Judy and the vindictive primitive discuss baseball cards

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1026964

Oh my.

First up, the vindictive primitive, a notorious re-seller whose motto is "You've got to be sharp; you've got to cheat the other guy before he cheats you."

Also, the vindictive primitive, now an old bat, is the one who worked for an abortion profiteer about forty years ago, as an office girl or something like that.  One day her boss passed around a plate with a murdered infant on it, to show what they look like.  The vindictive primitive commented she didn't understand why abortion bothered so many people, because it didn't even look "human."

Vinca (22,081 posts)    Wed Apr 9, 2014, 05:42 PM

Are any of you baseball card dealers???

Last week I stumbled upon a whole bunch of cards at the thrift shop. It looked like a dealer or collector had unloaded a collection. I didn't buy any of the stuff on the shelves that was normally priced because I know zip about baseball cards. But I did happen upon the "quarter shelf" area that had a promo going to fill a bag for a dollar. I spotted a bunch of baseball cards nicely protected in vinyl slots in binder-style pages. There were probably a total of a couple hundred cards, mostly from the years 1987 through 2000. I assumed they were crap, then I noticed whoever had them put little notes in some of them, mostly "RC" which I quickly discovered meant "rookie card."

So I dragged them home for a dollar and looked some of them up on ebay. I nearly fell off my chair when the third one I looked up had sold, graded, for over $500. I found lots of cards in the $10 to $30 range and one for $300+ and I haven't even checked half of them. My question is about grading. Is this difficult to get done? I checked a couple sites of grading companies - PSA and Beckett - and I couldn't even figure out how you submit the cards. I can't decide if I should invest money in these things and try to sell them myself or just find a dealer to take them off my hands since I paid so little for them. Opinions??

grasswire (39,874 posts)    Wed Apr 9, 2014, 08:09 PM

1. excellent question!

It's heartening to see the prices sold on eBay, and I hope you have SCORED!!*

*<<<hopes Judy's pal remembers to report it on her income taxes.

Vinca (22,081 posts)    Thu Apr 10, 2014, 03:23 PM

2. I made a good score yesterday at the dump - an oil painting in an old, ornate frame by a listed artist that should bring a few hundred dollars on ebay. I love spring cleaning.

[Skul]

I think the vindictive primitive is full of s**t.
Prices are asking price for a mint condition graded card.
I doubt any of them fit that bill.

[Carl]

Just a guess but someone marking the cards would probably destroy much value.

[ChuckJ]

Just a guess but someone marking the cards would probably destroy much value.

They probably marked the sleeve holding the card.

Public Service Announcement for lurking DUmmies.

I don’t know how this relates to trading cards, but when it comes to comics the grading service is very, very particular. They have to be to retain their reputation. In other words, with an item that a normal person would consider in “mint” condition the grading service would probably find some sort of flaws/blemishes that would put it below that. Once graded, the item is slabbed (sealed in a hard, clear container).

With comics, where the grades used to be words (good, fine, mint, and so on), the grading service uses a number grade ranging from 1 to 10 with 10 being an item in pristine condition. It is extremely rare to have something that grades out as a 10.

Once something has been graded and slabbed by a legitimate and reputable grading service it will usually sell for more than a similar uncertified item.

Also, the prices you see in price guides are usually for items in mint condition. In addition, just because something is listed in a price guide at a specific amount it does NOT mean that you will be able to get that amount from for it.

Again, the above is based on comics (from knowledge that is 15 or so years old). Things may have changed and may not even relate to trading cards; however, there is one thing that is true now that was true 15+ years ago. Comics and trading cards should generally be bought to be enjoyed. If you do so you will usually get your moneys worth, but if you buy with the intention of getting rich you will often end up disappointed.

Finally, any grading service is in business to make money so they will charge for their service. Once you figure that into the equation you could end up with a loss when and if the item is sold.

[sharkhawk]

I don't think any card from 87-00 is worth $500, even graded.

[GOBUCKS]

You used to see card shops all over the place.

Nearly all have disappeared.

I figured they collapsed like Beanie Babies.

[ChuckJ]

I don't think any card from 87-00 is worth $500, even graded.

I wouldn't think so either. If I remember correctly there was a glut from the end of the 80s to around the mid-to-late 90s with both comic books and trading cards due to speculator buying. The market was flooded so it's hard to find any thing during that time period that is both desirable and rare.

[Maxiest]

You used to see card shops all over the place.

Nearly all have disappeared.

I figured they collapsed like Beanie Babies.

I haven't collected in almost 20 years.  But the problem as I see it the market was flooded with a bunch of BS.  When I started collecting there was really only Topps (The big dog) Fleer, and Donruss.  Then the whole lawsuit between Fleer and Topps screwed things up in 81' and they gradually got worse.  Then instead of just one line within each line like Upperdeck (which I really liked their cards) would come up with 35 different sets with in a set (by set I mean year) like Platinum All-Stars, Heavy Hitters, Diamond League, blah blah blah and just flooded the market with a bunch of bull shit.  So instead of having one Rookie card of a player, there was 75 different variations of that rookie card.  Oh well, I had fun while I did it, and somewhere in storage I still have 1000's of cards from the 80's.

On a different note, we were remodeling a house in VA that was built in the 40's.  While stripping a wall we found a bunch of old cards one was like a 54 Ted Williams, not in great condition.  Sold it in the 90's at a card shop for $500.