First PreWar card

[CrazyDiamond]

Hello All

I am looking to purchase my first pre war card. i really like the ty cobb t206 red portrait. I am not wealthy by any means so i would think i would need to be within the graded 1 or 2 range (with nice eye appeal). Any assistance regarding price range, things to lookout for, or any other information i need to know would be greatly appreciated.

sorry i am really vague but i have never purchased a prewar card so i dont want to make a mistake

[Sean1125]

You can expect to pay between $400 and $650 for a 1, depending on how nice it is. You can expect to pay $500 to $900 for a 2, again depending on how nice it is.

[h2oya311]

I agree w/ Sean on pricing. Note that this is for a common back (like Piedmont or Sweet Caporal). If buying a raw (ungraded) example, if it ends up w/ a price that's too good to be true, it is likely a reprint. There are some out there. If it's your first pre-war purchase, definitely buy one that is graded by SGC or PSA. Avoid all others.

Good luck!! I hope you find a great one. If you do, please share w/ us. I'm rootin' for ya! Be warned, once you buy one, it's hard to stop. Trust me! While I haven't been bitten, I'd say 30-40% of our members have a strain of the t206 virus.

[irishdenny]

Something You Might Want To Think About!?

Why not purchase an SGC Graded Card in the $30.00 range, Then Crack it out in order to get a good feel for what these beauties are made of & what they Really Look Like!

Something like this should do!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1910-Sweet-Caporal-T206-Bunk-Congalton-SGC-Graded-30-Good-2-Columbus-/131164538701?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item1e8a04074d

Chalk it up as a "Bad Date", and/or $30 bucks spent on Education ;-)

As Always...

[z28jd]

If I were you, I'd buy a few low-grade commons first, so you know what you're looking at before you make a big purchase. There are reprints out there, most say they are, but not everyone does and some try to pass them off as real. So you need to be careful. Start slow before going for a big purchase like that. Even if you don't want the common cards, they will still have resale value and they are a great learning tool.

[CrazyDiamond]

Thanks for all the advice. I have done a little research and wasn't sure about rarity of different backs and other things like that. If I do purchase a hofer I will purchase it either psa or sgc graded. I have also been researching the grading companies because I typically do not buy graded cards either. I have read there have been issues with counterfeit cards in psa holders so that worried me as well

[CW]

Welcome to the forums and prewar card collecting. Here's a couple useful tools, the first site is free but not as thorough as the 2nd one which requires a subscription. The 2nd site does offer a one day subscription for only $4 which is well worth it when you're considering a card that will be in the hundreds of dollars. Good luck! The search for the right card is 1/2 the fun!

http://www.cardtarget.com/

http://www.vintagecardprices.com/

[Harliduck]

Thanks for all the advice. I have done a little research and wasn't sure about rarity of different backs and other things like that. If I do purchase a hofer I will purchase it either psa or sgc graded. I have also been researching the grading companies because I typically do not buy graded cards either. I have read there have been issues with counterfeit cards in psa holders so that worried me as well

Coming from a Post War collector who is now dipping into Pre-War a bit (just started a SGC graded 34 Goudey set), go with SGC. I was just like you...not much for graded, love em raw. I have yet to hear of any counterfeiting or issue's with SGC, and I most likely will not buy a Pre-War card that is NOT graded due to all the issues.

I will also add that my brother, who also collects, decided he wanted PSA graded Mantle collection. The 2nd card he purchased on ebay turned out to be a cracked case with a lower graded card placed in a high grade case. Total joke...I will never buy PSA with their cheap cases (my brother either, lol). SGC with the black inletting looks 100% cooler anyhow. Just my .02$ from a guy who trusts no one in Pre-War. :D

[drcy]

If you're buying through a reputable/experienced seller and looking to buy poor or fair grade, I think it's reasonable to buy raw.

I agree with others that buying a couple of low grade commons is a good idea. The easiest way to identify reprints is by direct comparison to real cards from the same issue.

[ethicsprof]

you're already asking great questions and exhibiting proper caution.
You're going to love this new journey, I assure you.
My first pre-war was matty dark cap which I bought for around $15 or so---
30 years ago.
all the best,
barry

[DaveW]

I'll just point out that there are lots of other prewar sets besides T206. For the same $500 you'd pay for the one card, you could get several nicer cards from other, less popular prewar sets. Good luck either way,
- Dave

[CrazyDiamond]

thanks again for all the advice. Dave can you give me some more afordable sets to go after. The t206 seemed like the more common for me and easier to find with less risk. Again my knowledge of prewar cards is limited I could be wrong but anymore advice would be greatly appreciated

[DaveW]

Well, it all depends on what your goal is and what you like. I'd start by looking at the Old Cardboard website (look at the Type Card Galleries there for T cards, R cards, E cards, etc - at http://oldcardboard.com/ref/galleries.asp) and get an idea about what's out there. Do you like real pictures of players? Do you like to read about the player on the back of the card? Do you just want HOF players or do you like learning about some of the obscure players? Is black and white OK, or do you want colors? Lots of ways to go. Also, are you a collector or an investor? The graded T206s are better for resale value (which is why they are expensive in the first place). Personally, I like the 1920s and 1930s sets - most are reasonably priced and readily available. But everybody is different.

[shernan30]

I picked 100 players to work on 1 getting card of each and all different types. Its been pretty fun and you get to see a lot of different types. I just started collecting pre-war the beginning of the year so it's helped me find cards I like before I tackle a set. I also collect the Ohio teams in the Old Judge set. Prices are not too bad and the cards are amazing. My collection will be moving more and more towards the 19th century cards and memorabilia.