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Did you ever regret trading/selling a card/cards?

I just thought I'd post this question. I have noticed that I now regret trading away a nice card I had. I had a Mickey Mantle 1962 Post Candian Edition that I now wish I still had. What about you gents have any of you had regrets on any cards?
-Always looking for modern goalie/Ron Hextall cards.
-CU references- andersonscards, masterzzz1, seth2720, BrawnyMan, VezinaKid

Comments

  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    I just sold my partial '14 Cracker Jack set (the cards have basically exact duplicates in '15, which I"ve almost completed) and am experiencing bigtime sellers remorse. These are the first cards I have ever sold that I didn't have doubles of, and may be the last. But the offer was beyond stupid, and I had no reasonable way to refuse it.
    It did make my wife think I"m a genius, and she won't question another card purchase for at least 18 months. Every cloud......

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • pandrewspandrews Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭


    << <i>
    It did make my wife think I"m a genius, and she won't question another card purchase for at least 18 months. Every cloud...... >>



    dont regret it, it sounds like you made a wise decision!
    ·p_A·
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>But the offer was beyond stupid, and I had no reasonable way to refuse it.
    It did make my wife think I"m a genius, and she won't question another card purchase for at least 18 months. Every cloud...... >>


    Griff
    I was thinking the same thing as p_A - IMO, some remorse yes, overall ahead of the game? YES!

    I traded in 1992 a NmMt 56T Williams for a NmMt 65T Carlton - would love to have ole Teddy ball back!

    Stone(d) on that trade!

    Mike
  • SDSportsFanSDSportsFan Posts: 5,136 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Heck yeaimage

    Back in 1991, I sold practically my entire collection. It included each card of every HOFer in T206 (except Wagner and Plank) and several other N and T cards including an N28, N162 and N172 Mike Kelly, a T3, T205 and T207 Walter Johnson, T201, T202 and T227 Ty Cobb, N28's of John Clarkson and Tim Keefe and an E90-2 Honus Wagner. If graded, each of them would have graded anywhere from 3 to 5. I also had two 1933 Goudey Ruths and a '33 Gehrig that would have graded a 1 and 2.

    I also had a 1954 Bowman Ted Williams, a 1954 Topps Hank Aaron, every Mickey Mantle card from 1961 to 1969, plus his 1952 and 1953 Bowmans. All of these would have graded at least a 6.

    Then I had 1953 and 1955 Topps baseball complete sets, along with every complete Topps BB set from 1970 through 1987. Add to that, 1960s and 1970s rookie cards of practically every HOFer.

    Keep in mind that this was just before the explosion in (pre-WW2 anyway) card values that basically accompanied the introduction of PSA. The price I got for the cards was a pittance compared to what I could've gotten a couple of years laterimage

    Deep down, I don't really regret selling (most) of the cards. I only regret being in the position where it was necessary. I had recently returned to the states after spending 2 years in Germany with the Air Force and was now stationed in San Antonio TX. Up to that point, I was living in dormitories (didn't have to pay rent or have a car). Round-about that time frame, the Air Force (at least the base I had just arrived at) was making E4's and above move out of the dorms due to a lack of adequate space. So...I needed to rent an apartment and buy a car. That's where selling my collection became necessaryimage

    The only cards I really regret selling were the '54 Bowman Williams, '54 Topps Aaron, T3 Johnson, T227 Cobb and the N cards. I could've probably gotten by just fine selling everything else and keeping these cards.

    I've gotten back into pre-WW2 cards within the past year, and am well on my way to finishing PSA graded sets of T205, T206 and T207 HOFers, and I've been lucky enough to pick up another graded E90-2 Wagner. I've also picked up 3 of the 4 '33 Ruth's and all but the '33 Gehrig #160.

    All-in-all, it's worked out pretty good...but I still have those nagging regrets, and imagine that I always will (at least until I'm able to pick up those cards I really regret unloading) image

    Anyway, sorry for the long-winded reply, but it's actually been kind of cathartic for me.....Thanksimage


    Steve
  • I thought about listing the many cards I regretted selling, but it’s good to ask yourself, "Was it the best decision at that time based on the available information?" And/or "What was the opportunity cost?"

    That said, a 1970-71 Topps Basketball set for $100 comes to mind.
    “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” - George Carlin
  • ScumbiScumbi Posts: 268
    I've never regretted selling off cards. I've always done so because I tend to get too spread out. Sometimes selling a few makes you realize the ones you really appreciate. Also, you can always find a card you've sold again if you really come to miss it. Selling a card can be tough, but collecting is for the long haul and sacrifices are part of the game. I think you'll realize that one card isn't going to make or break your collection. Think of it as a constant evolution. In a few months, you won't even think about it. You have to remember that other things come first ahead of collecting like money for liquor, money for dog fights and hot air balloon rides with supermodels who only go by their first name.

    Be well,

    S.
  • SoFLPhillyFanSoFLPhillyFan Posts: 3,931 ✭✭

    Aside from the boxes of 72-74 Topps baseball that I sold for liquor in the early 90's, my most recent regret is selling a PSA6 59 Mays All Star #563. That was a month ago.

    In the past week I have decided that my first registry set will be the 59s, starting with PSA5 or 6 and upgrading as the budget permits. The wife of course had asked that I not sell the Mays and as usual she is right.

    One other regret is losing the circa 1972 autographed Clemente photo I was able to get as a kid. It disappeared somewhere in the 80s house parties, numerous moves, and the first wife.

    Yes the first wife took the dog too. This was a telling act according to an old friend from Georgia. He says "a woman that will take your dog will cut you." In fear for my own safety, I did not attempt a reconciliation.

    Keith
  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    About 15 years ago, I lost a 1968 Topps Jerry Koosman RC in a poker game......oh yeah, it had that other guy on the card too.
    The card probably would of grade a 6 at best before grading was available. Back then, I had a bunch of friends that played for cards in a poker game instead of money. It was a bi-weekly game. We'd all bring over stacks of cards ranging from $1 - $200. It was a blast. I wouldn't mind having that Ryan back, but there's no regret. It was great fun.
  • MorrellManMorrellMan Posts: 3,240 ✭✭✭
    I sold a lot of high quality stuff in the '80s that would nail big time prices now - don't really regret that because the market was different then. What I do regret is the convergence of three situations in 1984: I had recently retrieved my cards from my father's closet, I noticed Beverly Hills Baseball Card Shoppe for the first time on my walks home down Wilshire Blvd., and I needed dough. I had my cards in a suitcase and I'd never seen a price guide: basically the collection consisted of complete '60, '61 & '62 sets, plus a ton of '64s and '65s in perfect condition. I took the cards to Ken and Matt - Kenny was very polite and professional, he quickly put my '64 Roses into sleeves (I must have had 8 or 9 of them) - he wanted to buy the whole suitcase, but I couldn't part with the '60-'62 sets. I told him he could pick cards out of the '64s and '65s, but leave me at least one of each. He paid me 50% of Beckett - I kept the list for years where I sold mint Maris's and Mantles for $2 or $3 bucks; the highest I got for anything was like $15, and he decided against buying any of the Roses. In all fairness, he didn't rape me; just bruised me a bit....

    Oh well, at least the electricity got paid.
    Mark (amerbbcards)


    "All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
  • BigKidAtHeartBigKidAtHeart Posts: 1,799 ✭✭
    I never regret selling if it goes for BIG BUCKS
    but
    I Always regret selling when it does not make the cash I expect.

    (it is all about the benjamins!)


    Truthfully, I need to sell off a bunch right now
    to get my collection back to it's orginal narrow
    focus, and make it more managable. Right now
    I just have too many different things to collect!
    ~jeff

    imageimage
  • Griff- how long ago did you sell your 14 CJs?! (PM me if it's easier)
    SDSportsfan- great post. I feel your pain... I only wish I was around when you sold off most of your T206s!!

    As for me, I sold off most of my collection about a year ago in order to put together a down payment for the house (my first one) that my wife and I bought recently.

    I had a decent run of PSA 9 Mantles from 1959 through 1965. I had a nice run of rare back HOF T206s, the #1 73 Test issue set for Topps baseball, a near complete 1950 Bowman FB set in PSA 8, and a bunch of other high end cards from my 1950 Bowman baseball set.

    In the past few months I've been able to recoup some nice T206s and have a decent run of PSA 5 1950 Bowman baseball cards so I'm a happy camper.

    Thankfully, I don't have much sellers remorse b/c I sold most of them for a hefty profit and like Griff, my wife thinks I'm a genius when it comes to card buying and selling image
  • SlangNRoxSlangNRox Posts: 774 ✭✭
    I really regret selling all the 1970's (forgot what year) Topps really big and thick cards. I know I had a reggie jackson and Pete rose.
  • ScumbiScumbi Posts: 268
    Backwards Man,

    Mcavoysportscards.com has your missing baby in Nm - Mt. condition. He is a very honest dealer albeit a pricey one too. However, for 400 dollars minus whatever discount he'll give you, you can own your card again.

    Also, noboby better buy this before Backwards gets a chance to decide. If anyone snakes it, I'll be on them with harsh words, mean names and serious poetry.

    Good luck,

    S.
  • estangestang Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭
    I regret selling a 57 Mantle (VG at best) and 57 Mantle/Berra for $20 to a dealer at a show to buy new cards. I also regret selling a bunch of late 70s and early 80s football that I know had multiples of NM/MT and better Montana cards in the late 80s along with some nice 70s basketball.

    Would love to go back in time to some of those great shows in the 80s and early 90s and zoom back in time with my mother on Saturday mornings at the old Flea Market at the Drive In theatre. A guy had a box of cards 4 feet high full of 60s and early 70s he was selling for 1 cent a piece. Guy came up and gave the guy a $100 and I grabbed as much as I could before he took off.

    Enjoy your collection!
    Erik
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