Thoughts on 1989 Upper Deck?

PlayBall

I have recently undertaken the "project" of building a graded 1989 Upper Deck set. The pros to me were the nice card design, first issue from UD, decent rookie collection (Griffey, R. Johnson, Smoltz, Sheffield). There is also a huge amount of nice raw material, so availability is not an issue. The cons are the fact that it is only a 13 year old set, and the volatility of the modern cards. Financially speaking the grading fees, etc., are going to outweigh the value of the set, but I'm fairly young, and today's modern is tomorrow's vintage.

As far as the registry goes, it looks like I'm the only one, who has any intention of building the set. Could make me the smartest guy, or the dumbest guy.

Any thoughts on this set, good or bad, would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bernie

brucemo

Another con is that it's BIG.

If you are invoking the appreciation over time argument (today's modern is tomorrow's vintage), it would make more sense to just buy about a million of these raw, and get them graded when they really are worth grading.

I think it's a fine project, but it's a waste of money, and you need to be able to SAY that with a big fat smile on your face.

bruce

mikeschmidt

It is a a good idea IF you ever think that this set will be worth $4,000 or more. Until then, why bother? Will the production numbers ever make this set worth enough to justify the grading fees?

Everyone can answer that question on their own -- but I would say no. The late 1980s were when people would hoard hundred, if not thousand-card lots of each player. No one wants quantities like that anymore -- and remember that in 1989, Upper Deck had a massive "Second Printing" after the success of their first run.

Cnelsons

It is a good idea if YOU,Playball, will have a fun time putting the set together from a collectable point of view and not from a valuable point of view. Enjoy the endeavor.

Davalillo

Bernie,

From a financial perspective, it would make you the dumbest guy. There are tens of thousands of mint cards of each card around. 1989-91 was about the peak of card supply and Upper Deck just kept printing more and more and more.

mikeschmidt

To play Devil's Advocate:

Wouldn't you rather have three 1989 Upper Deck set cases? A set case of 15 MIB sets runs about $1,500 these days. You could purchase 45 sets for what it would cost to have one set graded. I am sure with 45 sets -- you could almost certainly have a raw set that would grade out at 9 or higher. I guess my question is this: At what point (or dollar cost) do you say that you don't need someone else to tell you that you have a nice set. With 30 year-old sets, I can understand the point of grading -- but with newer sets -- do you really need PSA to tell you that your Chris James card is one of the best in the world? Or do you think if you look through 45 of them -- you can save the best two or three, and sell the rest?

Fabfrank

I always tell people "Collect what you like. If it goes up in value, Great. If not you will always have the pleasure of owning the item". There are no rules to collecting. Do what makes you happy.

calleocho

playball i am building a modern set too. i have around 7%+ on my 92 bowman. it is very fun and finding graded commons its nearly impossible.

a while back i asked the same question you have but about the 92 bowmans instead.

something that really stuck w/ me was something that Marc said.

he said that while a psa 9 complete set would be something nice it wouldnt be nicer than 5 complete ungraded sets.

that made a lot of sense in my head. so i have been buying a lot of ungraded material w/ the occasional graded card which i never pay more than the grading fee. i picked up a psa9 foil ramirez for 3.05 yesterday.

my new goal is to have mixed psa 9 and psa 10.

my one advise is to never overpay for a card. there will be a time where some cards have populations in the thousands even in psa 10.

Ethan Frost

PlayBall

Thanks to everyone for their candor. I understand the financial picture is poor, but it's not something that I'm planning an all-out assault on. I figure, I'll send in a few cards here, a few cards there, and someday in the distant future maybe I'll have a complete set.

Anyway, if financial gains were the only reason I collected cards, then I would be in the wrong hobby.

Bernie

acowa

Bernie,

It's not a bad investment compared to Enron stock.

At some point, either you or someone related to you will probably sell the set...I think there's many better options out there.

That being said...do what makes you happy.

Regards,

Alan

brucemo

I think that it's a fine set to collect graded, if you can stand their in front of all of your friends and relatives and announce, "I am wasting $4000," take their abuse, and still do it.

I'm not making any value judgements about it. People certainly waste money on all kinds of crazy things that aren't always even fun. I'm replacing a brick chimney and it's costing me $6,000, and I don't even plan to ever have a *fire* in the fireplace.

I admire those who have a goofus idea and doggedly stick to it. If I could help, I would. I'm the guy who sent in 120 '80 Topps Baseball cards, and not one Henderson or even Ryan in the bunch.

This *cannot* be the objectively "correct" thing to do with that money. Consider the following statements:

1) The raw set will never be worth more than $200.
2) The raw set will be worth many thousands of dollars some day.

If the first is true, then spending $4000 grading it is madness. If the second is true, you should buy 20 raw sets.

Consider carefully whether you would rather have this set, a '54 Bowman set in PSA-7, a '63 Fleer set in PSA-8, a '64 Topps Giant set in very nice high grade, or an '86 Fleer Basketball set in PSA-9. They'll probably all cost about the same.

bruce

GATOR5

Bruce,

Just some thoughts on the early 80's sets. I'm not sure on the 80 set but as for my 81 set I can tell you this if you plan to nail this one in 9's or better have fun. I have over 30 raw sets complete, and maybe 55 that are missing a few here and their. Keep in mind these are all case fresh cards and I can say I'm probably at the 60% percent mark for graded. WOW, Granted I'm a little picky just not any 9 will do but who wan'ts an 81 graded set with pd and slant cuts in their set. So my point is this you can have 100 raw sets around and you are still not a lock for a graded set in 9 or better. They will never bring more than 40 dollars. But a high end graded 81 set. PRICELESS!!!!!! Many of the 70 sets are easier than the 81's.


Just my thoughts,

Matt

FB

Guys,

We all have this madness in some form or another.

From a financial standpoint many of the high end sets from the 60's and 70's being assembled now may simply be break even situations (or worse) 10 years down the road unless you're submitting the cards yourself. Think about the Revere set from 68. Its touted as being one of the 7 Baseball Card Wonders of the World - and from an achievement standpoint - it most definitely is! But, from a financial standpoint - its more akin to the Titanic when you think of all the cards purchased with the "price be damned" determination

Playball - my advice - take in all that was said in this thread - mull it around a little - then do whatever will make you the happiest. There are some good ideas here. Its your time, your money and your decision.

GATOR5

Bernie,

I would go the route of maybe looking for wax boxes or cases. Like somebody said before just look at how many possible 10's are out in the world thousands. Or better yet factory sets if they made them.

Matt

GATOR5

Frank,

I to think some of the 70's sets are break even deals. I'm putting the 78 together and my goal is to do it for the cost of grading. I'm not sure if it's possible at the moment at 40% with my goals being met so far. Yet I just keep thinking how much unopened is still unopened. It's like a chess match of what in your set is going to be sought after by collectors.

I got along ways with 1 3box case in 78's. Now my 81's I'm 15 or so rack cases in with only 50 percent just a little insight of the 81's.


Matt

RayBShotz

Playball - If you have a lot of pent up excitement about this set and are hell bent to get started let me suggest the following:

Buy or Preferably grade only the HOF'ers, Future HOF'ers, and major stars. Shoot for 9's or better on grading and 10's when you buy outright or look to win the occassional card that pops up on ebay. Outside of the Griffey and the Johnson the action should be pretty thin.
It will take you a couple,3,4 months to accumulate your first 20 or 30 cards. Dont over submit on the commons. By then some of the pent up excitement will have subsided and you can take a measure of what you have so far and how far you have to go.

I've started a few sets like this myself. In most cases when that pent up excitement subsides I have bailed on the set, especially late 70's, 80's, 90's issues. The good news is I still have cards that people want and break even on the resale or better sometimes. This "bank account" so to speak, has allowed me to refocus and use the proceeds for my primary collections... where the money probably should have gone in the first place.

Its not to say that you will bail. When you take stock of your start, down the road, you may just get more excited and continue building. As other have said, collect whatever makes you happy.
These little side trips I have made over the years did at least provide some short term enjoyment and I dont regret them.

As a side note, Matt, I had a pretty nice 81'set started in the last year but I bailed. Those are fun looking cards. I dont remember whether it was you or not or maybe it was Bernie but I recall selling an 81' Yaz for around $50 that I probably bought almost a year earlier at around $15. It goes to show, if you do bail sometimes you can do alright on the recent issues if you are stockpiling HOF'ers.

I also once had over 100 different PSA 9 and 10 1990, Leaf cards. Prior to the advent of the registry I believed at the time that I had the finest partial set of these there was. I bailed on that too and actually did quite well, to continue my quest to build a quality 69' Topps Baseball set.

I've gone on too long, but hopefully this throws out yet another perspective.
RayB69Topps

GATOR5

Ray,

I've sold over 15 of each of the hofs usually in the 25 dollar range sometime less and more. That's what fuel the fire for the commons. You have to find things people wan't to continue your quest and have to build a client list. 89 ud commons I see your sell in the middle of the ocean with no one to help or wanting to help.

I to find myself going on little voyages with late 80's rookies only to find myself among thousands of other doing the same with a thousand always leaves me with a bunch of rookies I can't sell unless I go to little shows to dump them. That's why I've decided to stay with what I know and have hunches on. Selling what I have to be the best of what I'm concentrating on. That way if you do bail people will definitly wan't what you have.


Card Collecting is all wants and needs. You are the judge.


JMT Matt

PlayBall

Fellas,

After a night to sleep on it, and a day to change my mind several times, I have decided to bail on the set. I have also decided to bail on my 1981 Topps set.

The final straw was I received an offer for some 1940 Play Ball's (my main set), and had to turn it down. Why? Because I had spent the money on those darn modern cards.

It looks like the "Set Registry 12-Step Intervention Plan" has worked.

Matt - Sorry, I'll e-mail you later.

Anybody interested in some cards?

Thanks,
Bernie

brucemo

That sounds sane, but if someone wants to be insane, I still say go for it.

bruce

koby

1940 Play Ball v 1989 Upper Deck???

Good call, Bernie.

Fabfrank

Playball- Email what you have available from 81 Topps and the 89 UpperDeck (they have to be at least PSA 9). Email me at: ffmazz@aol.com

brucemo

Go for it :-)

bruce

carew4me

Playball. it you have a 81 Carew I will take it!

theBobs

Playball,

Please contact me regarding 1981 Topps.

Thanks

psa1965topps@yahoo.com