Mid-Grade Collectors

[jchcollins]

Here are some examples on recent pickups - ‘67 Topps high numbers. These cards in grades above 6 I have learned recently are SUBSTANTIALLY more expensive in eBay auctions. Plus I’ve learned that for lower grade and O/C - there are a lot more sellers who are willing to make deals on Buy-It-Now prices that accept offers. I saved more than $50 off this Colavito from the original BIN asking price. Yeah, it’s O/C but so what? The picture has beautiful color and there isn’t a crease on it. To give you some perspective, the same ‘67 Colavito #580 in a PSA 7 - centered much better than mine but still not perfect - sold for more than $200 in a November 2017 eBay auction. Without saying what I paid for mine, it was a HECKUVA lot less than two bills...

Again, each unto his own and nothing against collectors who shell out big bucks for macho, super high-grade vintage. But if I tried to put together a ‘67 set like that I might have 10 cards before I died.




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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Here are some examples on recent pickups - ‘67 Topps high numbers. These cards in grades above 6 I have learned recently are SUBSTANTIALLY more expensive in eBay auctions. Plus I’ve learned that for lower grade and O/C - there are a lot more sellers who are willing to make deals on Buy-It-Now prices that accept offers. I saved more than $50 off this Colavito from the original BIN asking price. Yeah, it’s O/C but so what? The picture has beautiful color and there isn’t a crease on it. To give you some perspective, the same ‘67 Colavito #580 in a PSA 7 - centered much better than mine but still not perfect - sold for more than $200 in a November 2017 eBay auction. Without saying what I paid for mine, it was a HECKUVA lot less than two bills...

Again, each unto his own and nothing against collectors who shell out big bucks for macho, super high-grade vintage. But if I tried to put together a ‘67 set like that I might have 10 cards before I died.




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Those are great cards! I'm with you in that I would rather give in on centering than have a crease...that's how that card came out of the pack after all! I am finding that in shooting for mid-grade I am usually going to have to make a concession somewhere, but I don't mind doing that. I am having fun, and my collecting is affordable for me. At the end of the day, the card is going into my box or binder, and it is for my enjoyment anyway.

[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Those are great cards! I'm with you in that I would rather give in on centering than have a crease...that's how that card came out of the pack after all! I am finding that in shooting for mid-grade I am usually going to have to make a concession somewhere, but I don't mind doing that. I am having fun, and my collecting is affordable for me. At the end of the day, the card is going into my box or binder, and it is for my enjoyment anyway.

100% agree. Just got this 71 Clemente today. Made an offer that was 1/3 less than similar cards and it was accepted. Definitely OC, but nice color and no creases. Looks sweet in the binder.


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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Congrats on the pickup, Ed!

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Vintagevault13

100% agree. Just got this 71 Clemente today. Made an offer that was 1/3 less than similar cards and it was accepted. Definitely OC, but nice color and no creases. Looks sweet in the binder.


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I think the OC gives it some character. Nice card!


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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I am learning to live with less than great centering. On Friday, I purchased a partial (241/250) 1954 Topps set at a pretty good price. I have gone through and pulled all the cards with creases and wrinkles and will be looking to sell those. While the centering is varied throughout the set, I am ok with that aspect of the cards. What do you guys think about miscuts? Some of them are otherwise very nice cards, and I believe all are commons. I am keeping some that are OC. Is miscut really that much worse? Would you keep or don't keep?

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[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

I am learning to live with less than great centering. On Friday, I purchased a partial (241/250) 1954 Topps set at a pretty good price. I have gone through and pulled all the cards with creases and wrinkles and will be looking to sell those. While the centering is varied throughout the set, I am ok with that aspect of the cards. What do you guys think about miscuts? Some of them are otherwise very nice cards, and I believe all are commons. I am keeping some that are OC. Is miscut really that much worse? Would you keep or don't keep?

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As you can see from the 71 Clemente I posted, I am ok with OC cards. However, I do want to make sure that there is at least a full border around the card. I guess it is just what we can tolerate. I use the “binder test”. If a card looks good while I flip through the binder, I am good with it.


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[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

I am learning to live with less than great centering. On Friday, I purchased a partial (241/250) 1954 Topps set at a pretty good price. I have gone through and pulled all the cards with creases and wrinkles and will be looking to sell those. While the centering is varied throughout the set, I am ok with that aspect of the cards. What do you guys think about miscuts? Some of them are otherwise very nice cards, and I believe all are commons. I am keeping some that are OC. Is miscut really that much worse? Would you keep or don't keep?

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Some MC cards I think are tolerable if the borders blend in well or are implied. For example I have a '53 Topps Warren Spahn, PSA 5 MC. It's got a sliver of a top border, but it blends into the color of the painting so well that you have to hold it a couple of inches away from your eye to even see it. The bottom border, where the black nameplate is - is larger than usual because of this - but on the whole the card does not look disproportionate to me, and so I was ok w/ the miscut. There is a scan of this card over on the thread titled "PSA and Off-Center Cards", I think.

[Exhibitman]

I am getting to be the opposite: as long as the card has great centering and is clean and well-registered I am fine with lesser corners or even a slight crease. The vg-ex due to a small crease that looks nm-mt is my favorite place to play in postwar cards. But there are exceptions. If you collect all things 1971 Topps, as I try to, you have to go after OPC cards and you basically will get o/c cards from Canada:




The centering on OPC sucks so bad that I will take lesser grade if they happen to be centered:



The only place I might splurge is on a Hank Aaron (favorite player of the era and all).

[jchcollins]

Lately I find myself going for all types - VG-EX range and centered are preferable, but I have also gone for some O/C cards that still have sharper corners and are otherwise clean (sharp to me is usually more PSA 6 range than 8...) - especially with late 60's and early 70's cards. It really just depends on the individual card.