Selling raw vintage ... what's a good price?

[wdwfan]

Originally Posted by Leon

There are too many 50s-70s Topps, in avg condition, for the number of collectors and the issue isn't getting better. Just my half cent.

I think you posted something about this on a thread over on Blowout. As a new collector to vintage, is this something that should concern me? Right now I'm trying to build my collection of average 50s-70s. Is that something that should be avoided? I've been going back-and-forth on what and how I want to collect to be honest. Now this makes me even more nervous.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

I think you posted something about this on a thread over on Blowout. As a new collector to vintage, is this something that should concern me? Right now I'm trying to build my collection of average 50s-70s. Is that something that should be avoided? I've been going back-and-forth on what and how I want to collect to be honest. Now this makes me even more nervous.

As long as you buy it right, and have fun doing it, you will be ok. Use realized prices on ebay, and wherever else, as to what the market is especially for those low-mid grade Topps cards. When I first started setting up at shows a few years ago I bought a lot of groups of those average 50s-60s Topps in many different places. Sometimes I did pretty good and other times not so much. I probably still have 4000-5000 just hanging out behind me in a corner.

[wdwfan]

Good to know. Right now I've been buying Ex or better (or trying to buy that condition) from the late 1950s-mid 1970s. I've been trying to decide which year(s) I wanted to build sets from.

Then I was told at my LCS that the 70s cards are worthless no matter the grade and to focus on 50s-1965. So, that's kind of what I've been doing. That's why I decided against finishing the 71 set (had about half) and 74 set (had about 610 different).

Originally Posted by Leon

As long as you buy it right, and have fun doing it, you will be ok. Use realized prices on ebay, and wherever else, as to what the market is especially for those low-mid grade Topps cards. When I first started setting up at shows a few years ago I bought a lot of groups of those average 50s-60s Topps in many different places. Sometimes I did pretty good and other times not so much. I probably still have 4000-5000 just hanging out behind me in a corner.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

Good to know. Right now I've been buying Ex or better (or trying to buy that condition) from the late 1950s-mid 1970s. I've been trying to decide which year(s) I wanted to build sets from.

Then I was told at my LCS that the 70s cards are worthless no matter the grade and to focus on 50s-1965. So, that's kind of what I've been doing. That's why I decided against finishing the 71 set (had about half) and 74 set (had about 610 different).

Worthless is great as long as you are buying for enjoyment. I remember back in the 80's except for a few players the cards from the mid 50's and 60's were considered junk like the junk wax era cards are now.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Leon

As long as you buy it right, and have fun doing it, you will be ok. Use realized prices on ebay, and wherever else, as to what the market is especially for those low-mid grade Topps cards. When I first started setting up at shows a few years ago I bought a lot of groups of those average 50s-60s Topps in many different places. Sometimes I did pretty good and other times not so much. I probably still have 4000-5000 just hanging out behind me in a corner.

I actually love the mid-grade stuff fro the 50's I find I can move it quite fast, and can usually buy it right. That of course is the key. If you overpay you can't make a profit. Easy game, huh?

[wdwfan]

As is with everything. I've been trying to pick up lots here and there. Found a few for like 15-20% of BV. I'm not really into moving it quite fast. I don't even mind losing money (like I did with the 66T Aaron). I just go back and forth on what I want to do. Part of collecting I guess.

For instance, my uncle used to have a set of 1962T baseball, and I loved, loved, loved looking at that set. Well I decided in November to try and build one of those. Thinking about giving up on it now. I've been working on it for 4 months and am not even halfway through with it, and it's driving me nuts. I'm a sprinter. I like to finish stuff now if not quicker. I can't stand that it takes months to put a set together.

But like I said, I've been trying to buy lots for good prices (15-20% of BV) just to see what I want to try and build. I'm up to a decent amount of 59s, 61s and 63s. So maybe one of those will be my next quest. With that in mind, I might just put the 62s in the closet for now and try to work on something else.

Always evolving. Guess I'm weird like that.

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I actually love the mid-grade stuff fro the 50's I find I can move it quite fast, and can usually buy it right. That of course is the key. If you overpay you can't make a profit. Easy game, huh?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

As is with everything. I've been trying to pick up lots here and there. Found a few for like 15-20% of BV. I'm not really into moving it quite fast. I don't even mind losing money (like I did with the 66T Aaron). I just go back and forth on what I want to do. Part of collecting I guess.

For instance, my uncle used to have a set of 1962T baseball, and I loved, loved, loved looking at that set. Well I decided in November to try and build one of those. Thinking about giving up on it now. I've been working on it for 4 months and am not even halfway through with it, and it's driving me nuts. I'm a sprinter. I like to finish stuff now if not quicker. I can't stand that it takes months to put a set together.

But like I said, I've been trying to buy lots for good prices (15-20% of BV) just to see what I want to try and build. I'm up to a decent amount of 59s, 61s and 63s. So maybe one of those will be my next quest. With that in mind, I might just put the 62s in the closet for now and try to work on something else.

Always evolving. Guess I'm weird like that.

It is usually way cheaper to buy sets already completed. Besides the cards themselves being cheaper you will save a bundle on shipping.

If you are paying 15-20% of BV please hook me up, that would be awesome.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by bnorth

It is usually way cheaper to buy sets already completed.

I disagree with this. I usually start with a good partial set and then buy lots from there, selling off unneeded duplicates to fund purchases of key singles etc.... I think my best was a 1971 Topps in EX that cost me net $200 (and a lot of hours) and the lot that got me started was $225!

[conor912]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

As is with everything. I've been trying to pick up lots here and there. Found a few for like 15-20% of BV. I'm not really into moving it quite fast. I don't even mind losing money (like I did with the 66T Aaron). I just go back and forth on what I want to do. Part of collecting I guess.

For instance, my uncle used to have a set of 1962T baseball, and I loved, loved, loved looking at that set. Well I decided in November to try and build one of those. Thinking about giving up on it now. I've been working on it for 4 months and am not even halfway through with it, and it's driving me nuts. I'm a sprinter. I like to finish stuff now if not quicker. I can't stand that it takes months to put a set together.

But like I said, I've been trying to buy lots for good prices (15-20% of BV) just to see what I want to try and build. I'm up to a decent amount of 59s, 61s and 63s. So maybe one of those will be my next quest. With that in mind, I might just put the 62s in the closet for now and try to work on something else.

Always evolving. Guess I'm weird like that.

I think mid-grade post war cards will always have a place as the gateway drug to vintage collecting.

From what I'm hearing, I would put selling on the back burner for now and just collect whatever catches your eye for a while to get a feel for the hobby and market. It sounds like right now you're the anxious bull calf at the top of the bluff trying to convince his dad to run down into the valley to f*** one of the cows. That said, if you're ok with losing some money and learning some hard lessons, then by all means keep up your current pace.

[wdwfan]

Yea, as I said, I try to build something. If I can't do it in a few months, I think about selling. But with the 62s, I just stuck them in the closet tonight. It'll be that way with other sets too. Some day I might pull them back out and add some to it and slowly chip away. But I've been buying lots to get a feel for what I like.

As far as losing money, that only happened on the Aaron. I was told it was Ex, and that's why I lost money. Obviously, it wasn't and was more like VG to VG-Ex.

Anyway, I'm overall happy with where my collection is at. But I've gotten a lot of good advice on this thread, which is kind of what I need at this point in my collecting.

Originally Posted by conor912

I think mid-grade post war cards will always have a place as the gateway drug to vintage collecting.

From what I'm hearing, I would put selling on the back burner for now and just collect whatever catches your eye for a while to get a feel for the hobby and market. It sounds like right now you're the anxious bull calf at the top of the bluff trying to convince his dad to run down into the valley to f*** one of the cows. That said, if you're ok with losing some money and learning some hard lessons, then by all means keep up your current pace.

[bbcard1]

FWIW, I thought your 1962 highs were attractively priced. I would have bought them had I not previously filled mine out.