<< <i>Henry, what I want to know is when you are going to make another pact with God so ebay prices can retreat on minis again, LOL.. >>
Haha Tim, I have been on a 1 year pent-up buying spree. I figure, now we'll see some nice cards begin to pop up on the bay with the money being thrown around. Did you see the ended Aaron psa8 (full) auction where I got beat out at 122.00? Nice. That card is notorious for being short and the number of 8s and 9s graded over the past 5 years has been VERY small. Therefore, a legit Aaron 660 is under-valued IMO. However, just watch - we'll be seeing some really ugly examples start showing up on ebay which will reduce the VCP back down until another nice one pops up >>
You beat me out on the Palmer PSA 9 today~that was a nice one.
I pulled an Aaron #660 from a GAI graded wax pack about 7-8 years ago that graded PSA 9 and is still in my set~a beautiful card, and I always have a strong affinity for the self-submitted ones. I've also pulled several 8s from packs~I believe I still have the 8 I pulled from a mini cello pack (IIRC), but sold the others.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Sorry Tim The Palmer in a legit 9 has been one of my no-holds-barred pursuits! I had to destroy 3 short 9s in the first wave 10623376; 30782244; 10614594 which left me with 1 (not very strong) full 9...last month I nailed a 399.00 BIN Palmer from 4SC 10 minutes after it went up for auction - it is as close to a 10 as I have seen! Beautiful card, perfectly centered, and worthy of review. This one was just too nice to pass up. To be honest, for the reasons we have just discussed I feel that Mini star cards have been severely undervalued for many years. I should have been much more aggressive on them in the past.
Edit: I checked my chart...there were 18 9s before Conlon's auction and only 19 today (the 3 destroyed reflected). Of course, many of those original 18 were obvious cuts. The cert to watch for starts with 1062...there was a string of many cut Palmers that made it through. In fact, of the 19 that currently exist; my chart shows at least 7 certs to be obvious shorts so the number of legit 9 Palmers is actually VERY small.
I fully agree with the 80mm threshold. When the card gets to 79.5 or 79 it becomes plainly obvious that it is short.
Since I've been collecting Mini's starting in 2008, I've targeted cards that are at least 80 mm; I never really concerned myself with cards that were a few tenths of a mm less than that as long as I felt they were legitimately from the factory. But going forward, for the sake of keeping it simple and fun when collecting the set, I'm holding myself strictly to the 80 mm threshold for all Mini's, and not even a hair less. It just gets too complicated when a card is even a hair below 80 mm, and the fun goes away for me.
Getting back to the fun part of collecting Mini's, I have a promising (small) sub of them that just logged yesterday, including a Cliff Johnson and John Montague that have outside chances at 8's. They are full size, so I'll be happy even with 7's on them both. Any more, just finding them full size is a challenge in and of itself. Because of this, I pick up any full sized raw red/yellows and green/yellows when I see them, as long as the PD doesn't detract too much from their visual appeal. I also picked up some nice raw over the last month or so. When I get a chance, I'll post some scans.
Hey guys- I had some quick poppage on my recent mini sub. I had posted scans of several of these cards a few weeks back to solicit opinions. Mixed results this time. I was right on with my expectations around the majority of the cards, but surprised on the low side by several including the Aaron and Johnson which I was hoping for a 9 and 8, respectively. I actually thought I had a couple of 10s in here, but alas they came back 9s. The big surprise (on the upside) was the Blyleven coming in at a 9. This card is ridiculously tough even in a 8. Will post a scan once I get the card back.
Several nice upgrades for my set in here, so that along with the Blyleven makes me a happy camper. I might try to resub the Aaron and Johnson at some point to get them to bump.
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 660 Hank Aaron NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 660 Hank Aaron NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 300 Reggie Jackson NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 300 Reggie Jackson MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 623 Rookie Infielders MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 185 Steve Carlton NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 223 Robin Yount NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 90 Rusty Staub NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 131 Toby Harrah NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 80 Carlton Fisk NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 500 Nolan Ryan MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 475 Darrell Evans MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 344 Ben Oglivie NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 343 Danny Frisella NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 465 World Series Game 5 NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 157 Pedro Borbon MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 617 Rookie Infielders NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 238 Dave Duncan NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 650 Dave May NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 317 Joe Lahoud NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 136 Jim Mason NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 143 Cliff Johnson NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 339 Jim Fregosi NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 371 Gates Brown NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 512 Larry Milbourne NEAR MINT-MINT 8 OC 1975 Topps Mini 228 George Brett MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 30 Bert Blyleven
Seriously nice poppage Ryan! You are definitely on a role...that Hernandez rookie in a 9 is actually harder to get than people realize - legit population is pretty low. Also, the Fregosi in an 8 is hard if it is full. Congrats on the Blyleven; I believe all the nice 9s are locked up in sets
Congrats on the Blyleven! I've pulled several 8s over the years but never a 9. Was it bought raw or pulled from a pack?
The Aaron and Johnson grades were on target imo, though I thought the Aaron might have had an outside shot at an 8.5. The Johnson probably would have graded an 8 if not for the PD at top.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Congrats Ryan! That is an awesome sub considering the difficulty of those examples. Two Aaron 660 8's, Keith Hernandez 9, a Yount 8, two Reggie 8's, a Darrel Evans 9, a Fregosi 8, and a Harrah 8: those are ALL tough 8+ cards. That has to feel good.
Regardless of the grade on that 143 Johnson, that is one of the nicest, full sized examples I've seen in awhile. When you get it back, please post a scan of it in the holder.
On a whim, I decided a few minutes ago to check my latest sub which logged the day before last. I thought no way it's done already, but to my surprise, it popped! Here they are, and I'm just totally pumped!!! They are ALL at least 80 mm:
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 25 Lee May NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 37 Dave Freisleben NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 74 Mark Belanger NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 143 Cliff Johnson NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 173 Steve Rogers MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 197 1959-MVP's N.Fox/E.Banks NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 275 Paul Blair NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 317 Joe Lahoud NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 405 John Montague NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 442 Maximino Leon
I'm really excited about the May #25 and Rogers #173. Most Rogers I've seen lately have been a tad short of 80 mm, but this one is right at it if not a hair above. Interestingly, I was just outbid on a nice one about a week ago, so I'm feeling much better now.
Lots of quick mini poppage! I'm going to have to bust another pack or two and get my sub in quick!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Nice Nick, That Lee #25 psa 9 is nice, I need it in an 8 - put that bad boy up for auction! I agree that two PSA 8 Aarons is cause for celebration; there are so many shorties of that card floating around and the same damn ugly certs keep coming up for auction
Thanks guys. Tim- all these cards except the Blyleven were pulled from packs. The Bert was a part of a raw set I picked up a while back. Nice pop Nick! Love seeing the fast poppage on the same day as mine!
I'm actually in the process of listing a bunch of the dupes that I've either upgraded or have another version of. Lots of low pop 8s and HOFers. Will start all the auctions at $.99. Should be fun to watch. Check out the auctions.
For those that PMed me, I'll respond as soon as I get the cards back from PSA, hopefully this Saturday. The cards that don't upgrade my set are available.
Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long.
<< <i>Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long. >>
I remember those well, Jim! Was an awesome box, that one, and I pulled many 9s and 10s, including 3-4 PSA 9 #459s and 2 PSA 10 #461s, one of which I still have in my set. At the time I popped that first 10 #461, it was a pop 2. Now a pop 5.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long. >>
I remember those well, Jim! Was an awesome box, that one, and I pulled many 9s and 10s, including 3-4 PSA 9 #459s and 2 PSA 10 #461s, one of which I still have in my set. At the time I popped that first 10 #461, it was a pop 2. Now a pop 5. >>
Ah yes Jim, I remember that now! I believe we talked about that run a while back in this thread or the old one. Jim do you still have that unopened case? What are your plans with it?
<< <i>Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long. >>
I remember those well, Jim! Was an awesome box, that one, and I pulled many 9s and 10s, including 3-4 PSA 9 #459s and 2 PSA 10 #461s, one of which I still have in my set. At the time I popped that first 10 #461, it was a pop 2. Now a pop 5. >>
sorry internet issues: Yes Jim I remember that now, thanks! I believe we discussed this run sometime back in this thread or the old one Do you still have that unopened case? Any plans for it?
The cherry packs that I pulled the PSA 10 #461s and the PSA 9 #459s was from from a board member who broke a couple boxes here on CU a few years ago. I had also taken a chance on a raw box on ebay back then which I won for $800, which was a great price even then~the gamble paid off as the box yielded quite a few gems.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I do. It was always my intention to hold long haul, but with the appreciate the last few years, I have noodled on moving it. At one time I was considering having steve wrap the boxes as fasc, but I think actual sealed cases are going to be the scarcer item in the end. I have to say when the board bought the case last year at 48k in a hurry, part of me said I wish that had been mine...lol, as did my wife who longs for a new kitchen.
<< <i>I do. It was always my intention to hold long haul, but with the appreciate the last few years, I have noodled on moving it. At one time I was considering having steve wrap the boxes as fasc, but I think actual sealed cases are going to be the scarcer item in the end. I have to say when the board bought the case last year at 48k in a hurry, part of me said I wish that had been mine...lol, as did my wife who longs for a new kitchen. >>
A kitchen?? Those aren't rare, Jim. Sealed 75 mini cases~now THAT'S rare! LOL!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I caved in and busted a couple of GAI graded mini packs tonight~I must say that opening 75 mini wax is a truly intoxicating experience~I know why I don't do it often, as my stack of mini wax would deplete rather rapidly if I did, LOL...even now, I'm thinking, "maybe just one more pack.." It's maddening!
Anyway, pulled a few more cards to go in with my next sub, including these two~the Brye is a deceptively tough card and one I need for my set.
Also pulled a full-sized mint Twitchell, but it is cut a bit weird.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Got the latest sub back from PSA today and wanted to share a few scans. With the tilt on the Blyleven, I'm surprised it graded a 9, but I'll take it. Still baffled at the Cliff Johnson. This might be a crack out and resub candidate.
Enjoy!
edit: i noticed the Blyleven was tilted in the holder. Straightened it out and uploaded a better scan.
The Johnson does look nicer in the holder than it did in your raw pic~definitely could see that card in a NM-MT holder.
You got a gift on that Blyleven, LOL! Nice to get a break now and then after all the cards more toughly graded..
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Considering how difficult the Blyleven is, not surprising at all that it graded PSA 9 NQ'er. This card is found with a thin lower end 95+% of the time. Compared to the rest, this is very well centered, even with the slight tilt. Great find Ryan.....I wouldn't undermine how this card looks, it's an extremely rare card with anything close to good centering! This a keeper and worth plenty
Regarding the Johnson, I'm afraid the flaws on the card will keep it at 7 or less. No doubt it is well centered. This is a prime example of how hard the Mini's can be to grade 8,9 or better. Minor flaws that can been seen under magnification by graders, not so much by just looking at the card in the scan here. Though the yellow squiggly lines at the top are hard to miss. The top of the holder does shade them a bit. Keep it as one of your most liked 7's and save your money on the resubmission.
Nice Hernandez! Always cool to get a star card in 9 or better
This card is found with a thin lower end 95+% of the time. Compared to the rest, this is very well centered, even with the slight tilt.
I'd agree with your general premise, MM, in that PSA doesn't typically downgrade for the tilt, though it is one of the things that jumps out at you when looking at a card. It's still a very sharp card~I'd just prefer an 8 with no tilt over a 9 with the tilt, personally. I've seen many red/yellow cards with the yellowing crazing on top grade straight 8 on numerous occasions, and while the 7 is not a harsh grade, the Johnson, with its strong centering, has at least a decent chance to bump to an 8 on a good day, imo.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I've seen many red/yellow cards with the yellowing crazing on top grade straight 8 on numerous occasions, and while the 7 is not a harsh grade, the Johnson, with its strong centering, has at least a decent chance to bump to an 8 on a good day, imo
I agree that there have been many cards with the yellow lines gifted grades of 8 or better. 2 of the PSA 9 Gibson out there have obvious yellow lines across top of the card, and I don't mean the yellow edge line found most commonly on Stanley, Taveras, to name a couple. We're talking about the lines like the C. Johnson card. In my opinion it is these cards that should be receiving PD qualifiers and or a PSA 7 nq'er grade at best if the lines are obvious. That opens the door to "what is obvious", and thus why we have cards out there with what appears to be obvious yellow lines through the red on an occasional PSA 8 and less often on PSA 9's. Graders opinions vary,, and that's o.k. We as collectors can pick and choose what we find acceptable to us. I think the C. Johnson card had a few other problems (which I mentioned earlier in this thread) than just the yellow lines and for that reason I don't see it grading better than PSA 7.
Regarding the Blyleven. I'm in agreement that a diamond cut or heavy tilt definitely hinders eye appeal a great deal. I'm just saying that this Blyleven example doesn't reach that level of tilt that bothers me at all. In fact, knowing the history of this card, I can easily allow the slight tilt as a non factor. That's one of the many great things about the Mini's. If you really get to know the nuances of the set and many of it's individual cards, there are many stories that unfold and can be discussed, sometimes at great length.
I think we are on the same page on tilt, "just a bit outside" on what we each find acceptable. Nothing wrong with that!
Ripped a couple of packs tonight that I picked up recently and pulled a couple of nice ones. The Ryan has a slight touch on the top right and is centered a tad high, but I'm thinking it's an 8. The Twitchell has great color and print, but the centering will likely keep it from being an 8.
Very nice pulls, Ryan! You've had the magic tough of late!
I would grade Ryan in 7/8 range and Twitchell as a 7+.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Ryan and Tim: Those are awesome raw Mini's you both pulled. The color and condition are very nice. Thanks for sharing the scans.
On that Johnson 143, barring some sort of slight surface issue that I can't see in the scans, I'm guessing it received a 7 because of the faint stray yellow lines above "Astros" as well as the broken black outline of "Astros." I think these PD issues are very minor and that the degree to which these issues affect the grade of the card is subject to the mood of the grader on any given day. For that reason, if it were me, I would crack it out and try subbing it again.
That Johnson card reminds of the Driessen I submitted and shared with scans in this thread a little over a year ago. The first time, it received a 7, and then I cracked it out and subbed it again three or four months later, and it received an 8. Same card, same slight PD, but different day.
<< <i>Very nice pulls, Ryan! You've had the magic tough of late!
>>
You guys don't see the crap that I end up pulling the majority of the time. I've had several packs yield nothing worth grading. You all only get the highlights.
<< <i>Very nice pulls, Ryan! You've had the magic tough of late!
>>
You guys don't see the crap that I end up pulling the majority of the time. I've had several packs yield nothing worth grading. You all only get the highlights. >>
LOL, gamblers never talk about the losses~just the big wins, Ryan!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Opening minis is like an underdog boxer with a good right fighting the champ. You are likely to lose, but you have a "punchers" chance and occasionally get your licks in.
<< <i>Opening minis is like an underdog boxer with a good right fighting the champ. You are likely to lose, but you have a "punchers" chance and occasionally get your licks in. >>
Yes, indeed, Jim!
My sub was received today at PSA, and includes 40 minis~hoping for quick and pleasing poppage!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Strong prices on the red/yellow minis! Was curious to see the results on the Gullett, Milbourne and Carroll cards. Was surprised to see the Gullett hit three digit territory given the pronounced tilt.
I think, on the right day, that Milbourne could bump a full grade, it looks so much better than an 8 in the holder.
Strong prices on the red/yellow minis! Was curious to see the results on the Gullett, Milbourne and Carroll cards. Was surprised to see the Gullett hit three digit territory given the pronounced tilt.
I think, on the right day, that Milbourne could bump a full grade, it looks so much better than an 8 in the holder.
Nice work!
Dave >>
Thanks Dave. I'm very pleased with how the auctions turned out. Lots of bids and wins from folks on this forum which was nice to see. The Gullett and Milbourne were part of the raw set I purchased in November of last year. That set ended up being a great buy.
Hello all, I posted on the B/S/T board but got no responses, so I'll repost here...
Looking to buy / trade for the following in PSA 8 or better, maybe raw, to complete the set; then I'll start work on upgrading 7's. LMK your want list or asking price. Thanks!
#5 ’74 highlights - Ryan #12 David Clyde #23 Bill Russell #53 Dave Guisti #130 Phil Niekro #180 Joe Morgan #216 Giants team #245 Mickey Lolich #259 Len Randle #260 Johnny Bench #307 Home Run Leaders #562 Gary Nolan #616 Rookie Outfielders
Those 75 mini collectors who also collect unopened product know how difficult it is to find 75 mini racks, as they are much scarcer than their full-sized counterparts. I was very pleased to pick this one up, which originated from the Conlon hoard when it was auctioned off by REA several years ago. Of all the cases of mini wax and even a few mini cello, there were only 3 mini racks, including this one. You can't see it in the pic, but a Brooks Robinson is nestled inside the header section. Interestingly enough, Topps used regular-sized packaging and cellophane to package both mini racks and cello packs.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Nice rack Tim! That's the one Tony was selling, right? Very nice pickup.
I've got another sub of minis I'm putting together to send off to PSA late next week. I've heard the $5.50 special will be making an appearance again in April. Hoping for some more 9s.
<< <i>Nice rack Tim! That's the one Tony was selling, right? Very nice pickup.
I've got another sub of minis I'm putting together to send off to PSA late next week. I've heard the $5.50 special will be making an appearance again in April. Hoping for some more 9s. >>
Thanks, Ryan~yes, that is the one.
That is great news about the $5.50 special possibly coming back~I held back some cards from the sub I sent in last week, hoping the price would be lower soon. $5.50 is a very good price indeed!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I sent in 4 cards under the January special for review. They finally popped today. Very pleased with the two bumps. All were PSA 8 before.
1 1 20286960 NEAR MINT-MINT+ 8.5 1975 Topps Mini 65 Don Gullett Card 2 1 22990608 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 481 Will McEnaney Card 3 1 22990606 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 339 Jim Fregosi Card 4 1 23646730 NEAR MINT-MINT+ 8.5 1975 Topps Mini 228 George Brett Card
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Those 75 mini collectors who also collect unopened product know how difficult it is to find 75 mini racks, as they are much scarcer than their full-sized counterparts. I was very pleased to pick this one up, which originated from the Conlon hoard when it was auctioned off by REA several years ago. Of all the cases of mini wax and even a few mini cello, there were only 3 mini racks, including this one. You can't see it in the pic, but a Brooks Robinson is nestled inside the header section. Interestingly enough, Topps used regular-sized packaging and cellophane to package both mini racks and cello packs.
>>
I checked Vegas and they have it over/under 150 days that Tim breaks that rack! I bet the under
I hope you are wrong. That's a work of art that's meant to stay sealed. I hope......
Unrelated, I need Bobby Valentine, Mike Tyson, and Tom Seaver to complete my raw set. I will buy nice 7's or 8's if available and are nice centering/corners/with no print circles. Keep me posted so I can put this baby to bed.
Comments
<< <i>
<< <i>Henry, what I want to know is when you are going to make another pact with God so ebay prices can retreat on minis again, LOL..
However, just watch - we'll be seeing some really ugly examples start showing up on ebay which will reduce the VCP back down until another nice one pops up
You beat me out on the Palmer PSA 9 today~that was a nice one.
I pulled an Aaron #660 from a GAI graded wax pack about 7-8 years ago that graded PSA 9 and is still in my set~a beautiful card, and I always have a strong affinity for the self-submitted ones. I've also pulled several 8s from packs~I believe I still have the 8 I pulled from a mini cello pack (IIRC), but sold the others.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Edit: I checked my chart...there were 18 9s before Conlon's auction and only 19 today (the 3 destroyed reflected). Of course, many of those original 18 were obvious cuts. The cert to watch for starts with 1062...there was a string of many cut Palmers that made it through. In fact, of the 19 that currently exist; my chart shows at least 7 certs to be obvious shorts so the number of legit 9 Palmers is actually VERY small.
Since I've been collecting Mini's starting in 2008, I've targeted cards that are at least 80 mm; I never really concerned myself with cards that were a few tenths of a mm less than that as long as I felt they were legitimately from the factory. But going forward, for the sake of keeping it simple and fun when collecting the set, I'm holding myself strictly to the 80 mm threshold for all Mini's, and not even a hair less. It just gets too complicated when a card is even a hair below 80 mm, and the fun goes away for me.
Getting back to the fun part of collecting Mini's, I have a promising (small) sub of them that just logged yesterday, including a Cliff Johnson and John Montague that have outside chances at 8's. They are full size, so I'll be happy even with 7's on them both. Any more, just finding them full size is a challenge in and of itself. Because of this, I pick up any full sized raw red/yellows and green/yellows when I see them, as long as the PD doesn't detract too much from their visual appeal. I also picked up some nice raw over the last month or so. When I get a chance, I'll post some scans.
Edited for grammar.
Ugly Aaron PSA 9
EDIT: At least missie was conscientious enough to try to center that card as much as possible in that swimming pool
Several nice upgrades for my set in here, so that along with the Blyleven makes me a happy camper. I might try to resub the Aaron and Johnson at some point to get them to bump.
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 660 Hank Aaron
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 660 Hank Aaron
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 300 Reggie Jackson
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 300 Reggie Jackson
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 623 Rookie Infielders
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 185 Steve Carlton
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 223 Robin Yount
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 90 Rusty Staub
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 131 Toby Harrah
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 80 Carlton Fisk
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 500 Nolan Ryan
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 475 Darrell Evans
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 344 Ben Oglivie
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 343 Danny Frisella
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 465 World Series Game 5
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 157 Pedro Borbon
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 617 Rookie Infielders
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 238 Dave Duncan
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 650 Dave May
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 317 Joe Lahoud
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 136 Jim Mason
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 143 Cliff Johnson
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 339 Jim Fregosi
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 371 Gates Brown
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 512 Larry Milbourne
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 OC 1975 Topps Mini 228 George Brett
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 30 Bert Blyleven
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
Also, the Fregosi in an 8 is hard if it is full.
Congrats on the Blyleven; I believe all the nice 9s are locked up in sets
The Aaron and Johnson grades were on target imo, though I thought the Aaron might have had an outside shot at an 8.5. The Johnson probably would have graded an 8 if not for the PD at top.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Regardless of the grade on that 143 Johnson, that is one of the nicest, full sized examples I've seen in awhile. When you get it back, please post a scan of it in the holder.
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 25 Lee May
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 37 Dave Freisleben
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 74 Mark Belanger
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 143 Cliff Johnson
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 173 Steve Rogers
MINT 9 1975 Topps Mini 197 1959-MVP's N.Fox/E.Banks
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 275 Paul Blair
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 317 Joe Lahoud
NEAR MINT 7 1975 Topps Mini 405 John Montague
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 442 Maximino Leon
I'm really excited about the May #25 and Rogers #173. Most Rogers I've seen lately have been a tad short of 80 mm, but this one is right at it if not a hair above. Interestingly, I was just outbid on a nice one about a week ago, so I'm feeling much better now.
Lots of quick mini poppage! I'm going to have to bust another pack or two and get my sub in quick!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
1975 mini's
1954 Wilson Franks
That Lee #25 psa 9 is nice, I need it in an 8 - put that bad boy up for auction!
I agree that two PSA 8 Aarons is cause for celebration; there are so many shorties of that card floating around and the same damn ugly certs keep coming up for auction
I'm actually in the process of listing a bunch of the dupes that I've either upgraded or have another version of. Lots of low pop 8s and HOFers. Will start all the auctions at $.99. Should be fun to watch. Check out the auctions.
For those that PMed me, I'll respond as soon as I get the cards back from PSA, hopefully this Saturday. The cards that don't upgrade my set are available.
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long.
ebay id Duffs_Dugout
My Ebay Auctions
<< <i>Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long. >>
I remember those well, Jim!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>
<< <i>Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long. >>
I remember those well, Jim!
Ah yes Jim, I remember that now! I believe we talked about that run a while back in this thread or the old one. Jim do you still have that unopened case? What are your plans with it?
<< <i>
<< <i>Congrats on the Blyleven 9, that is a bomb and a long time between.
Henry, nice assessments with one correction. The 459 pop is real, with real cards. Tim and I hit 5 or 6 of them in a very short period and it became oversold for a little bit. It was weird because it was a super low pop for so long. >>
I remember those well, Jim!
Yes Jim I remember that now, thanks! I believe we discussed this run sometime back in this thread or the old one
Do you still have that unopened case? Any plans for it?
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
ebay id Duffs_Dugout
My Ebay Auctions
<< <i>I do. It was always my intention to hold long haul, but with the appreciate the last few years, I have noodled on moving it. At one time I was considering having steve wrap the boxes as fasc, but I think actual sealed cases are going to be the scarcer item in the end. I have to say when the board bought the case last year at 48k in a hurry, part of me said I wish that had been mine...lol, as did my wife who longs for a new kitchen. >>
A kitchen?? Those aren't rare, Jim. Sealed 75 mini cases~now THAT'S rare! LOL!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Anyway, pulled a few more cards to go in with my next sub, including these two~the Brye is a deceptively tough card and one I need for my set.
Also pulled a full-sized mint Twitchell, but it is cut a bit weird.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Enjoy!
edit: i noticed the Blyleven was tilted in the holder. Straightened it out and uploaded a better scan.
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
You got a gift on that Blyleven, LOL! Nice to get a break now and then after all the cards more toughly graded..
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Regarding the Johnson, I'm afraid the flaws on the card will keep it at 7 or less. No doubt it is well centered. This is a prime example of how hard the Mini's can be to grade 8,9 or better. Minor flaws that can been seen under magnification by graders, not so much by just looking at the card in the scan here. Though the yellow squiggly lines at the top are hard to miss. The top of the holder does shade them a bit. Keep it as one of your most liked 7's and save your money on the resubmission.
Nice Hernandez! Always cool to get a star card in 9 or better
I'd agree with your general premise, MM, in that PSA doesn't typically downgrade for the tilt, though it is one of the things that jumps out at you when looking at a card. It's still a very sharp card~I'd just prefer an 8 with no tilt over a 9 with the tilt, personally. I've seen many red/yellow cards with the yellowing crazing on top grade straight 8 on numerous occasions, and while the 7 is not a harsh grade, the Johnson, with its strong centering, has at least a decent chance to bump to an 8 on a good day, imo.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I've seen many red/yellow cards with the yellowing crazing on top grade straight 8 on numerous occasions, and while the 7 is not a harsh grade, the Johnson, with its strong centering, has at least a decent chance to bump to an 8 on a good day, imo
I agree that there have been many cards with the yellow lines gifted grades of 8 or better. 2 of the PSA 9 Gibson out there have obvious yellow lines across top of the card, and I don't mean the yellow edge line found most commonly on Stanley, Taveras, to name a couple. We're talking about the lines like the C. Johnson card. In my opinion it is these cards that should be receiving PD qualifiers and or a PSA 7 nq'er grade at best if the lines are obvious. That opens the door to "what is obvious", and thus why we have cards out there with what appears to be obvious yellow lines through the red on an occasional PSA 8 and less often on PSA 9's. Graders opinions vary,, and that's o.k. We as collectors can pick and choose what we find acceptable to us. I think the C. Johnson card had a few other problems (which I mentioned earlier in this thread) than just the yellow lines and for that reason I don't see it grading better than PSA 7.
Regarding the Blyleven. I'm in agreement that a diamond cut or heavy tilt definitely hinders eye appeal a great deal. I'm just saying that this Blyleven example doesn't reach that level of tilt that bothers me at all. In fact, knowing the history of this card, I can easily allow the slight tilt as a non factor. That's one of the many great things about the Mini's. If you really get to know the nuances of the set and many of it's individual cards, there are many stories that unfold and can be discussed, sometimes at great length.
I think we are on the same page on tilt, "just a bit outside" on what we each find acceptable. Nothing wrong with that!
Thoughts?
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
I would grade Ryan in 7/8 range and Twitchell as a 7+.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
On that Johnson 143, barring some sort of slight surface issue that I can't see in the scans, I'm guessing it received a 7 because of the faint stray yellow lines above "Astros" as well as the broken black outline of "Astros." I think these PD issues are very minor and that the degree to which these issues affect the grade of the card is subject to the mood of the grader on any given day. For that reason, if it were me, I would crack it out and try subbing it again.
That Johnson card reminds of the Driessen I submitted and shared with scans in this thread a little over a year ago. The first time, it received a 7, and then I cracked it out and subbed it again three or four months later, and it received an 8. Same card, same slight PD, but different day.
<< <i>Very nice pulls, Ryan! You've had the magic tough of late!
>>
You guys don't see the crap that I end up pulling the majority of the time. I've had several packs yield nothing worth grading. You all only get the highlights.
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
<< <i>
<< <i>Very nice pulls, Ryan! You've had the magic tough of late!
>>
You guys don't see the crap that I end up pulling the majority of the time. I've had several packs yield nothing worth grading. You all only get the highlights. >>
LOL, gamblers never talk about the losses~just the big wins, Ryan!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
ebay id Duffs_Dugout
My Ebay Auctions
<< <i>Opening minis is like an underdog boxer with a good right fighting the champ. You are likely to lose, but you have a "punchers" chance and occasionally get your licks in. >>
Yes, indeed, Jim!
My sub was received today at PSA, and includes 40 minis~hoping for quick and pleasing poppage!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Strong prices on the red/yellow minis! Was curious to see the results on the Gullett, Milbourne and Carroll cards. Was surprised to see the Gullett hit three digit territory given the pronounced tilt.
I think, on the right day, that Milbourne could bump a full grade, it looks so much better than an 8 in the holder.
Nice work!
Dave
<< <i>Ryan,
Strong prices on the red/yellow minis! Was curious to see the results on the Gullett, Milbourne and Carroll cards. Was surprised to see the Gullett hit three digit territory given the pronounced tilt.
I think, on the right day, that Milbourne could bump a full grade, it looks so much better than an 8 in the holder.
Nice work!
Dave >>
Thanks Dave. I'm very pleased with how the auctions turned out. Lots of bids and wins from folks on this forum which was nice to see. The Gullett and Milbourne were part of the raw set I purchased in November of last year. That set ended up being a great buy.
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
Looking to buy / trade for the following in PSA 8 or better, maybe raw, to complete the set; then I'll start work on upgrading 7's. LMK your want list or asking price. Thanks!
#5 ’74 highlights - Ryan
#12 David Clyde
#23 Bill Russell
#53 Dave Guisti
#130 Phil Niekro
#180 Joe Morgan
#216 Giants team
#245 Mickey Lolich
#259 Len Randle
#260 Johnny Bench
#307 Home Run Leaders
#562 Gary Nolan
#616 Rookie Outfielders
1975 mini's
1954 Wilson Franks
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I've got another sub of minis I'm putting together to send off to PSA late next week. I've heard the $5.50 special will be making an appearance again in April. Hoping for some more 9s.
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
<< <i>Nice rack Tim! That's the one Tony was selling, right? Very nice pickup.
I've got another sub of minis I'm putting together to send off to PSA late next week. I've heard the $5.50 special will be making an appearance again in April. Hoping for some more 9s. >>
Thanks, Ryan~yes, that is the one.
That is great news about the $5.50 special possibly coming back~I held back some cards from the sub I sent in last week, hoping the price would be lower soon. $5.50 is a very good price indeed!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
I miss it already....lol...
But I'm Happy to have added these to my collection. Cello with The Bull and Schmidt on the back and a mini wax pack with Schmidt on the back.
Here's a couple scans. Thanks again Tim for the trade.
Tony
1 1 20286960 NEAR MINT-MINT+ 8.5 1975 Topps Mini 65 Don Gullett Card
2 1 22990608 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 481 Will McEnaney Card
3 1 22990606 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1975 Topps Mini 339 Jim Fregosi Card
4 1 23646730 NEAR MINT-MINT+ 8.5 1975 Topps Mini 228 George Brett Card
Ryan Hoge - PSA President, IG: @maysmantle
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Those 75 mini collectors who also collect unopened product know how difficult it is to find 75 mini racks, as they are much scarcer than their full-sized counterparts. I was very pleased to pick this one up, which originated from the Conlon hoard when it was auctioned off by REA several years ago. Of all the cases of mini wax and even a few mini cello, there were only 3 mini racks, including this one. You can't see it in the pic, but a Brooks Robinson is nestled inside the header section. Interestingly enough, Topps used regular-sized packaging and cellophane to package both mini racks and cello packs.
I checked Vegas and they have it over/under 150 days that Tim breaks that rack! I bet the under
I hope you are wrong. That's a work of art that's meant to stay sealed. I hope......
Unrelated, I need Bobby Valentine, Mike Tyson, and Tom Seaver to complete my raw set. I will buy nice 7's or 8's if available and are nice centering/corners/with no print circles.
Keep me posted so I can put this baby to bed.
thanks,
Tony