1986 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 10 - what would it go for?

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 12:00AM

As many of you know, I sold my 1993 Finest Nolan Ryan on Ebay a few weeks ago for $2,125. There are only 4 10's of that card in the Population Report. That got me to thinking - when a 1986 Topps Nolan Ryan gets that first PSA 10, I wonder how much it will sell for. I was surprised to see that the SMR only prices it at $250, although I am not sure where they get that number since there are no PSA 10's. Anyway, I really think that one of those would break the bank, so to speak. With all of the Nolan Ryan collectors out there, my guess is that it would go anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. What do y'all think?

Leiascards · August 23, 2007 12:07AM

I believe it would sell in the 3000 to 4000 dollar range, but you never know.

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 12:23AM

I wonder which method has the best chance of gettting a 10 - wax pack, rack pack, vending, factory set? I have sent in one from a factory set and one from a wax pack and both got 9's.

gosteelers · August 23, 2007 12:31AM

No offense to you, GREAT job on the sale, but why did that card go for $2,125? I know, I know, the Registry. You can bet there are tons of people right now sending in 1993 Finest Nolan Ryans. There are currently 69 PSA 9s out of 143 total graded. A lot of those 9s are going to be cracked out in the coming weeks to try for another 10. Again, great job, but this sale has to be one of the most surprising I've ever seen. There are some centering issues with these Ryans (your's is centered beautifully), but, besides that, these cards are usually in pretty good shape. (PSA does not really deduct too much on these for the surface scratches that are usually prevalent, making 10s, you would think, easier to get). Wow!

Edited to say: I thought it would go for about $100-$150. I guess I was off a little...Congrats! Also, this was the 4th graded PSA 10. What did the first few go for if they were sold?

Leiascards · August 23, 2007 12:34AM

Why do you think I got a box of that stuff on its way? Looking at the 2 packs I opened centering could be a big issue with this set, pulled a nice Reggie Sanders but its centering is horrible. Do have a Strawberry and Alomar though I am going to set aside as a filler for a future bulk submission.

CDsNuts · August 23, 2007 12:46AM

frank- your Ryan auction has to set the record for the biggest discrepency between what people thought it would go for and it's final hammer price. I just could never imagine such a fairly common 90s card (and not all that condition sensitive) in PSA 10 bringing $2k. Really, congratulations. Nothing feels better than selling a card for way more than you thought it was worth.

To answer your question, I think a 1986 Topps Ryan would bring at least $5k, especialy after seeing how far the Ryan guys will go in your Finest auction.

Lee

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 12:52AM

I was just as surprised as anybody. My only explanation is that there are gobs and gobs of Nolan Ryan collectors out there that collect Nolan Ryan PSA cards. I would say that the other 3 PSA 10's are in other collections. Plus, all it takes is for 2 people that want it really, really bad to bid insane prices, and there you have it. That was the case with my Ryan. Two bidders (one from this forum) got into a bidding war.

Now, if that happened with my Ryan, what I'm saying is that it makes sense that it would happen with a tough, black bordered issue like 1986 Topps. For example, I saw where a 1986 Topps Andre Dawson PSA 10 1/1 go for nearly $300 on Ebay. Think about how many more Nolan Ryan collectors there are than Andre Dawson collectors.

Also, I would like to ask again - which method would be the best way to pull high grade 1986 Topps - wax, cello, rack, vending, factory set?

BobaFett72 · August 23, 2007 12:55AM

do all 1986 topps in PSA 10 bring such insane prices

case bust anyone?

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 12:58AM

<< do all 1986 topps in PSA 10 bring such insane prices

case bust anyone? >>

Not that I know of. Just low population 10's and the Roger Clemens. I sold a Roger Clemens (pop 16 at the time a year or two ago) for $250.

I maybe hijacking my own thread here, but I wonder which cards are the most surprising that have ZERO PSA 10's in the pop report?

Leiascards · August 23, 2007 1:04AM

Rack packs would be your best bet. From what I have seen most Ryans are slightly off center and I think that has as much to do with the no 10s as the black borders do. Most of the stars in 10s from that set sell pretty good.

Some low pop or no pops from that set are

Tony Gwynn-3
Eddie Murray-0
Ryan-0
Joe Niekro-0
Vince Coleman-0
Pete Rose- 4 other cards vary
Fisk -0
Brett 2
Rickey Henderson-1
Boggs-1
Sandberg-0
Ozzie Smith-3
Dale Murphy 3
Gary Carter 1
Mattingly AS 1
Smith #730-0

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 1:05AM

I know the Mattingly does pretty well too. I think I remember seeing one go for over $100 a few years ago.

ajw · August 23, 2007 1:11AM

DownGoesFrazier should get in this discussion, as he's busted a TON of 1986 Topps. It might be worth finding his thread...

Leiascards · August 23, 2007 1:13AM

I am considering opening some of this product from time to time and send in some of the better cards as fillers for bulk submissions.

larryallen73 · August 23, 2007 1:24AM

Other than the aforementioned few cards are any other '86 cards even "worth" grading? It seems like you would be searching for 3 or 4 cards and only worth sending in to PSA if they have a decent shot at a 10?

Leiascards · August 23, 2007 1:28AM

There are alot of 0 pop commons in the set as well these will be a hit with the set collectors, and could bring 15 to 25 dollars each graded if you sent them in as fillers you should not really be disappointed if they grade less than 10. Unless your whole submission bombs. I think most of the HOF'ers and future HOF'ers would be good to get graded as well as Mattingly's and a few other lesser stars like Coleman and Strawberry.

CDsNuts · August 23, 2007 1:30AM

Just to give you an idea of how tough 86 Topps are, I opened a very clean 3 box rack case and submitted everything I thought could be a 10. I submitted about 10 cards and 4 came back 10's, all of them commons.

raykasa · August 23, 2007 1:44AM

Forget about the 1986 Topps Ryan; the real question is what would the 1978 Topps Ryan would go for- to date, no PSA 10s!!!!!!!!!!!!
10K? HIGHER? What do you think?

mtcards · August 23, 2007 1:48AM

Silly question...I used to have an SMR and a pop report from a few years back. Never really paid much attention to the prices, but how is it possible for the SMR to list a price of a PSA 10 Ryan when one does not yet exist?

Stingray · August 23, 2007 1:56AM

<< Silly question...I used to have an SMR and a pop report from a few years back. Never really paid much attention to the prices, but how is it possible for the SMR to list a price of a PSA 10 Ryan when one does not yet exist? >>

I have wondered that myself, they have a price for a PSA 9 T206 Wagner, though one does not exist!!

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 2:10AM

Hmmm. No 1978 Topps Ryan PSA 10? I would bet that would go over $10k.

I was surprised that there are no 1986 Topps Vince Coleman PSA 10's.

What are some more surprises that are not from 1986 Topps?

raykasa · August 23, 2007 2:52AM

I think the ultimate mega modern pull would be the 1975 Topps Robin Yount RC- once again, no PSA 10s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

easy 20-25k no doubt. thoughts?

gosteelers · August 23, 2007 2:54AM

1985 Topps (#33) Walter Payton. No PSA 10s...over 300 graded.

Pittfan · August 23, 2007 2:56AM

How about a 1975 Yount regular issue, no 10's

gosteelers · August 23, 2007 2:56AM

1969 Nolan Ryan RC. 1 PSA 10 out of 2,613 graded. How much is that baby worth???

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 2:56AM

Wow, no 75 Younts? I would say that it would definitely go over $10k. As many people out there that collect 1975 Topps sets, your figure would not surprise me at all.

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 2:59AM

<< 1969 Nolan Ryan RC. 1 PSA 10 out of 2,613 graded. How much is that baby worth??? >>

His RC was in 68. Which one has 1 PSA 10 - the 68 or 69?

One 68 Bench sold for $10k in 2001.

How about this one - I know this card is infamous, but there is only one PSA 9 of a 1969 Topps Lou Brock. It sold for $4850. Just think what a 10 would bring.

gosteelers · August 23, 2007 3:33AM

<< 

<< 1969 Nolan Ryan RC. 1 PSA 10 out of 2,613 graded. How much is that baby worth??? >>

His RC was in 68. Which one has 1 PSA 10 - the 68 or 69?

One 68 Bench sold for $10k in 2001.

How about this one - I know this card is infamous, but there is only one PSA 9 of a 1969 Topps Lou Brock. It sold for $4850. Just think what a 10 would bring. >>

Oops, my bad about the Ryan RC...

Anyway, his '68 RC has 4,673 graded with only 58 PSA 9 NQs and ZERO PSA 10s. Now, how much would that baby bring???

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 3:35AM

No 10's for a Ryan rookie? Wow. Y'all may think I'm nuts for saying so, but I would not be shocked to see that hit 6 figures. Am I off? (keeping in mind the slew of Ryan collectors out there)

mudflap02 · August 23, 2007 3:48AM

Dmitri Young has some nice early Ryans, including a GAI 10 which I believe was crossed from a PSA 9.

mudflap02 · August 23, 2007 3:52AM

I am - his entire collection used to be up on the GAI website, and it is just unreal. Link seems to be dead though.

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 3:53AM

<< Dmitri Young has some nice early Ryans, including a GAI 10 which I believe was crossed from a PSA 9. >>

Are you talking about a 68 Ryan in GAI 10?

colebear · August 23, 2007 4:02AM

How about a PSA 10 Valenzuela/Scioscia 1981 topps? This set is tough to grade also. Zero 10's and 76 nines.

fergie23 · August 23, 2007 4:18AM

Makes you wonder what that Pop 1 PSA 10 1974 Topps Stamp Nolan Ryan would have sold for if the guy had let the auction run its course rather than ending it early.

CDsNuts · August 23, 2007 4:25AM

Not as much because the 93 Finest Ryan is in the Basic set and the Stamp is not. Make no mistake, this was a registry battle and nothing more.

Rogermnj · August 23, 2007 5:20AM

I cracked 2 rack cases and got about 6 10s on commons. They are super tough.

If sandberg is pop1, i will pay $200 for it if someone gets it.

mudflap02 · August 23, 2007 5:29AM

The 86 Topps Ryan is really one of the cards that made me rethink the registry concept (and later grading in general.) I had a 9 that was pretty nice. I remember mikeschmidt psted a group of 86T Schmidts and we had to guess the 10 - it was pretty tough to pick out. Eventually, a PSA 10 will surface. But is a 1986 Topps card really worth that much? Not to me. We sort of went through something similar when I owned a PSA 10 1988 Topps Ryan. There was a bubble in the card, about 1/2" long. It was still a $250+ card, probably much more than that now that more people are competing in the registry. It just wasn't enjoyable to me anymore.

Which would you rather have

- a 1986 Topps Ryan that PSA says is perfect in every way, OR
- a PSA 9 Ryan, with a corner that you can't really tell is damaged, and EVERY OTHER TOPPS NOLAN RYAN

bifff257 · August 23, 2007 5:50AM

<< Make no mistake, this was a registry battle and nothing more. >>

<< The 86 Topps Ryan is really one of the cards that made me rethink the registry concept >>

There is no question about it, the registry/POP report can be a great thing for a seller.

I just wish I could list a card on ebay and have one of those battles take place.

CDsNuts · August 23, 2007 5:53AM

If I had an 86 Ryan that I thought could be a 10 on a good day, I'd crack and resumbit it at least 50 times.

RedHeart54 · August 23, 2007 6:29AM

If you guys are right in that a PSA 10 Ryan would bring that kind of money let's just hope PSA doesn't mislabel a Tiffany version as the regular issue card. You'd have one very pi$$ed buyer if this is all the Tiffany version brings.

ldferg · August 23, 2007 7:35AM

maybe i need to pull my 9 from auction this week....decisions, decisions...ugh.

there are some mets collectors that like the psa 10s.

jamesryanbell · August 23, 2007 7:38AM

<< If you guys are right in that a PSA 10 Ryan would bring that kind of money let's just hope PSA doesn't mislabel a Tiffany version as the regular issue card. You'd have one very pi$$ed buyer if this is all the Tiffany version brings. >>

If that's all the Tiffany would bring, I would assume the regular one would bring less...??

Am I right?

gosteelers · August 23, 2007 7:43AM

<< 

<< If you guys are right in that a PSA 10 Ryan would bring that kind of money let's just hope PSA doesn't mislabel a Tiffany version as the regular issue card. You'd have one very pi$$ed buyer if this is all the Tiffany version brings. >>

If that's all the Tiffany would bring, I would assume the regular one would bring less...??

Am I right? >>

Nope. While there are 18 PSA 10 Tiffany Ryan's out of 134 graded (13.4% graded are PSA 10s), there are ZERO PSA 10 1986 'regular' Topps Nolan Ryan's. So, for all of the Nolan Ryan basic set collector's this would be a first whenever the first one gets graded, thus driving up the value...

RedHeart54 · August 23, 2007 8:55AM

MADE YA LOOK!

(Ok, it's photoshopped. Your hearts may rest. But at least we now know what it would look like in a PSA 10 holder.)

rbdjr1 · August 23, 2007 9:37AM

With 2,059 - 1978 Nolan Ryan cards sent to PSA, only 2 made PSA 10! Yikes!

Would I like a PSA 10 Ryan for my registry set? Dah, ya! If one ever comes up for sale again and I want to outbid the Ryan registry guys, I'll need to take out a third mortgage!

rbdjr1's 1976 Topps - My Number One All Time Finest Set

rd

My ebay store!!!

This PSA 9 is the best I can do!

fsjeter · August 23, 2007 9:42AM

Correct me if I'm wrong but in addition to the centering issues with the '86 set, isn't the black border murder with the chipping, no?

Scott

rbdjr1 · August 23, 2007 9:53AM

No PSA 10s yet for 1978.
39 PSA 9's
and 439 - PSA 8s! Wow!

Would you rather have a 1986 PSA 10 or a 1978 PSA 10?

rd

My ebay store!!!

Here's my best??? (Chipped, could be cleaner, and maybe should be a PSA 8 on a good day! But I'll take it! It's still, a PSA 9 Ryan! Thanks PSA!!!) as it is pretty tough to find better without giving-up your first born!

) rbdjr1's 1978 Topps Set - I'm Currently # 2 !!!

frankhardy · August 23, 2007 6:22PM

Obviously, the 1978 would bring more money since it 8 years older. However, the 1986 would do better than most cards compared to an 8 year older card due to the fact of the black border.

prscott933 · August 27, 2007 7:38AM

the population report now shows a psa 10 1986 ryan

larryallen73 · August 27, 2007 7:43AM

the population report now shows a psa 10 1986 ryan

If I had it I would SELL, SELL, SELL! I would buy a Babe Ruth, or similar, with the money... but for $100 or $200. In about a year or two, when there are 10 or more '86 Ryans in PSA 10 I would go buy the Ryan for the $100 or $200 it would then be selling for. Based on the amount of '86 product that was produced it is just a matter of time until they start popping up.

ahkmedbinladen · August 27, 2007 9:04AM

anybody wanna bet Dsl will be selling the Psa 10 Ryan?? Or maybe 4SC.

ldferg · August 27, 2007 9:43AM

is this a recently graded 10 and do you know if it's a player set already?

1986 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 10 - what would it go for?

Comments