T206 Cross Roads -- Seeking advice

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Posted By: T206Collector

Looking for some advice...

My goal is to put together the T206 set minus the big 4 with an average SGC grade of 40 or higher. I've gotten there with about 300 cards graded by SGC. I've got 200 raw cards that complete the set, but few if any of them would grade an SGC 40. Indeed, more would be ungradeable than would grade an SGC 40.

Something happened on the way to upgrading my collection -- I decided to start saving money to buy a house. So, the question I now face is, where do I come up with sufficient funds to accomplish this feat.

One thought I had was to actually sell the 200 raw cards individually on ebay and then use those funds to begin to fill in the SGC 40 gap. Of course, I would fall short of my goal, but I might come up with 50 to 75 of them, leaving 125-150 to slowly buy back down the road when I acquire the funds.

Or is it just plain stupid to break up the set in this fashion?

Thoughts?

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Posted By: RayB

When the financial demands of life get in the way; I've always tried to exclude my cards as an asset. It's not always easy.

Your plan in principal makes really solid sense. It would provide short term money to continue to build the set the way you ultimately want it and keep the funds inside the collector budget.

The problem or downside is, patience. How much do you have? I have always felt that downsizing any of my sets in any way (in your case, from near 100% to 50%, initially) has always lead to the complete dismantling of said set. Once I went backward I couldn't get the momentum reversed.
If you are patient enough after selling the raw to rebuild, a slow long term venture with your parameters, then you could succeed in your plan, but it will be slow.

I would consider grading the next best 100 or so from your raw cards and be happy with the results. Then consider selling all of the very weakest of the rest as a group. It is incredible that even F/G raw T-206's are bringing $12-$20 card as groups.

Alternately, if that doesn't appeal, I would hang on. The idea that you have a near complete set is awesome. Find something else in your collection to sell down.

RayB

I'm about 1/3 complete now in PSA 1,2,3 and I might be interest in anything in the G/VG range you were selling that is gradeable if that's the way you decide to go. Best of Luck.
aja4rayb@msn.com

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

I think that you will never regret it if you do nothing cardwise right now. Hold off on collection changing decisions until your path becomes more clear.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Fill in the cards with new ones as you can afford them, selling off the lower grade ones as you go. It will take time but having a "complete" set will be infinitely more desirable both emotionally and if you ever have to sell them than having a nice chunk of a set, even if part of the set isn't so great conditionwise. I have some real beaters in my various sets but would not consider parting with any of them absent replacements on hand.

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Posted By: barry arnold

This is a very difficult crossroads.
I've been struggling with this in a similar way primarily because of the condition of some of my southern leaguers. Quite frankly, some were so difficult to get that i settled for lower grades than i might normally just so i could get them before the prices went completely through the roof.
And admittedly, when i look at those old mill southern league backs,etc., I find
myself unable to part with them anyway.
Perhaps it might be helpful to ask yourself---can you really part with the
200 cards? How does it feel knowing that, if you sell them, that it may be
months if not years before you're able to get them back.
It never ceases to amaze me what sort of connections we tend to have with the cards as time passes. I still have a PSA 1 matty dark cap that i bought
in 1984 that i just can't part with----even after i have stared at higher
graded ones on ebay and debated with myself ad infinitum.
Perhaps you could go ahead and grade them and check with yourself along the months if you're ready to part with a particular one by upgrading. If so, then do so. If not, go to the next one. This approach may take a while but what better companions to have along the way.

best,

barry

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Posted By: Joann

Hang on to them and upgrade as you can, around the house finances. If you sell, I think it would feel for a long time like you were making up lost ground. If you upgrade, it might feel more like clawing out progress and getting ahead, even at a slower pace.

500 is huge. Go forward from there.

My opinion only.

Joann

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Posted By: Rick

I would sell the 200 card lot and then upgrade.

It could be like a new jump start to your collecting journey.

You have gained a lot of knowledge building the set already ...use the knowledge to find good prices and deals.

T 206's are way hot right now...

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Paul

You are a young guy, these cards will always be available. Put all your effort
into buying the house. I don't know what the home market is doing around your
way, but in most places it is booming. Within a year of purchasing your home
you will already have accrued EQUITY. Then, you can refinance and draw on this
equity and take these $$$$ and use it to acquire better quality T206's for your
collection. Really, if you have seen a house you like do not hesistate, it will
be the best investment you can ever make and it will pay in dividends toward
purchasing those cards you want.

Best of Luck in your endeavor, T-Rex Ted

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Are you married???

You didn't say you were buying a house, you said you were going to start saving money to buy...

I understand this will be perceived as foolish and radical... sell the slabbed cards, buy back raw cards. Quit spending newly earned bucks on cards, save it for the house. Sell a few slabbed cards and buy back raw. Then sell a few more, buy back a few more. See a good deal on a raw card, buy it, then sell the slabbed one...

That way you save toward a house, and still have T206. And you maintain some of the excitement of the chase. And they store easier!!!

Frank.

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Posted By: T206Collector

Thanks for all the great advice. I am married with a young child. We are doing fine financially, but we rent. We are going to be buying within the next year, and I just can't justify the big purchases of cards anymore -- without a comparable sale.

I will take all of this advice to heart and see what feels right to me. In the end, I would be surprised if I parted with any of these cards without an adequate replacement.

Thanks again for all of the comments. They were very helpful!

Paul aka T206Collector

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

T206Collector

Lately, due to the increasing market values (particularly as seen on Ebay) of
just T206 commons, much less Stars.....I have been "downgrading". Any T206
common that I think will get a Grade 4, 5 or 6, I will have graded and put it up
for sale. In many cases I already have an Vg of these cards; so, I don't have to
replace it. And, if I do not have a replacement, that's fine, because there are
many, many T206's available and there will be no problem acquiring another one.

Paul, you have to take advantage of this current market "high" on these cards.

Ted Z

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Posted By: Jason

Speaking some from experience, do nothing with the cards. Put them in a closet, save for the house, make yourself as strong as possible, financially, and then, on a rainy afternoon in 5 years, take the cards out of the closet, show them to your (hopefully) excited youngster, and then enjoy the renewed passion with your new ability to spend with far deeper pockets, completing the entire set, big 4 included!!!
Whichever, best of luck on the house!
Jason

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Posted By: andy becker

hey paul,
i have been thinking about your question for a bit now. tough choice.

it depends on your finances. if you need the money for the house, i would suggest selling off the graded cards and replacing them with lower grade raw cards. that may not satisfy your collecting desire, but in the overall scheme of life i think your prospective home is worth more to you than your cards.

if you want to try to swing it without selling off your cards, i would suggest a collecting hiatus until you have the downstroke for the house.

the problem, in my estimation, is replacement cost once your finances become more stable. if the market continues to rise, replacing cards 5 or 10 years from now may be cost prohibitive. even if you can afford the cards, you may be soured paying $80 each (or whatever) for sgc 50 commons.

ultimately, i think you have to prioritize your finances (obviously) and do a mini reality check.

i'm sure your collection is as important to you as mine is to me, but if keeping your collection intact means a different lifestyle for your family....then i'd be calling mastro/rea and selling off the whole shebang.

you will always be able to say "i had a t206 set", regardless of whether or not you still own it, and that is something to be very proud of.

good luck paul.

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Posted By: T206Collector

I like the notion of "downgrading" with raw cards, and selling the slabbed stuff to make more cash for the raw stuff. That is something I think I will look into to see if it works.

I will not be selling my collection at this time. I don't want to say I'll never sell it, but pretty close....

Thanks for all the advice.

Paul

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Posted By: Eric B

A combination of the answers given so far. I agree, if you go back, you may never get to where you are. So I would grade the best 50 or so. Then pick up cards exactly at SCG40 for those where you have better ones, and sell the better ones. So you can upgrade and downgrade to SCG40 at the same time. Maybe work on SCG30 for the short term.