Buy/Sell/Trade Forum

I am putting together a 1973 Topps baseball set and have included it on my want list. The thing is I have close to a thousand duplicates and even cards that I need for the set that didnt make the cut. I am talking wax stains, light creases, fuzzy corners, even ink mustaches. I hate to list these dupes for trade because they dont pass my own personal criteria. If they were after 1980 I would just throw them away. What do you guys do?

"A lion chased me down, swung at me and missed. Lucky for me it was a Mendoza lion."

First, mildly belated welcome to the site.

My answer is pretty simple. Everyone has different criteria. So you could just offer them up for trade here with a disclaimer on their condition. Odds are someone will want them anyway. Or you can sell them -- as one giant lot or in smaller lots -- on eBay. I assure you, someone will buy them. Maybe not for much, but something. The set is old enough that there are plenty of folks looking for a bunch of mid-grade cards. I bet close to 1000 mid to low grade 1973 cards would garner you more than say, $50. If I was working on that set, I might go $100 or more and take my chances. If these wound up in my collection, wax stains, light creases, fuzzy corners, I can live with. I'd dump the mustached cards, but would probably keep even those until I found a suitable replacement. (which is what I'd do if I were you, but that's personal preference)

Good luck with the set.

v3

I build sets from the 70 and 80s. If I have a gap in my collection, I'll happily take any card, regardless of condition. I'm always looking to upgrade, but I hate empty spots and I'd rather have a poor condition card than none at all.

I never throw cards away. There is a fixed number of vintage cards. There won't be any more produced. In my opinion everyone of them matters. I go to a lot of antique stores with my wife and it pains me when I see vintage cards sitting on a shelf being manhandled by people that don't appreciate them. I buy them whenever I find them and the prices aren't ridiculous, even if I don't need them for my collection. 

Don't throw them away. Eventhough I don't collect baseball I will take them and give them a safe home until a permanent home can be found for them.

depending on responses from your post,  I would suggest listing them (or a sample stack) on trade sale list, and list the condition, or estimate of condition.

I do collect lower grade vintage, but not working on this set at this time

mark  

Any common card post-1971 that has creases I use for protection of other cards when I mailed some out.   I put them on top and bottom of the lot I am mailing, just in case.   I have no other use for them though I do have a fireplace.  Same with writing or fuzzy corners.    Wax backs, you may want to hank onto if the card is Mint.

I have a box for non-tradeable/sellable damaged cards. Eventually I'm going them myself for an art project or just try and sell it on eBay for .99 to somebody that might want to use them for art projects. If that doesn't work, I'll just offer them up for free and really push the art project thing. I'd love to see some baseball card artwork done by somebody that creates good art (unlike me).

I don't know how I missed this thread before now. I'd be happy to trade for any STL Cardinals from that set. I don't want ones with writing on them, but I'd accept the other conditions you mention.