Mantle Cards - Help Me.

BobS · July 17, 2008 12:44AM

The only Mantles I have are a SGC 80 1956 for my raw/graded set, and a 64 Giants.

With the average rate of return on our 401's, mutual funds, etc. below 0.0% this past year, I've convinced my wife that slowly and surely we should add all of his regular issue cards to "our" collection as a nice way to diversify our "retirement holdings" .

Before anyone says "don't invest in cards", don't worry. Both of us are already maxed out on contributions from work, and we put another 20% of our income into other investments a year. She cleared all of this with her retirement "guy", and he doesn't see a problem with putting 2-5% of our income into cards. She will still retire in 10 years (50) and me in about 15 (50).

So, to start things off, I have an approximate $550 school tax rebate check coming and we both agreed it can go to Mickey.

Any suggestions? I think I'd like to shoot for PSA 5's for the 50's issues, and PSA 6's for 60's.

I haven't been following pricing on his mid-grade cards, but what does everyone think the $550 should go for? One card?, two cards? Put it in the bank and wait until we have enough for the PSA-1 1952?

Any and all suggestions welcomed.

Cheers - Bob.

fattymacs · July 17, 2008 12:55AM

My suggestion would be the highest grade you can get for $550.00 , I personally wouldn't buy anything less than a 6 (or SGC 80).

TJMAC · July 17, 2008 2:32AM

Mantles are a fairly safe investment - at the very least they hold their value. I like your idea of going for PSA 5's as the ones from the 50's have appeared to increase value at least the ones I am in the market for.

PoppaJ · July 17, 2008 2:34AM

I recently sold a board member a very nice PSA/DNA autographed PSA 7 1958 All Star Mantle for that exact amount.

You might want to consider doing the same, if you can find a nice one.

Just an idea!

PoppaJ

clydecoolidge · July 17, 2008 2:34AM

I would first invest the $10 per month for a membership to VCP. That way you can know what current values are and the whatnot, and avoid over spending.

Morgoth · July 17, 2008 2:38AM

You could get a 67-69 Mantle in PSA 8 for around that. For a little more you could get a 66.

44Magnum · July 17, 2008 2:46AM

I really like this one. I've had my eye on it for a few days, but I don't think I am going to pull the trigger. It's a good looking card for a 5 and if you cross it over to PSA, I really think it could be a 5.5, maybe a 6 on a good day. I also think it's way undervalued. If Mantle would have had a '55 Topps card, a PSA 5 would be $800-1000 price range.

tombo · July 17, 2008 2:52AM

What about if you already had decided that you were going for PSA 7's. Would you rather buy the oldest Mantle you could get for a set amount or as many Mantle's as you could get for that amount?

For example, you have $1200 to spend and you could either get a 1960 Mantle in Psa 8 or a 1967 & 1969 Mantle both in PSA 8. What would you do?

BobS · July 17, 2008 2:53AM

Great comments. A few notes:

PSA 8's are out of the question. I'd love a high grade Mantle collection, but not the 2nd mortgage. The goal is to assemble a nice mid-grade collection of Mantle's, over the next 10 years, for hopefully 10K or so, minus the 52 and 53.

That 55B is real nice. I had no idea they were that "cheap".

To answer one of the qustions, I think I'm leaning towards two versus 1, for the same $$.

Morgoth · July 17, 2008 2:56AM

I would get the 60 Mantle because

A. Its a classic card and design to me while the 67 is probably his weakest designed card.
B. I could probably save up and have 500 to 600 dollars again to spend and get the 67 or 69, but having 1200 to spend at once would be much tougher so it might be my only shot to get the card for quite some time.
C. The 60 will go up much more than the 67 or 69 due to scarcity and popularity.

smtjoy · July 17, 2008 2:57AM

I like the idea of using VCP and then just set low snipes for the mantle cards you are interested in, at some point you will win one at a nice price and add that to your collection. The longer you go winless the better Mantle cards you can bid on.

A problem many people who invent in cards do is say I have to have that "XXX card" and pay whatever (thats fine on a 1 of 1 or esp rare card like a T206 Plank) but not good on any 1950-1970's card. Know what the mantle you want to buy has been selling for on VCP then wait and get one on a down tick. I fliped a couple PSA 8 Clementes doing this and did pretty good and made money on reselling each one.

fattymacs · July 17, 2008 2:59AM

Bob, I've got a 1960 PSA 6 I'd let you have for a littl under $300

BobS · July 17, 2008 3:02AM

Smtjoy -

That has always been my card-collecting buying strategy, no matter what it is. Since I'm not into anything especially scarce or rare, there's always another one to be had in time.

Fattymacs - Give it a few weeks for the check to arrive and I'll get back to you.

One additional note - I'm not going to buy any off center cards. never have, never will. There will always be a premium for well centered examples, no matter the grade. I feel centering is paramount. Just about the only way to separate the wheat from the chaff when comparing cards of the same grade.

fkw · July 17, 2008 4:58AM

If you have to have Mantle (I would go for Cobb, Wagner, or Ruth..... before Mantle)

I would buy 5 - $100 raw cards and then get them graded yourself. You will easily instantly double your $$ if you pick the right cards and dont just setting for the listings found the first week.

Just set a bunch of snipes at 30% of the value and a few will hit.

BobS · July 17, 2008 5:08AM

FKW -

Not too many pre-67 raw Mantles out there in EX-NM shape for $100.

Just doing a real quick search on E-Bay and you are down into the GD-VG range for $100. The "nice" raw ones are already selling at PSA 5/6 prices. It would take a whole lot of work to double your money finding and grading EX-NM 50's and 60's cards, especially Mantle's.

BobS · July 18, 2008 1:16AM

So, I had some time on my hands last night and put a speadsheet together.

Using only completed e-bay auctions I could access, looks like it would only be around 3-3.5K for all regular issue cards, starting with 55B, skipping 56T (already have), and continuing through 1969. The 51, 52, 53 and 54 are not really on my radar right now.

That's for 5's in the 50's and 6's in the 60's.

Not as much coin as I tought.

TJMAC · July 18, 2008 2:33AM

Bob, your research seems about right to me. Good plan going for 5 in the 50's and 6 in the 60's.

fur72 · July 18, 2008 4:41AM

<< <i>Mantles are a fairly safe investment - at the very least they hold their value. I like your idea of going for PSA 5's as the ones from the 50's have appeared to increase value at least the ones I am in the market for. >>

I'm convinced I can take a dump on a Mantle and still sell it for $50. I have seen some real junky raw cards go for close to $50.

yankeeno7 · July 18, 2008 4:49AM

As much as I am a Mantle collector myself, if I were thinking of what you are doing, I would be buying up appealing PSA 2 T206 Ty Cobb cards.

Mantle Cards - Help Me.

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