New to selling- need some assistance

Degaf

OK, finally have my childhood collection and need to sell it off. I am looking for some basics as to how to sell everything. Have cards from the 60’s and 70’s mainly. Some questions I have:

- Which cards to you get graded by PSA? I have gone through some of the cards and picked out the good rookies, etc. but then I see on ebay that some “commons” that are graded very high are selling pretty high (a lot of the early 70’s cards are what I would consider mint or near mint). I know I do not know how to grade but corners are sharp, centering good, no creases, etc.
- What price guide do you use? The SMR one? And do you take into consideration the POP report? Or are their others to look at?
- Do most people just sell on Ebay?

My thoughts are to join the collectors club here, send about 20 of the top cards in to be graded, research others and send them in. Again I guess is where do you draw the line as to what cards to be graded and which ones just to sell in lots.
Thank you for your help. Any other suggestions, assistance would be appreciated!

alifaxwa2

I would suggest scanning the top 10-20 and posting pics here so that we can give you suggestions based on the conditions of your cards.

Sean1125

Welcome to the forums. You might want to try the BST on these forums before you actually head to ebay. I'm sure if you've read around all you will see will be complaints.... Ebay is a money hungry company and if you don't do massive amounts of sales with all 5 stars (less than 4.3 is failing) you just get hit with fee after fee.... I'd suggest looking around and trying forums though first. If you do have the money to get some of the better cards graded I would highly suggest it, as the investment can make them many many times higher.

Such as this card right here! Clemente 72 $1500+

bking

<< <i>I would suggest scanning the top 10-20 and posting pics here so that we can give you suggestions based on the conditions of your cards. >>


Agree completely; you'll gte a variance of opinions, but also a good consensus on what they grade as.

Degaf

here are some, have multiples of a lot of them, not the top 20 but some decent ones. Guess I am a little overwhelmed as far as the "marginal" ones, what to grade and what to just sell off "raw" (I think you call it). I need to learn the lingo!

ShootyBabitt

Looking at those cards, I think it would definitely be worth it to get a PSA membership. The big ticket ones (Ryan RC, Clemente, any regular issue Mantles, possible the Seaver RCs) are the ones to get graded. It's hard to tell the condition based on those pictures, but those are cards that are worth getting graded, regardless of condition.

Best of luck and welcome aboard!

ShootyBabitt

One more thing - be sure to temper your expectations as far as the grades go. I think it is a right of passage to be let down on your intial grades.

Degaf

Thanks Shooty. When looking at cards (and their "book value" via some pricing guide), is their a tier or level that makes a card worth grading? I mean I can tell if corners are rounded, or if they are off centered, etc. but if something looks dead mint where do you draw the line for getting it graded? Obviously, it is not cheap to get them graded and don't want or expect top retail dollar, but also dont want to give something away either that by investing $10 could have sold for more.

bking

<< <i>Thanks Shooty. When looking at cards (and their "book value" via some pricing guide), is their a tier or level that makes a card worth grading? I mean I can tell if corners are rounded, or if they are off centered, etc. but if something looks dead mint where do you draw the line for getting it graded? Obviously, it is not cheap to get them graded and don't want or expect top retail dollar, but also dont want to give something away either that by investing $10 could have sold for more. >>



You're on the right track. You have to look at each card, assess the grade honestly (and perhaps a little pessimistically) and then see what THAT card in THAT grade are selling for. If it isn't selling for at least the cost of grading (with postage, etc thrown in), then don't grade it. For me, the cutoff is around 2x-3x grading.

smtjoy

I would join PSA and then just use the free vouchers on your first sub, the 5 cards you show are a good start. Add a few more esp a card or two that you think are mint because in all likelyhood they will come back much lower but you will learn from the experience of how grading works. Once you get the cards back with the grades I would invest in a 1 day VCP membership ( http://www.vintagecardprices.com/index.php ) so you can see what the same cards have sold for on ebay recently, you can use that pricing to sell them on the bst here or just list them on ebay. Either way as long as you get near VCP ave you are getting the most for your cards.

Good luck

Degaf

Hope these pics are better, again these are just the ones on top of the pile!

fattymacs

I would say the membership is well worth your money.

Clemente, Jackson, Ryan, Bench, Feller and the best Seaver Rookie should be graded and possibly the Mantle and "super stars" card

Sean1125

To be brutally honest with you, with the amount of fake cards popping up today I would personally get each one graded... Regardless of low grades or high grades it prevents (from when you sell them) someone going, sent the card in - it's fake... And you have issues... Where I live I know there are multiple people constantly throwing adds on craigslist, then deleting them real quick after the stuff is sold- that's why you only see me deal with newer stuff, graded stuff, and memorabilia.

Downtown1974

I agree with everyone, but personally I would have all 3 Seavers graded, even the lower end ones.
Oh and welcome to the boards!

CollectorAtWork

I would say grade the card if you think it will sell for $100 or more. Between $50-100, think about it. Under $50, do not grade. If you sell via ebay, hopefully you'll have enough feedback there where people will trust you. You an also sell on BST here or other boards.

storm888

Study the PSA grading standards.

Join the CC and send in your VERY best cards with the free
vouchers. If your grading abilities are thusly confirmed, send
in more cards.

Look at VCP to help determine which cards are "worth" grading.

If you are new to EBAY/PayPal, study past posts on these boards
to learn the tips/tricks/traps.

mcolney1

Nice cards. Now the reality.

Take the Seaver rookies. I think the highest grade you'll get is a PSA 4. Now VCP average is $250.00 so its definitely worth your while to get them graded. Even a low feedback ebay seller should get close to VCP as long as the auction is presented well.

Might want to list some lesser star lots and commons raw on ebay to build up your Feedback and then swoop in with the higher valued cards.

Good luck,

Tony

Brick

Hi, hello, how are ya?
Nice well loved cards.

Degaf

Thanks to everyone for their help, I have joined the collectors club and will start working on everything. (btw, I have a 4100 feedback on ebay in 15 years).

Thanks again!

Degaf

Thanks again, I appreciate your insights and help!

WinPitcher

With your membership vouchers send in the Mantle, Ryan,Seaver, and Clemente rookies.

Cards that are worth the most.

That way you get them back quick.

Good luck!


And WELCOME to the forums.


Steve

Toro

I'm assuming you have many cards. To answer your questions regarding what commons to get graded. Look at the population reports and see what is "Low pop" in PSA 10 and PSA 9 for each year. Make that list and then see what you have. As far as what you're showing, let me know what you want for the Clemente and Carew once they are graded. I'd like first dibs at those two.