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There is an additional FAQ called Rules for Posting to rec.collecting.sport.* that describes the rules and limitations for posting to these groups. There is a limit of 3 posts per day per newsgroup that are buying, selling, trading or auctioning - and a limit of 1 auction update per day per newsgroup. Here's a brief synopsis:
This group is for any collectible pertaining to baseball. This includes, but is not limited to: cards with pictures of baseball players, autographs of baseball players, bobbin' head dolls of baseball players/teams and anything else which directly relates to baseball memorabilia.
Any post which contains a reference to another sport, other than baseball, should NOT be posted here and NOT be crossposted - with the one exception of cards which feature players from multiple sports.
This group is for any collectible pertaining to football. This includes, but is not limited to: cards with pictures of football players, autographs of football players, bobbin' head dolls of football players/teams and anything else which directly relates to football memorabilia.
Any post which contains a reference to another sport, other than football, should NOT be posted here and NOT be crossposted - with the one exception of cards which feature players from multiple sports.
This group is for any collectible pertaining to basketball. This includes, but is not limited to: cards with pictures of basketball players, autographs of basketball players, dolls of basketball players/teams and anything else which directly relates to basketball memorabilia.
Any post which contains a reference to another sport, other than basketball, should NOT be posted here and NOT be crossposted - with the one exception of cards which feature players from multiple sports.
This group is for any collectible pertaining to hockey. This includes, but is not limited to: cards with pictures of hockey players, autographs of hockey players, dolls of hockey players/teams and anything else which explicitly relates to hockey memorabilia.
Any post which contains a reference to another sport, other than hockey, should NOT be posted here and NOT be crossposted - with the one exception of cards which feature players from multiple sports.
This group is for any collectible pertaining to a sport which does *not* have its own rec.collecting.sport group. If the above four charters pass, this group would consist of any memorabilia related to other sports, such as boxing, soccer, squash, etc.
Any post which contains a reference to a sport which has its own group, should NOT be posted here and NOT be crossposted - with the one exception of cards which feature players from multiple sports.
This group is for the discussion (non monetary) of what is happening in the sports and non-sports card arena - new issues, old issues, conditions, etc. No buying/selling/trading posts should be included in this group - it is solely for information and discussion purposes.
This group is for any card which does not depict a sports figure (or team) on the front of it. This includes, but is not limited to, cards which feature Charlie's Angels, Horrors of War, Star Trek, "adult" cards and others.
Personal messages -- only as a last resort. It is always important to keep in touch. People inherently want to know what is going on. Try EMAIL FIRST!! You'll find netters do not like when buyers/sellers jump the gun and post flaming messages about "cheating bastards" four days after the deal was completed (see more below about buyers/sellers).
Price discussions -- prices of releases at card shows is definitely encouraged. Show reports definitely give an accurate price range for cards/packs/boxes and give the collector another source for prices instead of the generic price guides. These types of posts definitely belong in rec.collecting.cards.discuss. Posts about players themselves are more appropriate for other newsgroups. eg. questions about the NBA's potential ROY should be in rec.sport.basketball.pro, although there are tie-ins with players' performance to the card market.
It is a good idea to include your email address in your post if you would like a response to your note. Some newsreaders cannot respond through mail.
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These headers are for use when posting a note. This makes it easy for netters to see exactly what a note is about. This is extremely important to users of threads or kill files.
PERSONAL: personal message to one or more netters.
TRADE: interested in trading
BUY: interested in buying
SALE: interested in selling
SALE UPDATE: used for the follow-up post by the original poster
AUCTION: interested in auctioning
AUCTION UPDATE: used for the follow-up post by the original poster
Previously "subheaders" to indicate the nature of the sport was standard. However, it is now unnecessary to use a subheader with a sport in it. Try to be as descriptive as possible in your subject line. For example, if you want to discuss the frequency of inserts in a pack of Upper Deck football don't use a subject line of:
Upper Deck football
instead try:
CHAT: '94 Upper Deck football insert odds wanted
Here are some examples of subject lines that are recommended for your specific newsgroup.
SUBJECT: AUCTION: Jon Doe 4/4/93 (update)
SUBJECT: SALE: Jane Doe 4/4/93 (update)
SUBJECT: CHAT: Need info about Hoops Redemption card
SUBJECT: CHAT: Card Show Report.. TSC II prices drop!
SUBJECT: TRADE: Homer Simpson 4/4/93
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Use the headers and subheaders as described above. It also helps if you state your purpose (ie. general or set completion)
GENERAL TRADES: Just be descriptive in what you want and what you have to trade. If your lists are long, then simply state the year and issue you need and the year and issue of cards you have to trade. People who are interested can email you for a want list, that may change daily.
COMPLETING SETS: It is suggested that you construct want/need lists for each set. This list can be on file at all times and you can update it at will. You can then email the list to anybody inquiring. If you have many extras then it may be easier to state:
I have a lot of extras from Company/Year and these Needs: 1, 2, 3 (x5), 20(x4), 31 .. etc..
Expect a lot of bookkeeping as numerous people will
simultaneously offer the same card.
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Again use the headers and subheaders listed previously. Usually it is
helpful to list a lo and/or hi price from a hobby publication (list the
name of the hobby publication as well) to help buyers $ range the card
currently sells at. Always be prepared for the buyer to negotiate on
the price or try to get a bulk discount. Postal rates may or may not
be part of the selling price. It is a good idea to specify this.
For other selling questions have a look at the auction post section (4b)
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First, you have to decide if you should have an auction or a sale. Items in an auction should have a minimum bid of $1 each (eg. a 5 card lot would have a minimum bid of $5). If you have lots that value under $1, you should probably try to sell or trade them. Use the appropriate subject headers and then post by lots what you want to auction. Make sure you state a minimum bid (or if you are having a "no minimum bid" auction). Be sure to list the current bid and the current bidder. Also a good idea is to list the lo and/or hi prices from a price guide (specify the guide). If the auction is large and multisport, it may be helpful to have separate posts. (one for each sport).
BIDDERS ON AN AUCTION: The auctioneer will decide how to list your name next to the current bid. However, let the auctioneer know if you would like it a certain way. Auctions may be run different, however, the guid lines listed below are usually apply to most auctions.
AUCTION GUIDELINES:
1) Minimum bids/raises are specified by the auctioneer. However, if you state no minimum bid, be prepared to accept a bid of $1 - AND HONOR IT - Even for your 1952 Topps Mantle.
2) Do not post an auction update more than once a day!!!!. It is recommended you use the same parent-post for your updates (follow up the original article for your UPDATE posts). There are different ways to save your original post. If you are unsure how to do this, ask someone that is familiar with your system to help you out. For some of your lots, only a few people may be interested (or for your entire auction). If so, it may be easier to update by email and then post an updated auction list every 3 days or so. This cuts down on net traffic.
3) Shipping cost may be; buyer pays, seller pays or split. This is specified by the auctioneer.
4) It is assumed that all items are in NrMt/Mt condition. It is also assumed that if the buyer is unsatisfied with the cards FOR ANY REASON, he/she may notify the seller, and the seller must refund/ replace the items. A good time limit for deals is 3 days AFTER receiving the card(s). This is sufficient time to examine the card and send notification of your intentions/expectations.
5) If the item(s) get lost in the mail, it is up to the seller to rectify the situation (replace/refund). If the money gets lost in the mail, it is up to the buyer to rectify the situation (return/ repay).
6) It behooves you to be as honest about the condition of the card possible. For more expensive items, saying that it's "Nrmt" may not sufficient. Describing the card(s) in detail may save headaches in the long run. A really good way to do deals on more expensive items is to actually xerox the item and send it. This way, the buyer can see the actual centering, etc. Scanning the item and converting to .gif, .tiff, .jpg etc. may also be usefule for some people.
For most traffic on this newsgroup, these guidelines are good models for your auction. However, you can specialize your rules as much as you feel necessary.
There will be times when bidders will pull their offer. This is a pain, and doesn't happen too frequently, but it is annoying enough to mention.
GET YOUR SPELLING RIGHT!!!!!! It can be very annoying to some when you
can't even spell the name of the issue you want to auction. That goes
for sports (players names) and non-sports (movie/show name). As one
netter put it, "why deal with an illiterate?"
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Sellers/Auctioneers: It does happen. A lot of the time there is no avoiding it. It happens for different reasons; personal emergencies, changed mind, found a better deal, etc. There is an argument about legal and binding contracts. However, we don't want to turn the group into an official business place. It is supposed to be "casual" buying and selling. As a Seller/Auctioneer, you just have to take it in stride and try to re-auction/re-sell. A responsibility is also placed upon you to not pull the item from sale. An example of this may be when a new Price Guide comes out and the price went up. After all, if the price went down, you wouldn't want the buyer to pull out.
Bidders: If you bid on something, please make sure that you want the
the item you bid on. There is something called honor, and if you pull
or stall a deal just to see what the next Beckett price is (or you are
waiting to see if you can get a better deal), then be prepared to have
your name passed around in a negative manner. Remember, it is very
frustrating to a auctioneer/seller for someone to pull out of a deal.
someone pull out from under him/her. Most netters realize that personal
emergencies come up. However, a polite note and a possible solution
goes a long way to rectifying a bad situation. Remember, YOUR NAME IS
YOUR WORD. Use it wisely.
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After reading 4a, 4b, 4c you should get a good idea of what is expected from you. Here are a few things that you can also keep in mind:
SELLER: Grade the cards as honestly as possible. Don't try any cute tactics. They are annoying to the "experienced" trader and deceitful to the "novice" trader. As one netter suggested, it's better to grade a card half a condition too low than half a condition too high. Packing the cards so that the cards get to the buyer in the condition that they were sent out in. Unconditional refunds/replacements. The buyer is always right. If the cards get lost in the mail, it is up to the seller/auctioneer to replace them. If someone withdraws a bid from your sale/auction, deal with it tactfully. It is always your choice to blacklist the person. When running an auction, it is a good idea to reply to bidders through email about their status as bidder (top bidder or not). Finally, it is a good idea NOT to follow up other peoples posts of a sale/auction if you have the same item for less. There are a few cases where it may be appropriate (the original sale has an unreasonably high price). Usually, it is a good idea to just start your own sale and not interfere in someone else's auction/sale.
BUYER:You should always be entitled to a refund if the cards are not to your satisfaction. Of course, there is always a time limit on such things, as noted previously. Note, this deals with condition of the card. If you are asking for a refund for other reasons (like the price has changed), that is not acceptable. If the money is lost in the mail (the buyer claims he has not received it), it is up to you to replace it or return the item(s). When bidding on an auction, be upfront about your intentions. If you are not sure you want the item, tell the seller so, instead of just bidding and then dropping out. If at all possible, do not withdraw a bid from an auction. Whenever you bid, make sure the item is something you really want and it's at the price you are willing to pay. It's especially annoying if you are dropping a bid because you see the item cheaper, elsewhere. Usually, if you tell the seller that you have seen it elsewhere for cheaper, he/she will lower his/her price. And of course, if you do withdraw a bid, you should do so in a timely manner and have the courtesy to notify the seller. Also, be prepared for any consequences if you are pulling out for "not a good reason". Include a small note with your payment with your snail-mail address printed on it and perhaps a summary of what was purchased. With many deals going on, it helps the seller organize things. The best way to do this is probably print out an email on the agreed upon deal. This makes it VERY convenient for the seller.
FOR BOTH BUYER AND SELLER: Whenever possible, email the other party involved to keep them up to date. This would include; cards have/n't gone out, money has gone out, cards have arrived etc. Things run much better, when there is communication and you will gain a better rep if your more organized. Don't jump the gun on personal notices. Email the person back. Communication is two way street.
Also be aware that some banks may charge for cashing international
cheques/money orders or postal money orders. For instance, your bank
may charge you to cash a cheque drawn on a Canadian bank. I know this
is true of cheques going from the U.S. to Canada. Sometimes the cost
doesn't warrant the deal.
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DON'T. This is not a good idea. Netters said that the legal problems
of holding raffles, was not worth the effort holding it.
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Again, the legality of these sorts of games are in question. Avoid them.
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Most packing methods are variations of the same concept. However, the value of the cards dictates the external packing.
Small volumes of inexpensive cards can be placed in between two pieces of rigid cardboard or mat board and sent in an envelope. This is relatively safe and inexpensive.
Small volumes of moderately priced cards or a large volume of inexpensive cards, the same method with a Bubble pack envelope. You can also use a plastic case and a Bubble pack envelope. Plastic cases are available at your local card supply shop, while you can get Bubble Packs at the post office and stationary stores for under $1.00. One collector suggested that '93 Flair slipcase wrappers make great packing material.
Higher priced cards should be sent with screw downs (although they can be heavy) or other rigid holder and a bubble pack. Instead of a bubble pack, just a box with packing material will do the job.
Obviously, make sure that the cards will not escape and that there is PLENTY of packing material.
This information relates to cards. There are always other items
(starting line-up, sets, etc..) which are larger, that must be sold.
A good idea is to ask the buyer how he would like it shipped (since
he would be paying the first $1 of shipping anyway). Keep in mind that
buyer may return the cards to you if they are damaged in the mail. Just
pack the cards the way you would want them packed.
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Cardboard boxes made specifically for card storage are good for storing sets. Remember, as long as they are not moved around a lot, they won't get damaged. These are also good if you handle the cards a lot. They are available at sport card stores or card shows.
Binders and 9-pocket pages are good for sets as well, although if you handle them a lot, taking them in and out of the pockets is a bit of a hassle and the dangers of damage escalate. Make sure you use the pages with no chemicals or preservatives (I believe Ultra-Pro is a good brand) These are good to store sets as well as special collections of cards (such as all your favorite cards of one player).
Semirigid plastic holders are pretty big and very light. These are very good for cutting down on postage when shipping $3 - $5 cards. The trick is getting the card out and in. The best way to get the card in and out is to squeeze the sides of the holder so that the top opens (like a mouth). Then, press the card up against the smaller side and slide the card out. Soft sleeves are definitely a good idea when using these kinds of holders. Using these to store cards can be bulky.
Hard plastic holders. These are probably the most common and the most traditional. They don't look too aesthetic, but they serve their purpose. Soft sleeves are definitely necessary so that the hard plastic doesn't scratch the cards. These are good for cards that you will handle a lot.
Snap-its. These are holders that are very hard plastic and "snap" shut. The open by using your fingernails/coin/screwdriver to pry it open. Snap-its usually have a recess in it (a rectangular indention for card). Although these are very attractive, they should be used only when the card is not moved around. The recess is usually larger than card. Therefore the card moves around inside and is susceptible to edge wear and corner dings
Screw-downs. There are many types of screw-downs, but they all protect the same, regardless of size. The only major difference is that some have recesses and some do not. The recesses in screw-downs usually are not as big and deep as the recesses in snap-its. They still have the same problem though. The card can move inside. The screw-downs without the recess are probably the best protector as long as the screws are not to tight. However, if the card has a high gloss finish or UV coating, some of the gloss may rub off on the holder and ruin the card.
Soft-sleeves. These are individual soft plastic sleeves about the
size of a card (with about 1/8 inch on each side leeway). Usually,
these aren't good for protecting on their own, but they do keep any of
the other holders (with hard surfaces) from scratching the card. These
are best used with top-loaders (both the semi-rigid type and the hard-
plastic type). Some people use soft sleeves with screw downs as well,
although they don't work to well with the recessed type. Some people
also use soft sleeves when storing cards in a cardboard box. It really
can't hurt. I usually use these for the star cards.
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Beckett's guides have a very extensive section on how to grade cards. The newer Beckett's are especially good since they provide photos you can use to get a better idea. Cards are never graded the same. Some believe that there is no such thing as a MINT card unless its still in the pack (thus the premiums on older wax packs). Following is a brief summary of card grades:
MT (Mint)- only if it is in perfect condition. Usually reserved for cards still in original packaging (unopened packs, etc) Many collectors consider most cards to actually be in NrMT because they have been handled to some extent.
NrMT (Near Mint)- may have one micro defect.
EX-MT (Excellent-Mint)- may have two or more micro defects. Value is 65 -80% of Nr-MT.
A "Micro Defect" would be fuzzy corners, slight off-centering, printer's lines printer's spots, slightly out of focus, or slight loss of original gloss.
EX (Excellent) - has minor defects. Value is 50-65% of NR-MT
A "Minor Defect" would be corner wear or slight rounding, off-centering, light crease on back, wax or gum stains on reverse, loss of original gloss, writing or tape marks on back, or rubber band marks.
VG (Very Good) - may have one major defect. Value is 30% of Nr-MT
G (Good) - may have two or more major defects. Value is 10% of Nr-MT
A "Major Defect" would be rounded corner(s), badly off centered, crease(s), deceptive trimming, deceptively retouched borders, pin hole, staple hole, incidental writing or tape marks on front, warping, water stains, or sun fading.
F (Fair) - may have one catastrophic defect. Value is ?? - depends on buyer.
A "Catastrophic Defect" is the worst kind and would include badly rounded corner(s), miscutting, heavy crease(s), obvious trimming, punch hole, tack hole, tear(s) etc...
It is also worthy to mention that any sort of tape marks, pen marks, etc. make the card a DEFACED cards. An autograph on a card technically DEFACES the card. In most cases, selling the card would depend on what the buyer would be willing to pay. People who like autographed cards will likely pay a premium if the card is autographed.
Card centering is one of the most subjective criteria for grading a card. What one person calls 60/40 another may say 55/45. Here's an idea of what the different centering benchmarks mean.
Horizontal centering and vertical centering can be down the same way. Lets say the left border is 3 mm and the right border is 2 mm. This gives a total border of 5 mm. Divide 3/5 to get the % of left border 2/3 to get the % of right border. In this case, you get 60/40.
The non border cards are a lot different, but by familiarizing yourself with the set they belong to you can compare the cards. If you look at several cards from the set, you can get an idea of where the player name is located or the team name is. When you are familiar with this it becomes easy to see a miscut. You can also look at the backs of several cards and discern where the name bar or logo is supposed to be.
Of course, your not going to carry a ruler around with you to shows or or stores. However, use these techniques at home with your collection. You'd be suprised how fast you can "get experienced".
Beckett magazine states that a "mint" card can have 60/40 centering or better. I would dispute this. If its not perfect its not mint. I drop the card 1 grade per level. For example:
centering 55/45 or 60/40 drop to nrmt-mt
centering 65/35 or 70/30 drop to nrmt
centering 75/25 or 80/20 drop to ex-mt
centering 85/15 or 90/10 drop to ex
It's up to you how you place the centering issue.
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Most of the time, they are best used for trading. That way, you get
a bunch of cards in return for your commons. Postage usually takes up
a lot of the cost if yhou sell them. Alternatives are giving them away
to hospitals or charities, who pass them along to sick or disadvantaged
children. Or you can use them for packing material. This way, the
buyer gets a few surprises with his package. Granted, they are commons
but they're bound to spark a little excitement, especially if the cards
are from a sport that the buyer usually doesn't collect.
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Extra packing material can easily be re-used! Some scissors and tape
can turn old packing material into usable packing material. Blank
address labels or taping a blank piece of paper over the old address is
sufficient to recycle a bubble pack. The American Plastics Council
would like you to believe that the wrappers that have the chasing arrow
symbols on it are recyclable. But they are not. No economically
feasible method of recycling these plastics is currently available, at
least that is what one netter has stated. But you can always use the
wrappers as dividers between sets and as padders at the ends of the your
storage boxes. You can also use them for packing material.
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Generally, Mail Order Companies are safe to order from. You can always call the better business bureau or the attorney general's office to inquire about a company. Also, get a reference from someone. Try ordering small at first, companies that treat their smaller orders well usually do good for larger orders.
One thing you have to remember is that it may take more than one call to
get your order. This seems the norm with a majority of the companies.
It's not that the companies are dishonest, but the amount of business
they handle for perhaps a one or two-person staff is probably pretty
large. Two calls should be the maximum before they send out your stuff.
Remember to record the quoted price, time you called, and the person
that you placed the order with.
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Fortunately, Krause Publications has a service award logo it puts in
certain ads in its publications. Sports Card Digest (SCD) is one of
those publications. Companies that have advertised in SCD for more than
ten years (I assume without a hitch) get a logo put in its ad. The
same goes for 5 year award winners. Remember to always be careful when mail-ordering!!
If you ever have a problem with an advertiser in ANY Krause Publication,
notify Krause. They are rumored to be very aggresive at getting
problems resolved.
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Well, not really. However, sometimes mail-order companies try to reach you through the mail (from mailing lists, perhaps one built through the MAKE.MONEY.FAST scheme :). These are the companies you should watch out for, posts that include:
1. "Suite xxx" in the address means "post office box where no one can find me."
2. There is no phone number anywhere on the enclosure.
3. There is no name of anyone anywhere.
4. If it sounds too good to be true, (you know the rest).
5. The method of payment they require allows them to get the most money in the least amount of time so that when they have to they can hit the road.
6. They really don't seem to know that much about baseball cards.
7. They believe (probably rightly so) that some people will send back that form and then have no record (and maybe no address) of anything that happened.
8. This "serious baseball collector" has never heard of "one of the largest distributors of Topps Baseball cards".
I know, there are many good reasons for people to use post office boxes.
If I had 14 Dave Winfield RC, 16 Pete Rose RC, and 22 George Brett RC,
I wouldn't want people to know where I live either. But taken together all
this smells rotten to me.
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Here is a list of some of the major hobby aids out there:
BECKETT: This is the accepted price guide on the net for the four major sports and pre-major sports issues (Draft Pick issues). Most of the lo/hi prices given on the net are Beckett prices. The articles are mostly about players themselves instead of the hobby. Hobby-related articles include reviews of upcoming issues to be released. Not many "editorials" are written, as Beckett claims that offering investment advice would conflict with their unbiased reporting of prices. The "READERS WRITE" section (reader letters and answers) is very extensive. There is also a comprehensive section on grading cards. There has been extensive discussion on the net whether or not Beckett reflects or sets the prices. Seems to be personal opinion, however most people quote the prices.
BECKETT'S AMERICANA BOOK: A book is put out annually by Dr. Beckett for major sports and non-sport, which includes EVERY card related to that particular subject. The book is usually pretty small, but thick. By publishing yearly the prices are not up to date. However, if you want to see the corresponding player for each card number in a set, its a good reference book.
TUFF STUFF: Very large publication. Filled with a lot of ads and a very extensive price guide, although it doesn't is usually about a month behind Beckett (listing new issues). Includes non-sports and starting line-up. Also includes promos. Contains a lot of articles about the hobby itself. Very good resource for address of card companies, card dealers/stores, team addresses from all 4 major sports.
SPORTS CARD PRICE GUIDE: Similar to TUFF STUFF but not as many info/ads /price listings. However, this is put out by Krause Publications. Krause does a decent job on making sure that the advertisers are honest and will deliver on deals. They have 5 and 10 year service award emblems in ads that show the most reliable advertisers for, for customer satisfaction.
SPORTS COLLECTOR'S DIGEST (SCD). It comes out once a week but doesn't have a pricelist for all sports each week. Because it comes out every week, SCD tries to only list prices that have changed in the previous week. The best thing about it are informative columns and the huge number of ads in it. This is put out by KRAUSE PUBLICATIONS. This also uses the service award tags as above.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS/PRICE GUIDES: Other monthly publications that include
price guides are: SPORTS CARD TRADER: (Has All 4 major sports, articles, ads, and classifieds. Phone cards are
listed in this publication) TRADING CARDS (Very Similar to Sports Card Trader,
published by Larry Flynt)
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Tuff Stuff lists a lot of addresses, not only for card companies, but for teams and head offices and other institutions you may want to write to at one time or another. Here's some information on the major card card manufacturers and their customer service. When returning cards, by the way, you may want to add "Quality Control Dept" to the mailing address AND list individually any cards you want replaced with the same card.
COMPANY:
Action Packed
500 Park Blvd.
Itasca, IL 60143
(800) 327-4785
Arena Holograms Inc.
13337 E. South St #344
Cerritos, CA 90701
(714)978-0631
Bowman (See Topps)
Classic Cards
1951 Old Cuthbert Road A #402
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
(800)327-4145
Classic .
8055 Troon Circle, Suite C
Austell, GA 30001
(800)229-1429
Collector's edge
2395 W. Second Ave. Suite 10B
Denver, CO 80223
(303)922-3656
Conlon Collection
c/o MegaCards
P.O. Box 460347
St. Louis, MO 63146
(515)472-1708
Courtside
1300 Industrial RD #9
San Carlos, CA 94070
Donruss (Leaf)
500 North Field Dr.
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(800) 352-4479
Fleer
Tenth and Somerville
Philadelphia, PA 19141
(215)455-2000
Front Row (Out of Business)
Leaf (See Donruss)
Maxx Racing
P.O. Box 221
Charlotte, NC 28222
(800) 825-MAXX
Megacards (See Conlon)
NBA Hoops (See Fleer)
OPC (No Longer Making Cards)
Pacific Trading Cards
18424 Hwy 99
Lynwood, WA 98037
(800) 551-2002
Pinnacle (Score)
924 Ave. J
Grand Prarie, TX 75050
(214) 606-8644
Pro Set (OUT OF BUSINESS)
Score (See Pinnacle)
Signature Rookies
RR#2
Box 2091
Factoryville, PA 18419
(717) 945-7753
SkyBox (See Fleer)
Ted Williams Card Co. (Out of Business)
TOPPS
401 York Ave
Duryea, PA 18642
(717)457-6761 - Phone
(717)457-7362 - Fax
Upper Deck
5909 Sea Otter Place
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(619) 929-6500
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Autographed cards do command a premium price, but finding a buyer is difficult. Autographed cards are basically worth whatever someone will pay. Die-hard basketball fans will pay premiums for autographs. True "investors" will probably not be interested in autographed cards because this TECHNICALLY dafaces the card. Basically, collecting cards and collecting autographs have become separate entities over the past year or so. Usually, it is not a good idea to get expensive cards autographed. A good general rule is that the price of the card should not exceed the price of the autograph. Autographed cards usually will sell anywhere from $2 to $10 depending on the person. However, a true collector would not generally care if the card is written on. An autograph is considered a bonus if they get the card and autograph of their favorite player.
The types of autographed cards that sell are the insert autograph cards
(Fleer, Upper Deck, Proline, Classic). These are priced fairly high,
from $50 to $300, depending on the player. They MAY be easier to sell,
but bear in mind that you are going for a "special" market.
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All the above terms deal with how cards are sold.
WAX PACK: These are called wax packs because they are packed in paper (or a soft plastic) and sealed with hot wax. There are usually 12 or 15 cards in a pack. Issues that are still sold in wax packs are Topps Stadium Club and Fleer Regular issue. Wax packs can be searched and resealed, so be careful.
FOIL PACK: These packs are made from foil to insure "tamper resistance". There is no wax seal, but basically just a fusion of the foil. Typically, there are 12 or 15 cards in foil packs. Issues that sell in cards in foil packs are Upper Deck and Skybox Comic cards.
JUMBO/CELLO PACK: These are larger packs, usually with about 24 to 36 cards in the pack. There is usually 1 special insert card per pack. May be either a wax or foil pack.
WAX BOX, FOIL BOX CELLO BOX, JUMBO BOX: Just the box that contains the packs. For foil and wax boxes, there are usually 36 packs (although a couple of companies put 24 packs in a box) For Cello/Jumbo boxes, there are usually 24 packs per box. A sealed or unopened box means that the box has never been opened and thus not searched.
WAX/FOIL/CELLO/JUMBO CASE: Generally there are 10, 12, 20 or 24 boxes in a factory case. These are called sealed or unopened cases.
FACTORY SET: A set issued by a company that contains 1 of each card in set (ie 1-500). Some factory sets contain special cards that are not contained in packs. These sets are usually shrink wrapped and unopened. Sometimes, factory sets are missing cards, have duplicates, or damaged cards. If you get a factory set like this, write the company for a replacement. Also, factory sets are more likely NOT to contain insert cards. If you want insert cards, buy packs/boxes. Most factory sets tell you on the box what your getting inside.
Other terms:
COLLATION: Bad collation means that you don't get an even distribution of cards in the packs. That is, if there are 12 cards per pack and 500 cards in the set, you would buy 42 packs for perfect collation. Anything above this is personal opinion. However, if your getting duplicates inside the same pack, this is extremely bad collation. Upper Deck has been accused of this very frequently. There are a few companies with reported good collation; Proset, Fleer, Gameday.
HAND-COLLATED SET: This set is put together by the collector by opening packs, buying singles or groups of cards. With hand collated sets you can view all the cards to your heart's content and of course you'll know the condition of the set as you put it together.
PROMO: This usually refers to a card which is used as a promotional item. This DOES NOT refer to an unlicensed (Broder) card. Only licensed cards are promos. There are two types of promos:
CARD SHOW PROMO: These are cards handed out to attract people to come to card shows. Usually, the promo has on the back the card show's promoter's address and phone number. The quality is usually substandard. One of the better promos in this category come from TABB SPORTS CARDS SHOWS.
COMPANY PROMO: These are cards handed out by manufacturers to allow the public a peek at an upcoming issue. These are more valuable than the other types of promos simply because they are printed by a licensed company. Some promos are even inserted in to Wax Packs. Promos draw attention by collectors because they usually have a lower print run are unique. CLASSIC INC puts out probably the most popular promos (usually given out at the NATIONAL SHOW).
ROOKIE CARD: This is considered to be the first card of the player put out by a major company licensed to distribute cards of professional athletes. Rookie cards of players can only be distributed AFTER the players are under contract with a pro sports league. This is why cards produced by Classic (and other draft pick sets as well) cannot be considered rookie cards as they are produced by an unlicensed company. Generally, a rookie card cannot be a subset card, insert card, or mail-away card. The card is usually the regular issue card. Also, it has to be the first year for that player to be on a card (although there is a gross contradiction in Beckett's RC designations).
LICENSED SET: This means the company has permission, from the Major Sport, to print cards. For example Upper Deck has been given permission (license) to print cards by the NHL, NBA, NFL, etc. Beckett's price guide for BB, FB, HCKY, BKB list only licensed sets.
NON-LICENSED SET: Non-licensed sets are referred to as draft pick sets. Since college athletes are not under contract from a professional sports league, card companies may put out cards of these athletes. One of the non licensed sets is the CLASSIC DRAFT PICKS sets. Technically, cards from non-licensed sets CANNOT be rookie cards simply because the cards are not licensed. e.g. The CLASSIC BKB draft picks Shaquille O'Neal is NOT his rookie card. His rookie card(s) are the ones put out by Fleer II, Hoops II, Upper Deck II, etc. (all licensed companies)
BRODER CARDS: These are also non-licensed cards. However, they usually have players on them that are currently under contract in a professional sports league. These are also called "counterfeit cards", "illegal card", and "unlicensed card." DON'T BE FOOLED!! Many card show dealers will try to sell such Broder cards at $3 - $5. At most, you should pay $1 a card. Probably less. Many times when you ask a dealer where a BRODER CARD originated from, he will certainly say "It's a PROMO" (buzzword used by some dealers). Dealers usually say this to strike interest, because the "novice" collectors are usually interested in investment. BRODER cards have NO investment value. They simply are additions to the market that add variety. An example of BRODER CARDS are the Japanese Dream Team cards (Griffy Jr., Jordan, David Robinson).
SERIES I and SERIES II: You might also see this as "lo" and "hi" series cards. The "lo" series packs are the cards put out at the beginning of the season. These are mostly cards of players who played the previous year and a few rookies. However, these days there is big competition to get as many rookies as possible into the series 1 or the low numbers. For example if a company plans on putting out a set of 600 total cards then the low series packs may contain cards 1 through 300 or so.
"Hi" series cards come out around mid-season. These will usually
include the rest of the rookies. Series 2 cards will also contain
players traded in the offseason with photos of them playing for their
new team. Series 2 packs MAY cost more because they may have more
rookies or they have shorter print run. In the hypothetical 600 card
mentioned above, the "hi" packs would contain cards 301-600.
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Becoming a dealer is very difficult if you do not plan to put your whole life into it. It takes a lot of time and money. The major advantage of becoming a dealer is getting all the new issues out before everyone else AND being able to order mass quantities of ONE card at good prices. However you must have a dealer's license This varies from state to state. In most states you must have a resale license so you can collect (And pay) state sales tax. In addition, your Federal taxes will be more complicated, as you must declare earnings. You have to set up accounts with the card companies. Fleer and Upper Deck already have long waiting lists for accounts. You must also set up a Business Bank Account (it is required by some companies). The earliest you could probably buy cards (boxes and cases) would be from wholesalers. Many wholesalers advertise in price guides or magizines.
However, you DON'T have to be a dealer to set up at a card show. All you need to get a tax number of some sort (call the Government Agency, IRS to get this.. check the yellow pages). The advantage to doing shows is that you may be able to sell your cards for higher prices and buy for lower prices. The disadvantages are; it takes a lot of organization, you're not guaranteed to sell anything and you must pay for the right to sell (table fees). Table fees range anywhere from $50 to $300, possibly more, depending on the number of days.
The problem is that many "official dealers" only deal at card shows and
probably will attract more customers than the "weekend warrior". The
bottom line is that maybe it might be smart to start at a flea market
and graduate to bigger shows if things work out.
considering setting up at a show.
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Selling to a fellow collector would generate the most money but may take a while to find somebody. Selling to a dealer may be faster but typically generates less $. To sell to a collector, post ads or notices on bulletin boards (or a newsgroup like this one). Ads in the newspaper will not reach as many people, as a post on the newsgroup. However, the risk factor is a lot lower when dealing with a buyer in person. It would probably guarantee a highter selling price.
When you advertise on the net you can expect to have some risk and generally a lower price. However, the selling price would generally be higher than if you sell to dealer. Like the newspaper ads it may take a while to find the right buyer.
Selling to a dealer is the quickest method and least "profitable".
Because the dealer must resell the collection he must buy lower in order
to maintain his overhead and profit.
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There are many bulletin board services that have different contacts. Some will allow you to contact only one bulletin board, others will allow you to contact more. Of course, there is a fee involved. For more info, read the bulletin board newsgroups. I believe a few of the newsgroups which may be able to help are:
alt.bbs
alt.bbs.ads
alt.bbs.internet
alt.bbs.lists
Also try an on-line service, such as CompuServe, America-Online, Prodigy, MicroSoft
Network or a local internet provider.
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From TUFF STUFF June 1993 issue, the article on p. 126:
SPORTSNET
Information Networks Inc. (800) 821 9275 -service geared for use by dealers (monitored by manufacturers and publishers).
-Runs on IBM or MAC
-$90 application fee which is refunded if you are rejected. $49/month minimum which gives you about 4.5 hours of on-line time. Additional time costs as little as $7/hour (eves/wknds) but usually averages $11/hour.
-Includes "Talkin' Baseball" and SportsNet Today, a daily forum for hobby news features and lists at no additional costs *except the time you take to read it of course - Ben*
-Also, there is a SportsNet STADIUM service for collectors. $15.95 is initial fee which gets you two free hours. After that, it's $7/hour
Try these following on-line services. They offer free start-up, and will often let you try the service for a month free of charge.
COMPUSERVE (800) 554-4079
Current Costs: $9.95 per month Including 5 Hours. Be sure to inquire about an off-line reader. This will allow you to go on-line for a minute or two, retrieve lots of messages, and read and reply off-line (Saving you lots of money)
PRODIGY -- (800) PRODIGY
Prodigy also has a trading card section (Try a keyword search for trading cards) This service is designed for IBM Based use only.
Current Costs: $8.95 per month, including 5 hours. Each additional hour is $2.95. Other Plans are available - Check with Prodigy.
AMERICA ON-LINE (AOL) (800) 827-3338
America On-Line may be accessed via a Mac or Windows IBM Based Computer
The area to access cards is called THE GRANDSTAND. To find this, do a keyword search for GRANDSTAND. There are many folders, divided between buying, selling, trading, auctions, and quite a few more.
Current Costs: $9.95 per month, including 5 hours. Additional hours are $2.50 each. Other plans are available - Check with AOL
Be on the lookout for other on-line services: Microsoft is coming this year (1995) Also be
sure to check local BBS's for cards.
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i) Beckett's Baseball Price guide has a calendar list for card shows. Unfortunately, the other Beckett's sports guides do not have this. Other sports guides do have show listings as well.
ii) Check out the newspaper classified section under "hobbies" or "memorabilia" or "collectibles" section which will carry some info. Also, when a good number of sports celebs are signing at shows, the sports section of the newspaper will usually have an ad for a show. iii) Ask your favorite card shop owner.
Once you find the location of one, it should be easy to keep tabs of
upcoming card shows. At card shows there are usually tons of flyers
advertising upcoming card shows. More importantly, you can usually get
names and phone numbers of show promoters in your area (sometimes a
company will organize a card show).
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The popular opinion on the net is to not buy any of these items. If you do, make sure you know what you are doing. If you are a beginner in the hobby and are not used to all the selling techniques and hype, and you are also unsure of prices, DO NOT BUY FROM SHOPPING NETWORKS! DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE SELLERS SAY!! People on the phones may endorse the the product. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM! One netter pointed out that a lot of may be prerecorded and only the positive ones are played.
If you have know about the cards and prices and you see an item which
you believe to be a fair deal then by all means buy it. If you watch
one of the shopping channels, turn off the volume. DON"T listen to the
hype. Just look at the product. If you have never seen it, chances are
the price is way too high. If you have seen the product before, then
you know if you want to buy it or not. After you decide, go ahead and
turn the volume up for entertainment purposes.
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Well, no one said you really had to get it off. You can reuse it for shipping cards in when trading. But if you want to get it off, here are suggestions from other netters:
1) Take a piece of shipping tape and use it to lift the gunk off the top loader by dabbing at it (the way you might use tape to dab lint off clothes).
2) Use a hair drier and set it on low or medium. Blow it directly at the sticker fora few seconds (10 or 20). The sticker usually lifts right off without leaving any residue.
3) Use WD-40! It will do anything!
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Not really. Most dealers are willing to negotiate. A few things you should keep in mind:
1) Know the facts. This should help your confidence level. Know all the latest trends. If you know what you are talking about, you won't fall for some of the "used car salesman" sales methods. Don't be too obnoxious and rude, but be confident.
2) Dealers shouldn't ask you to buy something due to investment value. If it is such a great investment, they would be keeping it to sell at a later date. It's just hype.
3) Scrutinize the condition of the card. Never be afraid to back out of a deal because of card condition. If the dealer says "it's no big deal, it's just a little defect", don't believe it.
4) Make your offer. Keep in mind that many dealers will sell at half
the hi-book value for most cards. Factor in overhead of table fee
so as to make a fair offer. If the card is one the dealer moves
in and out of his table quickly, bargaining may be fruitless. If
possible, always ask for discounts on quantity. You never know, you
could buy two and then sell one off on the net
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YES! - This is copyrighted material from Krause Publication's Sports Cards Magazine.
1) Make 10 index cards numbered 0-9. If possible, use white index cards and write the numbers using a black, bold permanent maker (like a sharpie). The contrast will make it easier on your eyes. Set the cards on the table in increasing order.
e.g.:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
OR
0 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9
2) Take the cards you want to sort. Sort them by the last number on the index card (the ones place). Cards with #5 in the ones place would be put next to the #5 index card.
3) When done, pile each stack on the next higher stack. Pick up the #1 stack, place it on top of the #2 stack. Then place that stack on top of the #3 stack, then everything on top of the #4 stack, etc.
4) Starting at the top of the stack (previously the #1 stack), resort the cards using the next to last number (tens digit). Card #432 would go on the #3 stack. Cards with no second number (say 1) would go on the 0 pile)
5) After sorting all the cards by the tens digit, restack the cards on the next lower stack. Pick up #9 and place it on #8, then place that on #7, etc.
6) Resort the whole stack from the top (previously the #9 stack) by using the first number (the hundreds digit). Card #921 would go on stack #9. Cards with no number in the first digit (such as #98) would go in the 0 pile.
7) Restack the cards on the next higher stack (step #3) and your done.
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The newest feature of the internet is the web. It is a combination of text and graphics. Currently, there are many "home pages" dedicated to collecting. Here is a list of a few that were provided to us. If you have a homepage to add, please e-mail the URL to: Terry Stewart.
Collector Link. A collection of over 1,600 card related web sites.
Others:
http://ocf.berkeley.edu/~rhillen/ctc.html
http://empire.umd.edu
http://att.net/800/cat/b/BA2525.html
http://www.amark.com/amark/
http://www.wwcd.com/index.html
http://rpinfo.its.rpi.edu:80/~slater/
http://www.cyberspace.com/pau/cards.html
http://www.mindspring.com/~mosa1/dtone/dtidx.html
http://www.akebono.stanford.edu/yahoo
http://www.xmission.com/~patco/collect.html
http://www.wwcd.com
http://www2.interpath.net/interweb/skybox/
http://www2.ari.net/home/cardzone/cz.html
http://www.beckett.com
http://www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~stewart/cards.html
There are new sights popping up every day. Most sights are linked to one another, so try
accessing one. You may find yourself looking for hours! If you have internet service, you
may already have WWW access. Check with the staff of your internet connection for more
information on how to access the Web
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Collector Link (Cards)