Break Out Topps Buy-Backs?

[SetBuilder]

Hi guys, just bought a lot of cards and it comes with a modern Topps buy-back with a real card inside. What do you do with it? I don't like the design of the Topps holder and I feel like breaking it out. I'm not sure what value this adds to the card -- if any. Just seems like a big gimmick to me.

[t206blogcom]

It comes down to personal preference. There are some collectors who keep it in the Topps holder while others remove the card from the holder.

I've purchased several t206s in the Topps buyback holders and immediately remove the card from the holders. To each their own.

[drc]

For resale, I'd leave it in. The buy back originally brought a premium with modern card collectors, but I don' know if that's the case anymore. You are free to do what you wish.

I'm assuming it's a low grade common. The one practical resale thing is buyers will assume the buy back card is authentic. Some may feel more confident bidding over a raw card.

set them free from their modern cells and let them enjoy the rest of their existence being held and fondled by the ones that love it I busted all the ones I bought out of that case regardless of values.

[Jaybird]

I actually think there are more people that collect the cards that don't care about the buybacks than people that do. So, because of that, I'd take it out. If I ever went to sell, I think my audience would be wider in the population of folks that collect the T cards and don't collect Topps.

I for one wouldn't look at a buyback card. I don't have any interest in the Topps holder so the card inside would actually have less value to me and I certainly wouldn't want to pay a premium for it.

I have to think the number of people collecting buybacks is a small percentage.

[FrankWakefield]

If you're going to sell the card anytime in the foreseeable future, you'll wish you'd left the card in... As it is, folks that collect those (I choke on the term "buy back", Topps never had it to start with so they couldn't buy it back...) would buy it, as would white border tobacco card collectors. Once you bust it out, you've diminished your potential buyers.

[curtis-cards]

I've had these since I busted them in 2002. I always wondered about taking them out.

[BradH]

Originally Posted by drc

For resale, I'd leave it in. The buy back originally brought a premium with modern card collectors, but I don' know if that's the case anymore.....

This is still true - Some people (sellers) feel there is a premium, why I don't know. So if you're going to sell it, I'd keep it in the holder.

When I have purchased them for my own collection I have taken them out because I hate the Topps holder. But I've turned down buying many a T206 common because it was in the Topps holder and the dealer/seller thought it was worth more.

[Luke]

I think the answer is that they seem to be worth a small premium if kept in the Topps holder. It's up to you if that matters enough to not pop it out. I personally think they are kind of cool and don't plan to pop mine out anytime soon. Mark Macrae told me a cool story about how he sold them hundreds of raw t206s to Topps for the promotion, so to me the Topps holder just kind of adds to the story of the card.

[refz]

i busted mine out as well..

[t206blogcom]

Originally Posted by BradH

I've turned down buying many a T206 common because it was in the Topps holder and the dealer/seller thought it was worth more.

+1

[FrankWakefield]

+1 to what that dealer was thinking...

[insidethewrapper]

Was the whole set made available by Topps ?

[Woundedduck]

To the vintage collector, the modern holder has no significance. To modern collectors, a vintage card in a modern holder now becomes a 1/1. To some it will be worth more than the common T206 if not otherwise repackaged. Is it stupid? yes. Do I agree with it? no. I'm certainly not interested in a repackaged T206 common at a premium, but there are some that are. In the end, the seller can ask any price they want and it's not tough to find another example elsewhere if all you're interested in is the T206.

On a side note. I did see a repackaged T206 Cobb bat off in a booklet with a cut signature. The repackaging did command a premium for what the card and cut sig would have gone for separately, but I thought it was a cool idea.

[Jaybird]

They might command a premium but I suspect they are less liquid. Fewer people collect these and therefore that premium might be harder to realize.

[tbob]

I guess I am in the minority but I don't understand the appeal of the Topps Buy Back cards. What happened is Topps contacted dealers like Kit Young and bought up his G/VG cards and threw them in the "holders." I just don't understand the appeal.

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Was the whole set made available by Topps ?

Definitely not.

Has anyone seen one of these in a slab? Do they grade the holder and the card in combination, or...?

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by tbob

I guess I am in the minority but I don't understand the appeal of the Topps Buy Back cards.

I would think the appeal is not necessarily to seasoned collectors, but to kids and adults who like to buy packs but aren't necessarily "in the hobby"... to them, pulling a genuine old card (no matter who the player is) from a pack probably would be a thrill.

You never know if a buyback card pulled today might be the first step in the journey of some great collection of the 2050s or 2060s.

[wastewater]

I have a VG Hugh Duffy in a buy back - I think it's kind of cool so have left it in even though all my other ones are graded.