What are your top 5 grail cards?

r00kies101 · June 16, 2011 9:04AM

I've always enjoyed these types of posts. Gives an interesting insight and perspective to what other people are collecting. I'd like to keep it realistic also, unless you can actually afford a T206 Honus Wagner or '52 Mantle PSA 10.

QUESTION: What are your top 5 PSA graded cards you plan to own/already own(ed) before you die?

I enjoy collecting rookie HOFers from the different sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey)

There are so many to choose from, but here are my top 5 (in no particular order)

Basketball - 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan PSA 10
Baseball - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 5 (centered)
Football - 1986 Topps Steve Young PSA 10 (owned it at one time, but sold it - only 3 PSA 10s, would love to own it again)
Hockey - 1979 OPC Wayne Gretzky PSA 9
Baseball - 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 9

Sean1125 · June 16, 2011 9:52AM

Baseball- 1952 Mantle PSA 7 (Would like to own)
Baseball- 1910/11 T3 Ty Cobb PSA 5 (Would like to own)
Baseball- 1933 Goudey Ruth (Batting #53) PSA 6 (owned)
Football- 1952 Bowman Small Chuck Bednarik PSA 10 (Would like to own)
Football- 1976 Walter Payton WITH Autograph PSA 10 for both the card and auto (Would like to own)

I don't know how many of these are feasible but there is my list.

taka · June 16, 2011 10:12AM

My top realistic wants right now:

1972 Julius Erving PSA 9
1981 Joe Montana PSA 9
2004 Donruss Field Generals Auto Card Bill Walsh/Bill Belichick
1981 Paul Coffey PSA 9
1984 USFL Steve Young PSA 9

scmavl · June 16, 2011 10:16AM

I'm not concerned about grading on these:

1951 Bowman Mantle
1952 Topps Mantle
1952 Topps Mathews
1954 Bowman Williams
1954 Topps Banks

jimrad · June 16, 2011 10:21AM

1911 C55 #38 Georges Vezina - got it
1924 Maple Crispette #15 Sprague Cleghorn --- impossible
1966 Topps #35 Bobby Orr - got it
1979 Topps #18 Wayne Gretzky - got it
1979 OPC #18 Wayne Gretzky - got it

Downtown1974 · June 16, 2011 10:37AM

1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 5
1951 Bowman Willie Mays PSA 7
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 5
1954 Topps Hank Aaron PSA 7
1955 Topps Roberto Clemente PSA 7

(I dont own any of them)

epatmythes · June 16, 2011 11:16AM

I've got a handful of what I'd consider "holy grail" cards... but these are the Top 5 on my current "want to get" list...

1954 Topps Hank Aaron PSA 8
1956 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 7
1957 Topps Paul Hornung PSA 7
1986 Fleer Michael Jordan PSA 10
2001 Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols PSA 9 (or 10)

verb1 · June 16, 2011 11:29AM

Baseball: 1951 Bowman Willie Mays PSA 7
Basketball: 1961-62 Wilt Chamberlain PSA 7
Football: 1958 Jim Brown PSA 7
Hockey: 1979 Topps Gretzky PSA 7

I don't own any of these, but I will. I may have to give on the Willie Mays to a PSA 6, though.
(Wouldn't mind a PSA 4 Christy Mathewson, a 1969 Lew Alcindor PSA 7, or an old graded Cassius Clay or Jack Johnson RC either!)

Edit: Not exactly a "grail card," but I've been looking for a nice 1971 Tiny Archibald PSA 7 card, so right now I'd be excited to find one.

VitoCo1972 · June 16, 2011 11:30AM

I can say all I wan that I'd love a T206 Wagner but to quote Charles S. Dutton in Rudy, "it ain't gonna never happen."

My attainable Top 5

57 Bill Russell RC signed
61 KC Jones RC signed (these two would complete my Celtics retired number signed set)
71-72 Topps Bobby Orr signed (such a great looking card)
69-70 Topps Wilt Chamberlain signed (a couple for $500 on eBay now - out of my price range)
57 Bart Starr signed

jeffcbay · June 16, 2011 12:16PM

These five cards would be my personal holy grail (in these grades):

fkw · June 16, 2011 12:42PM

Not that I can afford any of these.... but it doesnt hurt to dream

any doofus with a fat wallet can get a T206 Wagner or 1952T Mantle, they are not rare at all, unlike cards on my list....

1909 Cabanas Pete Hill (1 known)
1893 Just So Cy Young 1 known)
1903 E107 Honus Wagner (less than 10 known)
1921 Tip Top Bread Lefty Groves (1 known)
1935 Pebble Beach Joe DiMaggio (all cards are signed, less than 10 known)

VitoCo1972 · June 16, 2011 12:46PM

<< <i>Not that I can afford any of these.... but it doesnt hurt to dream

any doofus with a fat wallet can get a T206 Wagner or 1952T Mantle, they are not rare at all, unlike cards on my list....

1909 Cabanas Pete Hill (1 known)
1893 Just So Cy Young 1 known)
1903 E107 Honus Wagner (less than 10 known)
1921 Tip Top Bread Lefty Groves (1 known)
1935 Pebble Beach Joe DiMaggio (all cards are signed, less than 10 known) >>

The DiMaggio thing interests me. Was the whole Pebble Beach Set signed? What's the set history?

Blackie · June 16, 2011 12:53PM

52 Mantle any grade
86 topps Jordan in psa7 or better
65 namath
79OPC gretzky
58 jim brown psa 8 or better

BunchOBull · June 16, 2011 1:29PM

Is the plural form of doofus, doofi? Doofuses?

We must have a lot of doofi around here, or dingbats potentially, or a single doofus maybe.

captainthreeputt · June 16, 2011 2:15PM

My holy grail five are:

1952 Topps Mantle (will buy some day)
1911 C55 Vezina (own a psa 1, currently looking for a PSA 5)
1935 Chicle Nagurski (own a psa 6)
1948 Bowman Mikan (own a PSA 6)
1932 U.S. Caramel Bobby Jones (own a psa 2.5)

There are so many other great cards, but I think this is a nice selection from the major sports.

NickM · June 16, 2011 3:15PM

For these cards, the grade isn't as important as that the card be nicely presentable.

One of the '33 Goudey Ruths
One of the T206 Cobbs (got this - Bat Off SGC 30)
'39 Play Ball Ted Williams
'55 Topps Koufax
'54 Topps Aaron

I could go out to 10 with

'51 Bowman Mays
'51 Bowman Mantle
'55 Topps Clemente
'61/'62 Topps Chamberlain
'58 Topps Jim Brown

Nick

akuracy503 · June 16, 2011 3:27PM

Brunners Bread Ty Cobb
Cracker Jack Joe Jackson
Goudey Napoleon LaJoie
'51 Bowman Mantle
'52 Topps Roy Campanella (Centered)

thehallmark · June 16, 2011 3:30PM

1953 Bowman Color Mickey Mantle PSA 9
1954 Wilson Franks Roy Campanella PSA 6+
1968 Topps 3D Roberto Clemente any grade
1979 Topps Dale Murphy PSA 10
1990 Pro Set Dexter Manley "Substance Abuse" variation PSA 10

90% chance I die before I can make this wishlist a reality. I'm 31 years old, btw.

rexvos · June 17, 2011 1:55AM

I only collect football now, so here are pics of my top 5 that I own:

5. 1972 Topps Roger Staubach PSA 8

4. 1971 Topps Terry Bradshaw PSA 8

3. 1976 Topps Walter Payton PSA 9

2. 1958 Topps Jim Brown PSA 7

1. 1957 Topps Johnny Unitas PSA 7

The Top 5 I would like to own someday in the highest grade I can possibly secure:

5. 1998 Sp Authentic Peyton Manning (had the diecut at one time, but need at least a PSA 9 and have not gotten it yet.)
4. 1948 Leaf Sammy Baugh (never have owned any Baugh card, and this is the one to get)
3. 1948 Leaf Chuck Bednarik (always wanted this card, never had the $$ when one has popped up)
2. 1965 Topps Joe Namath (I recently owned a PSA 3, would like in a 5 or higher)
1. 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski (the best card in the football end of the hobby)

RonBurgundy · June 17, 2011 2:33AM

Hard question to answer for me. The 52 Mantle was really the only "grail" card I've wanted, now that I have one it's hard to peg any other cards I'd snap up quickly if I had the cash. I suppose I wouldn't turn down a T206 Wagner, though.

High dollar cards I wouldn't mind owning that I do not currently have, however:

51 Bowman Mantle PSA 7 or better
53 Topps Mantle, PSA 8.
54 Topps Ted Williams (both of them), PSA 8
54 Banks RC, PSA 8
52 Topps Mathews, PSA 7 or better
55 Koufax, PSA 8 (tremendously undervalued card)
52 Topps Mays, PSA 7 or better
58 Jim Brown, PSA 8
61/62 Chamberlain, PSA 8 or better
65 Namath, PSA 8

thunderdan · June 17, 2011 2:58AM

My top 5-ish.

T3 Cobb
33 Goudey Ruth
52 Topps Mantle
51 Bowman Mantle
54 Topps Aaron
55 Topps Clemente
60 Yaz
63 Rose
71 Munson

58 Jim Brown
71 Bradshaw
69 Lew Alcindor
61 Chamberlain
86 Jordan

cwazzy · June 17, 2011 4:06AM

I'm glad to see a couple people with Campy cards in their top 5.

My top 5 in no particular order:
T206 Ty Cobb bat off shoulder
T212 Ten Million (the dude's name is Ten Million, how could this card NOT be on my list? LOL)
T227 Ty Cobb (for me this might be the greatest looking card ever made)
1914 Cracker Jack Christy Mathewson
1954 Wilson Franks Roy Campanella (I have this in a PSA 4)

This list could go on forever and changes on a regular basis. LOL

Brian48 · June 17, 2011 4:09AM

1. Topps '66 Bobby Orr rookie PSA 8 or better
2. Topps '66 Bobby Orr rookie PSA 8 or better
3. Topps '66 Bobby Orr rookie PSA 8 or better
4. Topps '66 Bobby Orr rookie PSA 8 or better
5. Topps '62 Roger Maris PSA 9 or better

Big80s · June 17, 2011 4:44AM

My top five cards:

1. 1975 OPC - George Brett - PSA 9
2. 1979 OPC - Gretzky - PSA 9
3. 1966 OPC - Mickey Mantle - PSA 8
4. 1956 Topps - Bob Cousy - PSA 9
5. 1922 Felix Potin Collection 3rd edition - Jack Dempsey - PSA 6

Big80s · June 17, 2011 4:45AM

Great thread, by the way!

Mickey71 · June 17, 2011 5:00AM

These are fun threads. I am a huge Mantle collector but don't really consider the 1952 topps one of my favorites....so here would be my humanly reasonable list.

1. 1933 Goudey Ruth (Batting) PSA 5 or better with great appeal--I've owned and had to sell during an emergency some time back

2. 1951 Bowman Mays PSA 7

3. 1953 Topps Mantle PSA 7

4. 1949 Bowman Paige PSA 7 or better...a Leaf would be crazy

5. 1954 Topps Aaron PSA 7 or better

cone10 · June 17, 2011 5:10AM

Mine would be all from the 1948 Leaf baseball set... PSA 5 and well centered.

#1 Di Maggio
#3 Ruth
#8 Paige
#76 Williams
#79 Robinson

Honorable mention: Musial, Feller and Spahn

What are your top 5 grail cards?

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