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Coin collector with card questions
thisistheshow
Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm mostly active on the coin side and sports talk. But I have some questions. I'm looking to start purchasing some Jim Rice cards. He is my favorite player. I have an autographed ball and one of his bats from when I was a kid and I would like to add some of his cards now.
First question: I'd like to know where to go, what to read for a newbie so I learn before I make any purchases. I want to make sure I know how to tell a nice card from an over-graded one.
Second question: When I am ready to buy, is eBay the place? Or is the BST here even better? Other venues?
If there's anything else I should consider, let me know.
Thanks in advance
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I'd just go to eBay and type in Jim Rice PSA if you're looking for slabbed/graded cards. You can decide how much you want to pay based on the grade. PSA's system is a 1-10 with 10 being "gem mint". I think a run in PSA 8-9 of his cards could be relatively inexpensive. His 1975 Topps rookie card would be the most expensive.
Thank you for the advice
While a player from Rice's era doesn't have the same number of parallels as a modern player, you might be surprised to know that there are 381 cards in his master set. I would suggest a narrow focus like Topps only to start, and from there you could then spread out to Fleer, Donruss, then all the OPC, Hostess and lesser known stuff.
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/baseball/modern-player-sets-1970-present/jim-rice-master-set/composition/1911
And yeah, ebay is best. But as you might know from coins, nothing beats milling around a show in person and finally finding something you want.
Be sure to check out eBay's recent sales and/or PSA's auction prices for a general guideline on prices - it's not foolproof because you'll never know if there was a 15% buyer's coupon, a $10 seller's deal, eBay bucks, credit card cash-back deals, etc. But if you see a card on eBay for $400 and recent sales are closer to $200, you might choose to move along...
Just type "Jim Rice" here to get started with recent sales history at various PSA grades: https://www.psacard.com/auctionprices/
Good luck.
Jim
Thank you for that link. It is VERY helpful.
You are right about buying in person-nothing beats it. Thank you
Well you have to start out with his rookie card. There are two versions of the 1975 Topps card - regular and mini. Personally, I’d go with the regular first. A PSA 9 will run you over $400, a PSA 8 can be had for $65-70. The last PSA 10 went for almost $10k. It all depends on your budget.
For most collectors centering is the most important factor. For the 1975 card, pick a well-centered card where the side and bottom borders are about equidistant from the card edges.
I’m sure there are many parallels between graded coins and cards and you should get the hang of it quickly.
I suggest his 1975 Topps in PSA 8 or 9. Depending on budget.
Be aware of possible negative qualifiers on the card
such as: oc, o/c, st, pd, mc mk You will see it as psa 8 oc for example
They are problems with the card and greatly affect the value,, Stay away from them. it might be why
a card is priced much lower than a straight grade.
Also try to find one in a newer psa case as grading standards a a tad stricter now than years past imo
1948-76 Topps FB Sets
FB & BB HOF Player sets
1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
That helps a lot. I will have some digging in and learning what all that means and finding examples. Thanks!
Don't forget the O-Pee-Chee rookie too. Probably the hardest of the three to find.
My initial search seems to show a lot more of the minis than regular as well.
You guys are great. Within these answers and links is a lot for me to learn and go over. I didn't want to just jump in and you guys gave me some good info.
It might sound funny, but I lurk in the cards forum and enjoy it even though I know so little. I look forward to learning with this venture and then being able to enjoy this part of the forum even more.
Thank you!!
Yes, be very careful when buying a "Details" card. Think of a 9 OC as a cleaned coin with uncirculated details. There is still value there, but not nearly as much as one that is straight graded.
Some dealer found a huge hoard of unopened mini cases years ago. Others are more knowledgeable about it, but my guess is the regular size cards were produced in much greater quantity than the minis, but moms around the country put them in the trash can. The minis were sold over time and they survive at a much greater rate and in better condition.
I would echo checking ebay to get an idea of sold prices and also check the scans people have to give you an idea of what subtle differences each grade may have. Some things might be more important to you i.e. you might find you'll give more on corners to get better centering or visa versa.
I collect Andre Dawson. And as a player from about that same time period as Rice, I find myself going after his playing days cards a lot more than new stuff. There's so many variations, serial #'d, sets, autos, game used, etc etc that it's overwhelming. Most of my newer stuff that I have obtained has come as an add-on of an order, or something to even out a trade.
Thanks for the input. Yes, I had no idea that there was do much available post-career. Like I said, I am new to cards. I collected them as a kid in the 1980s but not since then.
SI posters of Jim Rice really hit the mark as well
saucywombat@hotmail.com
I don't know what that means. Help me out.
Good luck on your quest to collect Jim Rice cards.
His rookie card came out the same year as my favorite player, George Brett.
Other players whose card debuted in 75 are Robin Yount, Gary Carter, Fred Lynn, and Keith Hernandez.
In addition, 1975 was the last regular card of Harmon Killebrew and Bob Gibson, and Al Kaline had a highlight card.
Hank Aaron bookmarked the set, with card number 1 and card 660.
As far as anything Jim Rice, just saying these are pretty much the best thing going. Love this era of SI posters.
saucywombat@hotmail.com
I spent some time last night diving in, getting an understanding of what qualifiers are as mentioned above and trying to understand the lingo, etc.
I am having fun!
Were these in the magazines or issued separately?
Bingo. Glad to see you're enjoying yourself. Post some pics of stuff you end up grabbing.
Andy
I will definitely do that.
thisistheshow- I remember ordering some of the SI posters, I think they had an ad for them in the magazine and
you would check mark the posters you wanted and send in your order along with a check.
They're much to big to fit in the magazine, and they didn't fold them up, sent them
in those tube type cardboard containers, if I remember.
I don't remember those. I will check them out.