This is Sandy Koufax's rookie card. If it were in pristine shape, it would be the most expensive card I own, by far. It books for around $1,200.But it's not in ideal condition, as you can see. The corners are rounded. There are major north-south creases throughout the right half of the card. There is tape holding together the right edge, which had a chunk taken out of it at some point before I owned it.
It is, without question, a great, great card. I am happy to have it. I traded quite a bit to get it back in high school.
But as happy as I am with this card, I have also looked at it many times, thinking, "if only it was in better condition." And after reading a number of people's blogs, in which they praise the battered cardboard (hell, there's an entire site dedicated just to mangled cards), I am somewhat ashamed that I feel that way.
So, I'm not going to lament the card's imperfections anymore. I am going to find a way to display my rookie Koufax proudly. I won't be able to tell any stories about how the creases got there. But I will be able to tell the story of how I once wished more for the card, but now appreciate it for what it is: a 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax rookie card that once had the tar beaten out of it.
How about you? What great cards do you have that would be much more valuable -- money-wise, anyway -- if only they were in decent shape? And how do you feel about them?
Comments
My '56 Aaron is warped, torn and has a hole through Hank's eyeball. Also my '73 Schmidt rookie looks like it passed through the intestinal tract of a diseased boar at one point. They are still a '56 Aaron and a Schmidt rookie though.
I've mentioned and talked about my card that is in just about the same condition as yours:
http://cheapseatsaints.blogspot.com/2008/10/1955-bowman-ernie-banks.html
I wouldn't trade it now for anything. Well, maybe a rookie Mantle, but not much else.
It does get the point across.
As for your question, most of my vintage is in poor/bad shape. My '54 Hank Aaron rookie has a printing defect, 1909-1911 Christy Mathewson is beat to hell, my '52 Topps Pafko has some rounded corners and creases. Hell, my '67 Topps Venezuelan Babe Ruth looks like one stuck it in the washer. I could go on for days. You can see some here
(http://cardboardicons.com/ram-project/ram-project-the-legends/)
But honestly, if these cards were in good condition, I would not own them. I respect good condition vintage, but for my purposes, just owning an original copy is good enough.