POST #50 - More Goodies

Amazing how time flies.  It seems like yesterday when the first blog post was created.  I remember it was cold and a bit snowy.  And just like back then, I'm still waiting for spring to come.  As I type this out, the weatherman is calling for rain, cold weather and a wintry mix to follow, but we all know summer is just around the corner right?  Being this is post #50 for the Crocodile, I figured milestones - no matter how small and no matter the weather - should be celebrated.  So I went to my happy place and reached into the Goody Box and started scanning.

What's this?  A graded card!  Oh my!  Yes even the Crocodile has made an attempt to ascertain the condition of a select number of cards.  I'm not big into grading cards, with probably less than a dozen total in my collection.  However when the Great Covid Rush was on, my brother and I decided we would also contribute to the millions of cards that were backlogged at PSA.  We submitted a package to PSA when prices were still kind of reasonable - $50 per card.  At the time I figured I'd dip my toes in the water and see how it felt.  Obviously PSA felt this was only a 9.  It'd be great if they let me know why, but maybe they want to keep people guessing.

Oh look!  Another 9!  I mean just one little explanation would have sufficed.  Even Barry looks like he can't believe it's only a 9.  It's like the photographer caught him in the middle of saying "a 9? yeah right".  Oh well, I will grin and enjoy this card no matter what.

For crying out loud!!  Another 9!  Seems to me a pattern is forming.  I'm starting to think that whoever came up with the term "gem mint" should be tarred and feathered.  Nevertheless, I try not to think of anything in my collection in terms of value.  They are in my collection for my enjoyment, until I decide to relinquish ownership of these cards.  When that happens, I want them to be worth...

Well, OK that's wishful thinking.  And it might scare the crap out of me knowing I have a card that valuable sitting in a closet.

Darn it, this is only a PSA 8.  That's OK because I found a really good deal on this graded rookie card.   At least I didn't have to absorb the cost of having it graded.

Finally a vintage card I like.  This '56 Ted Williams is in really good condition.  My expectations were obviously tempered by the pen mark in the upper right corner, but the back is clean and I was hoping for a 5 at least.  The card has no creases and the corners are great. 

So my first ever foray into grading cards was a mixed success.  It took maybe 7 or 8 months to get all of our cards back.  We got most of the graded cards back first.  Oddly enough, a card I submitted to have reslabbed was the last card to get back.  You would think with such a backlog that a simple reslab could be done first and out the door.  

My brother lucked out and actually got a couple of 10's back.  Though he was disappointed when a Herbert rookie came back as a 9.  It was "pack fresh" - I was there when he opened it - but still PSA in all their expertness, decided a 9 was fine.  

That's it for post #50.  Fifty posts in the life of a blog sure doesn't seem like much when compared to others who have hit 500 or even 5000.  It's hard to imagine writing all those posts.  As long as I can show off some memorabilia, celebrate set completions and even enjoy some graded cards the Crocodile will be here consuming as much knowledge about sports cards as can be gained from everyone who blogs.