Help on a card value

[Mike]

If I go into a well known trading card store in my area you think they could tell by looking at it if it is a 9.5 or higher? Not really sure how to tell by looking at cards. All I know is no corners are bent or anything and are in toploaders to keep protected.

Centering is going to be the main thing, and sure someone who runs a card store "should" be able to better tell you what grade to expect. It would really just depend on how familiar they are with graded cards, though. Some cards I see grade out well and I just wonder how the heck they would even grade centering because of the card's design so I really couldn't help you with that one.

The only things you could really check yourself, or at least as far as I'm concerned, are corners, edges, and the surface. The corners should be perfectly sharp. I mean not even a slight rounding. You're looking for four perfect 90 degree angles. Make sure there are absolutely no dents or knicks on the edges. Finally, hold the card so the light glares across the surface and inspect every inch for scratches. If you can't find a single thing wrong with the card, chances are it'll grade out good. Remember, though, the guys at Beckett will find everything you see and, possible, some you don't.

I have 3 graded cards. They all have four 9.5 subgrades and I can tell you that two of those cards look absolutely flawless to me and my eyes. Those two, I'm not sure how/why they didn't get 10s. It's obvious, to me, that Beckett sees things that my eyes can't. Either that or they didn't like the players on the cards.

 

[packman80]

Showed a guy a card and says with very small edge damage at best I should expect to get a 7-8 maybe 9 if I got lucky for it and says only thing grading is worth while for would be adding the protective case. Also another guy told me it's not worth sending it to get graded anyways unless I have like 6+ cards because otherwise they screw you on return shipping I guess.

So since it's not worth while getting graded plus another card they told me its a 8-9 grade probably that I won't send it anyone recommend a good protective case since right now its just in a top loader.

 

[sliqwill]

i keep my stuff in penny sleeves and toploaders, so it should be fine how it is, just keep it out of direct sunlight and away from kids/animals and it should be fine

 

[Mike]

i keep my stuff in penny sleeves and toploaders, so it should be fine how it is, just keep it out of direct sunlight and away from kids/animals and it should be fine

That's exactly what I do. I've never sent in a card to be graded. The only graded cards I have were bought that way.

 

[captkirk42]

That's exactly what I do. I've never sent in a card to be graded. The only graded cards I have were bought that way.

I only have 3 graded cards one was bought that way the other two were trade/gifts. I think it is too expensive to send stuff to get graded and not worth the trouble especially for cards that are newer than say 20 years old (OK better make that more than 30 to keep the "junk wax" out of the picture.) The cost of grading is more than the sale value of the card. Now for vintage stuff that is already worth a few hundred or $1,000s in its worst possible condition, then the $10 or $20 or however much it costs to get something graded would be worth it.

I first heard, learned about graded cards from seeing them popup on Ebay and thought it was mostly just another gimmick to get more money for something.

 

[andy]

Grading is definitely worthwhile on certain modern cards. Now maybe doing one at a time is not a good ROI, but if you are knowledgable with how it works, you can get cards graded for under $10 each including shipping.

I am far from an expert, but I have made decent money grading modern, as well as vintage. No offense, but I don't think you understand the graded market at all.

 

[captkirk42]

No offense, but I don't think you understand the graded market at all.

You maybe right about that I don't even understand the regular card market. I'm a Collector not an investor or seller (well I do try to sell some of my trade fodder from time to time)

I understand enough to know that a properly graded card (that is graded at least overall 8 or better) should sell for more than a raw ungraded card of the same condition or better. Lower grade cards not as much and unless they are rarer vintage not really worth the grading they got. I also know that of all the grading companies out there (and there are a few more popping up every now and then, and a few that disappear) that there are only 2 or 3 grading companies that know what the heck they are doing and accurately grade the product that passes through their doors.

 

[cree]

Can anyone give me a rough price range on a 2002 Score Buy Back Bo Jackson Auto? He signed only 22 of them. It is the 89 score supplemental card of him in shoulder pads holding a bat.

Hey Packman80, Please shoot me an email at [email protected] I would like to chat with you about the 2002 Score Originals Bo Jackson card. I am look foward to hearing from you. Thanks.