Best ways to sell lower grade T cards

[Belfast1933]

Asking for a friend (truthfully)… a friend has a few hundred+ low grade (surface creases, centering, 100+ year old corners, etc) and I am going to help him sell to collectors

After sifting through for HOFers, rare backs, and other non common value cards, I’m wondering if others here have advice on how best to sell low grade T205 and T206 commons.

I am still taking scans and organizing them for sale - but any feedback or experience to share?

- group into teams for team collectors?
- group into card styles like catchers, portraits, other?
- work with set builders and fill want lists? (I don’t mind the extra effort here - would be fun to connect with T-set builders)

I will surely post here in BST and in several vintage FB pages that I frequent. I am leaning toward availing ebay

And lastly, I have only set up at card shows a few times and didn’t love the experience - feels really inefficient to me. But some dealer friends have told me differently.

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice.

Jeff

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Shows are a waste of your time. It's not the eighties anymore. Do it from home, live your life, spend that weekend with your loved ones, save the expenses.

1. Yep, work with collectors' want lists for the reasons you stated. It's fun and will help you make more connections. Just be prepared for a lot of tire kicking and some wasted time. The sales and finding a couple of great new hobby contacts will make up for that, though!

2. List the cards individually right here--most straight sale, some auction. If there are some exceptionally terrible beaters that are equally easy to procure, then smaller group offerings might make sense. Otherwise, I say list them as singles. There's enough demand from this site alone to run some auctions in the BST. Bidding will be healthy; T cards such as you describe will ultimately find their level in this crowd. Save your friend all the needless eBay or auction house fees. The material you mention is popular in any condition, so you (and him) should fare just fine around here IMHO.

You obviously know the best paths to take for the better material, but for the commons, I can't see why you couldn't do well right here.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Shows are a waste of your time. It's not the eighties anymore. Do it from home, live your life, spend that weekend with your loved ones, save the expenses.

List the cards individually right here--most straight sale, some auction. If there are some exceptionally terrible beaters that are equally easy to procure, then smaller group offerings might make sense. Otherwise, I say list them as singles. There's enough demand from this site alone to run some auctions in the BST. Bidding will be healthy; T cards such as you describe will ultimately find their level in this crowd. Save your friend all the needless eBay or auction house fees. The material you mention is popular in any condition, so you (and him) should fare just fine around here IMHO.

You obviously know the best paths to take for the better material, but for the commons, I can't see why you couldn't do well right here.

When my T206 spread sheet crashed, I took some time away from this site. When I came back in spring, I saw the auction feature! I came right in at the tail end of a T206 auction. I picked up a few cards. Was in til the last second on a Carolina Brights card! It generates excitement.

I agree: selling some here and auctioning off others right here at net54 is the way to go.

[Belfast1933]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Shows are a waste of your time. It's not the eighties anymore. Do it from home, live your life, spend that weekend with your loved ones, save the expenses.

1. Yep, work with collectors' want lists for the reasons you stated. It's fun and will help you make more connections. Just be prepared for a lot of tire kicking and some wasted time. The sales and finding a couple of great new hobby contacts will make up for that, though!

2. List the cards individually right here--most straight sale, some auction. If there are some exceptionally terrible beaters that are equally easy to procure, then smaller group offerings might make sense. Otherwise, I say list them as singles. There's enough demand from this site alone to run some auctions in the BST. Bidding will be healthy; T cards such as you describe will ultimately find their level in this crowd. Save your friend all the needless eBay or auction house fees. The material you mention is popular in any condition, so you (and him) should fare just fine around here IMHO.

You obviously know the best paths to take for the better material, but for the commons, I can't see why you couldn't do well right here.

Thx Billy - I appreciate your take (and agree with it - I value the buy/sell relationships I’ve built here over the last several years)

Will probably be ready to post for sale later this month

[bmattioli]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Shows are a waste of your time. It's not the eighties anymore.

Huh??

[swarmee]

Comc

[Leon]

I have sold several hundred on the BST here....wasn't an issue. Otherwise, lots of good choices.

Also, open to doing more front page auctions when it makes sense. Those T206s that were done did fine...

These are ones I got from that group.
.

[JollyElm]

Here's a thinking outside of the box possible suggestion. If you're also selling bigger name cards for the same guy, consider using some of the lower grade commons as 'throw-ins' to sort of sweeten the pot.

For instance:

PSA 2 (Star Player Name Here),
plus these Five BONUS T206 commons (names here).

Just a thought to add a little sizzle to the steak and perhaps make people pay a little more than they wanted to, because they're getting something extra.

Or completely ignore the suggestion. Your choice.

[Jewish-collector]

eBay
Facebook Groups
Sports Collectors Digest ads
COMC
Sportlots
Net54 B/S/T forum
Auction houses - there are smaller ones that will be happy to sell your stuff.
Get a table at Card shows

[parkplace33]

However you sell, I recommend selling the commons in a lot deal. Otherwise, people will pick you apart.

[philliesfan]

How ever you choose to sell, let us know here so we can follow and bid.
Bob

[donmuth]

The Net54 B/S/T board here would be the easiest way to do it and would reach a large number of pre-war collectors directly who would appreciate the cards.


Sell each one individually, with perhaps discounts for buying multiple cards.


Just post pics, prices, and shipping cost and start taking Private Messages from buyers.


Anything that doesn't sell after however long you're comfortable with you can stick on a Net54 auction starting at $1 and get as much as you can for it.


Good luck!

[Belfast1933]

Originally Posted by donmuth

The Net54 B/S/T board here would be the easiest way to do it and would reach a large number of pre-war collectors directly who would appreciate the cards.


Sell each one individually, with perhaps discounts for buying multiple cards.


Just post pics, prices, and shipping cost and start taking Private Messages from buyers.


Anything that doesn't sell after however long you're comfortable with you can stick on a Net54 auction starting at $1 and get as much as you can for it.


Good luck!

I like this plan, thanks Donnie!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Yeah, there's no need to sell anything like this in lots. The people advising you to do so are more than likely saying it with their best interest at heart.

[soxinseven]

The BST here and Facebook are your best options. Commons have cooled off a bit but when I was selling a larger collection years ago, I limited the number of cards I sold to 12/15 a night as the shipping was a lot of work.

[obcbobd]

How much of a loss in profit would you have if you just shipped everything to someone like Greg Morris and let them handle it? Would not having to do the listings and shipping offset the fees paid ? Would there be a big delay in how soon you receive payment?

In a few years I may downsize my collection including ~250 T206s, lower grade. As I might be retired, I think I'd be fine with the time required to do it all on Net54's B/S/T. But if time were tight, Greg Morris, or something like that would be tempting.