schlesinj]

Hopefully these attached.

https://net54baseball.com/attachment...1&d=1603843666

https://net54baseball.com/attachment...1&d=1603843689

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Schlesinj

Hopefully these attached.

https://net54baseball.com/attachment...1&d=1603843666

https://net54baseball.com/attachment...1&d=1603843689

Nice looking card.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Schlesinj]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

I recommend sending it to Nolan Ryan to get it signed. It would cost you roughly the same as sending it in to get graded, only it might give you a better appreciate/take some of the sting out of having it in your collection. My first significant card purchase of adulthood was a Ryan Rookie, and now it’s signed by Koosman and Ryan and a keeper.

Just listened to the Golden Age of Cardboard Podcast and after listening to that I am going to send it to his Foundation to get signed. Win/win.

[Schlesinj]

To close the loop, here is the end result. Thanks all for your suggestions.

Ryan Auto.jpg

[Fjd133]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

I recommend sending it to Nolan Ryan to get it signed. It would cost you roughly the same as sending it in to get graded, only it might give you a better appreciate/take some of the sting out of having it in your collection. My first significant card purchase of adulthood was a Ryan Rookie, and now it’s signed by Koosman and Ryan and a keeper.

I think this was a great idea. The card looks great. Congrats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Schlesinj]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

My first question would be how is the condition of the card otherwise? If it's a beater I probably wouldn't bother getting it slabbed. But if it still has a nice image and surface, even altered cards can be very collectible or at a minimum worth something to somebody. I have a '56 Mantle with similar corner issues in an SGC Authentic slab. I have other cards that are worth more, but this one is sentimental to me because I've had it since I was about 13 years old. Yes, it's altered, but who cares? It's still a great looking card. You will find especially with more valuable vintage cards that there is still indeed quite a market for such things. Some people have to have only nicer cards in respectable, numbered slabs. For others interested more in eye appeal, important cards can sometimes be had on the cheap in A slabs.

Thanks all for the responses!

I was able to post a few pics (Post #10). I think it looks decent, no creases a little OC L/R and on back. I think the corners look decent (despite the coloring). I really looked under the light and moved it around and I guess you can see a hint of discoloration when you look at the specific spots where they referenced.

[JollyElm]

Ha ha!!! All that work for nothing. You must've posted it while I was working on my spiel. Oh well.

[Schlesinj]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Ha ha!!! All that work for nothing. You must've posted it while I was working on my spiel. Oh well.

I appreciate the effort, trust me I will forgot how I did it and will refer back to it.

[mikemb]

I have the same issue with a 1963 Topps Mickey Mantle card. I bought the card about 35 to 40 years ago. About 4 years ago I sent it in for grading as I had aquired another one and was planning on selling one of them.

The bottom two corners have been recolored.

I am hesitant to sell the card since I don't want someone to crack it out and sell as unaltered or re-slab it in a fake case for a higher grade.

Mike