I Sold My 1953 Topps Cards! Part 2

Last weekend I put up a post regarding my surrender on my 1953 Topps PSA-graded set.  I had no regrets about giving up those cards, and getting $1,750 in return.  Today's post in this ongoing series begins to shed some light on exactly why I didn't have any regrets.  Yup, it's time to start sharing some of the spoils that I used the funds from the sale on.

Now, just because I sold that lot of cards does not mean that I don't enjoy the 1953 Topps set.  Baseball cards from the '50s continue to be my primary target collection-wise, and the '53 set in particular is still an absolute favorite of mine.  I knew full well that I'd want to use some of the funds to offset at least some of the 102 cards I sold from the release.

As a first step, I deposited $40 into my COMC account and went hunting for cheap '53s.  I was looking for low hanging fruit that was visually appealing, and I think I did damn well.

The cards that I was able to grab were a perfect fit for my new approach to this set.  Not flawless cards by any means, but not completely banged up either.  I just want good visual appeal and nothing like gigantic creases, tears, holes, etc.  Luke Easter here's a good representation of the overall lot, as you'll see.

I didn't scan the backs of all the cards in today's post in the interest of brevity, but they all look similar to this one.  Great shape, no paper loss or any of that nonsense.

Quite a few of these are cards that I had in slabbed format that were included in the sale.  Seems silly to sell a card and then use some of the proceeds to buy back the exact same one?  Not when you consider that I let the graded ones go for $17-per-card on average, and the cards in this post cost me $2.45 each (with just one exception, the Luke Easter that led off the post was $3.25).

So yeah, part of the reason that I had no issue letting my '53s go is that I fully intended to buy many of them back at a fraction of the cost in ungraded format.  I honestly like the raw cards better, especially when I can find needs like this at a sub-$3 price point.  I loaded up on Ultra-Pro vintage-sized penny sleeves and top loaders so that I can keep these protected and looking great.  At some point I might consider going with a binder and 8-pocket sheets, but I'm sticking with top loaders in a monster box for now.

Cal Abrams, one of the best smiles in the set.

To think, you can buy four cards from this original 1953 release in this kind of condition for less money than Topps asks for a single "Living Set" 1953-style modern card in their online store.  To each his own, but give me the four vintage cards all day long.

Another one I'd owned previously.  Always wondered what the wooden structure behind Zernial's left shoulder is.

I picked up this entire $40 lot in one single offer to a COMC seller, and now that I've got them in hand I'm really satisfied with the condition.

Some of the cards, like Les Fusselman here, are ones that I did not have prior to the sale.  Feels even better adding some of these with the proceeds.

Love the St. Louis Browns logo on these cards.  It was actually worked into my original blog header way back in 2008 or so.

I can understand why opinions on this set differ vastly among collectors.  Either you love it or you don't.  Personally, I think the artwork is fantastic.

Perhaps my favorite card of this grouping is Brooklyn Dodgers manager Chuck Dressen.  Aside from the Red Sox, there is no team that I enjoy adding to my baseball card collection more than the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Great background on this one as well.

So there you have it, 16 1953 Topps cards for an even $40, to the penny.  Combined with the Red Sox team cards I held onto, I'm up to 32 cards and counting, or 11.7% complete, in my second go-round at this set.  I've got plenty more to show from my sale proceeds haul, so I'll be back next Saturday with more.  Until then, thanks as always for stopping by!