Just submitted my first card to PSA and preparing for the letdown...

[momsaidkeepit]

So guys, Mr. Rookie/not so Rookie finally did it. I submitted my first card to pSA using the reagular submission category for 75 bucks.

The card: Topps 1961 Billy Williams Rookie.

Pop report: Only 2 PSA Gem Mints in the PSA database.

Do I think I own the third? LOL.

You know, this hobby passed me by 35 years ago with all the hype. I am just as raw as I was then. So, to submit a card after 50 years of just holding on to them is a lot. Not so long ago, cards I own were worth maybe 100 bucks at best. The game has changed and it's time to find out what happened.

I still regard these pieces as familiar old friends, but it has been long overdue I got the real story. Like, did I do okay? Or did I make them worse? I just know what I know. I kept them in sleeves and waited.

Yeah, it's a story and why not? Most guys here have no idea what it was like before 1980 or even the junk wax era. I actually feel sorry for guys trying to collect today because how the hell do you do it? One of my most prized cards is/was a Topps 1996 Mantle 52 refractor reprint that was an 11. In those days that was maybe 35 bucks. Now what does it even mean? It's hulked out and I lose. We all lose on that and it sucks.

Anyway, I hope I can inspire others. I am a positive person, and I would ask people that see this to invite me to any pertinent conversations about vintage baseball cards. We all reap benefits when we share.

I apologize if I am late to the party. I promise to be helpful as much as possible.

Peace

[pwaldo]

@momsaidkeepit

I am hoping you get a PSA 10 on this but sadly I wouldn't hold your breath. I'm not a fan of grading but I still don't get how it can be taken seriously when you have cards that are from the 1980s that have ZERO cards graded a 10 but you can have a Mickey Mantle from 1952 Topps be a 10. Just doesn't make sense to me. They basically gate-keep very high grades like that so they don't crash the market for the high end vintage. They love the free publicity they get from the record breaking sales but that can only happen when you don't award any new PSA 10s. If you do the population report expands.

Hopefully you do get a really high grade though and that should be a very nice chunk of change even though it isn't a 10. I know a lot of the younger collectors just love to have 10s in their collections and that's it but that way of thinking isn't practical when you are dealing with vintage cards. To do that you would have to be very very very rich.

[momsaidkeepit]

@momsaidkeepit

I am hoping you get a PSA 10 on this but sadly I wouldn't hold your breath. I'm not a fan of grading but I still don't get how it can be taken seriously when you have cards that are from the 1980s that have ZERO cards graded a 10 but you can have a Mickey Mantle from 1952 Topps be a 10. Just doesn't make sense to me. They basically gate-keep very high grades like that so they don't crash the market for the high end vintage. They love the free publicity they get from the record breaking sales but that can only happen when you don't award any new PSA 10s. If you do the population report expands.

Hopefully you do get a really high grade though and that should be a very nice chunk of change even though it isn't a 10. I know a lot of the younger collectors just love to have 10s in their collections and that's it but that way of thinking isn't practical when you are dealing with vintage cards. To do that you would have to be very very very rich.

Thank you for being candid. I can see you have some weight behind you.

As for me, I understand the monster. But this is about me and not my cards, really. So, the monster grades the cards, and I learn 1000% faster than I ever thought I could in 1980 or 90. That's all.

A thought. I will tell you everything because I have no reason to lie. My username is exactly my story as I told it. Mom absolutely said keep the cards. And if you need an unbiased litmus test of what happens when some dude throws in a card to psa for the first time, I will tell you.

[pwaldo]

Yeah, it's a story and why not? Most guys here have no idea what it was like before 1980 or even the junk wax era. I actually feel sorry for guys trying to collect today because how the hell do you do it? One of my most prized cards is/was a Topps 1996 Mantle 52 refractor reprint that was an 11. In those days that was maybe 35 bucks. Now what does it even mean? It's hulked out and I lose. We all lose on that and it sucks.

That Mantle is still a $75-$100 seller on eBay for good centering and not much hulking. Even the worse hulking on it and it still brings around 50 bucks. I don't really know what that was pulling in 1996 but that's still a really good price for it in 2025 in my book.

[manthis]

a piece of good history for that card
no matter the grade.

please let us know how this story ends.

:)

[momsaidkeepit]

a piece of good history for that card
no matter the grade.

please let us know how this story ends.

:)

That's the whole point of me being here. It took an AI to tell me to join up. And I already know it was a good move. It brought back an old flame that was dormant.

[momsaidkeepit]

@ pwaldo I wouldn't part with it because we been through a lot that Hulked out SOB, lol. It's really not about the value for others but the value to me. I framed it and everything. Now, Lou Ferrigno is jealous and the Mick looks like a Martian kid but what can we do. lol

[momsaidkeepit]

a piece of good history for that card
no matter the grade.

please let us know how this story ends.

:)

It's now that I see what you do and I will appreciate your feedback when I get a response. I will certainly come here immediately. I need to know things just as much as you.

[momsaidkeepit]

If anyone is still listening.

The 1961 Topps Billy Williams card I sent ended up being a psa 7. I decided to sell it. It ended up selling for 181 dollars. Def a learning experience for me. I have decided to send my two Mantles in. 1961 number 300, 1959 number 10. i believe they will get a psa 5 or maybe 6 at best.

Let me know what you all think.

[pwaldo]

If anyone is still listening.

@momsaidkeepit

I am and I'm sure there are others too

The 1961 Topps Billy Williams card I sent ended up being a psa 7. I decided to sell it. It ended up selling for 181 dollars. Def a learning experience for me. I have decided to send my two Mantles in. 1961 number 300, 1959 number 10. i believe they will get a psa 5 or maybe 6 at best.

Let me know what you all think.

I can't be the only one that thinks $181 is low for a HOF rookie card that is a PSA 7 from the 1960s. I know he isn't that popular but you can't even get a hobby box for under $200 now. I don't collect graded cards but I really don't get the market for them so what do I know.

But please let us know how the Mantles work out for you. I'm pulling for you and hopefully they have a generous graded that day that gives you a higher grade!