Looking to Swap HOF Rookies: High End Ryan, Bench, Yaz, Carew and Fisk
smittias
Posts: 54 ✭✭
Hello. Long time member. I think it's my first time posting on the forums.
After about 10 years away from the hobby, I have returned to pick up where I left off, working on an MLB Hall of Fame Rookie Card set registry. In my prior waves of buying and trading I bought cards slabbed from any of the 4 reputable grading companies (GAI was highly reputable at the time). But now I've decided to commit to PSA and the PSA set registry. Fortunately, most of my prior purchases/submissions were PSA so my set is off to a good start, but I have 5 cards, all purchased about 15-20 years ago on eBay, that are beautiful gorgeous cards...but not in PSA slabs. I've been told by enough people that its futile to send them in for crossover grading. The cost is really high on the high end cards, only to have them return it with an excuse as to why they won't cross it over. I suppose it makes sense since crossing over essentially validates their competitors' work, but it leaves me in a bind.
So I wanted to come here and see if anyone is interested in swapping. I would love to trade same grades, where I would add in a very nice PSA graded vintage HOF card (or cards) to make the deal worth your while. I have over 1,000 PSA slabbed cards listed in MyInventory so I'm sure I have enough to make it worth your while to swap. In other words, I would like to trade, for example, my SGC 88 Yaz rookie for your PSA 8 Yaz rookie...and I would add in enough graded HOF vintage value to make the deal weighted in your favor.
Here are the cards I've got:
1968 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie graded GAI 9 (and confirmed BVG 9.0)**
1968 Johnny Bench rookie graded GAI 9 (and confirmed BVG 9.0)**
1972 Carlton Fisk rookie graded GAI 9 (and confirmed BVG 9.0)**
1960 Carl Yastrzemski rookie graded SGC 88 (8)
1967 Rod Carew rookie graded BVG 7
**at a baseball card show about 10 years ago, I brought the 3 GAI cards over to the Beckett's booth for on-site grade. They confirmed that they would cross each of them over to a BVG 9.0 if and when I ever chose to do so. That's why those 3 cards are in an extra secured team bag with the notation...that's from Becketts. (see photos)
I've attached photos of all the cards. if anyone is interested in dealing, please reach out to me. And for that matter, I love to trade so if you have PSA graded HOF rookie cards (from any sport) and want to talk trade, I'm ready.
Thanks for reading.
Comments
Looks like the order of the pictures got all messed up but hopefully you can follow along. Fronts and backs for all 5 cards. 10 pics total. The 3 GAI 9s are the ones with the Beckett notations on the backs confirming the grade of 9.0.
I probably should add that I would also be willing to balance a deal out with cash if that is preferred...
Gais look trimmed
I think you will have better look if you cross them over to PSA from their current holders. I don’t know many collectors that want GAI holders these days, but if crossed and grades are close you could do ok. Also, the same reasons you cited for not wanting to cross them over is the same reason people most likely won’t trade a PSA card for your GAI cards - demand and price.
Thanks for the comments.
@HighGradeLegends...I'm not sure if you're joking/stirring the pot about being trimmed but I really don't think that the case. Here are some reasons why:
1) Beckett has confirmed the grade of 9.0. So 2 of the 4 most recognized grading companies agree those 3 cards are a 9.
2) I bring those cards with me whenever I go to a card show. I've shown those 3 GAIs (Ryan, Bench, Fisk) to 10+ high end dealers. I've never once had someone suggest they are trimmed. They always want to buy the cards from me or consign them from me (especially the Ryan rookie). I'm not interested in doing that. But I can't imagine I'd be getting all the offers from dealers if there was a concern over trimming or authenticity.
3) Back in the day, I knew GAI well. Mike Baker was one of the most well regarded names in the grading industry. I spoke with him personally and showed him the Ryan card. He called it one of the nicest Ryan rookies he had ever seen. I know GAI got into trouble towards the end as they struggled to stay alive, but early on, after Mike left PSA to start GAI they were clearly the #2 player in the space and well regarded for their grading standards. All 3 of these GAIs were graded a long time ago...long before anyone started accusing GAI of funny business. In other words, if GAI got into the business of mis-representing cards, it happened years and years after these 3 cards were graded.
@KendallCat...have you ever tried sending GAI/SGC/BGS/BVG cards in to PSA for crossover? Has anyone had success doing so? Everyone tells me its a waste of time (and money). Send 10 in...get 1 or 2 crossed over if you're lucky. Cards with a declared value of $5,000 - $10,000, like the Ryan rookie, cost $300 to submit to PSA. That's a ton of money to spend only to have them return it to me with an excuse as to why they won't cross it over. And I'm way too afraid to crack it out first. I agree with what you are saying...I just don't think submitting the slabbed cards for crossover is even an option worth considering given what I've heard.
If the Ryan is a BVG 9 then why not have them slab it, sell it and purchase a PSA 9? The cards I have seen in BVG holders are typically no better than one or two grades lower in a PSA slab. If they confirm it is a 9, then maybe PSA will slab it as an 8. But there is nobody in their right mind that is going to trade you a PSA 9 Ryan rookie for a card that BVG has verbally confirmed as a "9" even if you were to give them a ton of cards and cash in trade. The trade extras would have to be close to what the PSA 9 is worth. I'm not bagging on your cards or what you are trying to do, just trying to be realistic. Best of luck in your endeavors!