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Is it worth it to grade Topps coins that aren't good quality?

First post on the website, sorry if this isn't the right category for this.

I have this book of 1960s Topps coins, but their condition is pretty rough for the most part. I'm wondering what the best way to sell them is. Is it worth it to grade a coin that I won't think will rate highly? Or can the value actually go down once it's confirmed to be a low grade?

But I do have some of the more valuable players such as Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose. Would it maybe be worth it to grade those and not the others? I've never had anything graded before so I'm not really sure how it works.

Or maybe their condition isn't as bad as I think it is. I attached some photos so you can tell me what you think.


Comments

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,789 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Hard to tell from your pictures.

    I would grade the Mantles for sure.

    Look at "sold items" on ebay to get an idea of what the others go for.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • pdoidoipdoidoi Posts: 656 ✭✭✭✭

    It depends what is your plan with them. It would cost a lot of $$$$ if you were planning to do the whole set.

  • mintonlyplsmintonlypls Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 14, 2023 2:22PM

    I would grade the Rose, too

    3 Mantles, nice!

    mint_only_pls
  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 942 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Be aware it costs $75 to grade each coin right now plus shipping to and from PSA.
    The top Mantles in your pic is worth quite a bit less than that.
    The bottom 2 seem a little nicer, although hard to tell with no pics of the back.

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,789 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I didn't realize it costs $75.00 to grade a coin.

    I'm assuming bottlecaps cost the same?

    Ridiculous!

    Absolutely ridiculous!

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 15, 2023 3:50AM

    Only cost 17.00 on the actual coin side at pcgs. To grade a real coin LOL. I wonder if they are outsourcing them to PCGS for a 440% up charge. Smart.

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,789 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @handyman said:
    Smart.

    >
    Not the word that comes to my mind.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • Nice collection! I have only 1 and it's a Mantle, ironically looked at it last night as I was making a pile for my next submission. I am shocked it costs $75 to grade one of these...it's not a monetary coin, seems very steep to charge. I'll be watching this thread, hope you find the answers you seek.

  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 942 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Even if they ran a special dropping the price from $75 to $40, like they did with Oversized cards last month, it's still way too high. I have about (10) '64 Topps coins that are pretty high grade, including a Mantle AS, that I don't see ever getting graded by PSA. I know Beckett grades coins but it's unclear how much it is, and they don't respond to emails and their forum is dead.

  • FirstBeardFirstBeard Posts: 472 ✭✭✭

    They look super slick in the holders, but $75 is obnoxious.

  • @RonSportscards said:
    Even if they ran a special dropping the price from $75 to $40, like they did with Oversized cards last month, it's still way too high. I have about (10) '64 Topps coins that are pretty high grade, including a Mantle AS, that I don't see ever getting graded by PSA. I know Beckett grades coins but it's unclear how much it is, and they don't respond to emails and their forum is dead.

    I feel a high-grade Mantle would be worthy of the $40 price tag, but the $75 would be brutal unless you have a shot at an 8 or better.

  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 942 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ndodge55 said:

    @RonSportscards said:
    Even if they ran a special dropping the price from $75 to $40, like they did with Oversized cards last month, it's still way too high. I have about (10) '64 Topps coins that are pretty high grade, including a Mantle AS, that I don't see ever getting graded by PSA. I know Beckett grades coins but it's unclear how much it is, and they don't respond to emails and their forum is dead.

    I feel a high-grade Mantle would be worthy of the $40 price tag, but the $75 would be brutal unless you have a shot at an 8 or better.

    Problem is, with grading specials pricing, PSA would likely require min 10 submission, so I can't just send in the Mantle.
    Based on comps, I feel my cherry picked coins would easily get 8s. I have had 6s and highest graded 9s, so I'm pretty confident to what they should look like.
    With over 1000 Mantle #131s graded, there are no 10s.
    Any chance today's graders are handing out 10s, or even 9s, of vintage 1960's products of superstars?

  • milbrocomilbroco Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭

    My opinion is to not get any graded as the condition is too rough. Even if the grading fee was $15.00 I do not think any of the coins would be worth it to grade with the exception of the two better condition Mantles. I have about 20 to 30 Salada coins I would like to get graded but the current fee is too high for me. If they come back down to the $15.00 range, I would love to send them in.

    ebay seller name milbroco
    email bcmiller7@comcast.net
  • What justifies the high cost to grade these? Encapsulation?
    Maybe it takes 5x longer because they have to retrain somebody because these are infrequently graded?

    It seems almost like the little guy is going to be turned away to using a middleman for submissions over time because you don't need a $100 membership and 10 cards for a special price.

    Why not offer a grading special with no minimum card quota? I'm assuming unboxing, processing, and shipping, and all the processing for 1000 orders of 1 card probably eats at the profit margins.

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,789 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @JolleyWrencher said:
    What justifies the high cost to grade these? Encapsulation?
    Maybe it takes 5x longer because they have to retrain somebody because these are infrequently graded?

    It seems almost like the little guy is going to be turned away to using a middleman for submissions over time because you don't need a $100 membership and 10 cards for a special price.

    Why not offer a grading special with no minimum card quota? I'm assuming unboxing, processing, and shipping, and all the processing for 1000 orders of 1 card probably eats at the profit margins.

    There's no "justification", it seems PSA is in the position to influence submissions by their pricing tiers.
    Great spot for a business to be in.
    You get to choose the work that comes in and charge outrageous prices for the work you don't really want to do .

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
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