PSA Pop Reports....changing perceptions

SayitaintsoJoe63 · October 5, 2002 10:05PM

There used to be a time when we were kids, going to the corner store.......tearing open brand new fresh packs of cards......dreaming of pulling out Mantle....Rose....Mays......Aaron.....and being disappointed by getting instead a packful of dreaded commons.
Oh well.....you could at least chew the gum.
Now....years later......PSA is here, and a new perception exsists.
The Population reports have revolutionized the way that we now look at those same cards.
After receiving my latest submission of '63's from PSA, I amazed myself in how I looked at my cards.
I have literally sat for what seems like hours, gazing at the beauty of a common card......a beautiful Mint 9 population 1 common. I hold it lovingly in my hands, making sure to wipe the dust particles off the case....holding it at different angles to allow the light to hit it and make the surface gleam with gloss.....knowing I'm the only one in the world, who can experience this card in a PSA Mint 9 holder.
A common!!! Forget the Mantle's out there!! Why is this happening!!! What happened to the day when we would throw these "unworthy" baseball players in a stack and never give them a second thought.

zardoz51 · October 5, 2002 10:50PM

We appreciate the aesthetics of the card. It is no longer just the player, but a miniature work of art

Philabuster · October 5, 2002 11:28PM

Well put zardoz.

Mantlefan · October 6, 2002 12:23AM

There's the problem: the Mantles got saved; the Eli Grbas got tossed. Now when we need them to complete our sets, we must pay the price. It's the revenge of the commons!

uniship · October 6, 2002 12:47AM

"We appreciate the aesthetics of the card. It is no longer just the player, but a miniature work of art"

Great thread - I stare at my 50's in psa 8 and get giddy. Glad it's not just me.

toppsgun · October 6, 2002 4:50AM

Let me add this.

It's like putting together a 572- or 598- or 609-piece jigsaw puzzle. Every piece must be uniform, unique unto itself. The Mantle piece is not much different than the corner piece of Bob Lee, or Curt Simmons, or Duke Sims except maybe the Mantle is more key to the final big picture.

Then the stars are incredibly overpriced, the low population commons just as skewed, but underpriced. That explains why I can buy stars at a discount to SMR, while the low pops are 2x to 3x or more of SMR.

But yes, that rush of owning the only one of one PSA 9 is quite thrilling.

LuxuryWines · October 6, 2002 5:27AM

Great Thread! Great Sentiments ... I look at some of these cards and marvel at how great they look... I think looking at graded commons makes me appreciate thecards so much more!

jaxxr · October 6, 2002 6:20AM

Mantlefan,

You are probably correct about the cards that were partially or selectively saved, why keep the bums if you are going to keep only some cards, keep the stars or maybe your favorite team.

What about fools like me who kept the whole sets ? I looked at , fondled, re-read stats, checked insignificant bits, much much more on the stars rather than waste my childhood time looking at the commons . So if many other collectors were at all like me, the commons are in better shape overall than the stars. Sharp young fellow I was, I kept a 65 Mays in my wallet, but the rest of the Giants were uncompressed. I also rember drawing a mustace on the hated Dodger Sandy Koufax, the scrubs escaped my artistic rendering. Back in the 50s and 60s cards were for kids almost exclusively, and back then they/we did not realize they should not be played with. But does it not seem that the star cards would be handled a bit more ?

dom · October 6, 2002 6:49AM

I thought I had overpaid for it at the time, but when the card arrived, I was actually stunned by its beauty. (You have to be a degenerate collector to think Mordecai Brown is beautiful.)

This is my own quote from another thread. I'm proud to be in the company of all you guys.

gemint · October 6, 2002 1:37PM

I guess I was a bit unique in my collecting habits in the mid-70s. I collected complete sets and was willing to trade my Rose's, Schmidt's and Ryan's to get commons I needed. I also chose my favorite cards based on their asthetics. One of my favorites in the '76 set was Steve Yeager because of all the blue in the photo. I didn't like the Dodgers at all but I still liked that card.

I agree though that a tough, high grade, low pop common can be more intriguing than a high pop superstar common that can be purchased any day of the week.

rocknrollbeernhockey · October 7, 2002 6:08AM

To quote Kevin Smith, Silent Bob of the duo Jay and Silent Bob, when asked if he had any special message for fellow comic book collector's (a different form of collecting, but the same passion nonetheless,) he said 'Absolutely.'

'I would like to tell everyone of the many joys of the outdoors and of getting laid. Which, I assume none of us here in this forum are getting nearly enough of.'

BigKidAtHeart · October 7, 2002 7:37AM

<< <i>'I would like to tell everyone of the many joys of the outdoors and of getting laid. Which, I assume none of us here in this forum are getting nearly enough of.' >>

speak for yourself!

zardoz51 · October 7, 2002 8:44AM

My perception of "Getting Lucky" has changed.

My idea of getting lucky nowadays is finding my car in the parking lot

Slabbed · October 7, 2002 9:11AM

When I look at these cards it gives me goosebumps, The one thing I wish that I can't do is smell the bubble gum on the back.

SayitaintsoJoe63 · October 7, 2002 10:12AM

Beautiful cards!!

Mantlefan · October 7, 2002 12:17PM

Great cards from a great set!

theBobs · October 7, 2002 12:23PM

I always loved the 1958 Maris. Excellent scans, thats what its all about....

FB · October 7, 2002 11:54PM

I think that we just heard another idea for PSA!

Scratch and sniff sections "bubble gum flavor!" on the back of the holders!

calleocho · October 8, 2002 6:02AM

does anyone remember an next generation "star trek" episode where a galactic collector has a baseball card and claims that he could smell the bubble gum?

i remember seeing the card it might have been a 1968 maris or a mantle

aconte · October 8, 2002 6:27AM

Calleocho,

I believe that episode was from the third season. It was called "The Most Toys." I thought
it was a great trek episode. Data is kidnapped by someone who has to have the best and
most precious "items." He could smell the gum on a Roger Maris card. I'm not sure what
year. Either 61 or 62.

aconte

calleocho · October 8, 2002 7:50AM

thats the one Aconte!!...

cool episode!

now that i think about it it might have been a 62 t instead of 68 t

FB · October 8, 2002 9:52AM

You guys are scaring me...

I think I'll pull out the video tape and check it for myself... The collector was the guy who plays "Donnie - Daphne's former fiance" on Frasier, right?

Yup - this forum is a pair of vulcan ears short of a Star Trek convention...

PSA Pop Reports....changing perceptions

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