Hi there, and thank you for having me on this site. Recently I've been put in charge of going through and selling my late uncle's collection of cards, and I'm looking for advice on where to start as far as sorting through and determining values on things. My background in cards is mostly through MTG however, so the concept of value is different.

• Do damaged / worn cards hold any value? Part of the collection is a wide array of 50s-60s cards (TV Westerns, Batman, Fleer Pirates, Civil War News, Donruss Avengers, etc), but a lot of them look aged and some have wear or crinkles from usage.
  
  
• Do common or non-insert cards ever have varied value? Do I need to look out for a particular single within a base set every time I go through bulk, or is it a waste of time?
  
  
• Is there a good practice for determining the value of a misprint? In the Coke Collect-A-Card stuff for example I have a few 'caps' (or pogs) that are visibly miscut. Not enough to see the next pattern, but it cuts into the white border visibly.
  
  
• What's the best way to show card condition when trying to sell card 'sets'? I would understand that some cards might have wear/tear, but to what degree should I document or photograph that damage?
  

My apologies for the number of questions. I know it's a lot to ask for help on, but I'm hoping that the education will help me to be more well-informed.

redterror117
Please contact me.My email is in my profile.I am located in Canada and can give you some guidance.

1. In the case of vintage cards, 1950’s and 1960’s as you mentioned, do have value even in lower grades as many collectors are happy to have and enjoy the cards without paying a premium for high grade cards. A set worth $500 in high grade may only be worth $75 to $100 in lower grade but still has some value.

2. Base cards from recent sets (1980 and on) rarely have any additional value, there may be an exception here and there but so few as to probably not make it worth researching and going through every set.

3. Misprints or miscuts rarely have any additional value and most collectors consider them unusable when putting together sets. Again there may be a few exceptions but in general cards with miscut borders are not desirable.

4. Large scans if you are using an auction site help but it’s always best if you can give a general description of the card, creasing, corner wear, etc. if the cards are in top condition it helps to mention that as well.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Batman,

What you are describing sounds like a collection in pretty rough condition, at least for the older cards. Grade condition in non-sport cards is rarely mentioned, but that's because the modern card has been coddled as a collectible really since the late 80's. If they were kept, they didn't get messed up. Not so with vintage cards and the prices for both sports cards and non-sport cards pre 1970 are very much effected by the grade condition. You can always get something for a rare vintage card and the grading is kind of factored on a curve, but a severely damaged card will garner a fraction of the price and may find few, if any, buyers.

So the first thing you have to do is determine which cards you have that are the most valuable. Are there any complete sets or just singles? Sets will include cards of various grades, obviously. Misprints may have added value, but I think what you are referring to are off-centered items. Centering is a crucial component of a grade and off-cuts or off-centering will lower value.

Once you have identified vintage cards of sufficient value, this is one of the few times where I would recommend getting a card graded. Just do a few to get a feel for what you really have. Buyers of vintage cards do tend to like slabbed grading and are willing to pay enough extra to make your premium cost worthwhile. Even if you get 4s or 5s, that may be an acceptable average for that particular issue.

It is very difficult to accurately describe card condition to another collector because the same words have a different meaning between people. Your idea of Fair may not be my idea of Fair, etc. So if you have enough value in this collection to really go through the vintage part, consider submitting some of it to recognized grading service, if only to confirm your own evaluation.

Very sorry to hear of your loss.

Lots of good advice so far -- if you can get the help of someone locally who can at least pair down what in the collection is worth further investigation you'll be way ahead.

silmapco - Thanks, working on the spreadsheet as we speak!

Batman - For sets with mixed condition cards (Civil War News comes to mind as there's variation between centered and off-center cuts), what's the best way to come up with price? Just go somewhere in between I would assume?

Raven - Is there a minimum card value I should consider when looking at the grading option? My concern would be about the cost vs gain when it comes to selling that card down the road. I'll need to look at what it would cost to have done, and if options in Canada are available.

webjon - Thank you. He passed last year from pancreatic cancer, so it happened rather suddenly. It would definitely be good for me to find someone around here to help me go through things, as long as I'm not being misled on value for their benefit (went through that a few years back with some other cards)

quote:

Originally posted by redterror117:
Raven - Is there a minimum card value I should consider when looking at the grading option? My concern would be about the cost vs gain when it comes to selling that card down the road. I'll need to look at what it would cost to have done, and if options in Canada are available.

I am not an expert when it comes to graded cards because I don't actually like them or buy them. Having said that, the vintage card market is a place where graded cards are pulling in more money than the same raw cards. It is mainly about getting a verifiable condition rating, but collectors are also worried about counterfeits and trimmed/repaired cards in vintage issues, so they are more willing to pay a premium to have the assurance of a professional grader.

I can't say what your options might be in Canada, but I'd be kind of surprised if Beckett or PSA or JSA wasn't available. Pricing may vary, but for US, it depends on how many cards you submit and what levels you sign up for. The less you do, the more you pay per card. You are not getting autographs authenticated, so the most for condition grading would be about $10 US each. You can get that down considerably if you grade in bulk or sign up for a plan, maybe as low as $6 US. It also depends on how soon you want it done. It often takes a couple of months if you go cheaper. I see Beckett is having a problem right now where they are not even accepting certain levels of service. So you really have to look around, but don't go with a service that is not widely known or accepted. A grade from Hippy Dippy Authentics will mean nothing.

The minimum value is up to you, but I would try a handful of cards that book for the highest and appear to have the least number of major defects. A raw card in Excellent condition may only get you half of that high book at best, so if it costs you the maximum of $10 to grade, I would want something at least worth $100. If the grading comes back good enough to attract a buyer at close to that $100, rather than the $50, the $10 fee will be worth it.

Of course it all depends on what you have. I have seen the ads where some graded vintage cards are selling for thousands of dollars. I personally don't know where that is, but they couldn't print it if it wasn't true, right?

Anyway the #1 card in a set and the last numbered card in a set will always earn premiums. If there are particular characters in a set, cards that picture the main characters or characters that have remained popular will garner more demand. So you might consider that part of it too, if you are choosing cards to submit for grading. Lots of luck and take the time to look around if you have no need to rush it.