Could I have some help, please

Pharber

I thinking of joining the PSA's Collector's Club.

I'm sure most of you are members. Is it worth it? Would you join again? And, if you did, which membership package would you select?

I began collecting cards for nostaglic reasons (when Topps initiated its Heritage line), not as an investment or anything.

But I have some cards (a neat '58 Mantle and some others) I'd like to have graded and it seems like it would defray the cost of membership. Furthermore, I could get a discount on a Roop binder, too.

Whaddaya think?

jlbsquared

The free submissions and the SMR subscription (and the online pop reports) are more than worth it... You won't regret it.

onefasttalon

COMPLETELY agree with jlb... I have a one-year (gold) membership for now, and plan to renew that same plan at the end of the year. It's only $100, and well worth it!

onlyanumber

I too say it is worth it. I got the gold membership as well both on PSA and PSA/DNA. My six free subs came back relatively quickly, of which I sold off two of the cards which paid for the membership. The SMR and population reports are the key in this whole decision--there isn't a day that I'm not on Ebay without the pop page and/or SMR online opened up. Those resources are incredible. I say go for it and use one or more of your free submissions towards cards that will offset the membership fees.

jskirwin

Agree with the above.
I didn't renew my subscription and miss the monthly SMR (my last one is getting very tattered). If you have six cards to grade, you're set.
Just send me your SMR's when you're done reading them!

Griffins

The pop report is pretty usefull too.
Are they still sending the Smithsonian book with membership? Any one of these would be good reason to sign up.

BTW, Roop is reorganizing, and blowing out binders relatively cheaply. Might be worth checking their site.

raym8

Just renewed my membership about 2 weeks ago. They are still sending out the Smithsonian book with membership. Well worth the $89

BigRedMachine

I'll join in and say I agree too. I've joined three different times now and never regret it.

When you renew, it is only $89 too, not $99.

The Smithsonian book is great for display, the online population report and smr is extremely handy, and let's face it, 6 free grades nearly pays for it anyway.

I don't think you'd regret it.

shawn

halosfan

JS ... I can send you my SMRs on a monthly... I don't have a need to save them.

Pharber

You convinced me. I joined!

Now, although I've been collecting Topps Heritage for the last few years, I'm a relative newbie to all this. I put together the 1957 and 1958 Topps baseball set this spring, for nolstagic reasons. Some are pretty good and I'm thinking of grading them.

First, What sort of guide lines can you offer. How good is good? How perfect should are card be to submit.

Second, the pop numbers. What should I look for there? What's the purpose?

Please excuse my ignorance.

And of course, thanks for helping me make up my mind.

fdnyladder7

I know nothing of this Smithsonian book?.. please, got a scan?

bobbybakeriv

Go out to the main page and then the Submission Center. There are standards for card grading there that should be pretty helpful to you.

BigRedMachine

The book doesn't completely fit in my scanner.

It's a beautiful 280+ page hardback book subtitled "Inside the world's finest private collections"

jimq112

IMHO you want to submit cards that will have a value of at least what you paid for it plus the grading expenses, if it gets one grade less than you think it should get. The exception would be if you're doing a whole set, then you don't care as much about the resale value of that card. It doesn't make sense to buy a card raw for $25 and spend the money getting a PSA5 holder, if it sells for $20 as a PSA5.

The low POP cards generally sell for more if there is interest in the card or the set. A PSA8 of a common 1971 player with a low POP could be worth hundreds of dollars because there may be 9 guys fighting for the same card. A PSA 10 of a 1990 Donruss common player might have a low POP but if there is no demand there is no premium.

Sometimes a low POP card in a nice grade in a popular set could sell for many times SMR value. I have sold a PSA 8 card that booked at $95 for over $600 because it was one of 4 with none higher, likewise I've paid more than SMR for some cards.


When you check the cards you want to submit if you have a good scanner post some scans. These guys are experts and might see something you missed. Also pay close attention for light surface wrinkles. I think everybody here misses them now and then.

Hope that helps a little bit anyway

magellan

Paul, Welcome to the club ! I agree with all the guys on the thread. If you have more questions about grading, ask them here or you can always email/PM me.

Dave