Card Chat Mailbag: Grading vs. Rarity, Pricing Cards and Hobby Costs
Reader questions on grading, pricing and collecting today.
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Collectors have lots of questions and I have some answers. However, I love to research and find information.
In this mailbag I answer questions about collecting, how I got my start and even about my own card!
Q: At what point, in your opinion, does the rarity of the card outweigh the grade? (Luke from Minnesota)
I think the card often outweighs the grade. The best thing about grading is the security and protection encapsulation offers. If a card is a 1-of-1, does it really matter what the grade is? It’s great if it’s a 10, but, to me, it doesn’t change how I feel about the card if it’s also a 7.
I love owning rare cards and the grade of the cards isn’t going to change my opinion on that. I do like having them in slabs for that added protection.
Q: With regards to autograph signing fees at the National and other big shows, at what point do we as collectors say enough is enough, especially with the status of the current economy, where I see less and less money being spent on the hobby, and more on necessities of life? (Chris from Winnipeg)
A: This question is a few months old, but I wanted to answer because I think the cost of collecting has gotten more and more expensive.
It’s not just autographs, but the price of wax, supplies and everything in between. Going to the grocery store is about $300 every time for a family. That’s also the price of a nice card — and less than some hobby boxes.
There’s no real choice if you have to choose between groceries and cards — and sometimes you do.
Every collector will adjust based on how prices affect their collection. That could mean buying less or no wax. That could mean focusing on only singles. That could mean getting one player’s autograph instead of three. It could mean getting out of the hobby. That’s something we all have to decide for ourselves.
I know I have shifted. I buy a lot less wax than I used to. Maybe I indulge in a retail box instead of a hobby box.
I also have found other things that excite me like new Supernatural comics or Batgirl cards from Upper Deck.
Q: Who inspired you to start collecting? (KDub from WA State)
A: This is always tough for me to answer because I do remember my older brother and cousins collecting and trading baseball cards when I was a kid. I would buy my own cards with change from the grocery store (because you could do that back then).
But I collected a lot of cards as a kid that felt separate from anyone else. One of my prized cards was a Dražen Petrović 1992–93 Fleer card that I kept in the top of my jewelry box.
I just loved cards, but it wasn’t something I did with anyone until I got older. That’s one of the great things about the internet and social media — connecting me with other collectors.
Q: What’s the best way to determine the value for a card (for grading or selling) when there are currently no listings or recent sales for the same card? (Ronnie from Portland)
A: The price at that point is what you want it to be. Whatever you feel comfortable selling it for is the price. You can look for comparable players with similar cards that have sold to get an idea. You can also just let it run at auction (if you own the card) to see what the market is.
If you’re the buyer, the same applies. Whatever you’re comfortable paying is the price.
If it’s for insurance purposes, I’d go the highest it allows that makes sense.
Q: Where do we find one of your cards? (Anonymous from West Coast)
A: I had a card in 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter. Each year, Topps includes 10 employees in the Employee Card subset. I was lucky to get the call that year. A good year for rookies with me and Aaron Judge!
The Employee cards are limited though. Just 10 framed autographed cards were produced and put into packs, while Topps gave me 50 unframed. I’ve handed several out over the years and every once in a while they pop up on eBay.
But I’ve only seen four of the framed autos appear in the wild.
Q: What site do you use for pricing — do you use CollX or Ludex? (Eric A.)
A: I’m a Card Ladder fan. I love all the apps and have tried them out. They all have their own uses, but the data is similar between them so you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Q: Was there a certain player or team that began you collecting cards? Do you still collect cards that way? (Don from NY)
A: I’ve always collected the New York Yankees. And I still do!
It wasn’t until I was a teen that I started collecting Derek Jeter cards because that’s when he started playing.
I still collect Jeter. I’ve logged 3,116 different Jeter cards in my collection, but I have more than that because I have a lot that I haven’t logged yet.
Q: How do you tell the difference between 1990 Topps / Topps Traded & the same in the Tiffany edition? Does not seem to be easy and internet search not helpful. (Anonymous from MI)
A: The difference between the 1990 Topps and Topps Traded is a little more subtle than some of the other Tiffany-era cards, but I think Beckett did a nice write-up of the differences, which you can read here.
Q: How did you get into the card business? I’ve collected for almost my entire life and would love to somehow turn it into a career. (Andrew from Dallas)
A: I spent 15 years as a sports journalist and I used those skills to write about cards. I started my own blog and from there began freelancing for Beckett. Those opportunities led me to a full-time job with Beckett two years later.
I made a lot of connections during that four-year run writing for Beckett. When I saw a job opening at Topps, I applied and took an entry-level job that got my foot in the door.
The rest is history.
Have a question? Drop a note here in the mailbag to be featured in a future edition.
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