Posted By:
HankronMy advice to all beginners is as follows (most repeating Scott):
1) Buy a copy of either Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards (Krause Publications) or Beckett's Annual Guide. Both are huge books, around 2,000 pages. Use this as a reference. Until you become really (really) experienced, only buy cards that are listed in this guide. In other words, if it isn't in there don't buy it. As the guides are 2,000 or so pages, it's not as if you are going to be wanting of choices.
2) Never bid in an eBay auction that is private (identities are not listed). This means the the seller has something to hide. Considering all good sellers do not have private auctions, why would you want to bid in an auction of some who has something to hide?
3) Do not assume all card graders are equal, because they ain't. AAA and PRO are frauds, some are iffy, and some are reliable. To prove my point, you will find that many to most AAA and PRO eBay auctons are private.
4) This board is the place to ask questions, whether in general or abour specific cards.