Posted By:
Gilbert MainesBryan: I am speaking primarilly of me when it comes to arrogance. I find it difficult to place myself in the position of a kid from long ago, as he "carelessly" rips apart a strip of cards, so that he can engage in a flipping game with his friends, or just stuff 'em into his jeans pocket after a brief glance at the unknown common (who turns out to be a Bill Terry rookie card - or the equivalent).
I buy strip cards which obtain the highest grade if the dotted lines remain at both the top and bottom of the remaining card. I wanted to see how achievable this was, so I attempted it on a few reprint strips. Ripping these evenly with minimal damage is not easy (if the kid had a pocket knife, it may be easier).
I find it difficult to not side with the grading consensus, and preferentially acquire comparitively pristine examples, eventhough they are not typical real life. In one case tho, I have opted for my piece of this Americana. I bought the four w-514 Chicago pitchers who each won 20+ games in 1920; as they came. The Kerr and Cicotte were fairly well cut, but the Faber and Williams were close cut resulting in no borders at the sides nor top - and not real straight cuts. I really enjoy these cards. They are genuine survivors that have the feel that they were really THERE in the 20s. Way much more than those higher gradeable cards which I own.
Each time I purchase the more "collector correct" example, I am cheating myself - and I know it. But as a current collector, it is difficult to divorce yourself from the hobby consensus.
I really did not intend for anyone to take the opinions stated in my previous post, nor this one, as a critique of their views. I agree, CWYWC, it is all good.
Edited to add:
For clarification, the arrogance of which I was addressing, is the hobby's belief that they sit in judgement of the choices made by the card purchaser. Although each person does do this because it is his money which is being paid for the surviving card, his view is shaded by what the grading company may think. And this judgemental arrogance often does result in a sizable devaluation of surviving examples which possess far greater history, character, and genuineness than their "correct" counterparts.
I hope that some of this is clear.