Common Cards - What to do with them?

Foo3112

When would it be "safe" to throw away common cards you think. after 10 years, never?

I have cards from the early nineties from packs that I bought and Ive also bought wax boxes from the mid 80's to early 90's to try and pull some good cards with possible doubles but after the smoke clears I'm left with a bunch of commons. Right now I have them stored in those set boxes that hold anywhere from about 800-1000 cards but I have about 9 of those and they weigh a lot and feel they're just taking up space.

What do you guys do with your common cards?

ThoseBackPages

throw them out

Sethro

I take donations of cards for the kids at my school. Many board members have been very kind in donating their old commons to the kids, who are quickly becoming card addicts! I can send a receipt for tax purposes, too. PM me for details!

WalterSobchak

I had about 40,000 worthless cards from that era- mostly in 800-ct boxes. Fortunately, I had a friend who 1) has two young sons, 2) has a house with plenty of room, and 3) was willing to take them. So I gave them to him. That was about three years ago, and I have not had one minute of regret about that decision since then.

I don't know if I could have brought myself to just throw them in the trash, considering the amount of money they cost me. If my friend hadn't wanted them, chances are I would still have them.

Foo3112

I think you're right - im leaning towards throwing them out. I had a huge binder and if it was listed in beckett - even if it was like 15 cents back in the day, I kept it - well now a lot of those players such as Gary Sheffield, JT Snow, John Olerud, Eric Karros, Travis Fryman, Rafael Palmero, Kevin Mass, Phil Plantier, Jeff Bagwell, Fred Mcgriff, Joe Cater, Roverto Alomar, they've all cooled off and I don't think they'll be worth anything really in my lifetime. There rookies Id keep, even if the rookie card was worth $1 but common semistarts and such - ehhh.. I don't think Ill need them.

I will keep my commons of players who I really liked such as Bo Jackson, Kevin Mass, Andre Dawson, Deon Sanders, etc but I think Im going to do a bit of cleaning up today with my cards since I have the day off.

thekid8

I said this before --- wrap them super tight in plastic bags and bury them --- just think on the HUGE discovery 100's of years from now

fiveniner

I just give them away.Just sent a young boy in New Mexico A boxfull for his bedroom.Will probably give the rest to some charity.

Sean1125

$1/1k locally there is a buyer.

Foo3112

Thanks for the input guys. I just need to do a little spring cleaning and I think Im gonna do something similar to what someone recommended - give the cards away instead of throwing them out.

I text my card dealer and he said he knows a guy who will take them so that's that I guess. I have sooo many commons from 1985 topps, 87 Topps, Donruss, 92 Bowman, 89 Upperdeck - but I assure they are all commons. I just really don't want to hoard them. I enjoy cards as much as the next guy buy I can do without these.

Thanks - u guys rock. BTW - does anyone on this board work or sleep? lol. Seems like you guys reply at all hours of the day - . I just happen to be off for the holidays.

Hallco

Obviously they are yours and you should do what you want with them....but I'm of the opinion that the card doesn't have to be "worth something" as far as dollars and cents is concerned to mean something. You mentioned....Gary Sheffield, JT Snow, John Olerud, Eric Karros, Travis Fryman, Rafael Palmero, Kevin Mass, Phil Plantier, Jeff Bagwell, Fred Mcgriff, Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar....Some of my favorite cards in my collection are some of those players! Just because my 91 Stadium Club Travis Fryman Rookie wouldn't sell for .01 on Ebay doesn't mean I can't still like it!!

Foo3112

I agree and thats why you should hold on to them. What I did, I went through all my commons and kept my Dave Winfields, Rickey Hendersons, Frank Thomas's, Jeff Conine's, Will Clarks, Ivan Rodriguez's, Steve Averys, Juan Gonzalez, Darryl Whitmore - basically cards that like you mentioned - meant something to me as a kid. They dont have book value but they have nostalgic value to me.

Foo3112

Thats an interesting thought actually - about everyone keeping the stars. But say If I had nothing but commons from the 1981 Topps set - were 30 years later and still theyre next to nothing. I think its time to let them go. Maybe if they were just a few years old but almost 20 years - what can possibly become of them. Its not like they can do something outside of baseball that would make there value increase or come back to a listed card. Mariano Riveras 92 Bowman started out really slow For a long time that card was about $5-6. Now its the key card in the set but because hes still active and has a ML record under his belt. The guys I'm talking about are all retired and have nothing left to contribute that can make there cards go up besides death as morbid as that sounds.

Check out Eddie Murray - $80 for his rookie!! Thats a lot for a guy who would have an amazing career just like Frank Thomas with over 500 career home runs. Some guys like Griffey have had the collectors attention since day 1 and continue to hold it throughout there careers and other such as the one mentioned and even Rickey Henderson lose there fire unfortunately.

larryallen73

What about stars from the 1980's? I don't think there is an economical way to sell them. Is there? I am not talking about the highest super stars. I am talking about low HOFers and other "all-star" type players. I don't think they have any value either.

Sportsamerica

<< <i>Thats an interesting thought actually - about everyone keeping the stars. But say If I had nothing but commons from the 1981 Topps set - were 30 years later and still theyre next to nothing. I think its time to let them go. Maybe if they were just a few years old but almost 20 years - what can possibly become of them. Its not like they can do something outside of baseball that would make there value increase or come back to a listed card. Mariano Riveras 92 Bowman started out really slow For a long time that card was about $5-6. Now its the key card in the set but because hes still active and has a ML record under his belt. The guys I'm talking about are all retired and have nothing left to contribute that can make there cards go up besides death as morbid as that sounds.

Check out Eddie Murray - $80 for his rookie!! Thats a lot for a guy who would have an amazing career just like Frank Thomas with over 500 career home runs. Some guys like Griffey have had the collectors attention since day 1 and continue to hold it throughout there careers and other such as the one mentioned and even Rickey Henderson lose there fire unfortunately. >>



If they are in "Gem Mint" the registry is a drug to make some money... 1981 Topps PSA 10 commons sell for about 20-30 each. I even sold one last year for $100.

larryallen73

If they are in "Gem Mint" the registry is a drug to make some money... 1981 Topps PSA 10 commons sell for about 20-30 each. I even sold one last year for $100.


Of course one can waste a lot of money submitting cards looking for the elusive 10's!

Foo3112

^^

mcolney1

I'd be interested in any Mariners and Olerud. I donate to my kids' school auction every year and those types of cards here in Seattle do well. PM me if you'd consider pulling out those cards. Thanks, Tony

vladguerrero

THIS!

larryallen73

That's just sad but that's the reality. Burn them!

As to the guy asking about Mariners... if I go back through mine before giving them to Goodwill I will pull out the Mariners.

Brick

About 20 years ago I took out a license to sell sports cards. The hastles of recordkeeping and tax payments for what was basically a glorified hobby was not worth it. I disbanded the business but I have a couple tons of worthless cards and unopened material from that era. I have decided to give it all to my greatgrandson who is now four years old with the stipulation that he save it to pass on to his greatgrandson. Hopefully by then it will be worth a little something.

perkdog

RH1260

twenty years ago i found some un-cut sheets of 1990 nfl pro sets football cards...of course every card shop i went to said they were worthless...so i put them in a sealed plastic bin and forgot about them...recently while cleaning up under my house i re-discovered them and searched the internet...it appears these were sheets that were sold when the company folded in the 1990s...they were mis prints from the print shop...variations that only a handful made into circulaction...so far they have made me 3000 dollars richer and that was a low ball figure..i plan to sleave the rest and seal them up in a water proof container and bury them i agree they might make a great discovery many years from now.....

thehallmark

If you have any small children in your life, give your cards to them. There are infinitely many ways that sports cards can keep kids busy.

RH1260

TWENTY YEARS AGO I CAME ACROSS SOME UN-CUT SHEETS OF 1990 NFL PROSET FOOTBALL CARDS SOMEONE HAD PLACED OUT FOR TRASH COLLECTION...NO CARD SHOP WOULD TOUCH THEM ...TOO COMMON..MASS PRODUCED...THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THEM...I HAD CLOSE TO A THOUSAND TEN CARD SHEETS I WOULD OF SOLD THE WHOLE STACK FOR SOME GAS MONEY HAD THEY MADE AN OFFER...I DECIDED TO PUT THEM IN A WATER THIGHT PLASTIC BIN AND FORGET ABOUT THEM....
RECENTLY I RE-DISCOVERED THEM WHILE CLEANING UP UNDER THE HOUSE...AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET (WHICH I DID NOT HAVE TWENTY YEARS AGO) I DISCOVERED MOST OF THEM WERE COMMONS...BUT SOME OF THE SHEETS HAD VARIATIONS PRINTING ERRORS THAT WERE VERY RARE AND SOUGHT AFTER...THEY WERE MOST LIKLEY SHEETS GATHERED FROM THE PRINT SHOP WHEN THE COMPANY FOLDED BACK IN THE 1990S...SO FAR I HAVE MADE 3000 DOLLARS FROM CARDS AND THAT WAS LOW BALL I KNOW.. OFF OF CARDS I WAS TOLD WERE WORTHLESS...I PLAN TO SLEAVE THE REST AND PLACE THEM IN A WATER TIGHT BIN AND FORGET ABOUT THEM AGAIN...PERHAPS IN TWENTY MORE YEARS I I LIVE THAT LONG THEY MIGHT FETCH SOME MORE MONEY....

saucywombat

Probably get a good response filling those bulk rate boxes from the post office with cards and putting them on Ebay.

fkw

give them to the young kids at Halloween or donate to someone that may want them (Young kids can learn math and reading skills with them). They are not worth the postage that it would cost to send them anywhere. they will never have value even 50 years from now