Dean's Cards FAQs

If you do not see the answer to your question here or need further assistance of any type, please feel free to Contact Us by email or by calling (513) 898-0651.

Topics

  • Our Policies
  • Questions about Shopping
  • Questions about the Hobby
  • Questions about Selling Cards
  • Miscellaneous Questions

  • Dean's Cards Policies:

    Q: What are your hours of operation?
    A: Our office are Monday through Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm Eastern Standard Time, but our website never closes.

    Q: Where is the Dean's Cards office?
    A: In 2017, we moved into a state-of-the-art 8,500 square foot office, located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

    Q: Do you have a retail store where I can purchase cards?
    A: We do not have a retail store, with showcases.  We are strictly an Internet store.  We display and sell all of our items online.

    Q: Will I be charged sales tax on items that I purchase?
    A: Sales tax will be calculated based on shipping destination, and collected where required by law.

    Q: Do you negotiate on selling prices listed on the DeansCards.com website?
    A: Never, Ever.  Our cards are already discounted (see our everyday discounts) to their lowest prices.  We have been in business since 2001 and have never once broken this policy.  We offer the same quantity discounts to all of our customers.  This way everyone knows they are getting our best price up front and that there is no need to waste your time calling us to negotiate every purchase.

    Q: Can I cancel an order and/or combine shipping if I order multiple times before my product is shipped out?
    A: We always send orders out by the next business day, so you can cancel your order as long as it is within that time frame. We can not combine shipping if you order multiple times.  Due to the number of orders that we receive on a daily basis, it is just not possible to combine orders.  Sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause.  

    Q: How do you package orders to make sure they are safe in the mail?
    A: All of our products are packaged very securely to ensure they are not damaged in the mail.

    Q: Do you ship Fed/Ex or UPS?
    A: We use USPS to ship most of our orders.  We do have a Fed Ex option on our website for customers to select.  On very heavy orders, such as multiple complete sets, we often use UPS.

    Q: Do you offer a professional card grading service?
    A: No.  We are not a professional grading company.

    Q: Is it safe to use my credit card/debit card on your site?
    A: Yes.  We have a secure site and use a third party to handle all credit card transactions.  We only save and encrypt the last 4 digits of your credit card for your reference when choosing between the saved credit cards on file in your account.  Even if someone were to 'hack" into our website, there is no credit information to steal, it is all kept safely on our third party credit card authorization company (Authorize.net).  When you place an order with your credit card information, even we can not see your complete account numbers.  For this reason our website is even more secure than a retail store, where you hand the employee your credit card.

    Q: Is your mailing address posted on your site?
    A: No.  That way if you have a collection you want to sell you would need to contact us first.  In the past, there were people who would send us hundreds of pounds of worthless modern cards and expect us to ship them back.  It was a waste of money to everyone.

    Q: Will my information be sold or shared to other companies?
    A: No, Never.

    Q: I changed my e-mail address, how do I update my account?
    A: To change your e-mail address go to my account and log in and then click on the view/change account info and you can change it.

    Q: What is your return policy?
    A: We offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee on every item. If you are unsatisfied with your order, please ship the items and a copy of the invoice back to us within 10 business days of receiving your order.

    Q: What are your Grading Standards?
    A: Dean's Cards typically grades cards a little more conservatively than PSA. By grading our cards conservatively, clients can rest assured that the cards they order will meet (and possibly exceed) their expectations.  Click Here for a detailed list of our grading standards.

    Q: What are your Shipping & Handling Charges?

    The shipping & handling costs vary, depending on method and amount of the order. Internet orders receive an additional discount. All packages are insured. Please feel free to call for assistance, if you need help placing your first order.

    A: United States

    The most affordable postage is:

    USPS First Class Mail (Estimated Delivery is 3-5 Business Days)


    Orders under $400 --- $9.99 for phone orders / ($3.99) when you order on our eStore

    All orders over $400 will be sent by USPS Priority Mail
    *On heavy orders (e.g. multiple sets) we may have to charge additional shipping depending upon weight

    Other Mailing Options:

    USPS Priority Mail (Estimated Delivery is 2-3 Business Days)
    Orders under $50 --- $12.99 for phone orders / $3.00 discount ($9.99) when you order on our eStore
    Orders $50.00-$399.99 --- $15.99 / $3.00 discount ($12.99) when you order on our eStore
    Orders $400-$999.99 --- $5.99

    *On heavy orders (e.g. multiple sets) we may have to charge additional shipping depending upon weight.

    Express (1-2 Business Days Guaranteed)
    Orders under $50 --- $38.00 for phone orders / $3.00 discount ($35.00) when you order on our eStore
    Orders $50.00-$199.99 --- $42.00 for phone orders / $3.00 discount ($39.00) when your order on our eStore
    Orders $200.00-$1999.00 --- $41.00
    Orders over $2,000.00-$2,999.99 --- FREE
    All orders over $2,000.00 will be sent by USPS Express Mail

    *On heavy orders (e.g. multiple sets) we may have to charge additional shipping depending upon weight.

    Fed Ex (Overnight)
    Your order will arrive overnight if it is placed by 12 pm Monday through Thursday. No Saturday or Sunday delivery. Depending on the weight of the package we may have to contact you to purchase additional shipping.

    Orders under $10,000.00 --- $99.00
    Orders over $10,000.00 --- FREE

    Fed Ex (2 day)
    No Saturday or Sunday delivery. Depending on the weight of the package we may have to contact you to purchase additional shipping.

    Orders over $3,000.00-$9,999.00 --- FREE

    International Shipping Policy

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION - All international customers are responsible for any customs fees or taxes levied by their respective country. Please contact your local customs office to determine what the fees will be for importing your goods from the United States.

    We do not know what these fees will be, and can not quote you a price for these fees. You are responsible to pay these fees in order to receive your goods at your local customs office. If you refuse to pay the import fees that your country levies on your order, and your order is returned to us, your refund will be reduced by any customs fees and return shipping fees that we are required to pay in order to accept the goods back in our country. Below are the shipping rates for Canada and all other International orders.

    Canada
    First Class Air Mail --- (USPS First Class Mail International - Includes Tracking Information)
    Under $400.00 --- $15.75
    Priority Mail --- (USPS Priority Mail International - Includes Tracking Information)
    Under $400.00 --- $29.00
    Over $400.00 --- $39.00
    Express Mail --- (USPS Express International - Includes Tracking Information)
    $49 on most orders
    *Depending on the weight of the package we may have to contact you to purchase additional shipping.

    International
    Priority Mail --- (USPS Priority Mail International - Includes Tracking Information)
    Under $150.00 --- $39.00
    Over $150.00 --- $49.00
    *Depending on the weight of the package we may have to contact you to purchase additional shipping.


    Q: Why do you give a shipping discount for orders placed directly over the internet?

    A: The reason we give a shipping discount when a customer orders directly from our website is because it increases his or her shopping experience.  The customer can order cards 24x7.  This also allows our staff to concentrate on getting more cards online.  If you need assistance, setting up your account or placing your first order, we will be glad to help.

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    Questions About Shopping

    Q: What methods of payment do you accept?
    A: We accept Credit Cards, Cashiers Check/Money Orders and Paypal.

    Q: What types of credit cards do you accept?
    A: We accept all Major credit cards.

    Q: Do you combine orders and charge one shipping fee?
    A: No.  We can not combine shipping if you order multiple times.  Due to the number of orders that we receive on a daily basis, it is just not possible to combine orders.  

    *Excludes most regions in Canada and the U.K
    Dean’s Cards can no longer accept credit cards from outside the United States. We will be accepting pay pal. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. We apologize for any inconvenience.

    Q: Do your autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity / How do I know your autographs are real?
    A: Many of our autographed baseballs are authenticated by PSA.  The rest of our autographed cards and baseballs come with a certification of authenticity from Deans' Cards.

    Q: What does "With or Without Label" on the Sports Illustrated mean?
    A: "With Label" means there is a mailing label on the front of the magazine because it was a part of a subscription and "Without Label" means that the SI was originally purchased from a news stand or store.

    Q: What is the difference between a starter set and a complete set?
    A: A complete set will contain every card from that year.  Starter sets are card lots of our choice to help you get started on putting together a complete set.  We have several starter sets to choose from for each year with specified numbers of cards in different conditions.  Please see the set description to view front and back scans of the actual cards that you will receive.

    Q: If I order two Starter Sets or Near Sets from the same year will I receive duplicates? 
    A: Yes. One reason these sets are so affordable is that they contain cards in which we are well-stocked.  You can check each set and view scans of the cards that are in the set.     

    Q: Why do you state that your complete sets are the best in the hobby?
    A: We realize that words are cheap, but I am convinced that our complete sets are the best in the hobby because of several factors.  The first factor being our grading.  We grade each card separately, and on par with PSA, and if a card grades in-between two grades, we usually go with the more conservative grade.  Unlike many of the sets being sold on eBay that grade "Near Mint" but have cards that vary in grade from Good up to Near Mint-Mint, our sets tend to be very consistent. Customers can view enlarged scans of the front and back of every card in most of the vintage sets that we have listed online.

    Q: What does representative image mean?
    A: A representative image is a picture of what the card looks like and can been seen by clicking on the item listing.  However, this is not the exact card that you will receive and is not an indication of the grade of the card. Representative Images are used mainly for modern cards, with a low price tag.  These cards are price prohibitive to scan on a individual basis.  Almost all of our Pre-1973 cards use the actual image of the cards that you will receive.
      
    Q: Is the picture of the card I will receive on the website the actual card?
    A: Yes. We have individual scans of our vintage cards. If you click on the "thumbnail" of the card , it will show you the actual image that you would be receiving.

    Q: Why do some of the post-1980 cards do not have an actual scan of the card?
    A: We have over 1,000,000 cards in our data base, and most vintage cards have an actual scan of the card that you are purchasing.  As a rule, most of the modern cards are in "pack-fresh" condition and it does not make business sense to add the additional cost of scanning, sleeving and labeling a card to its price.

    Q: How can I see my past orders?
    A: Once you are logged into your account, click on "Account" at the top of the page.  Once there, click on "Order History" to pull up all of your past orders.  Once you have selected the one you would like to look at, click on the word "view" and all of your cards, or sets, from that order will come up.  To view the image of card, simply click on the card title.  If you are looking to see images of all cards from your set, click on the title of the set and our set view will come up, allowing you to see a front and back scan of each card.

    Q: Do you offer payment plans for high-end items?
    A: No. We do not have any type of lay away program, but if you are not able to purchase something and we no longer have that item when you are ready please contact us because we may be able to find that item for you.

    Q: Do you have a print catalog?
    A: No we do not have a catalog.  Catalogs are usually "out-of-date" by the time they are printed.  All of our inventory is listed online and is completely current.

    Q: If I buy a card from you in a certain grade, do you guarantee that it will get that grade if I were to send it to a third party grading company such as PSA?
    A: We do grade very conservatively and on par with PSA, but we can not guarantee that a card will get a certain grade if sent to a professional grading company.  They are far too unpredictable.  Our experience is that while many cards do grade the same, some will receive higher grades and some lower.

    Q: Can I place my order by phone?
    A: We prefer online orders, because they are so much easier for the customer, but you may place a phone order if you are unable to do so online.  When you order online, no one can see your credit information.  Even us. If a customer does need to order by phone, we ask that they be prepared in terms of knowing exactly what cards they need to order.  Our phone number is 513.898.0651.

    Q: What does the quantity "Open Stock" mean?
    A: It is not cost effective for us to sleeve, grade and inventory the common players from the mid-seventies through the mid-eighties. To keep the price affordable for the buyer, we've decided to make these years "Open Stock". All this means is the cards with "Open Stock" in the quantity field are not actually inventoried.

    We have thousands of these cards, thus we should be able to fill most of your order, but we may be missing a few cards. If we are unable to completely fill your order, we will take it upon ourselves to refund your credit card or your other method of payment.

    Please feel free to give us specific instructions in the comments section of your order. An example would be, "I ordered NrMt/Mt - please give me the best available, but not lower than Ex/Mt", and we will adjust the price accordingly. (Please note that because of the secure website, it is only possible for us to adjust the price down - not up.)

    Q: The card I'm looking for isn't on your website; Is there any chance you have the card in stock?
    A: All of our inventory is listed on the website. We are constantly adding new products, making our site a up-to-the-minute list of our current inventory. Keep checking out our Recently Added Cards page to keep up with our latest additions. 

    Q: Do all of the cards you sell on your website come in soft sleeves?
    A: Almost all of the vintage cards on our website up until will come in soft sleeves and labels.

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    Questions About the Hobby


    Q: How can I find out what my cards are worth?
    A: If you are looking for a pricing guide you can check DeansCards.com for vintage cards www.tuffstuff.com for post-1980 cards.

    Q: Do you know where I can sell my modern (1970s and newer) baseball card collections?
    A: You could try eBay, but these cards have little to no value - with a few exceptions.

    Q: What does PSA stand for?
    A: Professional Sport Authenticator. They are a professional grading business.

    Q: Are autographed cards more valuable than a regular baseball card?
    A: In general autographed cards are worth more, but a player's signature can also reduce the value of an expensive card.

    Q: I have heard that my cards are worth more if I have them professionally graded. Is this true?
    A: Sometimes.  Please see Dean's article on Professionally Graded Cards.

    Q: How can I tell what year my cards were issued?
    A: Most vintage sports cards do not have the year in which they were printed on the back. However, if the card features player statistics, you can often times tell in which year the card was printed by simply adding "one" to the most recent statistic. For example, if you have a Mickey Mantle card in which his last line of statistics is for the year 1957, that particular card was printed in 1958.

    Q: How can I tell if my cards are reprints or originals?
    A: This is a very good question. If you have a reprint card, it was most likely printed at some point between the 1980's and today. With that said, reprint cards are generally found to be in much more pristine condition than originals. Additionally, most reprint cards feature the word "reprint" and sometimes the year in which they were reprinted, somewhere on the back of the card.

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    Questions About Selling Cards


    Q: Does Dean's Cards buy sports cards? How do I go about doing so?
    A: Yes.  We buy hundreds of card collections from 1975 and older and complete sets from 1985 and before .  We are primarily buying vintage cards from 1969 and older, but we do sometimes buy collections from the 1970s.  In order for you to send us cards from the 1970s we would need at least a few thousand and they would have to be in very nice condition.  Please refer to our Sell Your Collection page for more in depth information on what we can buy and how the process works.

    Q: Do you appraise collections?
    A: Dean's Cards can not offer you an appraisal for your cards.  We simply can not find enough hours in the day to offer this service.  However, if you wish for Dean's Cards to purchase your card collection, the ball gets rolling by filling out the form on our Sell Your Collection page.

    Q: Do you offer consignment services?
    A: No, we do not offer consignment services for post war cards, but we sometimes will consign very old and expensive items.

    Q: Do you buy or sell memorabilia?
    A: No we do not.  Unfortunately, we simply do not have the type of expertise in this area to deliver the level of quality that we feel customers should receive. 

    Q: Does Dean’s Cards ever have auctions in which I can sell my collection?
    A: No.  We do not have online auctions.

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    Miscellaneous Questions

    Q: How often do you update your inventory?
    A: We update our inventory and prices daily.  Click on"See Whats Hot" on our homepage to check out recently added items.

    Q: I’m looking for a rare, hard to find, high-end item. Can you help me find it?
    A: Yes, we can try.  Please tell us what you are looking for through our Contact Us page and we will see what we can do!

    Q: How does Dean's Cards price the cards in their inventory?
    A: The price of the cards are based on the supply and demand for the card and it automatically adjusted by a software that we have developed.

    1. Our goal at Dean's Cards is to have every vintage baseball and football card in stock, in at least 3 different grades.
    2. Dean's Cards has more than 1,000,000 cards online -  most with front and back scans.
    3. We are currently selling an average of over 1,000 cards a day!
    4. Our goal is also to have complete sets and team sets for every vintage baseball, football, & basketball set, in at least 3 different grades.
    5. We have well over 10,000 vintage (pre-1980) sets online.  This includes complete sets, starter sets & team sets.

    We know of no other eStore that comes close to our selection of inventory or sales volume of vintage sports cards.  To keep a selection of every vintage card in stock, we are often forced to purchase several cards from each set at retail prices.  Although we do offer to sell these cards individually, their main purpose is to fill in the holes in our inventory, so that we can offer complete sets and team sets.

    Here are the Facts:
    Of the million cards that Dean's Cards has on our website, at this time: 
    *40% are priced at $1 or less
    *60% are priced at $2 or less
    *80% are priced at $5 or less
    *90% are priced at $10 or less

    The vast majority of our cards are priced very affordably.  Quite often our cards are the lowest priced.

    Card prices are before quantity discounts.  Prices on various marketplaces vary, depending on fees and free shipping.

    Q: Can the price of a card change after I place it in my cart?
    A: Yes. The prices of cards continuously adjust, due to sales, added inventory and market conditions.  If you have cards in your cart, especially for a period of days, you may see the a few of the prices rise or fall over time.  Once a card is purchased, and paid for, the price of that card is locked.

    Q: What if I don't see my question here?
    A: Then head on over to our Contact Us page and send us your question!

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