need opinions

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Posted By: Beanball

New to the boards and need some advice. Long time investor with more current isues and am looking into spends some dollars on vintage cards. Looking in particular at the 1935 Diamond Stars issue. Just wondering if there are any speed bumps out there that I need to be aware of, and if there is one road or another that I might look down. Any help would be appreciated.

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Posted By: Mike McGrail

Start slow and LEARN!!! - Stay away from high dollar cards until you feel confident enough to tell real from fake. Buy a hand full of commons from the set you are interested in. Compare them to each other. Measure them. Smell them. Check them out with a black light and/or microscope. Try to find out as much as possible about the set you are interested in. How many cards? Any specific production related issues that you need to be aware of? Whole point is, don't take the big plunge (read lots of $$$) until you feel that you can swim.

Ciao for now,

Mike

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Posted By: Glenn

Are you planning to complete the set, or do you just think Diamond Stars is a good set to start with, to pick up a handful of old cards? Good luck either way, but don't plan on completing the set unless you're prepared to work on it for many years (and forego possible chances to profit from the cards in the meantime). I'm guessing you're already looking at getting some or maybe all of the cards on ebay. My advice is to check out sellers' feedback. Don't bother reading the positives, just look at the negatives from previous buyers (and look at those buyers' feedback also to see if they're reputable). If you're buying graded cards, and maybe you already know this, don't buy anything graded by PRO.

Glenn

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Posted By: Beanball

I had planned on only psa cards. Takes alot of guess work out. Not sure yet as to which grades I can afford. To be determined. I'm sure filling out an entire set will be a long time venture. The 35 DSs design and look just appeal to me. Maybe too generic, but is there a year or issue that seem to keep its popularity thereby value better than others? The 65 topps is such an issue with the more modern cards. I have looked at the cracker jacks issue and of course the t206s, but just wondering if there is something else that I might look into.

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Posted By: leon

Depending on your preference I sort of think the early caramel issues would be a good way to go. Most of them can be completed in a few years or less and, if you collect "collector" grade stuff, won't cost a fortune to complete. I would think that E90-2, E93, E95, E96, and E98 could all be done...and their value will most likely only go up. Also, you might want to be careful on buying any particular grading companies product. Don't buy the holders....buy the cards. All of the grading companies make mistakes ( SGC far fewer in our space ) and if you arm yourself with knowledge you will be fine. The Diamond Stars are a good series but just a little too new for a lot of us on the board. I would guess if you buy them right you won't lose money though.....good luck and welcome aboard.....

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

I have always thought that the Diamond Stars cards are WAY undervalued.

I believe the lack of RUTH and GEHRIG in the set has kept down the interest in this set...

but that is no reason for why the individual star cards should not be higher.

They are colorful and artsy... and the backs are cool too.

My advice would be to collect them in the PSA 7 range, because paying a LOT more for a PSA 8 is NOT worth it.

The PSA 7's (and even 6's) are JUST FINE -- as long as you get cards that are well-centered.

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Posted By: andy becker

if you want graded i would stick with psa7...or nice 6's.
diamond stars are beautiful, i love the art deco style. i also LOVE the football counterpart, national chicle football. diamond stars are currently available at very reasonable prices and should continue to appreciate in value.

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Posted By: Darren J. Duet

Hello beanball,


You may want to look into the Goudey issues of 1933 & 1934 -- these are beautiful classic sets with great appeal. They are quite available now but that will dwindle in time. From that time period I collect 1933 Delongs, I enjoy its star power and relative scarcity -- and the Gehrig is among my favorite cards of all time. I would rank diamond stars right behind these sets.

For a challenge try assembling the George C. Miller set from the time period.

Good Luck and enjoy.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Please refresh my memory. Why is it better to get PSA 6 or 7s which are well centered, over lets say 3s, 4s or 5s?

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Posted By: dan mckee

Do NOT go by the standard catalog of baseball cards if you are going to do all variations. It is WAY WRONG and off. I am in the process of correcting it after a 2 year research project.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Diamond Stars are nice, so are Delongs. Goudeys are nice but they're awfuly plentiful and there's no secret with them... Don't shy away from mixing in some SGC graded cards. If any grader has investment potential, they would ... Be aware that PSA has some current grading issues (WIWAG). Not saying don't buy PSA or anything's wrong with PSA or anything like that, but being aware of current issues never hurt ... Diamond Stars are one of the few Pre-War baseball cards where you can find the original paintings used to make the cards. You will see the paintings from time to time ... I'm guessing your investment judgement here is that the 1930s cards are currently underrated, the Diamond Stars are both underrated as a 1930s issue yet plentiful enough you can pick up a bunch (There being no point in trying to invest in a card so rare you can't find one or where you can't buy enough to consitute an investment). I don't predict how cards will rise in value, but I don't see any obvious holes in this judgement. If you make some good buys, quality Pre-War cards are a relatively safe investment, in that their prices aren't going to drop to 0 any year soon. I'd just say stick in some SGC or DeLongs or even a good deal Goudey if you get a good deal.

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Posted By: Beanball

In the current market of cards (1960 on) PSA is by far and away the only way to go. I am hearing more and more about SGC for the vintage stuff. Is everyone comfortable with SGC here, or is it a coin flip with PSA? If I narrow my field to graded 35 Diamond Stars, is it better to go one way or the other or a mix depending on availability and price?

Thx again

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Posted By: andy becker

you are right gilbert, psa 3,4,and 5's will do just fine. there is no advantage to a psa6 or 7....only a collector's preference.
my point, which i should clarify, is buy the card NOT the holder.
regards

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Posted By: davidcycleback

It is widely agreed that SGC is a respected, quality and conservative grader of Pre-War cards-- even most PSA collectors would agree with this. The point being that, whether one prefers PSA or SGC or says PSA gets high current prices, if you buy SGC you are buying a quality product. Even if one were a PSA superfan, I don't know why one would pass up on a good deal on a SGC card.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

This post is a request for opinions. I should have stated mine without comment on others. My bad.

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Posted By: Josh K.

I would also add that most on this board would argue that sgc is more consistent with their grading than psa. I personally buy vintage cards graded by sgc, psa and gai. some on this board have had some quality control issues with gai (cards slipping in the holder) but I have had no problems.

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Posted By: dennis

i agree w/josh and would buy sgc,psa,gai with no reservations.i also have bought becket and scd. stay away from all others.i can ony afford to buy pre war cards that are graded 1 thru 5 so i feel safe (at these grades) buying any of the 5 mentioned.if looking to buy 7 or higher i probably would stay away from becket and scd.

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Posted By: Josh K.

With respect to beckett (Ive never purchased scd graded cards) my only problem is that their grading methodology is unduly harsh on vintage cards. If they hypothetically graded a card as a perfect 10 on corners, edges, and surface, but give the centering a 3, the highest grade that card can receive in their system is a 4. (no card can receive a grade more than a full grade higher than the lowest of their four subcategories).

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Posted By: dennis

thats good as a buyer. i picked up a 1955 bowman banks graded a 5 because the back was oc.i cracked it out of the slab and when i look at it i think it's nm w/an oc back.

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Posted By: Elliot

Not to rehash old threads, but I have serious problems with Beckett's ability to grade and authentic Vintage cards.