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#1 PSA Registry Set for Sale--1954 Bowman BB

mshupsmshups Posts: 43
in PSA Set Registry Forum
I have decided it is time to sell this set. No one is dying, sick or in need of bail money. This is NOT a "fire sale."

I simply took the time to add up for the first time what I have spent on this set. I believe it is time to move on to a new set.

If I knew how to provide a link to this set, I would. I hope one of the forum members would be so kind as to provide the link in their response. It is the Huppertz Family 1954 Bowman Collection.

This set contains 44 PSA 9 cards with an average purchase price of $1260.00 per card. Most of these cards are one of one with none higher. Vintage Sports Investments just sold out of their PSA 9's in under 48 hours. The average price was $1495.00 for commons. I have several Hall of Famers and other stars in this 44 card grouping. This set contains about 10% of the PSA 9 cards in existence.

Of course, the Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle are both PSA 8 cards. The remainder of the set is extremely nice and contains many, many low population cards.

I am looking to keep this set together for sale. Otherwise, I will either consign it for auction or sell it on eBay. I would appreciate serious offers only. If you have any other ideas on how to sell this set, I would greatly appreciate it. It is both a sad day for me but also exciting to start a new set. Thank you.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

mshups@wi.rr.com

Matt
mshups

Comments

  • VirtualizardVirtualizard Posts: 1,936 ✭✭
    Matt,

    Awesome collection! Here's a link.

    It's nice of you to offer it here first and I think you might get some offers.

    Just curious, but what is the new set that you are going to start?

    JEB.
  • mshupsmshups Posts: 43
    JEB: Thanks for the link!!!!!

    I'm thinking of a set from the eighties. I'm a little burned out on spending such large sums of money on the older cards. Any suggestions??

    Matt
    mshups

  • pcpc Posts: 743 ✭
    allen and ginter
    Money is your ticket to freedom.
  • VirtualizardVirtualizard Posts: 1,936 ✭✭


    << <i>allen and ginter >>



    PC,

    Good one! image


    I'll ask:

    Matt, Eighteen or Nineteen? image

    JEB.
  • sandlot411sandlot411 Posts: 64
    I would be willing to consign it on ebay auction for ya..My user id over there is sandlot411 we have just under 12,000 positive feedbacks with 28 negatives..We have the largest ebay store in vintage football in the 1950-59 and 1960-69 categories..Our store name is Scott Nelson's thrift store..My email address is sandlot411@aol.com if you are interested email me..
    Scott
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭
    That's a great set, and I hope you get what you want for it.

    That being said... I think it's time to institute a rule whereby anyone with something to sell has to actually list the price they're asking for. This has got to be the only business in the world where people feel comfortable trying to hawk stuff with no price tag.
  • murcerfanmurcerfan Posts: 2,329 ✭✭
  • sandlot411sandlot411 Posts: 64
    Heck do you accept paypal? If so I will let you consign things for me at 10% my selling fee and listing fee and paypal fee are more than 10%..Do you charge fees or just a flat 10%?
    Scott
  • murcerfanmurcerfan Posts: 2,329 ✭✭
  • sandlot411sandlot411 Posts: 64
    LOL..how many fees you charge?
  • Bingo33Bingo33 Posts: 61 ✭
    This is a beautiful set. Very impressive. I was trying calculating the SMR of the set. Does the SMR PSA 8 set price include the Williams card? At 6K for the Williams, that is 1/3 of the PSA SMR price.

    I've calculated the SMR at just under 25K. 30K if the Williams is not part of the SMR 8 set price.

    What does everyone think this one will sell for? How much of a premium over SMR?

    My guess would be 35-40K.
  • unishipuniship Posts: 492 ✭✭
    I can sell that set on ebay for a fee of only ...... 9%
  • chrisrenaudchrisrenaud Posts: 176
    Matt, email me at chris.renaud2@verizon.net

    Thanks

    Chris
    Collector of baseball PSA sets from the 1970's & hockey rookie cards; big New York Rangers fan (particularly now that they are sleeping with the enemy with Holik and Kaspiritus). Also starting to collect 53 Bowman Color as I think they are the most beautiful cards I have seen.
  • SkycapSkycap Posts: 235
    Matt,

    If the 44 PSA 9's were purchased for an average of $1,260 per card, that adds up to $55,440 that you paid for just those 44 cards alone. Although we don't know what you paid for them, the Mantle and Ted Williams PSA 8's have SMR's of $3,500 and $6,000, respectively. If the remaining 178 cards in the set have an average SMR of $60, they would add up to about $10,680. So the way I figure, you may need to sell the set for about $75,000 just to break even. Matt, with all due respect, I don't think you're going to get anyone to pay you anywhere close to that amount for the set intact.

    Clearly, the best way for you to sell this set is through ebay. Sell them one card at a time, two or three minutes apart, over three or four evenings. As I said, I don't believe anyone will give you $75,000 for this set as a whole. But sold individually, various quantities of cards will be affordable to a vast number of collectors, and they will be clamoring over virtually every card, not only the PSA 9's and low population ones but most of the higher pop commons as well. You'd likely make good money by this method.

    I realize it would be much more convenient to sell the set intact. However, doing so would cost you dearly -- perhaps tens of thousands of dollars.

    Skycap

    Edited to correct my math!
  • BasiloneBasilone Posts: 2,492 ✭✭
    There are collectors out there that spend $10-20k a week on eBay....so a full set purchase may not be out of the question for them.
  • carew4mecarew4me Posts: 3,471 ✭✭✭✭
    Skycap,

    I agree. However before I do that I would get the word out that the set is available.

    Unlike some of the newer sets that have dissapointed I think this set
    has sufficient age and following to bring out some big donor's.

    Loves me some shiny!
  • CDC4CDC4 Posts: 276
    You don't think Branca would pay 65 to 75K for a set?
    It wouldn't surprise me if he bought it.
    Buying 1957 Baseball PSA 8 or higher. Especially Checklists, and Contest Cards. Topps1957psa8set@aol.com
  • packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭
    skycap, i think you are underestimating the amount of disposable income for some people that collect cards. I have seen people blow 100k in a month on ebay. I bet there are certain individuals that will spend that in one mastro auction then lelands all in the same month. chris has already inquired on the set knowing what has been posted. if you have the $$ to build avintage set card by card to get a gpa that high , then you have the $$ to buy it at once. i am willing to wager that set sells in tact. it is probably not the way to maximize your return but it is a painless viable alternative and there are definately collectors that have the $$ on won't mind spending it to aquire a #1 ranked mainline 50's set .



  • SkycapSkycap Posts: 235
    My figures for the "remaining 178 cards" above didn't even take into account the desirability of the low pop PSA 8's commons, which have an SMR of only $45.

    I think that, sold individually on ebay, this set would realize in excess of $100,000. If Matt got appreciably less than that from a Branca type, then he would be seriously shortchanging himself and the Huppertz Family.

    Skycap
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    Skycap:

    With Matt out of the market, though, how much is a 1954 Bowman PSA 9 1/1 really worth?

    If there is truly a $1,250 valuation for vintage PSA 9 1/1 cards -- then I have made significant paper returns on my 1955 Bowman set.
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • Bingo33Bingo33 Posts: 61 ✭
    75K would be 3 times SMR. That would be impossible.

    I don't know how he could have paid that much for commons. My only thought would be an endless supply of cash and a dealer or two knowing this fact.

    This past fall a set registry member tried to sell the #1 1956 Topps set on ebay. Numerous PSA 9's in HOF group. SMR was over 70K. I don't think he sold the set for anything close to SMR of 70K, if it sold at all.

    Another factor, the 1954 Bowman Baseball set might me the least desirable/popular set produced in that decade amongst the main stream Bowman and Topps issues.

    This 1954 Bowman set in my estimation is worth about 35K, which would be close to 1.5 of SMR. 40K would push it to about 1.6 of SMR.
  • SkycapSkycap Posts: 235
    mikeschmidt,

    Collectors are clamoring for any ultra low-pop PSA 9's from the 1950's, especially 1/1's. Even without Matt bidding, there's tons of interest. I truly believe he could get over $100,000 for this set by selling the cards individually on ebay.

    Skycap
  • SkycapSkycap Posts: 235
    Bingo33,

    The problem with the 1956 set is that the guy tried to sell it complete as a set. Had he sold it individually, I'm certain he would have obtained well in excess of the SMR.

    For example, last August the second finest 1955 set was auctioned individually. The SMR for the cards was $94,750. The prices realized totaled $168,996. Here are the details behind these facts:

    1955 Set Sold Individually

    With all due respect, it appears that you're trying to "low-ball" Matt into thinking his set is worth only $35,000. You're not fooling anybody.

    Skycap



  • Bingo33Bingo33 Posts: 61 ✭
    I did my calculations again and here is what I came up with on this set. Please correct me if I am wrong.

    PSA 8 SMR= $14,645.00

    PSA 7 & 9 SMR=$9,130.00

    Depending on the day on ebay, the PSA 8's are worth between 13,000.00 and 16,500. To get to 75K 9,130 SMR would have to sell for about $60,000.00.

    IMPOSSIBLE.
  • packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭
    bingo , the psa 9's are not all commons. The last 2 commons psa 9 commons that sold through superior went for about 600. more than 4x smr. these prices were from last year and low pops have seems to pick up more steam so i would figure those cards could go higher. low pop psa 8 commons have the potential to bring 200 again 4x smr. the last psa 8 williams was in mile high at 6200 in the fall. the 9's include george kell, hoyt wilhelm, roy campanella, robin roberts, red schoendienst,carl furillo, yogi berra, duke snider,whity ford, and bob lemon.

    here is a quick calculation
    smr on the 10 cards above , williams , and mantle = 16290
    34 more psa 9's @ 500 = 17000
    the rest of the set at smr for a common 178@50 = 8900
    Total 42190

    I have called every psa 8 star a common and not factored in any low pop psa 8's , no premium for dodgers and yankees and no premium for 1/1 9's and came up with 42,190


    If you have a set to sell at 35k , please let me know.
  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭


    << <i>I truly believe he could get over $100,000 for this set by selling the cards individually on ebay.
    >>



    4x SMR?

    I think he would be better off selling as a set to ensure that he does not lose money on it. There are certain cards that may command a large premium, but I don't think that they will average 4x SMR value.
  • packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭
    by the way , i am not sure if he will get 100k but 60-70 is not out of the question as an actual "market" value for the set , there also appear to be quite a few people with deep pockets with partial sets that would put a floor on the price of the majority of the cards.
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    '54 Bowman PSA 8 cards, even the highest pop ones (Bilko, Souchock, etc.), almost never drop below 2/3 of SMR, and are usually at least 80% of SMR by final price. That being said, there is a fairly limited group of people collecting this set graded, and several of those are almost done (1 or 2 cards away). I don't think this set would bring the sort of bidding wars that the 1955 Topps set showed overall (my guess is that there would only be about 5 serious bidders on most of the 1/1 PSA 9s that weren't major stars, some of whom do not have a win-at-all costs mentality), although the prospect of an entire top-of-the-line set at once could attract people who haven't been collecting it to bid on the entire set.

    I expect that a major auction house or private sale would work better than eBay. The snipe failure factor has been uncomfortably high lately, and most of the major buyers already look at the auction catalogues. Considering the job that Sports Cards Plus did with the '55 set, (and the fact they're taking consignments for their spring auction now), I would suggest giving them a call.

    It should go well over SMR if broken up or properly marketed individually. $75K doesn't seem out of line.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • Bingo33Bingo33 Posts: 61 ✭
    My mistake. The SMR on the 7's + 9's is 13,450 (same cards in 8 is 4320.00)

    A difference of 9130.00

    SMR in complete 8's is 18965.00 (I am not sure if that includes the Williams?)

    SMR for that set is 28,095.

    The 1955 set sold for almost 1.8 of SMR. I don't think that a 1954 Bowman set could get to 1.8 of SMR.

    My opinion is that this set would sell for between 1.4 and 1.6 of the total SMR value (whatever that figure is). And in my opinion that would be a strong price.
  • SkycapSkycap Posts: 235
    NickM,

    I believe ebay would be better than Sportscards Plus because:

    - It is open to a much wider audience. Anytime you're dealing with a Sportscards Plus or Superior, you're limiting participation to just those who are registered. On the other hand, virtually every PSA collector -- big spenders and little spenders -- use ebay.

    - With Sportscards Plus (or Superior or Mastro), they make the buyers pay 15% on top of the winning bid, and none of that goes to the consigner.

    - A lot of collectors are turned off by Sportscards Plus' 10-minute rule to end auctions. It's hard to know when it's really over.

    As for snipe failure, you may recall last year it happened with the 1965 set, but that was because they stupidly had all 600 or so cards end at the same exact second, so they were overloaded. On ebay, the cards should be spaced out two or three minutes apart to allow separation for both manual and automated snipes.

    Auctioning individually forms an electronic battleground for each card, thus allowing them to reach their full potential.

    Skycap
  • WabittwaxWabittwax Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭
    Hey, where's that guy who's got $50,000 of his sister's money to play with? This would be a perfect set for him.
  • Lothar52Lothar52 Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭
    this is why i stink with mid grade vintage cards with eye appeal....so much easier to sell...and you dont die buyin it..and others dont die buying it off of ya. 75k ....that will have to be a dealer prolly.

    loth
  • mshupsmshups Posts: 43
    Thanks to all who have weighed in this sale. I appreciate your inpute.

    To answer a few of the inquires, I am dead serious about selling this set. This is no "fishing expedition." I thought it would be "tacky" to list what I wanted for the set. I was wrong.

    The asking price is $85,000.00. I sincerely believe this price to be reasonable. I know what these cards are going for on eBay and through private sales.

    I am NOT the only bidder on these cards. Most of the auctions that I have won are being aggressively pursued by at least three other bidders. This set, in my opinion, is severely undervalued.

    I know what I have invested in this set. I chuckle at figures around $25,000 to $35,000 for the set. Try at least twice that for the COST of this set.

    I am grateful for your responses.

    Matt




    mshups

  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭
    Good luck. I think ebay is a good venue for this sale.
  • VarghaVargha Posts: 2,392 ✭✭
    Best wishes on selling the set. I don't know enough about it or the people collecting on it to say what it will sell for. I do know that what you paid to build it is irrelevant to what people are willing to pay for it (either in your favor or against it).
  • scottsusorscottsusor Posts: 1,210
    Just curious here -- Why do you wish to sell the set intact? Is it an emotional attachment or do you honestly believe you'll get more for the set intact, as opposed to breaking it up into individual cards? Now, I admit I don't have a lot of experience in the PSA world, but in the raw world, a complete will NEVER sell for what the cards can be sold for individually. The set seller is lucky if he/she gets 2/3 of what he/she could get by breaking it up. Is the PSA world any different?

    I ask this only because I'd imagine the most likely buyers of such a set would be buying the set intact with the express purpose of breaking it up -- in order to earn a profit. Sure, there may be some well-heeled individual COLLECTOR who wants it, but I find it highly unlikely that such a person could/would outbid a true dealer-type (Mr. Mint comes to mind, again).

    Is it a matter of unavailable time to put the cards up individually on eBay -- which I too believe to be the best venue for these cards, but only if sold individually. If that's the case, that is part of what I do for a living, and I think I've become pretty good at it. No joke, I'd be interested in assisting in this type of endeavor. Since I have a business PayPal account, my percentage to cover my combined eBay and PayPal service charges is a flat 20% but it might be worth considering. If so, feel free to email me.

    Scott
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    FYI, SMR does not include the Ted Williams variation.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • SkycapSkycap Posts: 235
    Scott,

    Although selling the set intact would be more convenient for Matt, I believe a significant premium would be gained by selling the cards individually in ebay or elsewhere. Matt’s asking $85,000 for the set intact, and I think he would get at least $15,000 to $25,000 more by breaking it up. That’s a nice chunk of extra change for the Huppertz Family! Having 100% of the set available over three or four nights in ebay would be extremely appealing for the multitude of bidders, and the synergy would result in mind-boggling results across the board.

    Scott, with all due respect, I don’t think Matt will be taking you up on your offer to consign the set with you when he could readily auction it himself on ebay. I noticed he has perfect feedback: over 900 positives and no negatives.

    Skycap
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