How to sell my 1966, 1967, 1968 Baseball Cards (Topps)?
paulinmaryland
Posts: 13 ✭
I've been holding onto these cards since I was a teenager, but am ready to sell them now. Have lots of high value cards, including a rookie Nolan Ryan, and Mantle (2 - 1967), Mays (1967) and Clemente cards.
Can someone suggest a strategy(ies) for selling these cards? I don't have them graded, but they are all in plastic CRM 9 card sheets in 3 ring binders (except for the Rookie Ryan and Mantle 1967 in a cases).
Last time I talked to a local sports card shop a few years ago, they told me it would be difficult to find anyone who would pay the value of the entire collection because of the total value of the cards.
Is there a way to do an inventory and then have a broker sell them on a commission basis? A reputable dealer here on the East Coast? I don't have the time to get them graded and then sell them individually on E-Bay.
You can see the cards (scanned in their plastic 8 1/2 - 10 pages at:
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1966-Cards/
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1967-Cards/
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1968-Cards/
I also have additional common cards, about 200 (1966), 275 (1967) and 275 (1968). They are also in plastic 8 x 10 pages in 3 ring binders.
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1966-Commons-Cards
https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1967-Common-Cards (some multiple copies)
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1968-Common-Cards (many players w. multiple copies)
Thanks,
Paul (Maryland)
Comments
First thing you want to do is get that Ryan out of the screwdown case. Over time, the varnish on the cards sticks to the plastic and damages the surface of the card. Also, if you have old pocket pages (the thick plastic kind) you should buy some new pocket pages or card savers. Those old time sheets had a chemical in the plastic (PBPA?) that also damages cards.
Talk to Brian at Scottsdale Sports Cards. He is a very decent guy who can help you. 480.419.2990 or
ScottsdaleCards@gmail.com
@CON40 - Thanks for the advice! Will contact Brian.
Kind of reluctant to take the Ryan card out of the case - as you say, afraid that over time it may have stuck to the case.
Paul
You really need to have the stars graded, specially if they are in nice shape.
Show some pictures @paulinmaryland . Would be nice to see some of your collection. Thanks and good luck.
Put the Ryan in it's case in the freezer for an hour before you remove it. It'll minimize the chances of it sticking to the case.
Brian
@bj1648 Thanks for the tip.
@Piggs The cards are in their plastic page holders. I was thinking of scanning each page with 9 cards to be able to show people the centering, and condition of the cards. Do you know if the light from the scanner do anything to affect the color on the cards?
Is it possible to get a rough idea of the grade of cards by scanning them in this way?
BTW, for anyone who is interested in what cards I have had stored in a shoebox in my closet at home while I went away to college, and which my mother (who was also a baseball fan - Brooklyn Dodgers) here is the list.
When I came home and card collecting became a "thing" I bought the Beckett Guide and put them in 9 card plastic pages. and have kept them since. As an "old timer" to me the game changed in 1969 with the creation of two divisions, so these three years were the end of an era..
The number in parenthesis indicates there are more than 1 of that card.
I also have about 245 commons for each year, with a significant number of duplicates, so probably around 275 each for 1967 and 168.
1966
S. Koufax (2)
R. Clemente
R. Maris
B. Uecker
E. Banks
B. Singer/ D.Sutton Rookie
F. Robinson
W. Ford
P. Niekro
J. Hunter
B. Herman
C. Flood
R. Schoendienst
R. Allen
L. Aparicio
Stargell / Clendenon
J. Torre
B. Powell
M. Stanley
L. Tiant
R. Santo
N. Cash
T. Oliva
H. Wilhelm
F. Howard
1967
L. Brock
B. Williams
G. Perry
F. Jenkins
J. Morgan
E. Mathews
B. Gibson
E. Banks
W. Stargell
A. Kaline
F. Robinson
S. Carleton
W. Mays
W. Stargell
B. Uecker
C. Yastrezemski
J. Hunter
T. Oliva
L. Aparicio
M. Lolich
Tribe Thumpers - R. Colavito / L. Wagner
World Series Game #2
K. Holtzman
Bengal Belters - N.Cash / A.Kaline
G. Hodges
B. Powell
NL 1966 ERA LEADERS
NL 1966 PITCHING LEADERS
NL 1966 STRIKEOUT LEADERS
AL 1966 BATTING LEADERS
AL 1966 HOME RUN LEADERS
AL 1966 RBI LEADERS
NL 1966 RBI LEADERS
C. FLOOR
F. HOWARD
PITT POWER - W. Stargell / D. Clendenon
T. Conigliaro
J. Podres
T. Tresh
B. White
W. Alston
J. Kaat
Red Sox 1967 Rookie M. Andrews/R. Smith
Twin Terrors - B.Allison / H. Killebrew
T. McGraw
J. Torre
1968
R. Maris (4)
E. Banks (2)
S. Carlton (2)
R. Carew (All Star Rookie)
J. Hunter (2)
T. Seaver (All Star Rookie) 2’
F. Jenkins
M. Lolich
J. Kaat
B. Powell (2)
H. Aaron
B. Gibson
J. Morgan
B. Clemente (2)
C. Yastrzemski
AL Batting Leaders 1967
NL RBI Leaders
AL RBI Leaders
AL Home Run Leaders
1968 Indians Rookie Stars
Reds Rookie Stars Henry / McRae
B. Robinson
B. Williams
D. McLain
R. Smith (All Star Rookie)
G. Perry
W. Stargell
V. Pinson
D. Sutton (2)
M. Stottlemyre
T. Perez
T. Conigliaro
WS Game 2
WS Game 4
T. Oliva
E. Howard
M. Wills
C. Flood
M. Marshall
N. Cash
T. McCarver
W. McCovey
R. Schoendienst
R. Staub
L. Aparicio
F. Howard (2)
L. Durocher
H. Wilhelm
Sporting News H. Killebrew
“ J. Morgan
“ L. Brock
“ B. Robinson
F. Robinson
B. Gibson
R. Carew (2)
C. Yastrzemski (2)
B. Clemente (3)
H. Aaron (2)
I would put aside any of the bigger money cards and try not to sell those with the entire group. Look to sell the big stars individually. I think you could realize more money that way.
'> @paulinmaryland said:
Scanning shouldn't affect the cards.
PM sent
As requested by some of the replies, I have scanned the 1967 Topps (in their plastic 8 by 10 pages) and uploaded them front and back to see the condition. I'll do 1966 and 1968 as well. An end of an era - the last seasons before the game changed forever with the advent of Divisional Playoffs in 1969.
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1967-Cards/
Looks like a fun lot to go through, and that there seem to be some good candidates for grading among them.
@miwlvrn - Thanks for your comment! It's a bit of an uphill climb - the last time I really looked at these cards was about 20 years ago in the 1990's, and so much has changed in the collecting world in that that time. Any thoughts on which would be the candidates for grading? Paul
Take a look at the difference in sales prices as you go up in grade here:
https://psacard.com/auctionprices/baseball-cards/1967-topps/49738
You'll need to take good close looks at your cards compared with zoomed scans of graded examples if you're not familiar with grading subs yourself, and try to be as objective as you can. I think you'll find that there are enough items in there that would sell for more than your grading fee investment, and graded sales will be a better idea than moving them raw/ungraded for enough of what you have to make it worth your time and effort to educate yourself before you sell. Good luck!
pictures please.
Contact Greg Morris cards on eBay. You’ll get the most money through him. No need to go through the grading process. He gets good money for stars and commons. Good luck.
@pab1969 I uploaded scans of 66, 67 and 68. You can see the cards (scanned in their plastic 8 1/2 - 10 pages at:
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1966-Cards/
Also have a Pete Rose 1966 that I haven't scanned yet.
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1967-Cards/
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1968-Cards/
I also have additional common cards, about 200 (1966), 275 (1967) and 275 (1968). They are also in plastic 8 x 10 pages in 3 ring binders.
https://cbpw.smugmug.com/Memorabilia/Baseball-Cards/Topps-1966-Commons-Cards
Let me know if they are clear..
Paul
@goldenage Thanks, will do. Appreciate all the advice on this...
Just going to finish scanning 67 and 68 commons to have then available to view online.
Paul
Nice cards. Will be a headache to deal with unless you just consign the whole lot to someone like Greg Morris. if you know what you're doing, and feel like messing with them, could be a fun project. Otherwise, send the whole lot off and let someone else deal with handling/scanning/listing/shipping.
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
Greg Morris would be an option but his fees are high (25% of final value + $0.50 per card. However, for higher grade stuff, he pulls in the big money and is well worth the fees. For stuff that is VG-EX range, he either won't be interested in the cards or won't pull in the money to offset the fees outside the big money cards like Mantle, Clemente, Ryan RC, etc.
It seems like there are a few in there that may be worth grading (a few of the '67 Morgan's, maybe a Banks But it's hard to tell from the scans. Unfortunately, one of the '67 Mantles looks like it has a marker spot on the back.
If you want a hassle free selling experience, send Greg Morris scans of some of the superstar cards and the others that you think are high grade to see if he has interest in selling them. He knows his market well and will be able to tell before listing what will sell well and what won't. When I've consigned with him in the past, he returned the cards he didn't think would sell for much. That saved me paying fees on cards that would close at a few bucks or less.
You can reach out to them at 'purchases@gregmorriscards.com'. Barry handles his consignments and does a great job in communicating.
Good luck! I may even be a bidder for a few of these.
Hi, and welcome to the boards.
Maybe I missed it, but how much time do you have to spend on these cards?
If you don't enjoy spending a lot of time on them, send them to Greg Morris.
If you want to have a little fun, separate your cards into piles; start by putting the star players in one pile and commons in the other, then go through them again and set aside all the cards with any tears or paper loss, then with little or no borders showing on one or two sides, then on what's remaining eliminate cards with creases, then with badly worn corners, stains and marks on them.
Now you have a couple of piles of nice looking cards. From what I can tell, your going to have some cards that could grade as high as a 7 or maybe an 8.
Go to ebay and do an "advanced search" under "sold listings" compare your cards to what is being actually bought.
This will take some time, but you will LEARN A LOT. It sounds like fun to me. You have some great players there, unfortunately, many of them are way off center and will not sell for much.
My concern for you is that if you just send them in, you might be pretty disappointed at the results.
Did you ever post a picture of the Ryan?
Thanks for posting and have fun collecting!
@joebanzi -
Thanks for your comments and suggestions!
I put the Ryan away somewhere safe, now I can't remember where! But it will turn up
Is there an East Coast alternative to Greg Morris? I was hoping that between NY, PA, MD, etc... there would be a reputable reseller who I could work with.
Is it safe to send cards? What if they are damaged or lost? How do you package and insure them if you don't know the value?
Thanks, Paul
@gemint
Thanks for your comments and suggestions!
I will reach out to Morris. But is there an East Coast alternative to Greg Morris? I was hoping that between NY, PA, MD, etc... there would be a reputable reseller who I could work with.
Is it safe to send cards? What if they are damaged or lost? How do you package and insure them if you don't know the value?
Yes, when I was a kid (10 years old), I was out the door on Saturday morning with my glove and hat and on my bike. I basically spent the weekends playing ball wherever I could find a game in New Orleans growing up. Now, at my age, these cards bring back so many memories, but I don't have anyone to pass them on to who will appreciate them, so I guess it's time to let go and have them find a new home for posterity.
Thanks, Paul
Agreed.
Also, if you are too intimidated to figure out all the ins and outs of subbing and having a PSA membership on your own, you might try to get your best items sent in by piggybacking in with a group sub.
Greg Morris would be a good place to sell raw, but for the ones worth subbing, you would get a lot more $ with them having been graded.
@miwlvrn
Assuming "subbing" means submitting to PSA? A group sub to PSAA with other people? How does one participate in a group sub?
I'm retired, so I have some time, I guess maybe an hour a day to spend on this (?), and of course can also drive to dealers/brokers, etc..
Paul
It looks like you have stars that will grade PSA 5-7 and maybe some PSA 8.
Welcome to the boards!
I don’t mean to speak out of turn - nor am I interested in the cards - (that’s an awesome lot tho!) - but if had to make a guess on raw value i would guess something like $2-3k. I am not counting the Ryan given that could swing my guess significantly.
I remember in my early collecting days I didn’t have ANY context on price / value, so just thought I’d throw that out there. You definitely have some nice value but most likely more of a vacation budget than a new home budget.
Again welcome!
Steve
I see you are retired. I am too and am busier than when I was working! I will stick to my suggestion and go through the cards yourself, while looking at ebay to see what cards go for.
Let's take a look at your 1966 Koufax cards. I like the one on the right a lot better. I am not sure it will grade a PSA 4, but if it does it would be similar to this one that sold recently https://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Topps-Baseball-Card-100-Sandy-Koufax-Los-Angeles-Dodgers-HOFer-PSA-4-/143829160424?hash=item217ce2d1e8:g:NZ0AAOSwMFhfpxzT&nma=true&si=f%2F4SA%2B4JfRsFwUIH2sVrhECcZG0%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
The Clemente looks like a good chace at a 6 or maybe a 7 (just guessing, a scan of the individual card on a dark background would offer a better visual). This https://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Topps-300-Bob-Roberto-Clemente-Pirates-HOF-PSA-7-NM-/363107688569?hash=item548ae7a079:g:dCQAAOSwK9NfYUp~&nma=true&si=f%2F4SA%2B4JfRsFwUIH2sVrhECcZG0%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 ugly 7 sold for $250.00.
I don't think you have anything to worry about when sending cards through the mail. I don't know of anyone on the East coast that sells ungraded cards, but I am sure they are out there.
C'mon man, do it yourself! ;-)
I would probably suggest the consignment route myself. I have never sent in a card to be graded and maybe someday that will change. It seems that is a security blanket for most people with the fraud that has become much more prevalent in the hobby in recent years.
I tried selling some 50s-70s HOFers for a friend last year. There was a nice mix of low to mid grade stuff. Maybe a couple grading potentials and a few beaters, but mostly in the middle and they had very minor issues. I think consignment might have been better for two primary reasons. (1) I think because I don't sell much, I don't have the following that these consignment guys have, meaning the pool of potential bidders. Guys like Morris have people watching their every more. When i list something, I have to hope my description catches as many eyes as possible. (2). Most people are afraid to buy vintage when it is not graded. Unless you are an established raw card seller, you automatically have doubt in your listings.
I had trouble selling a 1954 Jackie Robinson for example. It was not bad, but not perfect. After it failed to sell at opening bid 2x, I thought about just buying it myself. I think it finally sold for around $80! Damn if Covid didn't spike those card prices this year though and had I been trying this past spring/summer, I bet the results would be hugely different, even with me selling them.
My first impression was $2k after fees. Shame there were no 66 or 67 hi#s.
Kiss me twice.....let's party.
All...
Thanks for the continued feedback, comments and suggestions! I uploaded the 1966 Commons yesterday, and today I scanned and uploaded the 1968 Commons. I'll do the 1967 Commons tomorrow. I keep updating my original Discussion Post above, with links as I add more scanned cards to my gallery.
Wrt. to trying to get an idea for grading the cards I have, the PSA description of corners and edges is pretty straightforward. But can someone explain the following from the PSA website "Centering must be approximately 70/30 to 75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse." I realize a lot of my cards are not perfectly centered, but I'm not sure how to interpret these numbers.
It's really helpful to get suggestions on the consignment route. There's a steep learning curve to this, and I expect the contacts and reputation a good dealer has make up for the fees they charge. Seems like contacting 2 or 3 dealers to evaluate the cards, and then deciding on who to go with would be a good route to go.
Paul
Centering has become one of the more important aspects of a card. YEARS ago, if a card showed any border all the way around, it was judged to be fine.
Now, people want all the attributes of a beautiful card and they want the card to have equal borders on all four sides. "Perfectly" centered cards can command a big premium, great cards that have poor eye appeal as far as centering goes often sell for well under the expected value.
If a card has a border twice as wide on one side as the other it is considered to be centered 66/33, Therefore if a card is centered 75/25 the wider border is approximately three times as wide as the narrow one.
I would just contact Greg Morris. He has a great reputation.
I looked a little closer at your cards and many of the star cards appear to be in the 4-7 range meaning there's no profit in grading. This is just a guess! Your cards could be a little better, or a little worse than my guesses.
The Mantles and Mays cards I would definitely have graded as well as the elusive Ryan Rookie. A 1967 Mantle PSA 7 recently sold for $700.00.
Your Griffey Jr rookie is not worth anything, sorry. :-( This is a card that must be perfect.
You have many great cards in your lot, but a lot of them are off center and some have bad corners. On the centered cards with nicer corners, they don't look real sharp (scans on a dark background would help). so I don't know if there are any PSA 8 candidates in the bunch. PSA 8 on your older cards is where you start to make good money.
Good luck with whatever you decide! Thanks for posting!!!!!