Selling the blocks of baseball cards from 80's to 90's

[thumpersfriend]

Hi, I have alot of my grown now boys old baseball cards in the long boxes. They really don't want them and wish I could sell them. Anyone know where I can find out what they might be worth? I looked on ebay but it seems like it is separate cards. We are moving in a year or so when we retire and I need some help please! Thanks

 

[cardaway]

Hi, I have alot of my grown now boys old baseball cards in the long boxes. They really don't want them and wish I could sell them. Anyone know where I can find out what they might be worth? I looked on ebay but it seems like it is separate cards. We are moving in a year or so when we retire and I need some help please! Thanks

The long boxes may indicate they may be complete sets for that company for that year. If that is the case you can sell them as a "19XX -Insert Company Here- complete set" on ebay. Depending on who the the rookies were for the sport that year the set can be worth decent money.

 

[RadioNate]

Complete boxed sets would be worth more. My DH liked to collect and hunt for cards so he didn't just buy the sealed set through the manufacture. We've tried on and off for years to sell him but no one has been seriously interested.

 

[thumpersfriend]

We bought these boxed sets, like Topps and Don Ross because at that time it was supposed to go up in value. Then heard a few years ago it was not good anymore. If I went to ebay do you have to start off with a value for them? That is what I really want to know. Is there a book or something for this? They sure take up a lot of space! Thanks for any help.

 

[olena]

My brother went through that phase. I have a few select cards, but that's it.

Try selling them as sets, if you can determine that they are stes.

That killed me when I'd see people sinking money into them as investments. That wasn't as bad as one lady my MIL knew. She spent thousands on beanie babies and had them catalogued and stored. She insists, she'll be able to retire on them one day.

 

[TinkerBess_SnowTori]

That killed me when I'd see people sinking money into them as investments. That wasn't as bad as one lady my MIL knew. She spent thousands on beanie babies and had them catalogued and stored. She insists, she'll be able to retire on them one day.

OT - that is my MIL - she calls her vast Beanie collection her grandchildren's college fund -- sad thing is if she had taken the money she spent on the beanies and invested it -- the grandkids really could have a college fund.

 

[rt2dz]

1) If you are actually trying to determine the value of the cards, ebay is not the place to go.

2) Long boxes are simply a storage technique, and while that is the way sets are sold, it doesn't mean it is a set.

What you are going to have to do is take the cards out, seperate them by date of card and card company. Then go to a card store, or even Target/Walmart, and pick up a catalog that gives you the value of each card. Yes, you have to look up each card individually. You can also record each card (for personal reference) and pay someone to inventory/value your card collection. Card shops usually offer this service or know someone who does.

Cards just aren't worth what they used to be--to many manufactors these days--so don't expect a lot. However, some cards are *better* cards than others and will be worth more. My DH collects, has since he was about 9 or 10, and he has some that are worth several hundreds, but most are worth nothing but a few pennies. But it is all relative, all depends on what someone is willing to pay for x card.

 

[cardaway]

We bought these boxed sets, like Topps and Don Ross because at that time it was supposed to go up in value. Then heard a few years ago it was not good anymore. If I went to ebay do you have to start off with a value for them? That is what I really want to know. Is there a book or something for this? They sure take up a lot of space! Thanks for any help.

There is a magazine oyu can get at most book stores (and other stores) called Beckett that prices cards and sets.

You do have to have a starting price for ebay auctions, but do not make that the price you hoe to get. Make it the lowest price you would be willing to accept in case there is only one bid.

I disagree with ebay not being the best option (very few card shops will give you what they are worth), but I think now is NOT a good time to sell them. Sports cards are not the hot thing right now, wait till they are again. Once that happens, ebay will be the best bet IMO.

Lastly, be sure to get the company and player names spelled right if you go the ebay route (DONRUSS). Not a slam on the spelling in your post, just a hint to make sure you don't get less because your listing doesn't show up in searches.

 

[foolishmortal]

BUY A BECKETT!!!!

If you have what is a "set" which it sounds like they aren't worth much.

That is just a set of the regular cards. The big money is in the inserts and most "sets" don't inlcude inserts since they are rarer.

Right now is just as a good of a time as any to sell sports cards..I have been collecting them for over 20 years and while they are not as hot right now as they used to be 10 years ago, they are not as bad as say a ebie baby or something like that. Sports cards are still a HUGE business.

But like I said a full set of regular cards is not going to get you much money. back in the 80's and early 90's these sets were selling for around $50 or so and you would be lucky to get half of that anywhere. Unless of course it is a coveted year (Griffey, Bonds, McGwire rookie, etc...)

If you have insert cards then you will make a decent anount of cash.


Now if what you have is not "sets" and actually just a long ctorage box of single cards...then yes you will have to go through a beckett and price each card individually.

Now again don't expect much. Even a card worth $100.00 in the book will only sell for no more than $40.00. If you try selling that to a card store they will probably only offer $20.00 or so depending on if you want cash or store credit.


If you have a nice exspenvie collection of individuals and inserts your best bet would be to even look for a local card show and buy a table to sell them at. You will be able to sell them for a little more than normal, but again, it would be nowhere near book price what you get back.

If you can pm a list if they are full sets and I will get you the prices so you don't have to sell out the $7 bucks for a beckett.

if they are individual cards youcan send me a few to price if you want. I will need card comp (topps, donruss, upper deck, etc), Card year, card number.

 

[kelleigh1]

Like others have said...get a Beckett magazine to check pricing. That will give you the truest value of the cards. Here is their website:
http://www.beckett.com/priceguides/

My sister and her husband buy and sell a lot of baseball cards on ebay and she's never mentioned it being a bed time to sell. The season is about to start so I'm sure that interest is higher now than it probably was a few months ago. (That reminds me, I need to get her cards to her eventually.)

 

[rt2dz]

I disagree with ebay not being the best option (very few card shops will give you what they are worth), but I think now is NOT a good time to sell them. Sports cards are not the hot thing right now, wait till they are again. Once that happens, ebay will be the best bet IMO.

I just want to be clear, I did not say that selling on ebay was a bad idea, I said using what people have their cards listed for on ebay will not give you an accurate picture of their value.

 

[pumba]

hey we have the gum still.......or should I say we are still storing it for our son all these years later......hahahhaha

 

[golfgal]

A friend of ours mom was going to throw out all their baseball cards when she moved and the boys (all grown) thought it would be fun to look through the cards first. Well, they found THOUSANDS of dollars worth of baseball cards, some had been their Dad's from when he was a boy. One was a Mickey Mantel rookie card that is now in a safe deposit box! There were several others that were worth a few thousand each.

 

[cardaway]

I just want to be clear, I did not say that selling on ebay was a bad idea, I said using what people have their cards listed for on ebay will not give you an accurate picture of their value.

But looking at what the same set or card ultimately sold for will. More often than not, more than any card shop will give you.

And I still think holding off selling is a good idea. Wait until the trend comes back around and they are hot again.

 

[cardaway]

A friend of ours mom was going to throw out all their baseball cards when she moved and the boys (all grown) thought it would be fun to look through the cards first. Well, they found THOUSANDS of dollars worth of baseball cards, some had been their Dad's from when he was a boy. One was a Mickey Mantel rookie card that is now in a safe deposit box! There were several others that were worth a few thousand each.

Not as far back, but a similar situation.

My mom used to buy me cards in the grocery stores as a small gift. They didn't cost much so it was a perfect way to give me something without having to get pricy. When I got back into cards in the late 90's I saw how much those cards were worth that I received back in the late 70's and early 80's. The ones I threw away because nobody was into them at the time and ebay didn't exist.

Dan Marino, Barry Sanders, Michael Jordan... had all those first rookie cards and tossed them. I wonder if some garbage collector at least saved them from getting buried.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

The value in a price guide like Beckett and what someone is actually willing to pay may be VERY different.

If you have complete boxed sets, you should be able to get something for them. Especially if they haven’t been opened.

If you just have a random assortment, you could separate them into “lots”. You could group them by year, brand or team.

Good luck!

 

[foolishmortal]

I just checked ebay and factory sets are going for next to nothing.


1987 topps $7.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/1987-Topps-Fact...785752224QQcategoryZ55899QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



1990 topps $6.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/Complete-factor...785542082QQcategoryZ56115QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem




Send me a pm with what sets you have and I will elt you know what they are worth.

Aagin your best bet would be either ebay or if they are really good cards buy a table at a local card show.

Now if they are just basic sets like the ones listed above and you don't care much about what you get in return.....why don't you go to a local ball field and give them to the kids? When I was younger and starting out I would have loved to get some free cards, espcially from waaaay back in the 80's...lol

 

[thumpersfriend]

Thanks for all the responses! They have the celophane wrappers on still too. Think I will write down what they are and email one of you. Thanks alot.

 

[SideshowBob]

hey we have the gum still.......or should I say we are still storing it for our son all these years later......hahahhaha

TOO funny... SSB opened up some wax packs from early 80's recently... had some OLD gum in there, for sure... haha!

 

[minniecarousel]

Yeah - our den is full of baseball cards. I used to say that that was how our kids were going to go to college! Good thing they're both done with college!