Your Best Raw Card Success Story

[M's_Fan]

These days I don't buy many raw cards. But in 2006 I bought a raw T206 Bresnahan for $63:

http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv82/3fingerbrown/Graded%20T206%20HOF/Bresnahanbat62.jpg?t=1268327073

After I got the card in the mail, I started to get excited, it had much sharper corners than I had previously thought, and no creases. A few years later, in 2008, I had it submitted, and it came back from SGC in a 70 holder:

http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv82/3fingerbrown/Graded%20T206%20HOF/Bresnahanbat62SGC70-1.jpg?t=1268327137

Not Bad!

Of course, everyone has a story of getting burned buying raw cards with defects not described in the listing, etc... but I thought it would be fun to start a thread for anyone to post their "raw card success story"...

[T206DK]

I remember back in the early 90's buying a bunch of T206's off of a guy who had placed an ad in SCD. My brother and I bought about 30 cards for between $6-8 a card. They all graded around 3 or 4 with a couple of 5's from PSA when we finally got around to grading them. We also used to buy T3's from an old man who set up at small card shows in our area back then...we bought about a dozen or so from him for I think $40-$50 each. none were real gems, but they weren't trashy either. Those were the good old days.

[T206Collector]

...my best raw card story is also probably a T206 Bresnahan batting that came in a group of raw cards and ultimately graded an SGC 70. Seriously strange coincidence.

But the story I often tell is about my old T206 Pfeister Throwing, which was almost entirely covered in scrapbook paper, which I got for around $10. The paper literally fell off of the card when I put it under water and there was absolutely no glue residue or paper damage at all. SGC also graded that one an SGC 70.

I don't own either anymore.

[DICKTOWLE]

Bought a 1965 Rose last year from Ebay for $ 65.00. It was a nice looking card, sent to SGC graded 8.5, that was nice.

This was added to my son's collection. Thank you:)

[Robextend]

Bought a 1940 PlayBall George Kelly and a 1948 Leaf George Stirnweiss for about $15 each, sent them to SGC and they both came back as 84's.

Also bought a T205 Marquard for roughly $35 and it came back an SGC 50.

Nothing like getting those raw gems....

[t206wagner]

Bought a 1915 Cracker Jack Meyers for $30 because the seller said it was trimmed. When I received it, it didn't looked trimmed and it measured okay so I sent it to SGC. Came back as an 80.

[Ladder7]

No good deals lately... Two eBay raw purchases long ago, both with horrible scans and the Mantle seller was brand new;

T205 Marquard for $40 came back SGC 80

1959 Mantle for $50 came back PSA 6

Rube is gone, still have the Mick.

[glynparson]

Raw $175 got a PSA 8 and sold it to a whale for a lot more than that.:D

[M's_Fan]

...my best raw card story is also probably a T206 Bresnahan batting that came in a group of raw cards and ultimately graded an SGC 70. Seriously strange coincidence.

But the story I often tell is about my old T206 Pfeister Throwing, which was almost entirely covered in scrapbook paper, which I got for around $10. The paper literally fell off of the card when I put it under water and there was absolutely no glue residue or paper damage at all. SGC also graded that one an SGC 70.

I don't own either anymore.

What a weird coincidence about that T206 Bresnahan! And cool story about that Pfeister, I've never dared putting a T206 under water...

[Chris Counts]

I've told my one grading success story here before, but I'll summarize it again. I picked up seven "colorized" 1940 Play Ball card at the S.F. Cow Palace show a couple years ago. The seller thought some kids colored them in. Later I described the cards to Mike Baker at GAI and he encourage me to send them in for grading. I sent him several, and for a couple months, they sat in the GAI office. Finally the cards came back with the explanation that they were "too controversial" to grade. Mike confirmed with me that one prominent dealer in particular was campaigning against their authenticity, but he said he believed they were legitimate. So I took the cards to SGC's table at the National in Anaheim. I showed them to several of their representatives, and they repeated the story about the previously-mentioned dealer. Out of frustration, I handed them a card of Frank Demaree and said, "Please, take this card back to your lab, and if you have to destroy it in a science experiment, go ahead. I'm convinced these cards were printed in color and I'm willing to sacrifice one to prove it." The rep from SGC took the card, and a few weeks later it was returned in a slab identifying it as a proof. It graded excellent. Here's the card before it was slabbed ...

[calvindog]

...Later I described the cards to Mike Baker at GAI and he encourage me to send them in for grading.

Did this conversation occur on a Sunday night?

I sent him several, and for a couple months, they sat in the GAI office.

I know, I can't get anything done either when I only go to work on Mondays.

Finally the cards came back with the explanation that they were "too controversial" to grade.

Yeah, far be it from Mike Baker and GAI to get involved in anything controversial.

[T206Collector]

I've never dared putting a T206 under water...

Putting moral issues aside, T206s fair well under water as long as they are dried reasonable well and you don't keep them under for more than a few minutes. It's not like what happens to a Topps card.

[autograf]

Bought a raw T206 Mathewson portrait at a Cincinnati show a long time ago that looked trimmed but it filled a hole for $200. I decided to grade and it came back a PSA6 EXMT. That was a nice turn. In regards to soaking, bought a 19th century album and soaked out about 600-700 cards including 10 N162's, two of which were baseball. They later graded at SGC as SGC70 and SGC80. Dunlap was one. Not sure the other.

[chaddurbin]

bought a couple raw cards from julie (HI JULIE!!!) that turned into a psa6 t3 johnson and a sgc80 e90-1 plank.

[Leon]

Bought a raw N172 Delehanty on ebay. Sent it to PSA and it came back trimmed. I never thought it was. Sent it to SGC and it came back an 84.

[scooter729]

Finds are getting tougher to come across these days, but I bought this one off ebay less than a year ago, with a bad scan, for less than $100. Turned out to be the no number variation, and graded a PSA 2.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/scooter0729/bres001.jpg

[iggyman]

In the last Huggins and Scott auction, I purchased a small lot of cards which included a raw T206 Mathewson portrait. The card was described as trimmed but when I got it in hand; yes, it was a little short but did not seemed to be trimmed. I sent it in for submission and it came back an SGC 20. I was happy :p.

<img src="http://app4.sellersourcebook.com/users/113197/picture_874.jpg">

Lovely Day...

[wolfdogg]

Got a 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Wood in a trade (guy told me he would take $300 in trade). Later sent it to PSA and returned an 8 NrMT-MT:D.....since been sold:(

[Fred]

A few years ago a D304 Cobb came on ebay with a BIN. I must have been the first person to see it. I emailed the seller and asked if I could return it if it were found to be a reprint. The seller immediatley responded and said "yes". I BIN'd it, submitted it and got it graded for about $500. The card actually presents better than the grade. :D

I picked up one of those 4-1 Goudeys with three HOF players. I probably paid less than $50 for it. I sat on it for a while then submitted it and it came back an SGC84. :p

[DeanH3]

Back in the mid 90's I was buying raw 50's. When I finally bought into the grading scene in the late 90's I submitted a few of my cards.

1955 Al Kaline graded PSA 8
1955 Ernie Banks graded PSA 5
1956 Sandy Koufax graded PSA 8
1956 Roberto Clemente came back trimmed
1961 Roger Maris graded 8
1959 Duke Snider graded PSA 8

[Doug]

I bought a 1961 Topps Juan Marichal rookie and a 1961 Topps Roberto Clemente from a guy that worked at my bank for $20 each. The Marichal graded a PSA 7 and the Clemente got a PSA 8. I ended up getting $100 for the Marichal and $250 for the Clemente.

[jbsports33]

When I first started collecting pre-war cards, that first summer I went into a local shop and found a Old Judge Connie Mack. I did keep it until really started buying T206 cards when I traded it for some Hall of Famers. I paid 250.00 for it and later got 1500.00 in trade

Jimmy

[sox1903wschamp]

I think around the late 90's I made a deal for a real nice T-207 Speaker and a raw T-207 Cicotte was thrown it that was thought to be trimmed. I figured it was a filler until I found another but was never sure if it was actually trimmed. In 2008 I sent the Cicotte into SGC and it came back a 50 :)

[FrankWakefield]

.

[Exhibitman]

I picked up a couple of raw 1954 Bowman cards: Reese and Furillo. Came back SGC 88s. I still have them; just great looking cards.

I've also had a few 1971 Topps come back as 9s. Nice when that happens.

In terms of prewar, I bought a raw R94 Ruth that came back a 60 from SGC, a V61 Heilmann that came back a 70, a Tattoo Orbit O'Doul that came back an 80, and a 1939 Play Ball Hubbell that pulled an 84.

[Irwin Fletcher]

My two best so far:

1960 Fleer Arky Vaughan - Bought for $1.99 on eBay, sent it in to SGC and came back as a 96

1933 Goudey Harry McCurdy - Bought for $20 on eBay, sent it in to SGC and came back as an 80

[sox1903wschamp]

Congratulations Jimmy, with the Connie Mack. THAT is what I consider success. I don't consider taking a nice card and getting it entombed in plastic as a 'success story'. So this thread was starting to concern me a bit. Your's is a story of success.

Ahhh yes, there is always a dissenter in our ranks to throw chilly water on our stories. I like all stories be it raw or graded. It's all about passion and collecting!

[ChiefBenderForever]

I bought a mint 1960 Mickey Mantle at show in the late 90,s and it ended up being trimmed.

[canjond]

Picked up a raw 1948 Bowman Rizzuto as an upgrade for my set a few years ago. Scan was a little fuzzy and seller described it as vg-ex. I threw in a bid of $50 and won it for $38 or thereabouts. When the card arrived, it was gorgeous. Sent it into PSA and it graded an 8.

[JK]

Bought this for a about $2800 (the ebay scan looked much worse than this scan):

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/jkrasner2/untitled-1.jpg

Though I would have preferred not to, I ended up selling it for several times that amount:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/jkrasner2/1909E95Cobb2fSmall.jpg

[tedzan]

1st....Early 1990's, I drove up to Peterboro, New Hampshire to buy 64 Goodwin Champions (N162) cards.
A complete set of 50 and 14 extras. Here are the 2 key cards from this collection. I'm proud to say that
they have remained ungraded.

<img src="http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd339/tz1234zaz/abn162ansonkelly.jpg" alt="[linked image]">

2nd....In 2005, a lot of 404 T206 cards was on ebay. The cards varied from Vg to Ex. Scans of stars (most-
ly VgEx) were provided. The remaining 344 were accurately described. There were only 44 duplicates.

Amazingly, I was only the 5th bidder on this lot. I guess because they were not graded, not too many col-
lectors/investors were interested in this huge lot of T206's......my Gain, everyone else's Loss.


TED Z

[barrysloate]

About seven years ago I bought a large group of several hundred raw T205 and T206 commons in a big lot from one of the major auction houses (don't want to say who they are, but they no longer exist;)).

Among the group of T206 commons, and unseen by the auction house, was a Nodgrass, which I got graded SGC 40. I was able to sell it for four figures.

[Jim VB]

About seven years ago I bought a large group of several hundred raw T205 and T206 commons in a big lot from one of the major auction houses (don't want to say who they are, but they no longer exist;)).

Among the group of T206 commons, and unseen by the auction house, was a Nodgrass, which I got graded SGC 40. I was able to sell it for four figures.



Any wonder why they "no longer exist"?

[Jay Wolt]

My best success $% wise was at the Philly show in Reading seeing a Mint looking
'58 Andy Pafko sitting on top of a dealers $1 pile. I thought it was a Heritage card it looked so nice.
I tossed a dollar on the table, took the card placed it in a top loader.
And sent it to PSA w/ my other submissions, it came back a "9"

I put it on eBay starting at .99 cents, it went for $688.58 (I just checked VCP)
Ironically the buyer also eBay'd it (last year) and a whale won it for $382.00

[HRBAKER]

About seven years ago I bought a large group of several hundred raw T205 and T206 commons in a big lot from one of the major auction houses (don't want to say who they are, but they no longer exist;)).

Among the group of T206 commons, and unseen by the auction house, was a Nodgrass, which I got graded SGC 40. I was able to sell it for four figures.

Barry they were too busy writing the world's longest run on sentence regarding the cards they did notice to notice.

[FrankWakefield]

.

[Leon]

Me, I am thinking about getting my slabs slabbed. :p

(and I know it's almost happened in the coin arena....CAC?)

edited to say I was correct :)

http://www.caccoin.com/

[Rob D.]

Why must the success culminate in a plastic slab?

I didn't read anywhere in this thread where someone said success must culminate in a plastic slab. But for many collectors it does. Not sure why that would bother other folks or be a cause for "concern."

[barrysloate]

That they missed the Nodgrass was extremely sloppy and a disservice to their consignor. But as it turned out it was the least of their problems.

[FrankWakefield]

.

[cfc1909]

to me the raw card success of the tough cards you could pick off ebay in the 2000 to 2004 era will never be matched again. During that period ebay was loaded.

outside ebay -I remember picking up 2 American Beauty 460 Gandil cards at FT. Washington both ex for $150-that was around 2000 I still have one and sold the other to get my money back. I saw the card I got rid of sell on ebay for $400 plus 2 years later. I don't think the seller was who I sold it to. looks like several people made out on this one.

[Rob D.]

Then what we need, rOBd, is for you to benefit from lots of quoting, so you can read everything twice, then maybe it will sink in once. I'm glad you finally got to this thread.

When 03sox talks about there always being a dissenter, he's referring to me and my post. I was praising a guy for a success story that didn't involve slabbing, just buying, holding, then selling an Old Judge Mack. To me that is success. It seemed to most others, a raw success ends with something being slabbed. They didn't say that, but it seems obvious from most of the other posts, save Ted's. And you won't be attacking him in this thread because I'm in your sites.

I'm weary of the smart-ass responses you put after some of my posts, and some of the others on the board. I know of folks who've quit posting because of your crap. Some post less. That hurts the board. IF that is your goal, then you're having some raw success yourself.

Frank,

I understand you wanting your criticisms of how other people choose to collect to go unchallenged. And I understand that you think the way you collect is the "right" way. You've proved that time and time again. I don't need to read your posts twice, because you rarely post a new idea.

You raise a fair point that I'll bring sarcasm to my posts. But my guess is for all the multitudes of people who supposedly have told you I've chased them away, just as many folks e-mail me asking why you're so intolerant of people who prefer graded cards and the arrogance you display to anyone who disagrees with you.

You're weary? Join the club.

[Cowboy Fan]

Not vintage but this was my best flip.

Bought a 90 Leaf Sosa RC the year he and Mac were dueling from a local shop for $5 and sent to PSA and came back a 10, then sold on Ebay for $600 and I feel bad for that buyer.

[JeremyW]

this is mine.http://www.net54baseball.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15355&stc=1&d=1268360814

Somehow this fell under the the radar about 8-9 years ago on Ebay. Two figures.

[FrankWakefield]

.

[Rob D.]

Proven, not proved.

The correct and intended usage of proven is as an adjective, as in "a proven method." Not the way you suggest using it.

Talk cards. Good idea.

[Jim VB]

this is mine.http://www.net54baseball.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15355&stc=1&d=1268360814

Somehow this fell under the the radar about 8-9 years ago on Ebay. Two figures.

Jeremy,

You're correct. That's not a card. Better mail it to me. Need my address?

[calvindog]

Rob, I'll confess: I wrote to Frank about you. The only thing worse than your vicious sarcasm is the way you flaunt your love affair with plastic slabs in all our faces.

[kylebicking]

My best raw buy happens to be one of Leon's favorite cards, his Big Show Candy Ty Cobb.

After winning an eBay auction, I asked the seller if he had anything else for sale, I always do. He sent me a list of cards he was trying to get rid of, and one was listed as an unknown or uncatalogued Ty Cobb. His asking price was only $150 so I bought it blind for $150, having not seen scan of it or any idea what it was. After getting it in hand and doing a bunch of research, I figured out what it was and was pretty happy with my decision. The card was later consigned to Goodwin.

I'd say it is hands down the coolest, uniquest, and rarest card I've ever had in my possession, and likely ever will.

-Kyle

[mets41]

Back in the late 70's or early 80's I went to a local live card auction. I got the auction list before hand and there was a lot "1958 Topps Clemente" (I forget the condition). There was no mention if the card was the rare yellow letter or the white letter variation. When I got to the auction, I saw it was the "yellow letter" variation, won the card for about the white letter variation value and turned the card around for a nice profit.

[Jantz]

I once bought a common T206 for my collection that turned out to be hard-to-find variation.

Success, I don't know. I haven't sold it yet & might not, but just finding it was enough for me.

I've had some success in the past with modern cards.


Jantz

[M's_Fan]

As the starter of this thread, I'll tell you what I had in mind. Its a thread about getting a great deal on a raw card. Maybe you got it graded. Maybe not. Doesn't matter.

It ended up that many folks, including myself, talked about getting that raw card graded. I don't think this is because everyone who posted about getting a card graded thinks a raw card "success" story must result in a slabbed card. I think this is mainly because the value of graded cards is more established, and so its easier to communicate a story about how you bought a raw card for cheap that ended up grading high, it shows how the card was obviously under appreciated. In other words, a story about a cheap raw card that graded high communicates quickly how good of a deal that it actually was.

Now maybe you bought a raw card for cheap, and flipped it for a great price without getting it graded. That's a cool story too, that I want to hear. But it appears that many of the responders here thought that they could fetch more for a card at auction if its graded, so maybe that is another reason why more folks had a story about it being graded.

I'm just saying that this thread was sort of set up to gravitate towards graded cards, but it isn't at all limited to that. Whatever floats your boat. And at least in threads that I start, sarcasm, as well as strong opinions, are very welcome, this forum would be a little dull without either, in my humble opinion... ;)

[Exhibitman]

Hardly a success story, 03sox... surely you can jab better than that.

I bought 3 McGuire rookie cards a few months before his hype hit. 2 were in great shape, one had a crease. I think I had about $25 in the cards. When the cards were selling for $100 or so, I sold one of the good one's to a friend for $50, he was glad to get the card for what was then about half price. Sold the one with the crease to a fellow for about $10, he saw the crease and was pleased with the affordable card. Me, I was money ahead and still had one good card, which I still have. Success without slabbing. Ted managed to do that, too. Why must the success culminate in a plastic slab?

Frank, pal, I think you need to tone down the level of sanctimony. The call of the question as originally posed was a fun thread on a positive subject rather than a busted deal or a cheating auctioneer: getting a great deal on a raw card. Didn't define parameters for measuring the greatness of the deal. One metric of a great deal and the example used in the original post is getting a card that unexpectedly grades very highly with a TPG, whether sold or not. Another metric is getting a card on the cheap and selling it raw for a lot more than you paid. Apparently, you like the second metric and not the first. I don't think either way of characterizing a great deal is intrinsically better than the other. Every card in my example except the 1971 PSA 9 I kept. Am I more of a collector than someone who sold their great deal because I kept the cards I got the great deal on instead of selling them? Am I less of a collector because I had the cards slabbed--I like the way they look in SGC holders--even though I didn't sell them and don't plan to? The debate itself is silly. Some people like slabbed cards. Some don't. Some people flip cards, some don't. There is no correct answer, other than it is not necessary to elevate on one group over the other on what was supposed to be a fun thread.

[jbsports33]

Frank thank you your kind words, and I enjoyed having that Connie Mack card, I have many of stories about collections and other items. I just remember that was one single card that I can always go back to, because it was the beginning of my journey with pre-war issues.

Jimmy

[jb217676]

Hopefully I have some raw card success with these:

ebay item #: 220563650933

[jeffmohler]

A year or two ago I picked up a raw Matty Pinkerton postcard on ebay for $2.00. Granted, it had a pinhole at the top and some writing on the back, but I still thought it was a steal.

The postcard dealer didn't seem to have a clue as to what she had. BTW, it is still raw - I like graded cards, but I didn't think it was necessary to have SGC tell me it was a 10 when I knew it already!

I also picked up a Canadian Goudey Gehringer on Ebay a few months ago. It just came back from SGC as an 80. It wasn't really a bargain, but it is pretty unusual for any wide pen to grade an 80.

[sox1903wschamp]

Frank, pal, I think you need to tone down the level of sanctimony. The call of the question as originally posed was a fun thread on a positive subject rather than a busted deal or a cheating auctioneer: getting a great deal on a raw card. Didn't define parameters for measuring the greatness of the deal. One metric of a great deal and the example used in the original post is getting a card that unexpectedly grades very highly with a TPG, whether sold or not. Another metric is getting a card on the cheap and selling it raw for a lot more than you paid. Apparently, you like the second metric and not the first. I don't think either way of characterizing a great deal is intrinsically better than the other. Every card in my example except the 1971 PSA 9 I kept. Am I more of a collector than someone who sold their great deal because I kept the cards I got the great deal on instead of selling them? Am I less of a collector because I had the cards slabbed--I like the way they look in SGC holders--even though I didn't sell them and don't plan to? The debate itself is silly. Some people like slabbed cards. Some don't. Some people flip cards, some don't. There is no correct answer, other than it is not necessary to elevate on one group over the other on what was supposed to be a fun thread.

I could not agree more with this post. In my example, yes I had the T207 Cicotte graded but I have no intention of selling and if it had not been graded, I would still consider it a successs. The grading was some icing on the cake. And for the record, I greatly admire the way Frank tells us he collects and his passion. This should be a fun thread and I love all of the stories.

[LOUCARDFAN]

I have picked up several raw cards on Ebay over the years but these stand out.

1956 Topps Mickey Mantle - bought for appx. $600 and graded a PSA 8 and later sold for around $3k.

1952 Topps Duke Snyder - bought from same seller as Mantle for apprx. $200 and graded a PSA 8 and sold for around $1600.

1953 Topps Pee Wee Reese - bought for $90 and later graded a PSA 8.5. Still have it in my collection.

1959 Topps Roberto Clemente - bought for around $120 and later graded a PSA 9. This one is still in my collection.

[drdduet]

Around 2000 I bought a large lot of T206's, in there were a number of rare backs including Red Hindu, Hindu, and Broadleaf. I paid around $20/card for the lot, but was very pleased with the result.

[smtjoy]

I got lucky on a listing last year where an ebay seller listed this- 1974 Exhibit Card- Babe Ruth Reprint

I looked at the front and back scans and it looked real, the front looked awesome but almost too good to be true but had a lot of paper loss on the back and someone had written 1974 on it. I took a chance and purchased for $114.

Here is the card-
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n182/smtjoy/Exhibit%20Collection/1926-29%20PC/2629exRuthPose20.jpg

[Howe’s Hunter]

Around 2000 I bought a large lot of T206's, in there were a number of rare backs including Red Hindu, Hindu, and Broadleaf. I paid around $20/card for the lot, but was very pleased with the result.

I think there are still 8 "rare backs" in that group I hope to someday get my hands on.

Ed

[M's_Fan]

I got lucky on a listing last year where an ebay seller listed this- 1974 Exhibit Card- Babe Ruth Reprint

I looked at the front and back scans and it looked real, the front looked awesome but almost too good to be true but had a lot of paper loss on the back and someone had written 1974 on it. I took a chance and purchased for $114.

Here is the card-
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n182/smtjoy/Exhibit%20Collection/1926-29%20PC/2629exRuthPose20.jpg

Wow, buying a "reprint" that turned out to be authentic, cool story!