Anyone putting together old sets in bad condition ?

tennesseebanker

I have been wanting to start an early 50's set (51-57) of raw cards. I figured this was the way I rememebered them anyway, and it is a lot easier on the pocketbok. Is anyone attempting this ? If so could you let us know about what kind of prices to expect on raw cards that if graded would be Psa 1 or 2's. And if yo run into a lot of counterfiets. Thanks T-bank

TZAHL

I would like to know too! Someday I am going to start on the 70's....then 60's.....etc.... Going to do raw first.

stown

If you are doing it just for poops and giggles, sure, why not? If you want to later down the road, you can always upgrade..

Just be VERY careful with trimming and counterfeits.

Good luck!

PlayBall

Just check E-Bay's completed auctions to get an idea. I typed in....195* topps lot.....and came up with plenty of hits, including these two.


1953's for under $4 a card

1957's for $4 a pop with some big HOF'ers

ROCKDJRW

I have been working on a good-vg raw 1955 Bowman set for awhile now. I probably have most of the commons and the average cost per card has been about $1.50. It looks great in a binder and is one of my favorite sets. I am also working on a raw 1972 Topps set in EX-Nrmt condition.

fiveniner

My 53 Topps raw was pretty econmical and was able to do quite well on High #s and Single Prints.I paid only $99 for my Mays which was a tad better than a filler.I also paid $1 each for many 55 topps commons which were anywhere from good to vg.I do plan eventually to upgrade several of my sets once my 59 is completed on the Registery>I do not plan at this time to pursue another PSA graded set when this set is completed.

Charlie9

I've been thinking about doing this as well with an early 50's set. Your right...when I think back to when I truly "collected"...I could care less about the condition. In fact, alot of times I thought the card looked better a little beat up because then you knew it had been traded around and been part of alot of collections. I remember as a kid in 1976 trading away about 3000 1976 FB cards (yes, about 8 or 9 Payton rookies included) for a beat up G-VG 1969 Norm Snead card. It was the oldest card in the neighborhood so I had to have it (still have it today). Yeah I could beat myself up about it now but back then I was happy with the deal. I've been thinking about getting away from the "investments" and getting back to the basics with a "Good" conditioned 50's set just to bring more of the "kid" back into collecting. Glad to see other people are doing this as well. Good luck!

spacktrack

I have been together sets from 1951 to 1969 typically paying 15% of HBV or less. You can cards in varying conditions by paying these prices but it really is fun to bargain hunt and pick up large lots, go thru the cards, and trade with other collectors.

Will Hays (sandiegowill on eBay) has a few nice starter lots ending tonight actually where the cards are in EX shape with tiny pencil marks on the back. Some of them are at around 5% of high book so they are incredibly affordable.

tennesseebanker

Some of the things I miss about the old raw cards is to be able to smell them and look through a binder full of them. As soon as I can I am going to start this project, dont know which year yet its probably going to be either 53,54,55,56,57, Topps

tennesseebanker

Hey Spack, Is the OBC an elite group or can someone like me join ?

tennesseebanker

Also, Does anyone ever buy any cards that are graded poor-fair and crack them to put into binders ? I guess at least you would know they were authentic and untrimmed that way.

spacktrack

OBC is open to all. You can just go to oldbaseball.com and fill out a membership application. There is a sort of governing committee that evaluates the application and admits or denies applicants. The main thing about OBC is the idea of RAOK (random acts of kindness). It's sending cards to another member because he or she needs them and you expect nothing back in return. In OBC it seems that what goes around, comes around. I might send you a box of commons and then you send another member a beater Mantle and then he sends me a bunch of cards. I'm less active now then before but getting OBC packages is quite a treat.

spacktrack

And yes, I have heard of OBCers buying cards 'in plastic tombs' and 'liberating' them to put in binders.

Brian48

I have a partial '70-71 Topps Hockey in VG to EX condition. Not sure whether it's worth trying to complete or just throw away. The only two cards worth grading was the Howe and Park rookie (submitted to BVG for 8.5 and 8.0 respectively).

chaz43

No.

scooter729

Anyone else see Charlie9's icon and cringe, thinking someone else who used it might be back???

ArchStanton

That is what makes up the majority of my vintage Pirates collection. They are fantastic in a binder. I also have various baseball sets from 1974-2006 in binders. They are probably the most enjoyable parts of my collection (at least until my wife gives me more room to show off my card collection).

softparade

I don't think I will ever buy a vintage card that is not graded. No matter the condition. Mostly, because I am a mid to late 70's nut and don't have the ambition to learn the INS and OUTS of vintage that I am collecting. Presently I am collecting 1957 Topps cards in well centered PSA 7 condition. 2006 Heritage is the culprit. I LOVE that 57 design ...

Downtown1974

<< <i>Anyone else see Charlie9's icon and cringe, thinking someone else who used it might be back??? >>



What ever happend to him anyhow?


I am building a raw 1961 Topps BB in VG - EX cond. I have enjoyed doing this set. While the card design is not too extravagant, the card stock used in that set is nice and thick.

MorrellMan

I did that with a 1973 set and finished it in no time. I had a huge headstart with lots of '73s that had been thrown in on various purchases from the '80s.

With that in mind, I thought I'd try building a '50s set that way - I started with the '56 Football set, but I just lost interest. I never had cards that crappy even when I was a kid in the '50s, so there was no allure for me to collect them that way now.

JMOE (just my own experience).....

tennesseebanker

Ok, I am going with the 55 Topps Set, I won a few lots tonight and look forward to seeing them. Should be a nice set to acquire in raw mid to low grade, Lots of nice rookies and I had a bunch of these when I was younger(20 to 25 years ago).

RipublicaninMass

this one sold on ebay for a hair over 2k


ended auction 230024433374

originalisbest

It's a nice way to get a "real" set but without spending "real" money. The 55 topps set would be cool. I'm working on '56, '57 and '65 sets, but in a generally higher grade of at least ex.

A761506

Working on a 62 Venezuelan Topps set... I'm thrilled to find G-VG with no back damage. I have about 82/200 and it's going to take a while to get the rest.

tennesseebanker

Im with you guys, I'm in no hurry to complete the set but I am anxious. It will be nice for once to build a set and not worry about SMR or Population Reports or Off-center cards. I will be very happy to build a complete 55 set in Vg -Ex, put it in a binder and look at it for years.

tennesseebanker

I just won about 22 cards tonight on E-bay so I am on my way, Cards were listed as ex to ex+ so they should fit well into my vg to ex range. I am going to try to stay within the $1.50 to $1.75 range for low # commons. The good thing is that this set is one of the smaller 50's sets, however, with rookie cards of Koufax, Clemente, etc. It could add up.

Can someone recommend an off E-bay dealer who may have some nice vg-ex cards at decent prices?

bbne1

Good choice T Bank. The 55's are beautiful. I like the 56's too.

Do they make binder pages for these oversized cards?

NickM

bbne - 8 pocket pages are designed for them.

Most of my raw sets that I'm working on are in widely varying conditions (sometimes P-NM. I've been lucky to pick up a fair amount of non-abused 1958 and 1959 cards for as little as a quarter apiece recently. I recommend considering these sets because of price and availability.

Nick

Ahmanfan

55 is a set I have worked on for about a year now. Its around a VG in shape, thats the average, there are higher and lower grade cards. The low numbers are pretty easy for a buck or a buck fifty apiece, but the high numbers is where it gets tricky. $4, $5 each for barely VG cards is the norm, and possibly costing you more than that. UGH! hard to pay that for commons (at least for me) since I'm not used to graded sets and all that. Clemente and Koufax aren't as killer as you would think... I picked up a g+/vg (centered) clemente for 250 and a poor/good but decent looking koufax for $80. there are just a lot of various players that will cost you $20 and up... banks, williams, mays, clemente, koufax, killebrew, aaron, robinson, snider, but I have gotten most of them for 10% of high beckett price or less (mostly on ebay)
so your really talking about $6, 7000 in book price but have probably spent 8% or 10% of that. Only card I'm lacking in that list is the stupid Killebrew! I can NOT find one I like at the price I like!! He must have a wacky collecting base.
John

TZAHL

What do you guys think of something like this???

1970 Topps

Stone193

TB

I think a few sets like that are fun to do.

I had been working on a 66T in Vg or better condition - haven't touched it in years now.

I need to pick up a few lots and see where I'm at.

I noticed that Davilillo just finished 53 sets in PSA 8 or better - I barely have 53 cards in PSA 8 or better!!!

dranoz

I'm currently working on 1972, 1973 and 1977 Topps in about EX condition. The '72 obviously is a huge set and will be the hardest. The 1973's, well, I was lucky enough to come across a nice lot of the stars (plus the high number checklist - actually thinking of getting it graded and trading down) in NM condition about 15 years ago, so I have been sitting on them - the stars will be in better condition than the cards I'm putting around them. The '77's are the first set I collected as a kid, and has proven rather harder than I thought to get decent quality cards at a reasonble price. I'm not going for better shape because, well, I like to handle the cards and I don't want to feel like I'm degrading really fine examples.

gregmo32

I am working on a 1957 Topps Basketball set in any condition I can find cheap. Also plan to do the 1948 and 1961 Basketballs that way too.
If anyone has a similar interest let me know and we can trade. gregmo32@aol.com

Ahmanfan

tennessee- if you get any doubles let me know. I have maybe 10 or 20 but can't get at them until thanksgiving time.

gregmo- I've been toying with the '61 set in sgc 40-50 grade but they go higher than I want to pay usually.
John

TNP777

<< <i>OBC is open to all. You can just go to oldbaseball.com and fill out a membership application. There is a sort of governing committee that evaluates the application and admits or denies applicants. The main thing about OBC is the idea of RAOK (random acts of kindness). It's sending cards to another member because he or she needs them and you expect nothing back in return. In OBC it seems that what goes around, comes around. I might send you a box of commons and then you send another member a beater Mantle and then he sends me a bunch of cards. I'm less active now then before but getting OBC packages is quite a treat. >>

Brian - good to see you here!

I second anything and everything Brian had to say about OBC. One of the most special group of guys (and a couple gals too!) I have ever belonged to. We have yearly get-togethers around the country - maybe at card shows, or ball games - for the past several years we've gotten together in Vegas just to hang out together. RAOKs are the rule rather than the norm. All of us collect beaters, which flies mostly in the face of most collectors here. Tape, off-center, scuff marks, missing paper - front or back, random writing, round corners, faces drawn on, any kind of damage is welcome. The point is that we collect for the love of collecting. These cards we collect were for the most part owned by someone else at some time. Most of the ones we have were owned by some kid who didn't give a rat's rear about condition or value. At the Anaheim National, my highlight card was this (well, besides the '52 Pafko):



I don't even collect the '58, but when I saw it, I had to have it. The dealer was so surprised, he ended up giving it to me.

At any rate, I totally encourage people to collect an off-grade set. Like T-bank says, they are way easier on the pocketbook.

If anyone wants to know more about OBC, please don't hesitate to ask.

Geordie

TNP777

<< <i> >>

BTW, Valmy Thomas was indeed shot in the streets..

Geordie

GDM67

What a great story. I might have to look for an example of that card, now.

Wondo

Check out this example that sold last week. Less than $4.50 a card.

1956 Topps


Cards are a lot cheaper this way plus they can be handled and you can get a lot more of them.

Also, if you buy cards like this, the downside is really non-existant. I mean a 1956 set will always sell for $1000.

tennesseebanker

Ahman fan, If I get any doubles I will trade you what you and i need for our sets.It may be Thanksgiving before I can get enough to have many doubles, But I look forward to trading with you, Keep in touch.

tennesseebanker

I have been thinking about contacting some OBC members about trading and joining,But I am afraid I would be ostrisized for also collecting Psa cards and sets from the 80's.

jskirwin

<< <i>

<< <i> >>

BTW, Valmy Thomas was indeed shot in the streets..

Geordie >>



What a story. This is one of the reasons why I love the game of baseball.

I too love this card. It's easy to imagine a kid 40 years ago writing on the card, showing his interest in the game and leaving an artifact we can appreciate years later.

It's the same thing with old coins too. I prefer the ones that were handled by hands now long-dead. They become connections to our past, and reminders that someday what and who we touch will eventually outlast us.

TNP777

<< <i>I have been thinking about contacting some OBC members about trading and joining,But I am afraid I would be ostrisized for also collecting Psa cards and sets from the 80's. >>

Naw, just don't talk about the PSA cards a whole lot. It definitely isn't our focus, but I would be very surprised if there weren't several OBCers that have a PSA wing of the collection. Mine are all Brett Butlers, but I'm known for having a wide range of Butler stuff. However, every graded vintage (pre 1980) card I've ever received was immediately liberated so it could reside with its brethren in the binder or box. Keep in mind that I've never received a vintage card that was over a "4" though. Certainly nothing that would mess up the pop report.

As far as newer sets, I would estimate that over half the group dabbles in the shiny stuff. Dubbed as "UV", we have a whole separate email server that deals with that stuff. Lots of guys have complete Topps runs from '51 on up, so it makes sense to keep that line going to the present.

Geordie

originalisbest

Seems like that was a solid deal, wondo. And the seller (Carl) is one of the "good guys" = good to buy from.

royalbrett

I am collecting a raw 1979 OPC set in Ex condition or better.

Ahmanfan

Tennessee: That's fine. it will actually be thanksgiving before I can get at any of my cards as well. good luck, the set is kick-ass!
John