Quote:
Originally Posted by Bocabirdman
I think that TPGs are a needed evil. If a collector has started collecting Pre-War, say, in the last 10 years, he lacks the lifetime of hands-on experience to navigate the world of reprints ( announced and covert), doctored cards, and endless chicanery. Also, there are lots of cards that are no longer able to be handled. They need to be entombed to preserve them and delay their disintegration.  |
This is well said and describes my experience. I got back into collecting 4 years ago, and three of the first four raw cards I purchased were determined to be trimmed or altered. I know there are long time collectors who would scoff at my ignorance, but frankly, I don't have the time to study the nuances of every card I want to collect or go back and forth with dealers on condition debates. To me, the TPGs mitigate the downsides of being relatively new to the hobby.