Baseball Trade Cards Question

[Eggoman]

Recently, I had the good fortune to be offered a collection of 51 DIFFERENT Victorian Trade cards – ALL BASEBALL!

I will likely keep them “for a while” because they are too cool. But at some point, I will sell them. Here are my questions. Should I bother to get them graded? PSA? SGC?

I would appreciate your collective opinions.

THANKS!

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

If you want to maximize the amount you get for them, you will want to have them graded. This helps the buyer know they are authentic and assigns a numerical grade for condition helping gauge value for both parties.

[bgar3]

I would not spend money on grading them, people who want them can tell if they are authentic or not. Why would a grade matter? 51 of them is a nice collection.

[ullmandds]

I would not spend money on grading them, people who want them can tell if they are authentic or not. Why would a grade matter? 51 of them is a nice collection.

agreed...i too would not grade them.

[1880nonsports]

they look fine in terms of originality (don't ask Pete how to take that!) and most who collect or trade them don't get them graded unless the cards were from a rarer or more in demand set like ones with named teams and players and that was their inclination.
Do you think you could take a snapshot of the cards you got if they are different from those above? I love the subject. Maybe just a single pic with the different types in it? Whatever happens - enjoy a nice discovery.

[Eggoman]

Do you think you could take a snapshot of the cards you got if they are different from those above? I love the subject. Maybe just a single pic with the different types in it? Whatever happens - enjoy a nice discovery.

I appreciate your (and everyone's) opinion on this matter - REALLY! I will TRY to post pictures from all of the different sets later this morning once I have a cup of coffee...or 2! :)

[Eggoman]

As requested, I have posted some additional scans from the various "sets" of Baseball Trade Cards that I was fortunate enough to have purchased. I would appreciate MORE comments on them AND whether (or not) you would grade them. By whom (PSA or SGC), etc.

THANKS TO ALL who have commented or PM'd me about them!!
Greg

[Beatles Guy]

Great stuff! I'd love to add a few of those to my small 19th century collection.

[4815162342]

Nice cards. I don't see any need to have them slabbed.

[Harford20]

I agree with most here. Collectors of these trade cards are mainly looking for "complete" cards. The difference between a SGC/PSA Auth and a PSA/SGC 5 is minimal when it comes to these cards. Most will all grade out at a SGC/PSA Auth-2 anyway. Also, as the grading of these is inconsistent by each grading company, so there is no market to catch the Registry Collectors. Now, as a counterpoint, some collectors like these in plastic for safety reasons as many of these trade cards are paper thin.

Second, PSA is very limited as to which trade cards they will grade, mainly only the H804-1 to H804-9 series cards. SGC will grade most any, but again as mentioned above, there is no consistency as to what the card is called.

My recommendation would be to list them individually (the ones you want to sell, i.e. maybe keep one of each for a type card collection) for sale. Again the key for a strong sale is to make sure the card is the complete card and an accurate size.

Dave

[Eggoman]

...My recommendation would be to list them individually (the ones you want to sell, i.e. maybe keep one of each for a type card collection) for sale...

THANKS, Dave - I appreciate it!

My "dilemmata" are these...

The longer I have them, the more I like them and will probably keep them (ungraded in this case!)I have a couple of Complete Sets and the Collector in me would HATE to break them.
The market for them seems to be somewhat thinly traded so deciding a value is difficult. If/when I sell them, I would rather do it here where there is SUCH an appreciation for them. I would rather AVOID auctioning them, but that may not be in my best interest.I know, I know...tough spot to be in! ;)

[vintagetoppsguy]

I agree with most here.

Same here. Leave them raw.

[1880nonsports]

always thought the baby series interesting - I put a set together when I was chasing the color Tobin series as a companion. Nothing rare in your post although I have never seen the item with the BB player and the bike rider. These lower end novelty cards generally sell in the 10. - 25. range - do best as sets. There are 2 "books" that provide some pictures and descriptions of almost all the known examples and types as well as set composition.

no guarantees whether written or implied........

[trdcrdkid]

Ron Schieber, who is active over on the non-sports Net54 forum, has compiled a bunch of trade card checklists, including (I believe) one of baseball-themed trade cards. You can contact him at madmoney@neo.rr.com and he'll hook you up, and maybe give you some suggestions on what to do with your cards. Also Ben Crane, who runs The Trade Card Place web site, used to have a pretty exhaustive collection of baseball trade cards, though I think he may have since sold many or all of them, as he's thinned out his collection. He's at bcrane@tradecards.com.

I have some of the cards you posted, though I never really got seriously into collecting baseball trade cards despite having around 5000 trade cards of other kinds. I might be interested in buying some or all of these if/when you decide to sell. And I agree with the others who say that there's no need to have them slabbed -- that's just not something that's done in trade card collecting.

[1880nonsports]

has a lot of knowledge but like Kit Barry and others - when selling their wares these days the offering prices are out of sight and base ball examples far and few between. David do you know what has happened to Russ Musceri as you seem to be a real trade card guy? In any event Ron's guide one I was referring to - the older Keetz guide the other. Ron is always willing to share and a true resource - he's one of the few people still willing to talk to me. I think Ron wanted 20.00 to cover the costs of the copying for his guide. Recommended.

[Eggoman]

THANK YOU for your insight AND the lead!

[trdcrdkid]

I actually wasn't aware of when Ben Crane was selling his own collection, or what prices he was charging. I participated in a number of his Trade Card Place auctions, which he discontinued last year.

I don't know what Russ Mascieri is up to these days. Last I heard he had gone back to day trading stocks or something similar, and was no longer actively involved with trade cards. Dave Cheadle, who co-founded the Trade Card Collectors' Association 20+ years ago with Russ, is a pastor at his church in Colorado and has been gradually selling much of his trade card collection on eBay under the username "davesgreatcardsgalore", at inflated prices (though I bought a couple of them). I exchanged e-mails with him a couple of years ago, and he seems to be doing OK.

Ron Schieber is your best bet for info about baseball trade cards. He and John Kemler are the reigning experts on most trade card topics and have collaborated on many checklists, though I've made a few modest contribution to some of Ron's checklists lately.