When I got back into collecting last year, one of the first sets that caught my fancy was the Ud Goudey set. The cardboard stock was a throwback to my early days of collecting. Plus, the cards don't fuse themselves together like some of the shinier new stuff. I bought a few blasters and a few hobby boxes. The base set was easy to complete (200 cards), the Sp's (130) I am still working on.One of the sub-sets that grabbed my attention was the Goudey Graphs set. A 54 piece set of on-card autographed cards. The cool thing about this set is the mix of legends and young stars. We have Brooks Robinson, Nick Markakis, Johnny Bench, Hanley, Jeter, Don Larsen, and many more... a truly awesome set. I have been picking up cards from various internet outlets, cards show, and trades. I am 3 short of completing the set. I need Jeter, Billingsley, and Fred Lynn.
Dan over at Saints of the Cheap Seats got me to thinking about slab cracking with his latest deal. The Gallardo is the only one of the set that is slabbed. The rest are in a binder awaiting the day when I figure out a cool way to display them. Here's my question; Should I release Yovani from his Han Solo like encasement? I really don't feel like sending in the rest of the set for grading. Meaning, the Yovani is 'different' from all the rest. So, if I bust him out, how do I do it?
That's a nice Hanley!!! Would you trade it?? i have a Sweet Spot 08 Justin Verlander red ink 74/125
ReplyDeleteThe ultimate question about graded stuff. To free it or not? I have seen a few places where it has been discussed. I think the Ebay Sports Card Community Board has some discussions on the process. Also some of the card communities like Trading Card Central (TCC) and Sports Cards Forum (SCF - one of two sites called SCF the other is Sports Card Freaks). I only have two slabbed items one is a Keven Garnet basketball card worth 1buck that someone sent me (I don't know why they did I don't like basketball they probably confused me with someone else) the other "card" I have slabbed is a 1971 Milk Duds complete box of Frank Howard.
ReplyDeleteAnyway before you attempt to free you Goudey gem you might want to look around on Ebay and try to get a low grade real cheap graded thing to practice on. From what I've seen most tend to agree that the best way to open them suckers is to Hammer one of the top corners where the ID tab/tag is to get a crack started then take a screwdriver and start prying the two slabbed pieces apart. I haven't personally tried it but many have. There may be a video or two on Youtube and somewhere on the blog "Heartbreaking Cards of Staggering Genius" http://heartbreakingcards.blogspot.com he has a video of him freeing a 1971 baseball card.
I don't know why people would open up the holder. The are nice and solid and store well. Tribe cards did a post on it many many moons ago.
ReplyDeleteI cracked a PSA holder (Kirby Pucket Donruss RC, PSA 7!!) with a cordless drill and a screwdriver. I took a medium sized bit and drilled on the inside of all four corners (not sure of that was necessary). Then I drilled SLOWLY just a bit at a bottom corner (from the bottom edge toward the hole I'd made) until the bit caught and split the case open. Used the screwdriver to finish.
ReplyDeleteWorked well for me! Like someone else suggested, you might want to practice once since the auto is at stake.