'61 & '62 Topps baseball stamps & stamp panels
Hello to all,
I've enjoyed reading this great forum over the last few weeks and this is my 1st post. I've recently started to submit my cards for grading, all of which I bought as a kid out of gum packs. I was an avid set building collector right from the start and put as much value on any common I needed as a duplicate star (Bobby DelGreco for Roger Maris anyone?). I managed to put together complete sets of '57 - '61 football, '58 - '61 Topps baseball and '61 Fleer basketball. The Fleer basketball are in the best condition (PSA 8's and a few 7's & 9's so far) because they were considered ugly and not handled or played with much, just placed in a cigar box....
Anyway, my question is should those stamp panels from '61 & '62 Topps baseball be torn apart to separate into single stamps for submission to PSA? I notice on Ebay there are single stamps in PSA slabs graded Mint 9 ... but I'm sure these stamps were in panels to begin with because I have quite a few of them. It would seem to me that tearing a panel into single stamps is similar to writing on a checklist card or rubbing a coin on a football card to reveal the hidden message...and yet PSA will give it a 9. Is it worthwhile to submit these stamps for grading at all? If so, should they be separated and submitted as individual "cards" or sent in as 2 stamp panels with each panel considered 1 "card" for grading. Are these collected as part of "master sets"? I'd appreciate any info you might be able to share!
Thanks, Reggie
I've enjoyed reading this great forum over the last few weeks and this is my 1st post. I've recently started to submit my cards for grading, all of which I bought as a kid out of gum packs. I was an avid set building collector right from the start and put as much value on any common I needed as a duplicate star (Bobby DelGreco for Roger Maris anyone?). I managed to put together complete sets of '57 - '61 football, '58 - '61 Topps baseball and '61 Fleer basketball. The Fleer basketball are in the best condition (PSA 8's and a few 7's & 9's so far) because they were considered ugly and not handled or played with much, just placed in a cigar box....
Anyway, my question is should those stamp panels from '61 & '62 Topps baseball be torn apart to separate into single stamps for submission to PSA? I notice on Ebay there are single stamps in PSA slabs graded Mint 9 ... but I'm sure these stamps were in panels to begin with because I have quite a few of them. It would seem to me that tearing a panel into single stamps is similar to writing on a checklist card or rubbing a coin on a football card to reveal the hidden message...and yet PSA will give it a 9. Is it worthwhile to submit these stamps for grading at all? If so, should they be separated and submitted as individual "cards" or sent in as 2 stamp panels with each panel considered 1 "card" for grading. Are these collected as part of "master sets"? I'd appreciate any info you might be able to share!
Thanks, Reggie
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Comments
Do not separate the stamps, at least if they still have their original end tab. First of all, I do believe these are graded as panels anyway. Second, they are collected as panels (I collect the 62s), and are checklisted as such if you're interested. Third, why destroy something in its original form merely for the sake of a slab--they are just as attractive and displayable (more so IMHO) as panels.
If you are into selling them short term (probably very short term), then I suppose there's some lure to splitting them. People are pinheads, and many are willing to plop down large amount because something is 1 of 1 or 1 of 2, as if these stamps would be that rare. They are not. Also, again IMO, PSA does not have a great grasp of how to grade these, at least from the few graded examples I have seen. Centering is the primary problem, followed by print defects and registration, the points on the stamp edges, and loss of glue on the back. Like other issues, until PSA (SGC, etc) grades these by the thousands so as to get a proper "feel", there will be inconsistent grading.
I know I've preached this before (but if I can save one collecting soul): If you truly plan on holding onto your collection for at least another 5 years, don't worry about the slabs, as the market and grading companies, as welll as their standards, may and likely will change. Even if you're one of those who feels the need to participate in or even win a set registry, unless you must have that rush now, I would worry about completeing sets first and then submit them for grading.
My 2 cents.
Todd
ebay id: nolemmings