New here, Please help with Topps set

[Niko]

Hey all,

I'm new to this forum, but not to the card collecting game. A bit of background on myself, I used to be big into prospecting but it just didn't do much for me. In addition, I went off to college and don't have the same time and opportunities to constantly buy and sell cards.

Thus, I moved onto vintage, and I decided to do something I thoroughly enjoy, completing a set. After much debate with myself, I decided on the 1955 Topps Set. To sweeten it up a bit, I decided to go for all of them in PSA 5/6 form.

I was told that this is the best place to be when it comes to vintage cards.

So, feel free to contribute your 2 cents on completing sets, any advice you'd like to offer, any resources you know of, good places to find cards, anything else you think I should know, etc.

I have 20 cards already graded (most 5's, some 6's). I also have about 60 cards that I bought in a lot in Ex or ExMt condition, which I am sending into PSA to be graded.

If anyone has any 55 topps PSA 5 or 6, feel free to let me know. However, due to the high price (for me) it will take to fully complete it, I will be moving slowly. I am looking to pick up the second biggest in the set next, the Koufax. I think I'll snag one in a PSA 6 form if I can.

Think that's all.

Zach

[Matt]

Welcome to the forum. I've moved your thread to the appropriate category (post-war vintage baseball) so it can be responded to by those who are most knowledgeable about your question.

[vintagechris]

I would suggest not getting the raw EX to EX-MT cards graded unless they are major stars. You eat up a lot of money that could be used to buy more cards. Ultimately a PSA 5 or 6 common is not worth more graded than raw after you pay the grading fees. Many times they are worth less.

[geor952]

Welcome aboard Zach! I am three cards away from an EX-EXMT '55 set as well. I was also going to tell you to sell the lot you bought and put the money towards graded. If you shop around you can get 1955's in PSA 5 for 6-8 bucks a piece. It will save you some money versuses paying for the grade. Good luck and enjoy the horizontals. One more bit of advice, knock those high numbers out as soon as you can. Their price is quite a lot more than the low numbers. I saved them until the end, and wish I would have spread them out.

[Niko]

In regards to the grading, I paid approx. $4 per common and will be getting them slabbed at the special(when it comes back) for 4.50 per card, so in total it will come to around $9 per common. You really think its that bad of a deal?
I guess I could try and just re-sell the lot and put the grading $$ towards buying a ton of them already slabbed.

If anyone else with experience has advice on this matter, I'd appreciate it.

How close to the SMR do you guys think it would actually cost me to complete the set in PSA 5 or 6 form? I know VCP is supposed to significantly more accurate.

[David W]

Why get vg-ex common cards graded?

It won't add any value to the cards. No set registry guys will want them.

[Niko]

I'm looking for a fun challenge. If I wanted to just put together the set raw, I could do it so easily for so little. I don't think it would be satisfying enough for me. However, grading myself (as opposed to buying slabbed) may not be the best idea. I'm still thinking that over.

[geor952]

$4.50 a card sounds like a great deal. In my experience owning the set isn't nearly as much fun as putting it together. Getting that box from PSA in the mail and seeing what grades your cards earned is pretty dang exciting and worth an extra buck or two per card. I say go for it, take your time and have fun. Keep me posted on your successes.

[doug.goodman]

No offense meant to any specific person, apologies to Nico for using his numbers :

$4 for the card and then $4.50 to some hack at a grading company to make up a number. Yep, that's why I collect cards.

Best regards,
Doug


PS - I'm 11 cards away from a master set with variations of Topps baseball 1948 thru 1981. All raw. My kitchen knife is prepped and ready, should one of the cards I need come graded.

[geor952]

No argument from me Doug, crack away. I don't pay for grades, but don't crack them either. I'm afraid I might ding up my kitchen knives. No, I really just enjoy the cards and understand the excitement that comes with getting graded cards. To each his own, as long as they enjoy the hobby!

[Exhibitman]

Oh, I'll take somewhat of the contrarian view. A nice mid-grade set in slabs can be a very attractive collection and can do well when resold. I know I am more likely to buy a set that has all of the keys graded than raw, esp. if by mail order. So I wouldn't discourage a collector from going for it just on purely monetary reasons. However, given that we are talking about a mainstream postwar set, the collector would well advised to use Ebay and take the time to ferret out the really good deals. I'd definitely not spend the $$ to slab my own absent a huge discount.

[Niko]

I don't really plan on selling it at all, which is why I'm starting to think it's not worth paying for all the plastic.

It would be nice to just have binders with completed topps sets, with only the top guys graded in PSA slabs - it would still present very nicely, still maintain value (I'd think, obviously not as much), it wouldn't cost nearly as much, and it would allow me to spend the $$ to work on other sets too.

Thanks for all the input thus far.

[vintagechris]

Originally Posted by Niko

I don't really plan on selling it at all, which is why I'm starting to think it's not worth paying for all the plastic.

It would be nice to just have binders with completed topps sets, with only the top guys graded in PSA slabs - it would still present very nicely, still maintain value (I'd think, obviously not as much), it wouldn't cost nearly as much, and it would allow me to spend the $$ to work on other sets too.

Thanks for all the input thus far.

I have started putting my sets in those super Vault boxes for graded cards. I put the raw in card savers and just put them all in those boxes. I can take them and flip through them whenever I like and it's nice to have them in one place. Although you may need 2 boxes depending on how many graded cards you have.

I'm not really a big fan of graded cards, although I do see a need for third party grading. I just don't think cards were meant to be put in plastic. I like to touch the cards that some kid opened up from packs over 50 years ago.

[mrmantlecollector]

55 topps is a great set. I just completed mine about 2 months ago. Most of mine are raw but when it came to the high dollar hofs i tride to get graded ones when possible just because there are some fakes out there. The best place i found to buy where at card shows. Most dealers will discount for large lot purchases and you can pick out the cards in the condition you want. I bought a few lots off ebay but ended up only keeping a few because of condition. good luck with yours

heres mine
http://s765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../1955%20topps/

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

PS - I'm 11 cards away from a master set with variations of Topps baseball 1948 thru 1981. All raw. My kitchen knife is prepped and ready, should one of the cards I need come graded.

A) Very impressive Doug-what do you still need?

B) My philosophy on graded cards seems to match yours as I bust 'em out for my sets too. I will only buy graded pre-war on Ebay, but they mostly get cracked out (except for the E cards). Been burned too many times with trimmed raw pre-war cards on the 'bay. I'll take my chances with post war but pre war is a magnet for card doctors even in the lower grades I trade in.

[Leon]

Welcome aboard Net54baseball.com Niko. Always good to have more vintage collectors hanging out with us. I think over time you might mosey on back to Pre-War, but it sounds like you are enjoying '55s in 5-6 grade for now. Good luck in the quest and keep us updated. Also, if you ever have any questions about our board, or want to check a reference, you can PM or email me. take care

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by toppcat

A) Doug-what do you still need?

B) My philosophy on graded cards seems to match yours as I bust 'em out for my sets too. I will only buy graded pre-war on Ebay, but they mostly get cracked out (except for the E cards). Been burned too many times with trimmed raw pre-war cards on the 'bay. I'll take my chances with post war but pre war is a magnet for card doctors even in the lower grades I trade in.

Thanx, Dave.

From the 1952 Topps baseball set I need both Mantle variations, both Jackie variations, Campy, Joe Black, Mathews and that darned Campos black star (which I'm a bit leary of, but it seems to have a space in my binder) From the 1956 white backs I need Trucks, Killebrew & Willie Jones.

As for pre-war, I still haven't really gotten into cards of that era. I am however fascinated by large sized issues, so they keep me busy. Baseball magazine M113s & M114s, Police gazette supplements and pages, Harpers and Leslies woodcuts, Tip Top Weekly baseball covers, TSN M101-1, 2, 7, 8 & 9s, etc, etc.

One of the nice things about the larger sized issues is that many of them have eluded the grading companies so they are relatively inexpensive. Also, while I agree that "mint" tends to attract me more than ripped / dirty / creased etc, the issues are often so infrequently seen that after the chase, even catching a lesser quality specimen is lots of fun. They why we do it, right? Because it's fun.

Doug

[ALR-bishop]

Doug--you are one of the few people I know who intends to add both Mantles, Robinsons and, I assume Thompsons to your set. Even though the differences in the 3 are recognizable ( particularly in the Mantle which also has front differences), I assume any publication that actually adds a Mantle variation to the "master" set list will risk a lynching. I have a graded Mantle ( 8) , but my older, ungraded "variation" card is likely only a 2, maybe a 3 on a lucky day

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Doug--you are one of the few people I know who intends to add both Mantles, Robinsons and, I assume Thompsons to your set. Even though the differences in the 3 are recognizable ( particularly in the Mantle which also has front differences), I assume any publication that actually adds a Mantle variation to the "master" set list will risk a lynching. I have a graded Mantle ( 8) , but my older, ungraded "variation" card is likely only a 2, maybe a 3 on a lucky day

Well, if you're going to play the "master" set game, you get stuck with the cards that exist.

It's not a "master" set if obvious variations are left out, not listing the Mantle variations don't change the cold, hard and EXPENSIVE facts.

There is a reason that I only have both variations of the cheap card. Insert smiley face here.

It would make my collecting a bit easier if the 1952 high number variations that I'm missing were of Walker and Wilson, instead of Mantle and Jackie, but I console myself with the knowledge that the 1953 back print variations don't include Mantle, Mays, Paige and Jackie.

Doug