Vintage Condition

I think I have a different set of readers that click on my posts when it is vintage related.  If the word vintage is in the title or if a 60s Topps card is pictured on their blog roll.  Some of my readers probably click on my posts when I post a flashy, new school auto.  I am sure that some people crossover and check out posts of mine that are about old cards or new cards.

My gut also tells me that there are a couple people that read my posts no matter what photo is featured.  They are Platter super fans.  I love my super fans.

There are only a couple so, I have to give them a thumbs up.

The other day, a co-worker brought in some baseball cards for me to check out.  He said his father in-law bought some on the cheap for him and he wanted me to evaluate them.  I have read about this happening on a couple other blogs before.  This was my first experience with this scenario.

Of course, the cards were from the 80s-early 90s.  The cards did feature some stars like Pete Rose and Nolan Ryan.  The cards were in crummy shape as well.  All the corners seemed bent and the cardboard texture felt soft, all most felt-like on some of the cards.

It felt weird telling some one these cards had almost no monetary value.  His cards were cool because they featured some big time players in that era.  That makes them have a different kind of value.  He seemed disappointed.

I also had to explain to him that condition mattered to baseball cards.  I thought this was common knowledge but, he seemed to be hearing this for the first time.  Condition also is different in every decade.  This Orlando Cepeda card is in decent condition for a 1969 Topps card.  It is kind of faded and has some white spots.

I can live with that for a card this old.  Also, getting a card of Cepeda, not in a Giants uniform is a major plus.

Here is the classic 1971 Topps Brooks Robinson.  The 1971 set is notorious for having bad edging due to the black borders.

The condition is passable with slight edging problems.  I do love this photo.  This card was one that I have been looking for before I nabbed it at my local card shop.

Also, who is the Baltimore Orioles biggest rival?  The Yankees?  I almost want to blame the photo selection on a fan of the Orioles rival team.  It had to be someone who wasn't a Robinson fan and wanted to punk him in 1971.

This set is also hard to find with good edging.  I would take any Dodger in this set no matter the condition.  A card of a hall of fame Dodger manager such as Walt Alston is always welcome.  The corners are pretty sharp and the edging works.

I would not accept this type of condition of a Ted Lilly card from last year's Topps Heritage set that mimics this set.  Different decades have different standards.

I usually call him Walter Alston rather than Walt Alston.  Was Topps being cheap on the ink?  Was Alston known more as Walt in the 60s and people later called him Walter?  I may never know the answers to these questions.