How much would a 1955 Topps Baseball set in PSA 5 or better
kingraider75
Posts: 1,500 ✭✭
anyone have a good idea based on trying to build it?
Running an Ebay store sure takes a lot more time than a person would think!
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<< <i>anyone have a good idea based on trying to build it? >>
From my experience, 5 and 6's are pretty easy to pick up at 1/2 book. So you are talking about $2,500 to $4,500 for a 5/6 set. The tough part is that you will not have any problem finding the stars in 5 condition, but you may be forced to buy commons that are 7's, just to compelete the set. Common 7's usually go for about 65% of book. I actually quite putting together my 55 set. Paying $20 to $30 per common (NM) is not fun for me at all.
Previously, I put together a 1955 near set that contained 104 PSA 5's (including the Clemente and Koufax) and 77 PSA 6's. I tracked every cent I paid. At the time, I had no access to the SMR, so I used high beckett values (from the old "vingate" beckett magazine which no longer exists but which listed many more individual cards than the normal monthly baseball beckett). Pricing each single individually and summing them, the Hi beckett value for a 1955 set was $10,170. The overall hi value for the PSA 5 cards I had was $6462, the amount I paid for these cards was $2314.47, or 36% of hi book. The overall hi value for the PSA 6 cards I had was $2496, the amount I paid was $1525.34, or 61% of high book. Had I finished that set (25 cards short), the projected cost was $4360, with a projected grade of 5.28 for the set. In total, I had $3840 into the set. It sold at a Leland's auction in December, 2004 for roughly $4800 (not counting the 17.5 % hammer fee).
For my current sets, the PSA 4's have cost me 27% of high book, the PSA 5's have cost 34% of high book, and the PSA 6's have cost 61% of high book. These numbers are a bit deceiving, because for the most part my PSA 6's are commons (hi book of $12 each), while the PSA 4's contain a number of stars, which tend to do better % wise of high book. For example, a PSA 6 common at $9 is an excellent buy, but it's 75% of high book. A PSA 6 Clemente can be had for $1000, which is 50% of high book (he lists for $2000).
A good challenge is to find PSA 6's for under $10 per card. That is actually 50% of SMR.
With all due respect to the previous posters:
#1, you MIGHT be able to put together a PSA 5 set in the $4000 range, you'd be a miracle worker if you could do it for less. $2500 is out of the question.
#2, there is absolutely no way you will be ahead having the cards graded yourself. PSA 5 commons routinely sell for less than $6 (including shipping), and I've bought a number of PSA 6 commons for under $10. Every PSA 5 common sold is at a loss to the seller. When you add the price of the grading, shipping both directions, plus whatever you pay for the card, you can't come out ahead. Don't forget, PSA 5/6 cards are Near Mint to your local card show dealer. The same is true for stars, maybe even more so. I just shake my head when I see what people pay for raw stars when they can get a PSA 5 or 6 graded card for the same price many times. As lowstartmick says, a PSA 5 / 6 graded card is a very sweet card indeed and for my money, a great bargain.
Sorry for the long post. If you're asking because you want to start a set, good luck to you. It's an awesome set!
Peace,
Tom (detroitfan2)
<< <i>
With all due respect to the previous posters:
#1, you MIGHT be able to put together a PSA 5 set in the $4000 range, you'd be a miracle worker if you could do it for less. $2500 is out of the question.
Peace,
Tom (detroitfan2) >>
The full SMR for a PSA 5 set is $5,681. A 50%-60% SMR window would be ~ $2,800-$3,400. I do not think that is out of the question.
Building the set for less than 4k might be tough to do, but maybe I can attempt to do it.
Besides Clemente, Koufax, Williams, and the other top star are there any 2nd level stars that are tough to find?
<< <i>
Besides Clemente, Koufax, Williams, and the other top star are there any 2nd level stars that are tough to find? >>
The Snider can be tough to find in nicely centered PSA 5.
If you can get around 180 of the commons in psa 5 without putting more than 10 bucks into each of them you should be able to stay in the 3500-4000 range. Keep in mind, you won't come across the competition that comes into play with the higher grade commons that have low population numbers. If you take your time you should have no problem picking up cheap ex grade commons in bulk. The high number series cards are not that tough as none are short printed.
If you buy them in lots you can select the ones you like and put the other's aside, when it comes time that you have 100 raw cards ready to submit you can sell the dupes that you've accumulated to off set the 600 dollar and change grading cost.
Try stay away from raw stars, they tend to be overgraded or altered. In many cases this is why they are not already slabbed. You will lose $ by picking up a beat card.
If you put 8-10 bucks per into 180 cards for another 2k or so you should have no problem getting the Williams, AAron , Robinson, Koufax, Clemente, Mays, Berra and Snider as well as most of the lesser stars like Kaline, Banks, Spahn etc.
I honestly think the range would be more like $3,400 - $4,000. I'm pretty much the cheapest guy I know (and patient because I'm cheap), so I pick up a lot of good buys, and I just don't think it can be done for less than that.
The Clemente and Koufax SMR in PSA 5 for $1000 combined. You'd have to be VERY patient to get this pair for less than $900, and I'd say you may not ever do it. So even if you somehow found the rest of the set at 50% of SMR, and this pair of rookies for $900, you're already be at $3200. Also, the Killebrew, Aaron, and Mays are difficult to find anywhere near 50% of SMR.
All discussions aside kingraider, I think you will be VERY satisfied with the eye appeal and value of a PSA 5 graded 1955 set.
<< <i>
The Clemente and Koufax SMR in PSA 5 for $1000 combined. You'd have to be VERY patient to get this pair for less than $900, and I'd say you may not ever do it. Also, the Killebrew, Aaron, and Mays are difficult to find anywhere near 50% of SMR.
eBay Actual Results:Clemente PSA 5 (SMR = $675):
02/02/06: $511
03/05/06: $545.55
03/07/06: $567.88
eBay Actual Results: Koufax PSA 5 (SMR = $325)
02/17/06: $243.50
12/18/05: $249.00
12/17/05: $255.00
As far as "never" is concerned, here are three examples of recent combinations that could actually result in the combo for closer to $750, let alone $900. These two cards do sell regularly at the highest percentage of SMR (75%-80%) than any other cards in the set.
02/02/06: $511
03/05/06: $545.55
03/07/06: $567.88
eBay Actual Results: Koufax PSA 5 (SMR = $325)
02/17/06: $243.50
12/18/05: $249.00
12/17/05: $255.00
As far as "never" is concerned, here are three examples of recent combinations that could actually result in the combo for closer to $750, let alone $900. These two cards do sell regularly at the highest percentage of SMR (75%-80%) than any other cards in the set.
I stand corrected, although I would absolutely love to see the links to those auctions, especially the Clemente that went for $511. I guarantee you that one would not fit nicely into a PSA 5 set, it more than likely is way off-centered.
If anyone has a PSA 5 Clemente and a PSA 5 Koufax that they want to sell for $750 combined (including shipping), I'll take 2 of each.
If graded out the set would grade at 5.00 plus
.
My opinion? 4k or better to do this set in true ex 5/ exmnt 6 . That is nice centered honest wear cards. That really averages out to 20.00 per card. The hi numbers in ex/mnt routinely sell for above smr. (or at least they do when I want them).
The problem with using completed auctions as gospel is the mere fact that one more bid (your own) does drive the price up. So to say that a card that SMR's for 300.00 could have been bought for 225.00 on a specific day can be misleading. One does not know the hi bid the winner had and like I say your own bid would drive it up.
Expect to pay a premium for Dodger and Yankees too. (yes even in 5 or 6 they command premiums). It is a wonderful set. Centering can drive you crazy though.
Card 1 is also a tuffie.
Can a set be bought for under 4k? probably. Can one be BUILT for under that? IMO NO Shipping is another factor lost in the equation. Plan on spending at least 4 to 600.00 on shipping alone.
Steve
remm besides Clemente and Koufax you have Killebrew, Aaron, Banks, Snider, Rizzuto, Williams, mathews, Robinson, Berra, kaline etc etc. these cards always get action.
Steve
Also, are you currently working on a 1955 set?
Thanks,
Tom (detroitfan2)
<< <i>FYS, thanks for the link, that's not a bad Clemente at all for that price. Off-topic, but how did you get that link? My completed listings don't go back far enough to show that card.
Also, are you currently working on a 1955 set?
Thanks,
Tom (detroitfan2) >>
If you keep auctions in your watch list, you can track for about 3 months.
I recently stoped working on the 55 set. I have about 16% graded SGC, 3% PSA, 2% GAI and 35% raw and plan to sell the whole thing. I have made a decision to do something very stupid, which I was going to do about a year ago and talked myself out of it. The more sensible plan I made about a year ago was to make a 55T set. I have found that I do not enjoy buying already slabbed cards and I have a hard time getting into the set, as I did not collect it as a youngster. The idiotic decision I have now made is to complete an 1980 T set (my first) in Mint condition with 100% of my own submissions, which I wish I would have done a year ago.
Nothing idiotic about that, good luck.
Steve
<< <i> The idiotic decision I have now made is to complete an 1980 T
Nothing idiotic about that, good luck.
Steve >>
It is financially idotic. Buy the pure pleasure will be worth the expense. I think softparde has a tagline that says popular opinion is that I collect modern worthless junk. I guess I might have to add this to my tagline.
those prices listed for koufax in 5 seem awfully low.
they usually top 300.00+
This one ended 2 weeks ago
Steve
I do see that many have sold recently for 10.00 to 15.00 but those are the true commons in the set. The HOF cards is where the dough will be spent. Semi stars command a lil premium as well
King try and do the set in 5 and 6 and average it out for 20.00 a card and you will have done good. IMO of course.
Be picky
Steve
I shall attempt to build the set and see what happens.
Now seems to be a decent time to be buying the commons. I did a completed search and saw many a 5 go for between 8 and 12.00 Try and buy as many from 1 source to keep shipping down. Do not though buy OC cards that lack eye appeal. BE PICKY!
Good luck it is a sweet set.
Steve
also are you aware that card 106 has 3 varietys?
<< <i>I would by some star cards first to help get motivated for the commons. need some hof'ers around to look at. >>
I agree. I got about $1,300 into the set with NM, NM+ and NM/MT commons and just lost complete interest. I feel if I would have started out with a couple of HOF'ers I may have stayed the course.
Hi markmac,
Here's a few threads which have discussed this topic previously:
1955 Missing Cards 1
1955 Missing Cards 2
#33 Tom Qualters PSA 7
#46 Ted Kazanski PSA 7
#71 Ruben Gomez PSA 7
#112 Nelson King PSA 7
#122 Carl Sawatski PSA 7
#138 Ray Herbert PSA 8
#174 Rudy Minarcin PSA 7
First decent offer gets the cards.
Good luck - beautiful set.
John
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
Nice Clemente John I remm when you got it.
Steve
True Ex/Mnt cards can't be beat.
Steve