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10-06-2006, 11:19 AM
Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> I'm seriosely considering starting a collection of OJ cards. As a newbie to this sphere of collecting I would like to ask a few questions:<br />1. What is a fair price for low grade "Commons" i.e. cards grading SGC "AUTHENTIC, SGC 10 & SGC 20?<br />2. What is the best way to spot altered, reprinted & counterfeited cards?<br />3. What are the most valuable/desirable cards - how much do they sell for in the above mentioned grades?<br />4. Any recommended reference books on this series of cards. <br />I plan to do my homework and become at least semi-knowledgeable above these cards before I start buying them.<br />Any help would be appreciated.

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10-06-2006, 11:51 AM
Posted By: <b>Gilbert Maines</b><p>In my opinion, one of the first choices is to determine if the cards actually have to be gradable. There are a great many OJs which have had the cigarette advertisement removed a long time ago, and represent a very cost effective option which can yield a very attractive authentic card which both will not grade and are therefore available rather inexpensively.<br /><br />Some other sets are quite collectable with less than 100% of the original card offered. Wheaties, Zeenuts, George C. Millers immediately come to mind.<br /><br />Of course, this decision can be made on a card by card basis, rather than a general philosophy.<br /><br />As far as reference material, fortunately there are great resources available, but there is still much not understood. The threads on this forum contain much information and insight on this issue. A recent Old Carboard issue contained great information on how these cards were actually made, and some of the resultant considerations, and of course, Lew Lipsett's Encyclopedia is the foundation of understanding of this set.<br /><br />Reprints and other phoneys are easy to spot since OJs are actual photos. As such, they do not have a dot pattern under magnification. For elaboration on this, please see Cycleback's publication, available for $20. or so - and a bargain.<br /><br />Have fun!

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10-06-2006, 12:07 PM
Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> Thanks for the reply. I don't plan to have raw cards I buy graded, I just used the SGC grades to let everyone know the grade level I was interested in. Altered & Authentic cards would be acceptabe - but I would like to know that they are in that condition. Just learning at this point.

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10-06-2006, 12:37 PM
Posted By: <b>Zach Rice</b><p>Before you buy anything, go buy the first volume of Lew Lipset's Baseball Card Encyclopedia. This is the volume that deals with 19th century and has a large chapter on N172s. Granted it was done more than 20 years ago and some of it is our of date, it is still one of the best sources of information on the set. Also, Joe G. and Jay Miller wrote a great article on the set in a past Old Cardboard issue. I'd try to get a copy of that (I can't recall the issue number), and subscribe to the magazine if you haven't already.

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10-06-2006, 01:25 PM
Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Gil is correct. Reprints are easy to identify as they have dot pattern under maginfication. The real Old Judges have no dot pattern, as they're photographs not ink and printing press prints.

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10-06-2006, 01:51 PM
Posted By: <b>JimB</b><p>Start with California League players... <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14> <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14> Just joking.<br />JimB