PSA grading
 

Wondering what everyone's opinion is on getting a vintage baseball complete set PSA graded? Recently got my hands on a 53 topps complete set. I would say most cards are probably around a PSA 3-4. I've submitted the more valuable cards in for grading, both because they are more valuable and because they appear to be the cards in best condition. But what should I do with the rest of the 260+ cards?

I am a PSA member so I could send them in for grading for 7 bucks each, but with well over 200 cards it seems quite costly.

My goal is to keep the set, pass it on to my kids. I have no intention to sell, so would it be 'worth' it to get them graded/encapsulated?

Appreciate everyone's thoughts!

Nishant

Grade the big cards and keep the rest in semirigid or in a binder

I would say don't do it. You will lose money in grading fees that you won't get back. Only get the valuable cards graded, which it looks like you've already done. Unless you sell cards as a business, I would say that unless the card is worth at least $50 raw, don't get it graded.

Unless the cards are all going to be 7's or above, don't bother trying to grade the entire set.

Although you're going to hand the set down to your kids, I would still look at it as an investment sort of thing, because at some point down the line, somebody is going to sell the cards. Having the big names graded is perfect. I suggest you grab a bunch of the other cards in your set at random, decide what grade you think they will get (and subtract a point or two, because we are always wrong) and then see what similar grades have sold for on ebay and elsewhere. If there's a large enough disparity between the cost of grading said cards and what you could reasonably get for them if you decided to sell, then it might be worth it to go ahead and send them off. If there isn't a big enough difference, then it might be a waste of money with no real added future value.

Really???..Why grade them now or ever? Put them all in penny sleeves and new top loaders, get a nice box for them and enjoy,,,,Save your money...

What he said and what you already have in play - grade the biggies (Over $200 value). Leave the rest.

I just grade the key cards in my sets or as most guys call them " biggies " and the rest go into UltraPro pages and D-ring binders. Enjoy!

I had this EXACT same situation come up a few years ago. I had a 1954 Topps set in PSA 3-5 condition, but raw. I sent in about 25 cards at first and they graded just as I expected. After I got them in hand, I realized that I kind of liked the cards better not graded. I sold the cards I had graded. 24 of the 25 cards sold for LESS than grading fees. The only one that actually made me any money was a card that somehow got a PSA 6. Even then, it only made me a few bucks. After shipping and fees and ebay fees, grading those cards amounted to about a significant loss in money.

The advice you received about grading the stars is spot on. Someone is always willing to buy a PSA 3 Jackie Robinson or Mickey Mantle. Finding a buyer willing to pay what you have into the card for a PSA 3 1953 common is a lot more difficult. Now, that being said... If you like the idea of having a complete PSA registered 1953 set and want to see that 100% on the registry, by all means go for it! Just understand that this is probably a fiscally losing proposition.

Appreciate all the advice. I sent in the high value cards to be graded, and put the rest in sleeves and top holders. Just received my first 2 cards back from PSA - Mantle and Mays. Hopefully they will get the rest back to me in the next few weeks.

love these two cards!

Great looking cards!

Wow, both PSA 5's, nice!

I think the question is, you got them back in two weeks? Wow.

+1
 

I'm with Andrew on this for sure.

Congrats, usually the other way around, stars rough and commons nicer, nice grades and cards on those two.

Yes....we are going on 5 months.

Beautiful cards and nice grades! Congrats! I love PSA.

Sweet! You will have no problem selling those when the time comes.

Grade the "biggies" as you've done, leave the others raw. You might consider grading all the HOFers, but I would only do that if you think you can get at least 5s. So far so good.

I would not grade the commons unless you can get AT LEAST 6s or 7s. Most 50s set commons in 5s and 6s can be bought for under $20, and frequently under $10 if you're patient.

From that perspective, if you grade a common from the 50s and get a 5, you're probably losing money. At a 6, it's probably a push, maybe you could make a couple bucks but that's a ton of work. 7s would normally be well worth the grading fees.

Good luck with the rest of the submissions, great start with 5s on Mickey and Willie.