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New Collector Here With ?'s

GoingForTwoGoingForTwo Posts: 72
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Ok, I'm finding out my collection is off to a bad start already. All I'm interested in collecting is Football Cards. My two young boys enjoy the new cards and I've started collecting the older vintage cards. For Christmas my wife bought us a membership to PSA. So I've sent 72 cards out to be graded. All of them are older cards or vintage. My two prized cards 1958 Topps Jim Brown RC and 1976 Walter Payton RC came back with disappointing grades. I'm not an expert so I can live with the lesson. I still think it's cool to have either card. What tips can you give me at this point? I've went a little nutts and need to regroup. My boys and I enjoy collecting the cards so I can really never put a price on that but I don't want to throw money out the window. My hope to is one day to leave my boys with a nice collection worth something substantial! Any tips or thoughts would be great!
I'm just having fun building a collection!

Comments

  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭
    Don't attach too much of a monetary value to the cards. You will only set yourself up for disappointment later when it comes time to sell, and you actually get less than what you feel they are worth. Just collect what you love and be happy for them. I am sure most collectors on here would love to have a Jim Brown rookie card, no matter what the grade is! Don't worry yourself with trying to be the "best of the best". Not everyone can afford a Jim Brown rookie in a PSA 9!!
  • brianwintersfanbrianwintersfan Posts: 3,626 ✭✭
    Well I wouldn't invest too much money in modern product if you want to leave them with a decent collection. Maybe some packs or boxes here or there but that would be it. Teach them about the older players and invest your money in cards from that era. It would be your best bet to have a collection that will hold it's value and maybe even go up a bit.
  • EchoCanyonEchoCanyon Posts: 2,288 ✭✭✭
    And if a lower number grade disappoints you, you could also have it slabbed authentic. Even better, you could attached a 'minimum grade requirement' on your entry form.
    Let's say you're hoping for an 8 (or even a 7), you could write -- minimum grade XX otherwise just authenticate.

    Just my two-cents.
  • GoingForTwoGoingForTwo Posts: 72
    Never knew you could put a recommended grade on a submission or they just will authenticate it.... Thanks

    I kinda feel for $5-6 dollars a card I would just rather have the card graded. Like the previous poster mentioned... PSA Grade 3 Jim Brown RC is better than nothing.
    I'm just having fun building a collection!
  • EchoCanyonEchoCanyon Posts: 2,288 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Never knew you could put a recommended grade on a submission or they just will authenticate it.... >>



    It's not really a recommendation or everyone would recommend a 10, right?
  • calgarycollectorcalgarycollector Posts: 356
    You'll see a lot of us on here found of the unopened vintage stuff, graded packs etc. Sure brings back memories for me to have graded packs, and while it may seem odd to keep unopened which should really be not, one can't argue the appreciation we've been seeing as inventories dwindle.

    Wax packs from 76 aren't to bad a price yet. Could be a fun one for you and the boys.

    Watch for the group rips on this board. It's a blast if you can get in and check out baseball card exchange for other ideas.

    Also this year's Topps Chrome football was much loved by the board.
  • onlyanumberonlyanumber Posts: 2,433
    When you are talking about sending in cards for grading, always check, re-check, double check and triple check the cards you are sending in. Get yourself a black light and a jeweler's loupe. Obviously certain cards (like the Brown and Payton) are worth getting graded. You just don't want to be sending in a bunch of '76 commons and have them all come back graded 5...unless you need practice on cracking and resubmitting...

    To put it in perspective, I'll start with a pile of 100-120 cards. Maybe 20 actually get sent in.
    Next MONTH? So he's saying that if he wins, the best-case scenario is that he'll be paying for it two weeks after the auction ends?

    Forget blocking him; find out where he lives and go punch him in the nuts. --WalterSobchak 9/12/12



    image


    Looking for Al Hrabosky and any OPC Dave Campbells (the ESPN guy)
  • MapleleafMapleleaf Posts: 506 ✭
    You may want to collect a modern set with your kids since they are the players they will want to collect. Just don't expect it to pay for their college education down the road though.

    If you're collecting for yourself, stick to the older stuff that you like. I think that there is good value in older football.
    Getting them graded at least lets you know where your cards are at, even if you don't like the results. Every once in a while, a card comes back higher than what you thought.

    For commons, I've found it less expensive just to buy cards already graded.
  • totallyraddtotallyradd Posts: 943 ✭✭✭✭
    I enjoy trying to build nice team sets over an era. I'm from Milwaukee, so I've been working on the Milwaukee Braves. I have a goal and have my fingers in a lot of pies, appreciating the design, fonts, and logos of many different years rather that focusing on just one set. It may be more cost effective to do it that way to.

    I decided to tinker with newer cards and really like the 2013 Topps Series 1 set. I was able to complete a set and 3/4th of another one in two boxes. You get some other limited cards in there as well. They aren't anything I plan on sending in, and its not something I'll go nuts ripping, but I really enjoyed going through the two boxes I got.

    There will be a learning curve, one that a lot of guys on here have gone through (and still are!), enjoy all the vast knowledge that can be found here and have fun with it!
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