Posted By:
jay behrensWhen I got into the hobby back in 1980 I didn't go out buy high dollar items right away. It wasn't until 1982 that I first spent over $100 on a single card. For those that were around then, you know just how much that was to pay for card back then.
No matter what you collect, you should fully research the subject before laying out large sums of cash for a single item. The con artists rely on people not doing their homewark in order to get your money from you. There is also no substitute for literally handling thousands of cards. I was lucky enough to have Ron Oser and Bill Bosert let me work behind thier tables for then at Willow Grove and other shows, and got my 'hands on' experience with them. Just knowing the feel of a card goes a long way in helping you determine if a card is legit or not.
Personally, I don't like slabbed cards becuase I like holding my cards and being able to fully examine them. Grading companies came about because of 'Wall Stree' types that were just looking to make a buck on high ticket items but didn't want to do the research. I'd like to see them do thier job that way, lol.
I have gone the route Scott has in that when I sell cards on eBay, I do not list a grade, just a detailed description and a scan becuase grading is so subjective.
Jay
Jay