Would you keep it or cut it? Uncut 1921 W551 Strip w/ Ruth, Cobb, ...
 

If you owned it, would you keep it intact as an amazing uncut sheet?

Personally, I prefer it stays intact, but a lot of collectors are telling me they would cut it to get cards graded. 8 of the 10 Players are HOFers, and these cards are selling very high when graded high. This one ends this weekend at auction.

https://www.wheatlandauctionservices...-LOT24416.aspx

Wouldnt even think of cutting it. That strip is glorious and unique as is and cutting it to grade would make them just another strip card.

Keep it or cut it...I guess the first order of business would be to head over to the AH and get my bid in! Lol.

+100
Have never cut a multi strip card. Just would always think I messed up history. They are so rare in full form. I am a collector first though.
.

+ another 100

I'd never cut an intact strip either. Especially one with all these HOFers on it. That thing is frickin' awesome bro.



.

That is way too amazing to cut up as a collector but as a seller I would cut it up in a second. Glad I am not a seller and have to make that decision.

KEEP INTACT

Seems to me that collectors would keep it as a strip, as stated by the above collectors. That's the entire set in one strip.

Cutting and grading would be preliminary steps to selling, maybe; a strategy for sellers. I'd not go that route. But If I was in good graces with a grading company and I was wanting to cut and grade, then I think I'd ask them if they'd do the cutting. I doubt they would. But they might!

If you had a Ruth jersey, then what the hell is wrong with you??? Shred that old rag into little pieces, get Topps or someone to issue some Ruth Jersey cards, get those slabbed, and sell those cards. No thank you.

I like to leave things in their original state. I could never cut that up. There are so few of those sort of uncut strips remaining and it would be like you are destroying history.

Awful question, who would cut that???

OMG, it makes me sick to think about people cutting these

I've cut my share of Hostess Panels, but, that I would probably frame

+1 agree well said

As a collector it is great the way it is and I would keep it as such

While I agree with the idealistic sentiments, but I don't think the cards would grade all that high even if cut neatly, so pragmatically, there would not be an advantage to cutting them.

I would see if it could be slabbed as is, but I could never bring myself to cut that. It’s gorgeous.

I would never ever think of cutting that.
Bob

Glad to hear most people would keep it intact - I asked the question because I heard from a few people who said they would cut it and grade them. It has always shocked me that so many Babe Ruth and other legends game-used jerseys and bats are cut into pieces for current era baseball relic cards. The size of the uncut sheet is too large to fit into a slab - it is larger than and slabbed that PSA, SGC, and Beckett use. I also learned that some of the strip cards are considered variations due to colors or clarity of background images. It is interesting to see the value of 1920s strip cards really go up in the past couple of years, especially some of the higher grade Ruth and Cobb cards. The uncut strip originated from a large strip card collector who is selling a handful of PSA/SGC grade 7 to 9 strip cards from this set.

I would never even consider keeping it intact. It was meant to be cut. I would cut it the moment it arrived in the mail.

I suspect it might sell for more in its current state than if you split it up.

So even if maximizing your value is your goal, I think you would be better off to leave it as-is.