Dealer questions containment thread

[sago]

Hi,
My name is David Davis. I buy and sell collectibles for a living, including sports items.

I, and I assume others, have questions about the items they buy for the purpose of selling.

I e-mailed Leon to find out if we could have a thread where items and issues could be discussed by dealers (sellers, flippers, etc.) without going into specific items for sale.

This thread is not intended to promote items for sale, but to ask questions, advice, and promote discussion.

To kick things off:

I recently purchased a small group of non-HOF T3's and T9's. They would grade none better than vg. Given the cost of $60 each to grade them, is it worth doing, or should I sell them raw?

I also picked up some 1908 Police Gazette magazines, and can't find any info on them anywhere, only on the cabinets and supplements. Does anyone know if they have any value (at least 1 BB cover) individually, or should I sell them as a lot?

Thanks and I hope this thread gets some activity.

[Leon]

Hey David
Maybe some of our hundreds of dealers and flippers will chime in a little. Most of us do at least a little selling/flipping so it's not like we don't have some experience. As for grading the T3's. For me, anything to get graded is an easy decision. If you feel you will get your grading fees back plus at least a few more dollars, then it's probably worth it to do it. So if your T3 is worth $100 ungraded but $200 graded, then you made a nice $40 on the decision. I realize this is a very simplistic methodology but I think it's the right one, at least for me ;).

On the magazines, I don't have any experience, but seeing the way those kinds of things go I would say all in one lot might be best, unless there is something extraordinary about certain one(s). Good luck!!

[HexsHeroes]

.

I, too, like the simplistic approach. Especially if I still can make a couple of dollars at it. I think Leon's approach is spot on.

[bigtrain]

As a T-3 collector, I prefer my cards raw because I am usually buying cards in good to very good condition. I would not want to pay more for a graded card in that condition range. If I were buying T-3s in Excellent or better condition, which command a significant premium, I would probably prefer them graded for the added assurance that they are less likely to be altered and I would be willing to pay a little more.