I don't know the exact year, but I sent in a few cards I bought from Teletrade (Remember Them) to ASA (Remember Them II). I was hooked! The next year I heard about PSA and I sent in a bunch of 1971 Topps to them (Commons as well). I ended up selling them on Yahoo Auctions (Remember Them III). Gave me a down payment on the house I live in today.
This had to be around the late 90's but I don't know for sure.
I should probably have volunteered my own history first, lol. While I started collecting baseball cards in the mid 1980's and continued through about 1993, I took a long break from the hobby. I started back collecting in the beginning of July 2013 and discovered graded cards. Definitely hooked and going for a #1 Finest of All Time set over 90% for 3 players. Bo Jackson, Brian Bosworth and Clayton Kershaw.
My first graded card (a Jim Brown rookie!) was purchased of eBay around 2001/2002 and cracked out for my Browns collection. I only collected raw at the time and was close to completing a 1950 to 1990 major release run of Browns. When I finally completed it in mid 2004, I was left wondering were to next? Well later that year I officially started collecting graded cards as I joined PSA and started submitting the best of my Browns collection and looking for upgrades for those that didn't make the cut. A quest that continues to drive my PC.
Ha ha, GREAT THREAD! I still remember seeing Alan Hager's full page ad in SCD talking up ASA and how you would be getting properly graded cards.
I had been returning about 80% of everything I was buying mail order, mainly because of centering.
He charged me double book for a '56 Killebrew ASA 8, looked more like a (perfectly centered) 6.
First card I submitted to PSA was a Mint looking '62 Twins Team Purchased from Steven Timmons. Another dealer suggested my card might be "rolled and trimmed". Came back a PSA 9.
Bought mostly raw until several years ago when my Killebrew rookie (Mr Mint auction) came back from PSA "Altered".
This year I was able to take over first place in the Killebrew Master set registry, primarily because I was able to finally get my "oddball" Killebrew items all graded and added to the set.
Too fun!
2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
Comments
WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
This had to be around the late 90's but I don't know for sure.
Currently collecting 1934 Butterfinger, 1969 Nabisco, 1991 Topps Desert Shield (in PSA 9 or 10), and 1990 Donruss Learning Series (in PSA 10).
<< <i>Submitted 3 cards in 1991...72 Ryan 80 bird magic 68 ryan >>
Unless you were an authorized dealer, and I'm sure you weren't, you wouldn't have had direct submission privileges in 1991.
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Ralph
So about 9 years for me.
Scott
Jeff
Card Country
Graded stars 1950's-1980
A 1960 Koufax PSA 8. Thought it shoulda graded a 9...... just kidding.
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Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
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Ralph
I had been returning about 80% of everything I was buying mail order, mainly because of centering.
He charged me double book for a '56 Killebrew ASA 8, looked more like a (perfectly centered) 6.
First card I submitted to PSA was a Mint looking '62 Twins Team Purchased from Steven Timmons. Another dealer suggested my card might be "rolled and trimmed". Came back a PSA 9.
Bought mostly raw until several years ago when my Killebrew rookie (Mr Mint auction) came back from PSA "Altered".
This year I was able to take over first place in the Killebrew Master set registry, primarily because I was able to finally get my "oddball" Killebrew items all graded and added to the set.
Too fun!
Much harder to find good deals today.
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