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Plastic Dog Assuming that these PSA and SGC registries ever take off for the vintage cards, there are several potential negative effects for collectors - even those that don't participate in the registries.
First, the card Set Registries are basically a copycat of the coin registries, of which the parent companies of PSA and SGC are the primary grading services for coins. The registries have had a profound effect on coin prices, and have the potential to do the same for cards. Prices for high-end coins have been driven sky-high by these registries, and they could exacerbate the already-inflated prices of high-end cards. This has also skewed prices for particular items necessary for certain registry groups, thereby increasing the demand well above pre-registry prices. Good for some dealers, bad for collectors. Additionally, this could change prices for some sets - possibly increasing the value of smaller issues which SGC will grade, and decreasing the values of over-sized issues which are too large or thick for SGC holders. (Take a long look at trends in the coin hobby before you scoff.)
The set registries also have the potential to reduce the supply of some uncut material in the hobby - such as strip cards, Berk Ross pairs, uncut Bowman sheets, etc. as dealers or registry participants cut up the material into individual cards so that they can be graded for a registry. Putting together your Babe Ruth registry set? Well you'll need to have those myriad of Ruth strips graded to move up on the registry, assuming you and another collector have all of the common issues (Goudeys etc.) Decreased supply, increased prices. Effects all of us.
And while I consider the population reports to be fatally flawed before the registries, the registries will undoubtedly make bad population reports that much worse. Right now, the main reason to resubmit a card to SGC or PSA for a higher grade is with the thought of selling the card for a higher price. But now, collectors with graded cards (who normally have no incentive to crack and resubmit) will be enticed to resubmit to the grading companies for the purpose of moving up in the registries. And the population reports will certainly be that much worse.
Finally, while the business world is always competitive, the collector end of this hobby has generally seemed pretty friendly. That has the potential to change if people begin obsessing about their position on the registry lists.
[All of this assumes that the registries become significant in the vintage hobby. But if so, these negative effects could impact all of the collectors - not just those in the registries.]
03-27-2002, 11:36 PM
Elaboration on why I despise the Set Registries
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