Need more advice: 1996 collectors choice

[JBird]

Ok so some of you probably saw my post about the 86 star best for the new sets. This collection had 10 yes 10 of those sets. Started going thru some more of the collection tonight found 6 boxes from the factory full of 1996 upper deck collectors choice Lakers team sets with the Kobe rookie. There must be 300-500 of these un opened sets. How would I go about moving this amount of this set. I really would prefer not going the eBay route (I know that limits me). Any thoughts from the basketball heads? Thanks in advance.

[RKH916]

Originally Posted by JBird

Ok so some of you probably saw my post about the 86 star best for the new sets. This collection had 10 yes 10 of those sets. Started going thru some more of the collection tonight found 6 boxes from the factory full of 1996 upper deck collectors choice Lakers team sets with the Kobe rookie. There must be 300-500 of these un opened sets. How would I go about moving this amount of this set. I really would prefer not going the eBay route (I know that limits me). Any thoughts from the basketball heads? Thanks in advance.

Send to me ASAP

[phdbeckett]

Checking the pop report 1996 Lakers Choice sets the Kobe has about a 50% gem rate with psa. Those currently bring 150 to 180 each. If I split your numbers and say you have 250 that would grade a 10 at $180 per that would be about $45,000 in sales just on the Kobe that made a 10 grade. The rest would still be decent money as well. If you have truly 500 and you needed to bulk grade them at 18 each with PSA at their normal bulk rate that would be about $9,000 in grading fees to net you well over 40,000 if not 50,000 in that net proceeds. The downside to this is you can't liquidate that many tens at once you would need to sell 2-4 a week or via different Consignment channels but you could probably get rid of them all over the course of a calendar year and what year that would be.

[phdbeckett]

I forgot to add there's also the mini Kobe gold card. Much harder to gem but tends to over 100 on that as well and I forget if those are one every other set or you get one with each but if you get one with each add another $25,000 to what I said so you're getting really close to 75,000 of net profitability on these.

[JBird]

Ok I was wrong on the count there are actually 150 sets. 25 per box

[JBird]

Originally Posted by phdbeckett

Checking the pop report 1996 Lakers Choice sets the Kobe has about a 50% gem rate with psa. Those currently bring 150 to 180 each. If I split your numbers and say you have 250 that would grade a 10 at $180 per that would be about $45,000 in sales just on the Kobe that made a 10 grade. The rest would still be decent money as well. If you have truly 500 and you needed to bulk grade them at 18 each with PSA at their normal bulk rate that would be about $9,000 in grading fees to net you well over 40,000 if not 50,000 in that net proceeds. The downside to this is you can't liquidate that many tens at once you would need to sell 2-4 a week or via different Consignment channels but you could probably get rid of them all over the course of a calendar year and what year that would be.

Those are crazy numbers. Down side here is im 41 with a 5 year old and a 3 month old. I don't have $9k sitting around ready to spend on grading. I appreciate your input and it's something to def consider. I just don't know that it's feasible

[mc1]

Originally Posted by JBird

Those are crazy numbers. Down side here is im 41 with a 5 year old and a 3 month old. I don't have $9k sitting around ready to spend on grading. I appreciate your input and it's something to def consider. I just don't know that it's feasible

You don’t have to grade every single card at once. You could open the sets and only send the best, maybe 20-25 at a time.

[pejc300]

Originally Posted by phdbeckett

Checking the pop report 1996 Lakers Choice sets the Kobe has about a 50% gem rate with psa. Those currently bring 150 to 180 each. If I split your numbers and say you have 250 that would grade a 10 at $180 per that would be about $45,000 in sales just on the Kobe that made a 10 grade. The rest would still be decent money as well. If you have truly 500 and you needed to bulk grade them at 18 each with PSA at their normal bulk rate that would be about $9,000 in grading fees to net you well over 40,000 if not 50,000 in that net proceeds. The downside to this is you can't liquidate that many tens at once you would need to sell 2-4 a week or via different Consignment channels but you could probably get rid of them all over the course of a calendar year and what year that would be.

It has a 50% gem rate of the ones sent in... there can be entire cases where every card is off-centered. Assuming that half of these will gem is wild.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by JBird

Those are crazy numbers. Down side here is im 41 with a 5 year old and a 3 month old. I don't have $9k sitting around ready to spend on grading. I appreciate your input and it's something to def consider. I just don't know that it's feasible

Haha, did you take any leave? If so, still on it or did it recently end? How's your sleep?

If you go the grading route, it'd be $2700 total (based on phd's numbers, $18 per x 150 Kobes). Also, remember that you won't break-even for 4-6 months in case you need access to such funds.

I understand your situation as I have a 2-year old and 3-month old so, if you don't want to put in the grading work, you can just offload the sealed sets as-is. There's currently one sitting on eBay at ~$40 shipped which essentially nets ~$30 after fees/shipping. Using conservative numbers, you should be able to get at least $25 per whatever platform you decide to sell (with more profits via local card shows/facebook group).

But yeah, if you have time/money to spare, grading is the play (and I say this as someone who rarely grades haha). If you want to offload in one single shot, you can find someone willing to roll the dice and give them a deal.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by pejc300

It has a 50% gem rate of the ones sent in... there can be entire cases where every card is off-centered. Assuming that half of these will gem is wild.

Haha yeah, it definitely seems high. I don't know enough about the set but I wouldn't assume 50% gem rate. Probably safer to assume (even if grossly underestimating) something like 15-20%.

[JBird]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

Haha, did you take any leave? If so, still on it or did it recently end? How's your sleep?

If you go the grading route, it'd be $2700 total (based on phd's numbers, $18 per x 150 Kobes). Also, remember that you won't break-even for 4-6 months in case you need access to such funds.

I understand your situation as I have a 2-year old and 3-month old so, if you don't want to put in the grading work, you can just offload the sealed sets as-is. There's currently one sitting on eBay at ~$40 shipped which essentially nets ~$30 after fees/shipping. Using conservative numbers, you should be able to get at least $25 per whatever platform you decide to sell (with more profits via local card shows/facebook group).

But yeah, if you have time/money to spare, grading is the play (and I say this as someone who rarely grades haha). If you want to offload in one single shot, you can find someone willing to roll the dice and give them a deal.

Nah I only took 2 weeks. I work for a small company. I needed to get back to work. My wife's a champ tho and does the brunt of the night feeds and whatnot. Haha
Otherwise it's been brought to my attention that the tops were cut off the packaging which is going to lower what I can get for the sets. So it's something to think about.
I understand the long game is the play. The worry here is when I approach the boss (wife) and say hey I need 3k to grade some cards that I won't recover for a couple of months jmshes gonna tell me to kick rocks. Lol

[JBird]

Maybe I just keep a few of the sets to crack and offload the rest. It's all a crap shoot. I mean that's what this hobby is right? Shaq is on top in the sets so can't see the Kobes to even gauge what grade might be.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by JBird

Nah I only took 2 weeks. I work for a small company. I needed to get back to work. My wife's a champ tho and does the brunt of the night feeds and whatnot. Haha
Otherwise it's been brought to my attention that the tops were cut off the packaging which is going to lower what I can get for the sets. So it's something to think about.
I understand the long game is the play. The worry here is when I approach the boss (wife) and say hey I need 3k to grade some cards that I won't recover for a couple of months jmshes gonna tell me to kick rocks. Lol

Haha, team work makes the dream work. Congratulations on your little one too!

Another option would be to open up each of the 150 sets and only submit the ones that look good while moving the remaining Kobes via eBay/BO/facebook/local card show/etc.

That approach allows you to recoup some cost sooner than later while also reaping a lot of the benefit too.

[ThatGuyPal]

So your wife gets angry if you grade anything beyond 86 Star Best Of New Sets? Because you just said yesterday in your other thread:

So I have found 10 complete sets of these in this collection. Crazy! Not sure how to approach this at this point. Do I open and grade all the Jordans? The Ewing's and Olajuwons? Sell the bags as is?


Now it feels you're implying you don't have money to do much/any grading at all as you haven't really seemed open to grading even when people suggested doing them in spurts and keep bringing up if you're wife would allow you lol

[JBird]

Originally Posted by ThatGuyPal

So your wife gets angry if you grade anything beyond 86 Star Best Of New Sets? Because you just said yesterday in your other thread:

So I have found 10 complete sets of these in this collection. Crazy! Not sure how to approach this at this point. Do I open and grade all the Jordans? The Ewing's and Olajuwons? Sell the bags as is?


Now it feels you're implying you don't have money to do much/any grading at all as you haven't really seemed open to grading even when people suggested doing them in spurts and keep bringing up if you're wife would allow you lol

Listen bud keep it moving here. I also stated in my other thread I've only ever sent out 1 card for grading. When I found the star cards it was 10 cards being sent out potentially. Now I've come across another 150 that I would have to consider. 300 if I did the minis in the team set as well. Yes my money is "our" money. These decisions get made together. If you are so curious about how my 12 year marriage works. And I appreciate everyone's input here as I try to make these decisions. But I shouldn't have to explain that to you now should I.

[JBird]

Decided to crack them all open. Only grading the Kobe card number LA2. The L1 minis I'm just going to sell raw. There are 150 of them. Not worth spending the $20 to grade when a 9 sells for $20-30.