Raw to slab success ?

[robw1959]

My most recent success story was purchasing a T206 minor leaguer earlier this year for $40, and seeing it grade PSA 7. That's only the second time I've ever seen a raw T206 card come back as high as a 7. Some of my all-time best raw-to-slab success stories are: a 1933 Goudey 92 Gehrig ($600) - SGC 40, a T206 Sweet Cap Christy Mathewson ($215) - PSA 5 M/C (it looks like a 1954 Topps styled card), a T206 Tolstoi Home Run Baker ($215) - SGC 60, a T206 Piedmont Cobb/Bat On ($1115) - SGC 60, and a T213 Coupon Type 2 Walter Johnson ($550) - SGC 55.

[revlis]

Some nice stories for sure! Thanks. My only experience buying raw and getting them graded is with modern autos - of which there are many nice examples. I have been looking at buying more vintage and was wondering if this was a good avenue to go down. Also I just love hearing those stories of a big score - like I've read about on forbes (texas find, etc). Always interesting stuff!

[Exhibitman]

It happens a lot, at least in terms of being surprised by good grades on raw buys. My favorite was a raw 1969 Phil Esposito, a card I really wanted as a kid, that I bought raw from an eBay seller, sent in and got a 9. A very pleasant surprise. Most recently I sent in one of my Babe Ruth cards to get slabbed for protection in handling and ended up with an SGC 80. I'd not thought of it in those terms.

[T206Collector]

I once bought a group of cards with back damage. I was able to soak the paper off the back of a Pfeister and it came back an SGC 60. The Polar Bear Dougherty below recently came to me in a group of mid/low grade raw cards...



My best raw to grade T206 is this one, which also happens to be signed by Larry Doyle. This one came to me from the Jeff Morey collection about 10 years ago. I couldn't believe how pristine it was when I got it in the mail, and I am of course thrilled with the grade...

[steve B]

I haven't graded many cards, but I've done pretty well with a few of them.

Bought ...maybe 1984? 85? Probably for $3


Another I'd had since the 80's



And one picked up a bit more recently from Ebay. Only cost 40 raw.




Of course they haven't all gone that well, most were more like 50s a couple didn't grade, not modified, but miscut or undersize. Not bad overall though.

Steve B

[mpemulis]

This is a nice topic. I picked up a Billy Williams on eBay for 12.51 when I was completing a predominantly EX-MT 67 set. I had all of the HOFers graded.

BillyWilliamsPSA9.jpg

Of course it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the set now.

[GasHouseGang]

Picked up this raw Dockman and thought it should grade. Sent it in and was happy when it popped as a PSA 5.