Calling All Collectors -- Card Shipment Experiment

mikeschmidt · February 18, 2004 5:40AM

I know that ALL of us have sent in loser cards to PSA that come back as PSA 5s or PSA 7 ST or something because of wrinkles, damage, etc. that we were not careful enough to check. That being said -- these cards generally have no value and are sitting in our closests, desks and elsewhere. In that spirit, I have (without his permission) nominated Jay Wolt to be the official Card Shipment Analyzer, based upon some of his recent experiences.

Please take out your loser PSA cards -- stick stamps and an address label on them, and send them to Jay. I'm sure he will be happy to post the results in a week or two. I'm thinking Jay can get at LEAST 50 cards out of this "experiment"

MXracer · February 18, 2004 5:50AM

I have a BGS graded card I'd send to Jay to compare the durability of BGS holders as well if someone will send me a loser PSA card...

invader73 · February 18, 2004 6:42AM

This sounds fun

I will stick one on the post tomorrow airmail from the UK. Anyone want to give odds on it arriving??

It will be an '84 Donruss Mike Schmidt PSA 6 cert no. 30006502

I hope Jay is going to be cool with this.

Matt

roastedcat · February 18, 2004 7:02AM

This sounds cool, I might have a card or two to send in. It would be interesting to see if it arrives or not.

Jery

qualitycards · February 18, 2004 7:07AM

Wow! Free cards, how can I say no to that!
I will chart the arrivial of them all, and scan some for the public to see.
I don't recomend putting a return address on them, as it may be returned to you. If mine is the only address, it will probably end up here sooner or later. The address is on the scan below, but its CAVALCADE OF SPORTS, not Calvacade.
MIKESCHMIDT - Feel free to start the ball rolling w/ a PSA-9 '55 Bowman I could use. - by the way, my snipes were too low on the PSA-8's so none were registered, perhaps it will work on the PSA-7 Skowron...jay

Cubfan · February 18, 2004 7:10AM

Should we ship some in plain unprotected envelopes to see if they get crushed like his last experience?

rbeaton · February 18, 2004 7:17PM

Jay,

Expect a few cards using various shipping/packaging methods.

Robert

Cubfan · February 18, 2004 10:12PM

Ill get one out soon. Im going to put mine in an envelope to test the theory that there is more chance of something inside an envelope being ruined than if the card is by itself in plain view.

This should be interesting.

Keith

jimrupprecht · February 18, 2004 11:38PM

As all good researchers know, the first thing one does before engaging in any sort of research is a "lit review," that is, a review of previously published material on the subject. To that end, I offer a write-up of some other postal service experiments from a few years ago.

-
Jim

34GoudeyCollector · February 19, 2004 1:03AM

Hey Jay, one is coming to you from GERMANY!

Do we have anyone out in Korea or Japan that can send one? This will definitely test the slab - have the military postal guys handle it. Sorry Jay, if it comes in 3 or 4 different pieces and litters your mail box! Man, what a cool experiment!

Ken

metalmike20 · February 19, 2004 1:12AM

Hey Jay, You should be able to add a fine looking 1985 topps football Pat Tilley PSA-7 to your collection soon! I hope you have an extra spot to display it with your collection!

Mike

helionaut · February 19, 2004 1:40AM

I've got a 1975 Topps Cliff Johnson PSA 5 I've been wondering what to do with. I was planning on putting it on top of my shed for the summer and see how much it would bleach, but this sounds like more fun. I suggest a contest to see what the longest distance is a card might reach Jay unscathed without an envelope.

I hope the people at my post office will take the card. They seem to have no sense of humor.

qualitycards · February 19, 2004 2:05AM

I have a feeling I'll have some explaining to do w/ my local post master, he might se this as some sort of plot, as un-enveloped slabs arrived from all corners of the world. I will advise when something arrives and scan its condition. Keep in mind, If the item becomes shattered during shipping it may never reach me, and keep in mind, these items are pocket size and someone may think that a '75 Cliff Johnson PSA-5 or an '85 PSA-7 Pat Tilley are worth big bucks, so lets say someone may pocket a card and try to pedal it at a local card shop. Imagine the horror of the shop owner when a scratched & scuffed slab w/ a torn off address label of a PSA-5 common is put in his hands and asked by the seller, "How much will ya gimme for it?" ---- Funny Stuff!! ----
I will have a display in my office of all the arriving slabs. This keeps me in mind of when I won a couple of cards from Zardoz, and he securely packaged the lot w/ PSA-8 Canseco rookies on each end. When I inquired what that was all about, he stated "it was cheaper then cardboard" - I still laugh about that....jay

Tipem · February 19, 2004 10:08AM

I am going to send mine "To LA via Omaha"

I like the idea of seeing how far away a card will arrive from.I think that Matt in the UK will have a shot at being the longest distance away.I have a friend that is on a submarine that might mail one for me.Maybe I can get him to send it to a friend that could send it to a friend.........

Hey,This could get really interesting

Methinks that I am going to have to put a little thought into this one

Vic

qualitycards · February 19, 2004 10:13AM

Hey! Charlie Daniels, err! VIC - How 'bout you make it real interesting by sending that '53 Reese PSA-8 as your "dummy" card back to where it came from, his friends in the safe miss him

...jay

Tipem · February 19, 2004 10:20AM

I am in the process of buying a twin so that I can send my "dummy" card to you,ala Zardoz!!!

That card is so sweeeet that I made my wife sleep on the couch just so "we" could be alone the first night

Vic

qualitycards · February 19, 2004 10:26AM

<< <i>That card is so sweeeet that I made my wife sleep on the couch just so "we" could be alone the first night >>

THATS FUNNY!

My wife will never ask the question, "if the house is on fire, what will you save first, me or the cards?" Cause she aint gonna like the answer. Plus my cards are under-insured and she's over-insured

...jay

roastedcat · February 19, 2004 10:34AM

lol...hahaha!

Tipem · February 19, 2004 10:35AM

Jay,

I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if the house does catch on fire.

Us card collectors are a

bunch.Aren't we great!!!!

Vic

pc · February 19, 2004 11:05AM

i'll send mine postage due

qualitycards · February 19, 2004 12:53PM

PC - Make it the DOM ZANNI '66 PSA-10 and you got a deal, that was my only 1960's submission that came back a "10"
Do you even still have it?

VIC - I have too many cards to quickly take this one or that one out, so I'll probably choose to go in flames w/ the entire lot.
Luckily I'll be dead, imagine that awful smell of burning plastic

...jay

BigKidAtHeart · February 19, 2004 1:12PM

I'm in.

I just have to add postage!

~jeff

qualitycards · February 19, 2004 3:09PM

BIGKID - I see your doing the rare "no label" method. Never been done before!

...jay

BigKidAtHeart · February 19, 2004 9:29PM

yeah,
I like to live on the edge!

ok, it is going in the corner mailbox
TODAY! so let the count begin!
~jeff

fab4 · February 19, 2004 11:19PM

i had a dealer tell me my cards were lost in the mail. he refunded my money and they showed up on ebay again.

so as a joke and experiment i sent a unproteced card to jay with only 2 stamps and the company name mis-spelled and it still arrived in 4 days. the post office isn't all bad.

jay i think i will send you a waffle house dinner with only your name and postage. the only thing is you won't be able to tell if it went bad during shipping

....fab4............ watch out for more semi-pro grading slabs heading your way

qualitycards · February 23, 2004 4:59AM

Rec'd the 1st card today! .... However in a very cunning & deceptive move RBEATON sent me a large box (enough to hold 200 PSA cards).
Inside the box was a smaller box, securely packaged w/ bubblewrap, newspaper & foam peanuts. Inside the smaller box was a padded envelope wrapped w/ bubblewrap on the outside, and inside the padded envelope was a PSA card wrapped w/ yet more bubblewrap.
All the while I'm assuming its a card I won off of eBay, until I finally get to the card, and see that its a 1970 White Sox team card in PSA-6oc grade! Apparently, a very rare offering as I have never seen a 1970's team card in this grade! - A very funny move, I must say. And at least, the huge amount of bubblewrap & foam peanuts will be recycled, as i ship cards out daily.

On an un-related note, to the author of this thread that started it all, MIKESCHMIDT. I rec'd the Moose Skowron Bowman that I won from you today. The postal clerk who loads the P.O. Boxes was curious about my "nickname". I had no idea what she was talking about til I saw the package, and in big bold letters Jay SUPERMAN Wolt, I have to admit I like the nickname

...jay

rbeaton · February 23, 2004 7:45AM

Jay,

That was the valuable card as it's most likely a 1 of 1

I also sent another card the same day from the same post office using a slightly different shipping method. I guess you didn't get that one yet... Maybe tomorrow...

Robert

qualitycards · February 23, 2004 10:19AM

RBEATON - No! Just got the big box today, and had me scratching my head to think of what I had ordered (or won) that deserved this type of packaging, so I was indeed surprised to see that gem when I unravelled the packaging. The irony is, when I win a Goudey Mel Ott, or a Waner. The packaging will not be as secure as yours.
I'll advise to all, what surprises come in via the US mail....jay

rbeaton · February 23, 2004 7:12PM

<< <i>The irony is, when I win a Goudey Mel Ott, or a Waner. The packaging will not be as secure as yours. >>

I was real close to sending that package registered mail!

Robert

qualitycards · February 25, 2004 7:50AM

Rec'd a pair of cards today, ironically both were 1984 Donruss, a Krenchicki PSA-9st from BigKid in Alabama and a Schmidt PSA-6 from Invader in the UK. Both arrived unharmed and no worse for wear. I summize that cards shipped this way will usually arrived in good shape, reason being, that the post office will hand stamp these as opposed to the stamp pressing machine. If a card is sent in a regular white envelope or sometimes in padded envelopes the machine could bash the contents w/ more frequency then this hand stamping method. I will advise on any more incomings that I receive. Rbeaton, still only rec'd the 1 card shipped like it was the hope diamond, not the loose one. Thanks to all for playing along...jay

BigKidAtHeart · February 25, 2004 10:35AM

glad you got it.

I tell you the truth, it was HARD to make myself
actually write on the slab with a permanent marker
but I just tried to remember that this was for science
and it was important that I do it.

invader73 · February 25, 2004 3:19PM

Jay,

WOW, I can't belive my card arrived that quick. It was mailed on the 19th, so that was 4 business days from UK To PA.

I assume you will be adding that Schmidt gem to your online inventory

Matt

qualitycards · February 25, 2004 3:24PM

MATT - No sir! These puppies aren't for sale! Will stay in my office and perhaps a fitting display case will be made for them.
I told my local post master about the shipping experiment and he gave me an odd look, I imagine he thinks I'm nuts, but then again I didn't ship these from all parts of the world, I only receive them...jay

mikeschmidt · February 25, 2004 8:36PM

I am surprised that you have not received a 1977 Wayne Twitchell yet....

Daeyel · February 26, 2004 3:43AM

save on postage. List Jay as the sender, and drop in a postal box sans stamp. Be nice to imagine the USPS wondering how the hell Jay got a card to Buffalo... or LA... Or Germany.....

Buckwheat · February 26, 2004 10:26AM

Jim,

That link to the USPS mailing study was outstanding. That someone mailed an unwrapped ski and it arrived is amazing. And I was really impressed that the $20 bill in clear plastic arrived safely.

qualitycards · February 27, 2004 4:54AM

Here is todays update.... Rec'd 3 cards, all damaged. A '64 Giants Ward PSA-6 from Cubsfan was sent in an envelope and had a dozen plastic pieces jingling inside, and a '77 Twitchell PSA-5 from MikeSchmidt and a 1970 Bosch w/ a missing PSA cert flip sent from an unknown party were enclosed in a USPS clear envelope due to the damage. The funny thing was the postal clerk thought I would be mad that items came damaged. I cleared the air by explaining it was a scientific experiment...jay

mikeschmidt · February 27, 2004 5:33AM

Jay:

Is that Twitchell damages, or is Wayne just sporting a modern pair of sunglasses...?

Dang mail clerks at the business school -- I'll have to try again from a different post office box!

Cubfan · February 27, 2004 9:38AM

Wow!!!!

I just had the feeling that an unprotected card in a plain envelope would have just as much, if not more of, a chance of being destroyed than if I had written the address on the slab.

Its tough to sacrifice a Topps Giant like that, but, after all, it was in the name of science and Pete was a soldier to the end

.

Keith

rbeaton · February 27, 2004 10:31PM

Jay,

The 1970 Bosch was from me. By the way, it was a PSA 5 before it reached the Post Office.

Robert

BigKidAtHeart · February 28, 2004 8:10AM

sad to see the damaged they caused,
but it makes the one from the others
(like mine and Matt's from ENGLAND!)
seem downright amazing that they did
not get a scratch!

I just dropped mine in a corner "big blue" USPS
box with 2 stamps, so I am amazed.

THIS IS FUN!
I HOPE MANY MORE ARE ON THE WAY!!!!!

~jeff

qualitycards · March 8, 2004 6:45AM

Rec'd 2 late entries today. A PSA-5 Geoff Petrie '72 Basketball card rec'd undamage w/ a Phily postmark so I assume its from the threads originator MIKESCHMIDT. Also rec'd was a daring experiment, a loose 1976 Buckmans Bobby Murcer disc w/ a label affixed to the card back w/ a 1st class stamp. No card sleeve, top loader or PSA slab. It arrived unharmed and no worse for wear, no creases or wrinkles. This was sent courtesy of Carey (FAB4). To save on shipping, I might try this method w/ PSA when I submit my cards.

I am also working on a webpage that will include all fronts & backs and history of this project. I will alert all when the page is up & running...jay

Glynparson · March 8, 2004 10:56PM

I sent a 1976 topps stargell psa 5 (wrinkle on front) recently it doesnt have to go far lets see if it makes it.

roastedcat · March 9, 2004 6:00AM

Hey Jay,

I sent in a 1991 Upper Deck Michael Jordan card graded by FGS 6.5 on February 21 to you surprisingly that didn't show up there. hmmmm, I wonder where that one could be. ??? I'm assuming it might have either got stolen, or smashed up like the others.

hmmm
Jery

qualitycards · March 9, 2004 6:20AM

JERY - As of today, It's a no show. With my post office, it may arrive in 6 weeks.
To anyone else that sent something, let me know as well.

GLYN - I'll let you know when Pops arrives. With a scan of how he looks.

The Geoff Petrie card was sent by Rich at icaancards, thanks to all for playing along! ...jay

fab4 · March 9, 2004 11:41AM

Jay,

cool nickname "waffle house" i wish i would have thought of that.

....fab4.........

Basilone · March 9, 2004 1:06PM

So Jay...you've been called "waffle house" and "superman".....which is it?

Or is it a hybrid of both?

qualitycards · March 9, 2004 1:38PM

BASILONE - Believe me, I've been called alot worse!
I do have a hankering for some Pecan Waffles though! I've only been to the W.H. twice, 1 in NC and the other in VA coming and going to/from Parris Island. I have a feeling if I go there 2 more times, I'll be good for life! ...jay

purelyPSA · March 9, 2004 2:06PM

Jay - a Steve Fuller rookie is on the way....

bladefox · March 9, 2004 2:37PM

Jay, I'm sending a GAI 8 Krys Kolanos RC to ya...

qualitycards · March 9, 2004 3:04PM

BLADEFOX - PURELYPSA -- Will let you know when they arrive, thanks for playing along. looking foward to the Krys Kolanos card, since I have no idea who that is...jay

Calling All Collectors -- Card Shipment Experiment

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