OT: Autographs/Hockey Cards Thread

[Strawberry Fields]

Mall card show pick ups (the guy gave me the Robertson for $20), mostly baseball and football as was expected but still found some worthwhile hockey stuff

Would've left with a lot more if I had more cash on me, the one guy in particular had a lot of Caps stuff that would've been right at home in my collection. Always next time!

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Here's the beginnings of my Connor McMichael collection. With the lack of notable Flyers rookies this year (I think it's really just Zamula, Ustimenko, and Kase) he is by far my favorite rookie in the 20-21 crop. No auto yet but hoping to add one. Bears season ticket holders get an exclusive meet the team event so I'm hoping he ends up in Hershey again this year so I can get one in person.

View attachment 454115

If you want my Gold Dazzlers, send me a PM.

 

[Lord Defect]

Mall card show pick ups (the guy gave me the Robertson for $20), mostly baseball and football as was expected but still found some worthwhile hockey stuff

View attachment 455911

Would've left with a lot more if I had more cash on me, the one guy in particular had a lot of Caps stuff that would've been right at home in my collection. Always next time!

They still have mall card days? I haven’t seen one of those in like 10 years

 

[Strawberry Fields]

They still have mall card days? I haven’t seen one of those in like 10 years

Our mall has one every month

 

[Lord Defect]

Our mall has one every month

Neshaminy used to have one maybe twice a year. I never tracked them down or anything, but it was cool as hell to randomly stumble onto them. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever found anything worth buying.

 

[Rebels57]

I just came into possession of over 100 original Garbage Pail Kids cards from the mid 80's in mint condition. Looks like there is a market for them and they have decent value if graded. Has anyone here gone through the grading process before?

 

[CutOnDime97]

I just came into possession of over 100 original Garbage Pail Kids cards from the mid 80's in mint condition. Looks like there is a market for them and they have decent value if graded. Has anyone here gone through the grading process before?

I have used PSA, SGC, and HGA. Only have done sports though

 

[Rebels57]

I have used PSA, SGC, and HGA. Only have done sports though

How does it work? Could you throw me a couple of brief bullet points on the process?

 

[CutOnDime97]

How does it work? Could you throw me a couple of brief bullet points on the process?

Good comparison of the grading companies:



This is all for sports as that's all I've done:

PSA is the top dog but they are crazy backed up and only open for their premium tiers which are expensive.

I believe BGS, which is the 2nd most respected, is in the same boat.

SGC has good turnaround times and is cheaper. Definitely the best challenger to the top 2, for sports at least. You'd have to check values for other cards.

There is also CSG, which has a good reputation in Comics and other collectible grading but just started doing cards. Could be good for Garbage Pail Kids but not sure.

Choose a company, go to their site, and follow their instructions to send the cards in. Pretty standard and the instructions are detailed, might need to buy Card Savers (I know PSA asks you use them) but it varies by company.



Find values of cards:
Use 130point to search eBay to find values of certain cards in grades from each company:

Search eBay Sales for Sports Cards, Memorabilia and More | 130 Point

What to look for before sending a card in:

Sports Card Grading 101 Guide

This is extremely simple. Thanks to Beckett Grading Services, we know the five primary attributes used to grade a card.

1. Centering: Centering is basically the width of the border. Ideally, the border sizing should be equal on the left, right, top and bottom. Sometimes judging the centering won't be as simple as looking for equal spaced borders. The bottom line is that the card should feel balanced. If a card appears lopsided, this means the centering is off.
2. Corners: This is arguably the most important and most scrutinized of the grading attributes. A card with four sharp corners can alleviate other concerns, especially on older cards. Study all four corners looking at the front of the card first, then look at the back of the card. This is the best way to double-check. If a corner shows imperfections on both sides, it's not your eyes playing tricks on you. Sometimes the ink, foil or other factors can create the illusion of a weak corner, so always be sure to check the back. If a corner or two is an eyesore to look at, your probably looking at a card that will grade under 8.5. Slight corner imperfections, such as barely visible white might be the difference between a BGS 9 and a BGS 9.5, but can also result in no change.
3. Edges: The four edges of a card are important, as well. Some brands are notoriously terrible with edges, especially cards with dark or black borders. At the same time, less is expected from these, so lower your expectations. Graders also look at the back for this, too. Edges should be sharp and the color should be constant. Imperfect edges have dings, dents or subtle discolorations. As with corners, barely visible white isn't the end of the world.
4. Surface: Surface is the condition of the cardboard as a whole. With glossy cards such as Bowman Chrome, scratches on the surface can be an issue, as well as faded autographs. In addition, cards made with foil stock are prone to small pieces of foil coming off, leaving white specks on the card. With older cards, the main concern is creases and moisture damage. Many 1980s cards suffer from ink smearing and stamp marks that happen when the card goes through a print press. Many times a crease is hard to notice at first, as the picture on a card can hide one very well.
5. Autographs: The autograph grade has nothing to do with the grade given to the card itself. If the ink isn't smeared and the autograph isn't faded, it will normally be a 10. All graded autographs must be "out of pack" autos (not hand-signed or in-person). It is very easy to "eye grade" an autograph.

Shipping stuff:
Create Shipping Label - PayPal
https://www.amazon.com/Card-Saver-Holder-Graded-Submittions/dp/B078SFLTJQ
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Sleeves-8-Inches-100-Count/dp/B0002TT3N4
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Resealable-Sleeves-Holder/dp/B00BUVFB16


Let me know if you have any specific Qs, would be happy to answer

 

[Rebels57]

Good comparison of the companies:



PSA is the top dog but they are crazy backed up and only open for their premium tiers which are expensive.

I believe BGS, which is the 2nd most respected, is in the same boat.

SGC has good turnaround times and is cheaper. Definitely the best new challenger to the top 2, for sports at least. You'd have to check values for other cards.

There is also CSG, which has a good reputation in Comics and other collectible grading but just started doing cards. Could be good for Garbage Pail Kids but not sure.

Choose a company, go to their site, and follow their instructions to send the cards in. Pretty standard and the instructions are detailed, might need to buy Card Savers but it varies by company.

https://www.amazon.com/Card-Saver-Holder-Graded-Submittions/dp/B078SFLTJQ

Use 130point to search eBay to find values of certain cards in grades from each company:

Search eBay Sales for Sports Cards, Memorabilia and More | 130 Point

What to look for before sending a card in:

Sports Card Grading 101 Guide


Other random links:
Create Shipping Label - PayPal
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Sleeves-8-Inches-100-Count/dp/B0002TT3N4
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Resealable-Sleeves-Holder/dp/B00BUVFB16


Let me know if you have any specific Qs, would be happy to answer

You are the f***ing man. This is way more info than I thought i'd get. Thanks!

 

[Schwarbomb]

How does it work? Could you throw me a couple of brief bullet points on the process?

I used both PSA and Beckett months ago when I unloaded my collection. Looking back, If you're looking to flip, PSA is the way to go. They will get it graded quicker and the company has more fans. If you are keeping in a personal collection, I would use BGS. The slabs look way classier and they are much tougher on grading. For example, real collectors will know a Beckett 9 is more impressive than a PSA 9. The whole process is not cheap though, so make sure you're sending them something with real value. Shipping + service + insurance will be ~$100 if you want a decent turnaround time. More cards sent = more efficient.

 

[Hurricane28]

I'll have to go back and listen but there was a pod that discussed grading services. Seems like PSA has become overpriced and is extremely backlogged. There was another one specifically listed but I can't remember what it was.

My dad has a very valuable baseball and Star Wars collection that is in great to mint condition. There's just so much to grade and it would cost us a fortune if we did PSA we are looking elsewhere.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

More Hit Parade yields more Vasi

Also some new McMichael for the collection (I won the Shadow Box almost a month ago... just arrived today!)

 

[CutOnDime97]

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Ebay purchases and wins on the way

 

[swami24]

They still have mall card days? I haven’t seen one of those in like 10 years

The guy that owned 2 or 3 card shops in lower Bucks closed his doors after being in business for decades.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

I've been toying with the idea for a while of sending some of my ticket stubs that i've used myself over the years to get graded but more specifically slabbed because I like the look. It's more of a personal thing than trying to get a value for them in an attempt to sell them.

Tickets include three Stadium Series games, six or seven Super Bowls, two CFB National Championships, Halladay's Playoff No-Hitter, Halladay's Perfect Game, and some others.

Long story short before I send these in and spend a substantial amount of money does anyone have any other recommendations about how or what I should do to achieve that type of look/protection?

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Thank you @BestPlayerAvailable !

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Lots of mail today

 

[Strawberry Fields]

RIP Jimmy

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Don’t send a card to Torrey Smith.

 

[Lord Defect]

Don’t send a card to Torrey Smith.

What a douche bag

 

[CutOnDime97]

Recent pickup for the PC.

I enjoy the quote on the back.

 

[CutOnDime97]

Lots of mail today

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Nice adds.

I have my eyes peeled for a nice Kovalchuk card.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Don’t send a card to Torrey Smith.

I can understand athletes not wanting to sign cards through the mail. These guys typically sign stuff for the card companies or at shows or at games for fans (though that happens less than it used to). They aren't obligated to sign something through the mail while they are off so that (in many cases) someone can make money off of them.