I just added the final missing Star player from my 1951 Topps collection. In 1989, Red Schoendienst was inducted into the MLB HOF by the Veterans Committee after appearing on the ballot for 15 years between 1969-1983. Schoendienst now brings my 1951 Topps set to within only 2 cards from completing the 106-card set. This now begs the question--which of 1950's Topps sets will be my first to completion? I already completed 1950 Bowman set, but nothing for Topps yet. 1959 is missing 1 card, 1955 is missing 3 cards, 1954 is missing 1 card, and 1951 is missing 2 cards. I actually believe that I'll complete the 1951 Topps set first and before the end of this year. 1959 will probably be next, and then 1954. 1955 won't be until a few years perhaps.
Beckett lists Schoendienst's value among the top of the Series "B" Bluebacks cards with exception of Richie Asburn. I agree with Beckett's placement of this card among the others within the series, but also believe that the entire series is extremely undervalued in comparison with the actual market. Beckett gives this card a book value of $60-$100 in NM-MT 8.0 condition, which they haven't changed since before 2001. Beckett used to include a price adjustment chart in their almanac based on condition. They'd usually lump the lower grades into a category called P/F/G and assign it a value of 5%-10% BV. Technically, I should be looking to pay only $3-$6 or $5-$10 for a PR 1.0 condition Schoendienst card. I've rarely ever seen one of these for under $40 in any condition. Beckett has since removed many of their explanations regarding grading and pricing. They are becoming more and more vague every year, instead of more detailed. You'd think these price guides would evolve.
By now, Beckett should be including a very elaborate system for grading and pricing adjustments within their very high-priced unchanging almanacs each year. I've had to create my own grading and price adjustment charts that are loosely based on guidance from previous guides produced by Beckett and others. For vintage cards (pre-1980), you'll rarely ever find anything for sale under 10% BV after factoring in things like shipping costs or entry fees for card show. The 100% BV mark should be assigned to the card condition where most high-grade collectors are able find cards for their collection without excessive premiums above other high-grade cards. Ebay used to be a good indicator of price ceilings and floors, but their listings for vintage cards recently seem to have gone through the roof--perhaps due to large increases in selling fees as of late.
Anyhow, a book value of $200 in the LO column and $250 in the HI column puts a PR 1.0 condition card at $20-$25. I only use the Beckett's HI columns as both a buyer and a seller, so I do feel that this card carries at least a $250 BV in NM 7.0 condition rather than the $60-$100 BV Beckett currently has listed.
So I want to get back to the topic of the numbering system for 1951 Topps. If I could change 1 thing about the hobby, among my top 3 concerns would be the numbering for this set. 1951 Topps never really got any respect until Topps recently paid homage to the 1951 Topps set with their 104-card Heritage set release in 2015. Price guides typically started with the 1952 Topps set and often referred to it as Topps' first set. I was confused in 1991 when Topps celebrated its 40th anniversary, figuring they meant their 40th set. It wasn't until the early 2000's that I really even knew that the set existed. The 1951 Topps set was released in 2 different series of 52 cards each for a total of 104 cards (plus 2 variations for a total of 106 cards). Just like the 2 variations of the 1969 Topps set (666-card set opposed to 664 total), I consider these variations to be among the first "Traded" cards released by Topps, since they were just team updates of the original variations. Before the 1951 Topps set, there was actually a 1948 Topps set. The 1948 Topps set was a multi-sport and non-sport set containing 252 total cards. It was released in multiple series denoted by letters from "A" through "T" very similar to the 1951 Topps set. Beckett acknowledged this lettered series format by including the 1948 Topps Series "K" cards numbered from #K1-#K19 for baseball. 1951 Topps was released in the same way. The Redbacks are from Series "A" numbered #A1-#A52 and the Blueback are from Series "B" numbered #B1-#B52. Beckett should be combining the 104/106-card set and listing pricing for "Complete Master Set (106)", "Complete Set (104)", "Complete Series A (52/54)", and "Complete Series B (52)". Redbacks should come before Bluebacks in the numbering as the Bluebacks are the more rare high-number cards.
0 Yorumlar