1955 Topps Baseball thread #2 (unofficial)

WinPitcher

The ever popular 55 set can be collected in mid grade form and still present well. While commons are hard to come by in Psa 5 the star cards can be had in 4, 5 and 6 and still present well. Shown below is a Jackie Robinson card purchased raw many years ago (1984) Using my free grades that one gets for joining PSA I had them graded at the Fort Washington show. While I was hoping it was a 5 it did grade a 4. What most thrilled me was that all the cards I had graded that day none were rejected as trimmed. Almost all had been in my collection for (in some cases) 30 years.


Lets see some scans from you other 55 topps collectors.
please keep scans in a reasonable scale
thanks

Slabbed

Slabbed

WinPitcher

Nice card slabbed, i have seen that card go for some serious coin. But now that quality and the rearadmiral both have one i couldn't say what it would go for. Im sure a next generation "got to have it guy" is making the 55 rounds (jellybean?) so it should go strong.


my example is a 6 i think.

RepublicaninMass

I have one six, and an 8 o/c that may grade a 7 of that freese. I especially liked Fogels article on the 55 topps. He says that the delsing, and zauchin are the two most difficult cards in the set. I have yet to see one of the examples with perfect centering. Each in PSA 8 did sell at the last Leland auction, but I was outbid at 2:30am, I ended up winning JOe colamn #162 in an 8. A pretty tough example by itself. My bigest question is, when not to grade. I have a few stars that will be in the PSA 4-5 range and commons in 6,. I dont think I can justify grading to barely make the fees back.

P.s. Is there a way to upload my scans from my hard drive, to keep them at a reasonable size for Winpitcher?

detroitfan2

I'm going to preface this by saying that I've never seen a population report or an SMR, other than a spreadsheet containing the 1955 Topps SMR from earlier this summer which a buddy was kind enough to email me. Therefore, my "value" knowledge is more or less based on traditional price guides. Given that, here's the kind of stuff that surprises me. Each of these is a result from the recent Leland's auction:

1512 1952 Topps #120 Bob Chakales PSA 9 $1,044.31
1513 1952 Topps #197 George Strickland PSA 9 $1,044.31
1514 1952 Topps #210 Dick Fowler PSA 9 $1,148.74
1516 1952 Topps #324 Warren Hacker PSA 9 $1,380.90
1517 1952 Topps #258 Steve Gromek PSA 9 $1,148.74
1518 1952 Topps #268 Bob Lemon PSA 9 $1,139.24
1519 1952 Topps #306 Lou Sleater PSA 9 $1,148.74
1524 1952 Topps #95 Ken Holcombe PSA 9 $863.06
1525 1952 Topps #98 Billy Pierce PSA 9 $1,139.24

1588 1955 Topps #120 Ted Kluszewski PSA 9 $3,452.26
1592 1955 Topps #110 Gus Zernial PSA 9 $2,220.06
1594 1955 Topps #128 Ted Lepcio PSA 9 $1,148.74
1596 1955 Topps #134 Joe Jay PSA 9 $2,462.44
1598 1955 Topps #157 Bob Miller PSA 9 $1,850.06

And so on. Point is, I can't believe 55's are going for more than 52's in PSA 9. Like I said, I'm not aware of population reports, so maybe that explains it, but I just can see spending $500 more for a 55 Bob Miller than for a '52 high number, not to mention $1000 more for a Joe Jay.

Anyway, I love the 55's, I love the PSA 4 JRobby scan. In the near set (PSA 5/6) which I sold in Leland's auction, the JRobby was a 5, and it was the nicest card in the lot.

Happy Holidays everyone!

MorrellMan

Steve, I agree that lower grade stars can present well - I think it has a lot to do with the recognition factor. I completed my '55 set this year with an incredible, raw Clemente rookie that I posted on a thread here about 6 or 7 months ago. I won't hijack your thread by shifting focus to the '56 set with scans, but I'm putting that set together with raw exmt commons and PSA 6 stars. I tried a 5 (Aaron) but the soft corners detracted in my opinion, so I'm sticking with 6's.

jaxxr

Wow !! per Detroitfan2's report, A HOFer from 52 ; Bob Lemon's PSA 9 MINT is worth.....

About 8 bucks LESS than a PSA 9 of Ted Lepcio from 55, and about 700 bucks less than a comparable 55 of the great Bob Miller, and is worth almost 1400 dollars less than the 55 of Joe Jay ???????

One can never predict the market for older sportscards or the corresponding frenzy of avid collectors.

It seems the horizontal sister, the following years 1956 set, is not quite as "Querky" in values as the outstanding 55 Topps.

MorrellMan

<< <i> Bob Lemon's PSA 9 MINT is worth.....About 8 bucks LESS than a PSA 9 of Ted Lepcio from 55, and about 700 bucks less than a comparable 55 of the great Bob Miller, and is worth almost 1400 dollars less than the 55 of Joe Jay ??????? >>



Analyzing 9 snipes is not a true method for determining card values. 9 sniping only proves that anything is worth what someone is willing to pay at any given time.

WinPitcher

56's are welcome here too

MorrellMan

<< <i>56's are welcome here too >>



Well, thanks, Steve.
For me, I prefer the crisper corner of a 6 to a better centered 5:

WinPitcher

P.s. Is there a way to upload my scans from my hard drive, to keep them at a reasonable size for Winpitcher?



lol

Buccaneer

<< <i>Steve, I agree that lower grade stars can present well - I think it has a lot to do with the recognition factor. I completed my '55 set this year with an incredible, raw Clemente rookie that I posted on a thread here about 6 or 7 months ago. I won't hijack your thread by shifting focus to the '56 set with scans, but I'm putting that set together with raw exmt commons and PSA 6 stars. I tried a 5 (Aaron) but the soft corners detracted in my opinion, so I'm sticking with 6's. >>



Mark, to continue the threadjack (sorry Steve, you did say this was "unofficial"), that's exactly the approach I am taking with the '57. I actually started out at raw NM commons but saw that the toning didn't make NM any better looking than EX/MT. That and adding up the prices for stars in PSA 7. Yikes. That's one thing I noticed (perceived?) better about '55 and '56 - whiter borders.

WinPitcher

decent mid grade example of the Duke

Lothar52

as a owner of a 56 topps set i will say that it is very doable in psa 6 and quite gorgeous.........i finished my set early last year....its been a while since i bought a 56 as ive been working on 57 but boy it sure looks nice when its done. i still need the checklists but they are not considered, officially, part of the set as far as I know.

Loth

WinPitcher

jaxxr

Hey you 56 collectors, I need # 35 and # 213 and # 304 in ex or better condition raw to get a set upgraded/finished.

See my post on the trading board as well, pursuant to this matter.