QUOTE(aceecards @ Jul 24 2016, 07:02 PM)
I'm still reeling. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics. He had a stack of about 100 bookworthy cards from 1952 and 1953, most in VG or EX. (3) 52 Topps Andy Pafko- 2 were in VG cond and 1 was Fair. 1952 Topps Willie Mays in Fair condition-- it would have been VG or EX, but for a miniscule dot of paper loss that really didn't detract from the card. A boatload of 53 Bowman color mostly in EX condition multiples of Spahn, Feller, Musial, Doby. A 1953 Topps Satchell Paige in EX cond. And these are just the ones I remember. I found a few gems that he had overlooked and left in with the commons- 53 Bowman B&W Bob Lemon in EX condition and a couple 53 Topps Smokey Burgess SPs also in ex condition. In addition, he had a stack of about 150 1952 Topps commons mostly in VG condition and around 300 1953 Topps commons mostly in EX condition.
I basically advised him to list the cards on ebay. My overall opinion of their value is somewhere between 7K and 10K, but I am by no means an expert on grading or predicting what cards are going to sell for on ebay. I told him that if he did that to list the commons first. He should be able to get around $5 each for the 52 Topps and somewhere around $2 or $3 each for the 53 Bowman and Topps. Then after he's built up some history, he could list the better cards and should get closer to market value for them. I think time is a factor and fear he's going to offload them to a dealer in town.
I told him that if he goes that route, then he should try to get the dealer to come up to 4K but not to expect more than that cause the guy has to make his money.
Unfortunately I don't think keeping them is an option, but it would be his best option if he isn't going to ebay them. As a vintage junkie, it was an amazing experience to see all those cards up close. Wish I had an extra $3500-$4K lying around because if I did, I would take them off his hands.