I think most would agree that, generally speaking, we are in a down market for cards right now. Whether that is because of the economy or other factors (old-time collector's dying off, no new collectors coming into the hobby, etc.) is anyone's guess. So if you can afford to hold them, now might not be the best time to sell. However, without the benefit of a crystal ball, it is impossible to say whether the market will get better next year or continue on its downward trajectory for another 20 years.
The one thing I can say for certainty is that high-grade vintage will always be in short supply and in high demand, so based on your scans I think you are in a good position to reap some decent rewards -- no matter what the market looks like. Some of the cards you have will always bring a nice buck, as they are classic cards that collectors of all ages want.
A "low pop" simply refers to a PSA or SGC card, whether it be a common or star, that is extremely difficult to find in high PSA grades due to a number of factors (almost always found off-center due to where it was on the printing sheet, etc.). So a "low population" 1957 Topps PSA 9 common card of a player you never heard of could bring $1K or more because there are only five or so PSA 9s of that particular card in existence (simple supply and demand). So if you have some "low pops" you will want to get them graded, as high-end set registry people will be looking for them. You can look up the population reports on the PSA website - I believe that function is now free for everybody.
Best,
Rob
Last edited by RobertGT; 02-20-2012 at 12:16 PM.
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