Happy New Year to Everyone!  It’s going to be a great year for SI/TIME collectors.

Welcome to my 14th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.

Did you ever think about having your CGC graded, encapsulated SI’s signed?  It’s not as farfetched as it may seem.  And it could be very profitable too.  Hasn’t it always been about having something the other guy wants but doesn’t have?

If you are planning to attend a signing and you don’t already have a high quality, raw SI (or graded copy) for signing, make sure you take the time to buy/secure one.  So many of us are last minute planners and skip this step only to regret it later.  One way to secure a high quality SI is to buy one already graded.   You will appreciate the quality of your signed pieces for years to come so a little effort on the front end will be worth it over time.

Step 1:  In advance of the signing, secure a raw, high quality, unsigned SI (or buy one graded), and have it graded.

Step 2:  If it grades up to your expectations, break open the encapsulation, remove your SI, and protect it with a plastic sleeve and oversized cardboard on both sides.

Step 3:  Personally deliver your piece to the signing, have it signed, re-package as before and resubmit for grading.

Understand that grading is subjective and a new grade may return marginally higher or lower than the original.  Resubmitting for grading will cost $50 and is a risk/effort few collectors are willing to take which significantly reduces POP numbers.  Little risk, little reward.

If a certified signature potentially increases the value of a raw SI and a CGC grade potentially increases the value of a raw SI, how is the value impacted if the SI is signed AND graded?  Firsthand experience tells me signed/graded SI’s (especially top tier grades and signers) realize higher sell prices – 50-100% higher depending on the cover and signature.  If you believe your signed SI’s would return a high CGC grade, it makes investment sense to have it graded but remember, grading is a double edged sword – a low grade hurts the value as well.

The process of buying raw (or CGC graded) SIs, having them graded, breaking open the encapsulation, having them signed, and resubmitting for grade might seem like a risky proposition but if you are interested in collecting the highest grade, signed SI’s, this is one option to consider.  Lots of collectors have signed SI’s.  More and more collectors have graded SI’s.  Very few collectors have both in one package.  Think about it.

If you have further questions on this topic feel free to write at [email protected].

Great collecting to you and best fortunes with Sports Illustrated/TIME!

Welcome to my lucky 13th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.

Remember those comic books you used to buy for a nickel, fold them in half and stick them in your back pocket?  You’d pull them out in study hall, read them, and then scrunch them up in the back of your locker for safe keeping?  The link below might make you wish you would have done that differently.

Click here.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FLASH-COMICS-1-ASHCAN-EDITION-CGC-9-6-1939/122319959353?hash=item1c7ad67539:m:mP1rDfs2WYY1n1QN2C32soA

Not that long ago, certainly in my lifetime, collectable vintage comic books were easily purchased (if you could find them before the internet) for a tiny fraction of the realized auction prices of today.  If you had done your homework and researched the right comics, the most responsible collection methods, and properly stored your purchases in preparation for the day to come, you would be sipping Mytai’s on a Polynesian Island now instead of regurgitating that depressing lament – “if only…..”

Graded Periodicals – Comics vs Magazines

Once grading became an accepted method of valuing comics, investors immediately realized that collectors would want the best.  The highest graded, hardest to find issues, set new sales records at every auction.  Comic books routinely began to bring 4-5 figures at every auction.  And 20 years later, the trend continues but it was the early adaptors who invested first and benefitted the most.  Looking back, there are too many similarities to ignore between the early comic BOOM of the past 20 years and the state of the current Sports Illustrated/TIME market development.

I predict the graded magazine market will follow the same path as the graded comic book market and shame on us if history repeats itself and we miss a second opportunity.  Values will escalate quickly and early rewarding early investors and leaving those who waited wondering why.  You will not be able to negotiate last year’s prices today.  This is not one of those events where supply catches up with demand and the market implodes like 87 Topps.  Supply has shown to be difficult at best and impossible at worst – and they’re not printing anymore of this vintage stuff.  This is the stuff of dreams and the typical barriers of penetration are non-existent.  You don’t need machinery and gobs of money to get started.  You need timing.  Timing is the investor’s best friend. 

The good news is – you are reading this blog – and I have already done the leg work, the internet has already organized all kinds of availability for you, and properly preserving your purchases is a no brainer today.  But as we all have the same advantages, the timing window is small.  You have in front of you the tip of the iceberg but with every blog I write, the iceberg has melted a bit more.

As promised, the opportunities of six months ago are becoming harder and harder to find.  Be an early adaptor and beat the crowd.  You will be glad you did.

I say again, if you only get one thing out of this blog, recognize the movement.  My goal is to bring light to my readers and reward them with the knowledge of current trends.  The rest is up to the beholder.

Great collecting to you and Skyward with Sports Illustrated/TIME!

Welcome to my 12th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.

First, please let me thank all of you for your support and enthusiasm with regard to the current Sports Illustrated graded magazine Boom.  Those of you that have read my blogs and have taken some of it to heart, I believe, are already more than satisfied with their collection value growth as well as their upward position in the market.  My blogs are written in an effort to expose early market trends and reward dedicated SI collectors for their persistence and love of the magazine – the greatest sports writing and illustrated magazine ever published.

The reward is value equity.  I have been interested in high grade SIs for several decades.  Any time I could find a high grade, newsstand copy, I bought it.  Approximately three years ago, the option of grading my collection became a reality with the advent of CGC expanding into the SI magazine arena.  It was at that point I realized the only way I could prove my mag collection superior to all others (and establish a creditable value) was to have them graded.  There’s no argument when CGC says it’s a 9.8!  And 9.8 is superior to 9.6 – no debate.  That’s what collectors want.  They want certainty.  They want no debate.  They want no Yeah buts…..  For those of you that are not familiar with a “yeah but” – that is when you show your buddy or prospective buyer your prized magazine and you say – “this thing is just beautiful, look at it” – and the your buddy says – “yeah but it’s a bit off center or yeah but the binding is loose”   There are no “yeah buts….” with certified graded products.

That’s the way we all like it and that’s the standard by which all value is determined.  And that is why buying the most recognized graded magazines in as high a grade as possible is the ticket collectors, like me, want to own.  As more collectors “get it”, it only makes sense that the first into the Boom will increase their value equity the most.  Here are some private and public transactions executed over the past year that are keeping my readers happy.  BTW, much of this information is not public so you are reading it here first.

1.  Year 2015 – Ungraded 1963 Cassius Clay SI’s in near mint condition sold many times over for $100 – $500. Last year, a graded SI Clay CGC graded 9.6 sold for $5,000 in a public listing on Ebay.  I recently asked the owner what would be his price to sell – his reply was “there isn’t one.”
2. Last year the CGC 9.8’s of the – 81 Gretzky, 74 Aaron, 54 #2 (9.4), 55 Mays, 55 Williams, all passed hands at 5 figures or above. And TIME magazine issues, Pre 1954 (and with a few newer exceptions Clay, Mays, Secretariat, Aaron), also joined in the Boom but they deserve a blog all their own (coming soon).  Just be aware that TIME magazine Pre 1954 and all newer exceptions, are trending to meet and in some cases even surpass later SI compliments.  Owning a vignette of two rookie issues of the highest known grade – one Sports Illustrated and one TIME (or Newsweek) has become an early favorite pursuit of the avid investor/collector.  When you consider current pop numbers of 1 at the highest grade level, you can safely use the word “scarce” to describe the difficulty of owning such a duet.
3. 30-40 Graded magazines, sold thru the prestigious auction house of Huggins and Scott in August and November this year (and another scheduled for Feb 2018), routinely surpassed $2000 and in some cases, double that figure. Bill Huggins, a man ahead of the curve, is the pioneer whose auction house is currently the only one to grace their listing lineup with graded SI’s.  I highly suggest taking a look at their next offering as these prices, if trends continue, will pale in comparison to 2019 offerings.  Think back what your Topps baseball cards were worth before you could get them graded and compare their worth today.  That’s value equity!

If you only get one thing out of this blog, recognize the movement here.  As I stated in my opening remarks, my goal is to bring light to my readers and reward them with the knowledge of current trends.  The rest is up to the beholder.

Great collecting to you and Skyward with Sports Illustrated!

  Sports Illustrated Blog #11 – Early Swimsuits – Diamonds in the Rough!

 

Welcome to my 11th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.

Recently I mentioned early SI swimsuits to an investor and his response was “I only do athletes”.  Now it is perfectly acceptable to define your portfolio by what you know and understand best but I think limiting your options limits your potential.  So today my friends it is Swimsuits.

I have ranked early SI swimsuits at #16 and #20 on my list of most difficult and collectable SI’s and for good reason.  THEY ARE TOUGH TO FIND!!!  The SI swimsuit feature comes in several parts – quite by accident I presume.  First, there are the swimsuits of the 50’s which are really a precursor to the later versions which became an annual event approx. 10 years later.  Included in this series is a 54, 55 and 57 swimsuit appearance – a collection within themselves.  They are not as rare or esthetic as later covers and are not accepted as part of the swimsuit series we know today but they are definitely unique and should not be omitted from any collection.  I think in time, these three issues will increase in demand as swimsuit collectors will want to avoid any possible omissions in completing their sets.

Second, there is a 1963 swimsuit/water cover appearing one year prior to Babette March, the formally accepted first swimsuit cover.  Even though not as well known, no swimsuit collection is complete without the 63 version either.

In 1964, with a modestly clad model and a three page cover story, SI humbly began perhaps the most iconic and collectable series of yearly issues – the Jan/Feb tropical island Swimsuit series.  SI has built upon its first cover every year since and to take in the evolution from beginning to present is quite a visionary trip.  I’m old school – I like the early issues!  Surprisingly however, it is not the cover or its position in the series that creates the value.  Yes they are popular, yes they are cool and yes they are a series but more than all that – they are HARD TO FIND in high grade newsstand condition.  The combination of popular, cool and hard to find adds up to your Diamonds in the Rough.  Swimsuit covers from 1964 thru 1979 began a run of remarkable photography with world class models (esp Tiegs) often imitated but never duplicated.  The colorful solid borders, rainbow stripes, prime colored suits and tropical ocean back drops are rarely well preserved.  In most cases, they are thoroughly read adding to potential wear.  If you can find even one of these issues, let alone two or three or maybe a complete set (although I doubt many exist) you are a lucky collector – it’s a great registry.  I predict that as collectors become aware of the scarcity and potential value here, swimsuit covers will rival and in some cases surpass the values of your favorite athletes.  That is why I advise not to limit your collection and I hope this inside information serves you well.

High grade, newsstand issues from the 80’s are also fairly tough but nowhere near as hard as earlier swimsuits.  After the 25^th year commemorative swimsuit issue in 1989, swimsuit covers became relatively common.

So start collecting high grade, newsstand, early SI swimsuit issues and you’ll have something your other collector friends don’t have – and that’s a nice positon.

Great collecting to you and up with Sports Illustrated!

Welcome to my 10th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  This timely edition is of particular importance because I want you all to be aware that, as predicted, the graded magazine market is taking off – right now!  Taking off???  Yes, right on schedule, popularity increases in graded magazines are carving giant shares out of the current graded collector market – and Sports Illustrated is leading the way.

Currently open for bidding until Thursday, November 9^th, at 10 PM EST, Huggins and Scott Premier Auction House is featuring their second Graded Sports Illustrated Auction series.  This season, H&S has decided to feature a Graded 9.8 Sports Illustrated #1 Inaugural Edition, none higher, on the COVER of their prestigious auction catalog.  As predicted, in less than a year, graded magazines have jumped from the back burner of collector awareness to the cover of a major action house catalog presentation.  What a wonderful time to be ahead of the curve in graded collecting as this new concept explodes onto the market.  And you have knowledge ahead of the curve!

Forward thinking collectors and investors alike have correctly predicted and are continuing to take advantage of this upward movement and I hope for investment sake, you are joining them.  Below I have illustrated a few of the items being featured in this auction.  By clicking on the link below, you will be taken to the auction item and a complete set of details on each including item description and current bid.  If you are a collector or an investor, this is another early opportunity to capitalize on the next big thing!

Click Right Here

Sports Illustrated Blog #9 –

Welcome to my 9th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  In this blog, I will finish my individual commentary on the top 50 ranked collectable SI’s with a brief dialogue on each cover entry #’s 41 thru 50 and include the follow up ranking list #’s 51 thru 100 with their ranking scores.  As always, I invite my readers to comment on my assertions and perhaps add a list of their own.

It’s interesting to note that in compiling my top 100 rankings, I actually had an additional 100 collectable covers that didn’t make the cut.  Over the years (since 1954) Sports Illustrated’s mastery/monopoly over quality writing and sports photography, has left no other sports publication in the conversation.  SI covers really tell a story on the highs and lows of sports chronology since 8-16-1954 and when they say “Illustrated” in their name, their iconic pictures are not only etched into our brains but have become commonplace in our everyday lives.  They are by far the most collected sports publication since 1954, with SI publisher TIME magazine most highly regarded by collectors for the pre-1954 era.  TIME magazine and its sister relationship with SI, will be the subject of a future blog.  Stay tuned for that one.

Please find below cover ranking #’s 41 thru 50 with a graded picture you can click on to link to a more detailed description.

 

41.  1967 Yaz – One of the most esthetic covers of all time. This guy wasn’t the strongest or the biggest – he just put his all into everything he did. A Master of the Green Wall.  A dark era print, this one is very very difficult to find in quality newsstand condition.  This first cover is a sleeper.  Don’t be shy about adding this one to your collection if you are lucky enough to find one.

42.  1957 Mantle – One of the few non-common issues from 1957. The start of the dark era, most occurrences of this issue are filled with stress marks and excessive wear. The second full Mantle cover, keep this one high on your list of overlooked diamonds in the rough.

43.  1965 Swimsuit – I included the 60’s swimsuits as #16 on my top 100 list but this one in particular is elusive in newsstand. I don’t know the circulation numbers but Sue Peterson is rare. Dark era and esthetic.  It doesn’t get any better or harder to find than this one.                                                                  44.  1967 Orr – The greatest defenseman of all time. Watching Bobby Orr on the highlight films is like watching poetry in motion. Blood on his face, intensity in his eyes – another dark era print which is scarce in quality newsstand condition.  One of the most collectable of the 60’s.

45.  1965 Oliva – Tony Oliva is one of the most underrated hitters of all time. Our cover here shows that classic “hit it where they ain’t” swing.  Perennial .300 hitter.  Another dark era print, I’ve never seen a high grade 65 Oliva but I’m sure they’re out there.  Not the most collectable yet but when word gets out how hard this one is, you’ll be glad you bought one now!

46.  1962 Gifford – 1959 thru 1964 is the heart of the SI dark era and the Gifford cover is as difficult as any print during this period. Solid dark blue background wrinkles, creases and scratches easily.  Hall of Famer with a NYG following.

47.  1973 Secretariat – Arguably the greatest horse of all time. Very popular with even major sports collectors.  Top grades of this issue have proven to be incredibly difficult due to the solid green background which tends to highlight any minor handling or age flaws.  Only three grades in the 9’s with only one 9.8!

48.  1970 Butkus – Perhaps the most menacing cover picture of all SI’s. Butkus was always famous for his intimidating playing style and this cover captures the man and the moment perfectly.  If you like esthetic covers, this one ranks near the top.  Get one and get it signed.  Who would win in a duel between Ditka and Butkus???  Bears fans love ‘em.

49.  1959 Willie Mays – The population of the newsstand high grade 59 and 62 Mays covers has been significantly limited due to the quality of materials used during this era.  In addition, the 59 is a “Fat” issue which adds more stress to the binding further limiting high quality population.  You’ll be lucky to even find a newsstand copy let alone have it grade above 7.0.  I have a fondness for these two issues because they continue to update the Mays chronology which was missing for other black athletes during the 50’s and 60’s – Aaron and Clemente in particular.

50.  1962 Willie Mays – Also see #49 above.  If you can accumulate all the SI Mays covers (about 10) in high grade, you’ll have a quality registry as well as a chronology of one of the greatest of all time.

 

SI Covers Ranking – Top 100 for Collectability, Population Scarcity and Investment Potential.

Rank Year Newsstand Cover       Pop        Cond.  Cosmet   Collect    Invest  Total
                                                          Scarcity Scarcity  ics          ability     ment

1	1961	Roger Maris	9	10	10	9	10	48
2	1956	Mickey Mantle (all pages)	10	8	10	10	10	48
3	1959	Johnny Unitas	9	10	8	10	10	47
4	1967	Roberto Clemente	8	10	8	10	10	46
5	1969	Reggie Jackson	8	10	10	8	9	45
6	1961	Fran Tarkenton	8	10	9	9	9	45
7	1968	Pete Rose	7	9	9	10	10	45
8	1969	Hank Aaron	8	10	7	10	10	45
9	1963	Cassuis Clay	7	10	8	10	10	45
10	1960	Jim Brown	8	10	7	10	10	45
11	1962	Mickey Mantle	7	9	10	10	8	44
12	1961	Bart Starr	8	10	10	8	8	44
13	1955	Ted Williams	8	8	9	10	9	44
14	1964	Swimsuit	9	9	7	10	9	44
15	1965	Joe Namath	8	10	8	9	9	44
16	1965	Swimsuits (1965-1969)	9	9	7	10	8	43
17	1974	Hank Aaron 715	5	10	10	10	8	43
18	1970	Swimsuit	9	10	7	9	8	43
19	1960	Jack Nicklaus	8	10	8	8	9	43
20	1971	Swimsuits (1970-1979)	9	9	8	9	7	42
21	2002	Tom Brady The Natural	5	8	10	10	9	42
22	1954	Issue #2	8	10	4	10	10	42
23	1956	Warren Spahn	7	8	10	9	7	41
24	1981	Wayne Gretzky	5	8	9	10	9	41
25	1977	Larry Bird	5	9	8	9	10	41
26	1970	Steve Prefontaine	9	7	10	7	7	40
27	1955	Yogi Berra	8	9	8	8	7	40
28	1980	Olympic Hockey	5	7	10	10	8	40
29	2002	Tom Brady Amazing	5	8	9	10	8	40
30	1955	Al Rosen	8	9	8	7	8	40
31	1956	AllStar Game	8	10	6	8	8	40
32	1955	Willie Mays	8	8	5	10	9	40
33	1983	Michael Jordan	7	9	5	10	9	40
34	1975	Ali Frazier	8	8	8	8	8	40
35	1974	Ali Foreman	8	8	8	8	8	40
36	1971	Ali Frazier	8	8	8	8	8	40
37	1955	Hogan	8	10	6	8	8	40
38	1956	Mantle WS	8	10	4	9	9	40
39	1996	Derek Jeter	7	6	9	10	8	40
40	1962	Tarkenton	8	10	7	6	9	40
41	1967	Yaz	8	8	8	8	8	40
42	1957	Mantle	8	9	7	9	7	40
43	1965	swimsuit	10	6	6	9	9	40
44	1967	Orr	9	7	6	9	9	40
45	1965	Oliva	9	9	8	7	7	40
46	1962	Gifford	8	8	8	8	8	40
47	1973	Secretariat	8	7	8	9	8	40
48	1970	Butkus	7	7	10	8	8	40
49	1959	Mays	8	9	7	7	8	39
50	1962	Mays	8	9	8	7	7	39
51	1976	Brett	9	10	5	7	8	39
52	1976	Schmidt	9	8	6	8	8	39
53	1968	Marivich	8	8	6	8	8	38
54	1966	Alworth	8	7	8	7	8	38
55	1962	Palmer	7	7	9	7	8	38
56	1970	Conigliaro	6	7	10	7	7	37
57	1960	Arnold Palmer	5	10	4	9	8	36
58	1956	Ford	7	9	5	8	7	36
59	1961	Chamberlain	8	9	5	7	7	36
60	1956	Cousy	8	7	6	8	7	36
61	1961	Palmer SOY	9	7	5	8	7	36
62	1967	McGee	7	8	7	7	7	36
63	1977	Munson	7	7	8	7	7	36
64	1959	Aparicio Fox	8	9	5	7	7	36
65	1961	Player	8	7	5	7	9	36
66	1974	Julius Irving	7	8	8	6	6	35
67	2002	LeBron James	3	5	10	10	7	35
68	1983	Dan Marino	5	6	8	8	8	35
69	1982	Joe Montana	5	6	8	8	8	35
70	1982	John Elway	5	6	8	8	8	35
71	1965	Mantle	7	7	7	7	7	35
72	1958	Mantle Berra Yankees	7	9	5	7	7	35
73	1966	Sayers	8	7	6	7	7	35
74	1974	Ali Foreman	7	7	7	7	7	35
75	1956	Hornung	7	8	5	7	7	34
76	1956	Kaline	7	8	5	7	7	34
77	1957	Musial Williams	8	7	5	7	7	34
78	1966	Robinson robinson	8	7	5	7	7	34
79	1966	Riley	7	7	6	7	7	34
80	1966	Morgan	8	7	5	7	7	34
81	1976	Payton	6	7	6	7	8	34
82	1996	Peyton Manning	5	6	6	8	8	33
83	1955	Marciano	7	7	5	7	7	33
84	1956	Martin	7	7	5	7	7	33
85	1970	Mays	7	7	5	7	7	33
86	1969	Lombardi	7	7	5	7	7	33
87	1956	St Louis	7	7	5	7	7	33
88	1964	Clay	7	7	5	7	7	33
89	1964	Clay	7	7	5	7	7	33
90	1966	Alcindor	9	7	3	7	7	33
91	1986	Tyson	7	7	5	7	7	33
92	1959	White Sox	7	9	4	5	7	32
93	1996	Bret Favre	5	5	8	8	5	31
94	1989	Jerry Rice	5	5	6	8	7	31
95	1954	Calvin Jones	8	7	4	7	5	31
96	1970	Manning	7	7	5	7	5	31
97	1955	Walker	7	7	5	7	5	31
98	1954	#1 Issue	1	3	10	10	5	29
99	1963	Rozelle	7	7	5	5	5	29
100	2007	Drew Brees	3	6	5	7	6	27

Sports Illustrated Blog #8 – Should I grade? What is the Cost?  What Should I expect?

 

Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 8th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  My 2^nd installment of the grading Q and A session will wrap up this topic with the exception of any questions you may write me.  I continue to receive the same question over and over – Should I grade my mags?  Sounds simple but it’s not.  Cost, time, and expectations are the critical factors to consider when making this decision.  Let’s take these questions  one at a time.

 

If you have any additional SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

 

Sports Illustrated Blog #8 – Should I grade? What is the Cost?  What Should I expect?

 

Should I have my magazine collection graded?

No one knows the condition, hidden gems, current value and potential value of your collection better than you.  Therefore, the decision whether or not to take the plunge is totally up to you – but there are two critical factors you will be happy you considered as part of your decision process – Cost and Expectation.

What are the costs of CGC grading?

CGC has a step costing program which is based on the length of time you are willing to wait for your graded mags to be returned.  The costs and times below are approximate:

Modern – post 1975 – 8 weeks minimum – $30 ea.

Standard – 5 weeks – $55 ea.

Walk Thru – 1day – $84 ea.

These prices can be reduced by 20% by becoming a dealer which is a simple process.  Contact the company for details and parameters.  Shipping costs/registered mail will add to the above.  Note that CGC may quote shorter lead times in their advertising but as their customer service group will be happy to inform you, their published terms are only estimates and are subject to change at any time and without notice.

 

If I decide to grade, what should be my expectations?

Answering this question for yourself is the most important consideration before you devote serious cash to the project.  Your personal evaluation of the condition (approx grade) of your ungraded magazines will help create the proper set of expectations of the actual grade results.  Until you do this a few times, your skill level in accurately predicting actual grade returns will be low/unskilled.  What I mean to say here is most collectors have a more optimistic view of their collection’s value and condition than a totally unbiased grader such as CGC.    White gloves, magnifying glasses, spectrometers etc etc. are their tools of the trade – not yours.  The first time you send out 20 magazines and actually read the CGC detail of defects/faults which they use to describe your prized pieces, you will very likely be disappointed at their findings.  But have faith, it gets better.  Getting better at actually assigning your own grades will make you a better shopper and will actually channel your purchases toward real, not assumed, value.  This is when the value of your collection will begin to escalate, sometimes exponentially.

Be careful here – grading is a two edged sword.  Just like high grades bring optimized value, low grades do what? – lower value!  Note at card shows that most dealers have both graded and ungraded cards.  The reason that all cards are not graded is that the dealer believes a grade on his ungraded cards would reduce the value.  Dealers do find it cost prohibitive to grade everything at once but for the most part they’ve decided the card is not worth the investment.  But once you become a skilled non-professional grader, ungraded merchandise can be a diamond in the rough and that adds value to your collection.

So the general rule on grading is, in my opinion, if you are a small, large or serious collector driven by the goal of increasing value, everything should be graded.  If you like owning stuff of interest to you and are not driven by selling at a profit, then don’t waste your money on grading.

 

Grading takes time – What grading level should I choose?

This answer is from my own personal perspective.  If you are like me, sending in a really nice, clean item that you feel will grade high, is exciting.  I want to have it graded immediately (walk thru) at the additional cost.  For other items, I chose the “Standard” grading level at a slightly lessor cost but still expensive in my view.  I almost never use “Modern” because two-three months is too long to wait.  At the end of three months I can’t even remember what I sent in!  When your expectations are properly set, getting grades back can be like Christmas in July all year long!!!

Great Luck To You!

Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 7th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  In this edition, I will answer two of the FAQ’s relating to CGC Graded Sports Illustrated and/or other graded magazines.  Why are collectors and investors grading their magazines?  What do the grades really mean?

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Next time, in Blog #8, I will continue on this subject and address the decision of having your personal collection graded, associated costs, and what should be your expectations.

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

 

Sports Illustrated Blog 7     9-15-17

Q and A Session Relating to CGC Graded Sports Illustrated and Other Magazines.

 

Why are so many collectors and investors now grading their magazines, especially Sports Illustrated and TIME?

The answer on this one is simple and twofold.  Most collectors have that competitive nature to own the rarest, highest grade condition registry of items known to the industry.  He/she wants to go to bed at night with the assurance that their item or collection is recognized by the industry and its measurables as the best, rarest, high grade, etc.  The best way to define the “best” is to have a certified grading system that is widely recognized and accepted so there is no debate as to their published results (census) and final grade.  CGC currently is that institution.

Second, having a grade separates the many from the few and the very few and the very very few.  And of course, the rarer an item, the more a collector will pay to own it and the more bragging rights associated.  Did you ever hear someone say “I own a 1952 Topps Mantle Rookie card graded 8.5?”  What he is really bragging about is that he owns a card worth X number of dollars which has been established by the industry and the grade.  Can’t do that without a grade.

Sports Illustrated is almost universally recognized as the Cadillac of sports publications since 1954.  If you are going to grade a magazine, grade the best – SI.  If you are interested in pre-1954 magazine grading, the answer is TIME magazine.  SI’s owner since its inception, TIME Magazine, is the precursor extension of the SI product and sports some of the most iconic covers in all of pre-1954 sports publications.  Mantle, DiMaggio, Williams, Hogan, Musial, J. Robinson, Feller, Ott, Gehrig (the only SI, TIME or Newsweek issue to capture the Iron Man), Hubbell, Hornsby, Mays, Clay, Brown, Stengel and more.  These issues, many 70+ years old (really old in magazines years!), complement and in many cases surpass SI in their collector interest.  I know an investor who owns both, a CGC 9.8 Williams 1955 SI and a CGC 9.8 Williams 1950 TIME Magazine – an unbeatable combination.  He’s a happy camper.  Combinations like that haven’t reached an established value yet as there is only one and it has never sold publically.  I wish I owned it.

 

What does a CGC grade really mean?

A CGC grade is a value standard accepted by the industry, which allows collectors to rank their individual items and collections by rarity.  CGC publishes a census of all the magazines it has ever graded which allows the collector the assurance of knowing the exact population of every graded magazine, by issue, by grade.

With regard to grades and the challenge to always obtain the CGC 9.8 of each issue, I want to point out that magazine grading is a much different animal than card grading, esp. as we move our collections back in time.  Magazine populations (and I mainly speak to SI and TIME), are far less than even the rarest of TOPPS productions plus there are many more opportunities for faults in a magazine over a card.  In general, if a magazine has been read, its grade will typically drop under CGC 9.0.  There are just so many things that can accumulate to lower the overall grade.  The reason I point this out is that there are many graded magazines on the market right now that grade at CGC 8.0, CGC 7.0 and even CGC 6.0 that are the highest grade ever for that issue.  Not every issue has a recorded CGC 9.8 and in my opinion, some never will and I recommend that you be one of the few collectors recognizing this fact and be careful to not overlook some of these diamonds in the rough.  The grade itself isn’t always the only indicator of value.  You should consider the magazine publisher, the age, relative scarcity (census) as it compares to other issues, and printing quality factors which I have covered in earlier blogs, esp the “dark era print” issues.

As more issues are sent for grading, CGC grades will tend to climb higher and higher on most issues – but not all.  Some of the scarcer issues currently graded CGC 7.0 or 8.0 may remain the highest ever graded of that issue forever – and they can be purchased now at bargain prices because sellers and buyers are mistakenly valuing issues solely on the grade.  So as you embark on your next buying trip, be armed with this knowledge, be diligent in your grade evaluation, and always consider other factors mentioned.  You might come home with some real value at below market prices and isn’t that the goal?

Great Luck to you!

 

 

 

Hi Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 6th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  Previously in Blog #5, I mentioned that investors are quietly gobbling up high grade, high value Graded SI’s for a fraction of their projected future value.  This week, all of us will have a chance to dip our toes in the water and take part in the (Click here to view auction items) FIRST EVER EBAY GRADED MAGAZINE AUCTION  sponsored by my EBay home page (Click here to visit my store) sportsillustrated9.8.  This bid auction will end at 4PM EST and 1PM PST this Saturday and you may go in anytime until that date and time to place your bid.  Starting bids have all been set to $9.95 so this could be a nice opportunity to pick up some popular high grade issues at very reasonable prices.  Below I have included a picture of each item up for auction and by clicking on the picture, you will be taken to the actual auction site where specific item descriptions are given.  All auction issues feature athletes in the news such as Brady, LeBron, Curry, a 9.6 SI #1 – 8 items all together.  Have some fun and take a look – you may get hooked!

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

 

Sports Illustrated Blog 5 – Catching Up With Investors

Hi Sports Illustrated Collectors:

Welcome to my 5th in a series of Sports Illustrated informational reviews.  In this edition, I will cover knowing what investors know, the surging values of CGC graded SI’s and recent auction results.  I have also written a review for each SI cover ranking #31 – #40.   This section includes entrees from some of the hottest collectable SI’s in the market today.

If you have any SI questions, please feel free to send them along to [email protected].

Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

John

Surging Graded Sports Illustrated Values, Recent Auction Results.  What Does It All Mean???

 

Sports Illustrated Blog 5     8-24-17

For the past 5-10 years, graded magazines have been quietly creeping up in popularity on the card collecting industry with little fanfare or notoriety.  High rolling investors, in their quest to be first in finding and then owning the next Big Thing before you do, have been devoting increasing amounts of cash into “Graded Magazines”, especially SI and TIME.  Any time the average collector finds out the big money guys are buying, it is usually too late to take part in the early profits – but I’d like to help change that for you.  I am the largest graded SI, TIME, Newsweek, Beckett, etc magazine dealer in the country and have personal contact with the specific investors now buying on the leading edge of the surge in popularity.  And as we all know, popularity drives price!

You can visit my Ebay store here to view over 400 CGC graded Sports Illustrated, many of which are the highest grade of their kind in existence – but they don’t stay available for long once they hit the public.  I want you to be exposed to the same opportunities larger investors are gobbling up, in some cases, even before auction.  By reviewing my ebay store here and/or contacting me on this site or by phone (704 724 0234), you will be investment years ahead of the average collector not reading this blog.

Check out my Ebay listings here and recent sold auction prices here from Huggins and Scott Auction House dated August 3^rd.  You could have purchased these items 6 months ago at a significant savings and this is the leading edge of the surge I to which I speak.  What will be the auction prices be in November when I submit another batch for sale?  Don’t miss the opportunity to buy now, direct from me, before the next auction.  We now have the opportunity to know what the big investors know and exactly when they know it!

Clicking on any one of the pictures below will take you right to its Ebay page for a complete and full description of the item.

 

31. 1956 AllStar Game – Number 31 on my list is a bit out of the ordinary in that it features 10 all-star baseball players from 1956 versus just one athlete. I have included this issue because of its condition difficulty – a CGC 7.0 is tops.  The 56 All-star and 56 World Series issues are both extremely rare in newsstand high grade.  If you can get one of these you may even pay a bit less because it doesn’t focus on one athlete but don’t shy away.  It’s Mantle’s second cover and destined to see one of the first spikes in collector pricing.

32. 1955 Willie Mays with Durocher and Day – Willie’s first SI cover.  Of course this one is one of the most coveted of all SI’s and most expensive in high grade but the good news is that there are already several CGC graded at or above 9.0 with highest recorded at CGC 9.8.   Along with Mantle, Williams, Clay, #1 and #2, Mays is part of the Holy Grail team that seems to always be at the top of the food chain with regard to price and value.  If you are a Mays fan, you can find several newsstand 55 Mays in high grade (9.2 and 9.6) in my store or on the open market but beware of raw mags (those that are not graded) for hidden flaws which will limit future value.

33. 1983 Jordan – Michael’s first cover joins Brady and Gretzky as one of the newest issues to make the top 50. To date, his cover has proved impossible to find in Mint condition (highest CGC 9.4) for several reasons.  First, most Jordan issues have been read.  Second, this is a college basketball issue and is thicker than the average mag.  The thickness of the magazine causes stress to form on the binding and staples.  Nearly every issue you find will be stressed but having a Jordan first cover is a victory in itself.  Start slow and find a lower grade copy and perhaps in your travels you will come across the condition to suits your interests.  When you do, grab it!

34. 1975 Ali- Frazier – Chronicled in this issue is the 3^rd of 3 bouts between the Greatest and one of the Greatest of all time. Affectionately known as “The Thrilla in Manilla”, Ali defeated Frazier to take the series 2-1 (Frazier defeated Ali for Ali’s first loss in 1971).  Famous for their colorful press conferences and threatening playful overtones, any collection of these issues always stimulates value and conversation.  A tough issue in high grade but work on the Ali-Foreman-Frazier series issues.  They’re a chronology that we 50 and 60 somethings love to collect.

 

35. 1974 Ali-Foreman – See #34 above. “The Rumble in the Jungle” and the “Rope a Dope” – perhaps the fight that endeared Ali most to his adoring fans.  A huge upset – Ali wore Foreman down by taking blow after harmless blow until Foreman had nothing left.  Also a tough find in CGC High Grade.  Collector’s love the chronology of this series along with the 71 Frazier-Ali.

36. 1971 Ali – Frazier – The first Ali Frazier bout saw Frazier taking the decision but his face looked like a punching bag. He had been beaten to a pulp but took the punishment to hand Ali his first defeat.  Again, a tough find in CGC High Grade but if you can put together an Ali-Frazier–Foreman collector series, you’ll be glad you did!

37. 1955 Hogan – First Cover highlighting the 8^th hole of the Masters, a tournament Hogan had owned in the past. One of the most popular of the 55 covers, and there are many, but difficult to find above the grade of CGC 9.0.  The highest grade to date is 9.4 with a pop of 1.  All of these 55’s are holding their values and Hogan is no exception.  Grab a high grade Hogan and keep it – then check the value next year!

38. 1956 Mantle World Series – Any early Mantle covers are among the top collected SI’s and most valuable. The 56 World Series cover is one of those covers that just refuses to turn up above the grade of CGC 7.0.  If you can find a decent looking copy, take a chance and have it graded – you may own the highest grade out there.  Plus it’s Mantle’s third cover in his Triple Crown year.  It’s a no brainer.

39. 1996 Derek Jeter – Holy Cow! You would think the relevant age of this issue would turn up at least several CGC 9.8’s.  But believe or not, none have appeared on the CGC census higher than a 9.4.  You might have the highest recorded mag to date in your attic!  Any Yankee cover tends to be popular but Jeter ranks right up with the top Yankee icons.  Keep your eye out for one of these – they are out there!

40. 1960 Arnold Palmer – The King – Arnie’s Army. The undisputed King of the 50’s and 60’s PGA and the man most responsible for the incredible modern day golf purses.  This 60’s issue is another dark era copy and is very very difficult to find above the grade of CGC 6.0.  A nice clean copy could would quickly attract the attention of investors.  There hasn’t been a clean copy even submitted to grade yet.  So if you’ve had that copy stored in your attic for 50 years, it’s time to pull it out and have it graded.  You might be sitting on a bunch of cash!