Graded or Raw....

[xplainer]

I have in the past , busted graded cards out of their holder to put in my binder.
But on resale, I precieved there might be a lower resale value.
If you had a choice of buying a graded card, vereses a raw card, how would you go.
I am talking about T206 specifically, but all others too.

Does a graded card (PSA or SGC) have more weight, even a 1 or 2, on your decison to buy the card, rather than a raw card ?

Just wondering what the community thinks. This community.

Thanks.

[bbcard1]

I have kept the slab with the card. They will normally resale for a minimal charge. Had the occasion with a Cobb.

[JollyElm]

A lot of times it depends on the price differential. My sets are post-war, and when I look to fill a hole, it seems nice looking ungraded cards (and Lord knows what grade they would get) on ebay are priced so high, that it makes sense to pay a little more and get one that is already slabbed. You know what you are getting is good and (hopefully) there are no surprises.

[Rich Falvo]

I buy most of my cards online without being able to see them in person, so I prefer graded when possible. Makes me feel a little more confident about authenticity.

[Bram99]

While many like to have cards outside the third-party grader's encapsulated plastic for various reasons like the uniformity or storage together in a binder because majority of their collection/set is not in the holders, if you are looking to long-term value of your collection, the answer is simple. Cracking out from the holder destroys value.

It may well enhance enjoyment, but it destroys value.

For the collector who is concerned with the long-term value (sale-ability) of their cards, the holder provides a 3rd party opinion that helps arbitrate the sale.

I am not talking about the practice of cracking for re-submittal. There are dealers who are serial re-submitters who crack cards out and re-submit in hopes of a higher grade. Many swear by that practice because moving up from an 8 to even an 8.5 in some cases can double the value of a card, and it's like a lottery pick. They pay a small (getting bigger and bigger) fee to try to see if the grade could come back better, with the possibility of a much larger increase in value. That's a different matter than what you describe.

In the end, it depends what your goals are. If it's just enjoyment and uniformity, go for it and crack them out. If you are concerned with you or your loved ones having to sell the cards someday, don't do it.

Tony

[ullmandds]

It's almost always preferable to buy a card thats already been graded...it's like receiving an added monetary benefit of not having to pay for it yourself and incur the ridiculously long waiting times involved.

On the other hand I will not shy away from buying raw if the price/card is right for me!

[garymc]

Not a fan of slabbing a card, I feel third party grading is one of the negative aspects of the hobby, but I do understand why if you are a dealer. Most people today when they look at a card they don't see the beauty of it, the design, the color, the font, the paper that it was printed on and most of all the player. Their eyes go right to the grade, they might even comment they don't like the label. My cards are my serenity, I like to touch them, label them, rearrange them and most of all historically talk about them. I sometime wait years for certain cards to come up in auction and pay the price whatever it is. I feel the passion of the hunt and find it thrilling.
Not a fan of grading....

[ullmandds]

Not a fan of slabbing a card, I feel third party grading is one of the negative aspects of the hobby, but I do understand why if you are a dealer. Most people today when they look at a card they don't see the beauty of it, the design, the color, the font, the paper that it was printed on and most of all the player. Their eyes go right to the grade, they might even comment they don't like the label. My cards are my serenity, I like to touch them, label them, rearrange them and most of all historically talk about them. I sometime wait years for certain cards to come up in auction and pay the price whatever it is. I feel the passion of the hunt and find it thrilling.
Not a fan of grading....

Gary... I agree with your comments wholeheartedly... and when cards were less expensive decades ago I used to buy never ever intending to sell any of them!! But those days are long gone and these days it makes much more sense to have cards graded if you ever intend to transfer them onward!

These days my best cards are mostly graded and all the rest are in binders for me to touch smell feel and enjoy !

[Frank A]

I never liked grading services, but if your going to sell it does enhance the price. However now I may not have anything else graded because of the extremely ridiculous grading prices and wait time. I'd rather be able to hold the card in my hand.

[steve B]

For me grading only has any weight above a certain point.

a 1 or 2 just shouldn't be graded unless it's an expensive card where there would be some comfort for a buyer that at least it's not fake.

Anything up to about a 5 is sort of a wash, above that the difference in the price will make it matter.

That being said, I've only bought one card because of the grade, while I've bought a few raw ones and had them graded.

[Leon]

Sort of depends on what holder it is in, per the value. A PRO or GAI holder diminishes value (and I realize this was more about PSA and SGC). A few packs in GAI holders might hold value but no cards will, imo. And if the card is in a PRO holder I have learned to walk away, the hard way. Otherwise, I agree that good TPG holders do add some value to most cards.

While many like to have cards outside the third-party grader's encapsulated plastic for various reasons like the uniformity or storage together in a binder because majority of their collection/set is not in the holders, if you are looking to long-term value of your collection, the answer is simple. Cracking out from the holder destroys value.

It may well enhance enjoyment, but it destroys value.

For the collector who is concerned with the long-term value (sale-ability) of their cards, the holder provides a 3rd party opinion that helps arbitrate the sale.

I am not talking about the practice of cracking for re-submittal. There are dealers who are serial re-submitters who crack cards out and re-submit in hopes of a higher grade. Many swear by that practice because moving up from an 8 to even an 8.5 in some cases can double the value of a card, and it's like a lottery pick. They pay a small (getting bigger and bigger) fee to try to see if the grade could come back better, with the possibility of a much larger increase in value. That's a different matter than what you describe.

In the end, it depends what your goals are. If it's just enjoyment and uniformity, go for it and crack them out. If you are concerned with you or your loved ones having to sell the cards someday, don't do it.

Tony

[Ricky]

Personally, I came of age as a collector in the years before TPG services, so I'm not a fan. That said, if I purchase a card that's been slabbed, I decide whether to break it out or leave it based on the value and player. If I buy a slabbed card of a common player for $50, I'll break it out and keep it in my binders. If it's a HOF player and I buy it for $200, I'll probably keep it slabbed.

[ajquigs]

I buy most of my cards online without being able to see them in person, so I prefer graded when possible. Makes me feel a little more confident about authenticity.

Authenticity is the biggest factor for me also. No guarantees, of course, but if I'm spending $100 or more I'll generally go with graded.

[Leon]

I agree grading increases the likelihood of no hidden issues, however I still buy raw frequently. And I have missed a ton of issues that TPGs have caught. :( Live and learn.

Authenticity is the biggest factor for me also. No guarantees, of course, but if I'm spending $100 or more I'll generally go with graded.

[PowderedH2O]

I am 11 years away from the age my dad was when he died. So, who knows when it will happen. When I have sold or traded raw, it has been tough. Collectors ask millions of questions and want all sorts of different angles of photos. When I go, I want my wife to be able to grab a slab and sell it without knowing a darned thing about it. So, gradually I am purging my pre-1970's ungraded cards and replacing them with graded ones. I get a few less cards. My wife gets a few less headaches (hopefully decades from now).

[Leon]

That is thoughtful. Good for you. I hope I can remember to do the same thing as the clock winds down....(the later the better)

I am 11 years away from the age my dad was when he died. So, who knows when it will happen. When I have sold or traded raw, it has been tough. Collectors ask millions of questions and want all sorts of different angles of photos. When I go, I want my wife to be able to grab a slab and sell it without knowing a darned thing about it. So, gradually I am purging my pre-1970's ungraded cards and replacing them with graded ones. I get a few less cards. My wife gets a few less headaches (hopefully decades from now).

[packs]

I want it graded when I buy it.

[jchcollins]

I buy most things for my collection (postwar) online, so if at all possible I buy PSA or SGC graded just for reassurance on what I am buying if I cannot hold the card in my hands and inspect it first. Once in my posession, whether or not it stays in the slab becomes of less importance, especially if it's something I have no plans to sell. If the card arrives and it is fine and looks good in the slab, I leave it. If the card bounces around in the slab to any great degree (late 60's and early 70's Topps cards seem to have a penchant for this...) I will usually bust it out. I will also bust out if the slab is damaged or cracked in any way, or if (this happens all the time with BVG) there is something foreign like dust or debris inside the slab which makes it appear as if there is wear on the card which is not actually there.

[rdixon1208]

I buy most of my cards raw, but they don't stay that way for long. I accept that I'm going to have to pay for grading on a lot of my cards when I get ready to sell them, but that's money well spent. I pull my album out at least once a week and go through my cards. I've cracked Ruth, Cobb, Wagner, all of them. The only time I got really nervous was the first time I held a 1914 Cracker Jack. It was a HOFer graded PSA 4 so I paid a lot (for me) for it. I had no idea how fragile those suckers were.

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[maniac_73]

I dont buy cards to resell so I prefer Raw. However in cases where the cards can be counterfeited I buy graded because I'm still too newbie too tell a fake from real lol