General Forum

Good with no marks is always better IMO.

I'd rather no marks as well, but I am drawn to the history of marked checklists if they're particularly old. I find it interesting that some kid from 50+ years ago used the checklist for what it was for before worrying about how much their silly checklist card would be worth 50 years down the line. Even unfinished checklists have a story to them, as the kid may have had the Mantle but was missing some backup catcher. If the price is right and the card is really old enough, sometimes I relent to taking on something with sub-par condition just for fun.

I think a few people have already said what I would say. I prefer no marks and will often take a somewhat beatup unmarked card over a card that is in near mint condition but has marks making it a much lower "grade".

What gets me are the half checklist cards like some older and vintage team cards where the checklist is on the back but the front has a regular photo or team photo. The front looks great but the back is marked up completely UGH.

I don't have much to add other than I remember how disappointed I was as a kid when I would be going through the pack I just opened and I saw that one of my cards was one of those 132 card checklists.

I am definetly in the minority and I like checklist cards. It allows you to see who is in the set and remind me of a time with less parallels. I also do not care to have a checked checklist when building a set but after the set is built I would perfer to have an unmarked checklist is the best condition possible. But building sets I just want the card to start condition does not matter.

Here's a reflective, full confession from a kid of the 70s who is happy he still has his cards from back then (and more, now)...

I loved getting checklists, and I marked them when I got them. That's what checklists are for, after all. Even today if you want to know what cards you have or don't you go to the TCDB "checklist", right?  Remember there was no internet then, or even a Beckett's or Topps magazine with a full list of cards. But those occasional team cards or series' checklist cards would tell us who we were missing.

Somewhat ironic in hindsight is that it was the doubles and triples that didn't get marked and those were the ones I traded to friends for whatever cards I was missing.  Today those are the ones I wish I had.

But what I really lament is that I always used pen or pencil, which of course makes an indentation in addition to a mark. But the pencils faded over the years and at this point I really wish I had used my Dad's fine-tip colored Flair pens (markers?) he had instead of what I used.  I think a fine-tip Sharpie would have been ideal, wouldn't have indented and likely wouldn't have faded.  But I can't say I ever saw such a thing back then.  (Erasermate pens were all the rage, though, when those came out!) 

Next time I'm in a tricked out DeLorean and heading to a 1970s five-and-dime store, I'm taking a Sharpie or two with me for pre-teen me, should I run into him. 

--Kent

If anyone wants to offload their marked up checklists, send em my way. I love to see them all marked up. Some kid some where at some time got excited to check a card off the list and use the checklist for its intended purpose. One day I'll use a checklist as circumstantial proof that humans predated the internet. 

For collection unmarked is better choice no matter condition. If between two marked then fewest or cleanest marks best. I would take nice filled in boxes over check marks. I need to upgrade some 73 team checklist cards that are in great shape but have completely filled in boxes

As a kid yes I used the checklists as intended and agree it is funny that now I don't want anything to do with the marked ones. Also agree that I love thinking about the history of the kid who marked the checklists. Wow they got them all, or oopps I guess they never got the Clemente or the Renko but had the Bench and the Bench IA. I hate cards that are written on for my collection but I also wonder why did this kid write on this card? So his older brother would not steal them? So he knew they were traded to another team or also played a position not on the front of the card? Amazing history of a life or a world that we will never see again.