But seriously. . . .

[swarmee]

I'd say the biggest reason the vast majority of sets don't have photos added is because they added that functionality within the last few years (and the album addition three years ago) and that many of these sets may be static: basically unchanged for 10 years. People are lazy. I think it's more that they don't want to waste the time scanning and uploading cards rather than they want to protect insider information.

It's actually pretty easy to be #1 in a set in order to get the "award". Just have PSA create one for you. I've had them create about 10, not for the award. Enter the first card, and you're the #1 in the set. You just have to have five cards to qualify.

[Dpeck100]

Originally Posted by swarmee

I'd say the biggest reason the vast majority of sets don't have photos added is because they added that functionality within the last few years (and the album addition three years ago) and that many of these sets may be static: basically unchanged for 10 years. People are lazy. I think it's more that they don't want to waste the time scanning and uploading cards rather than they want to protect insider information.

It's actually pretty easy to be #1 in a set in order to get the "award". Just have PSA create one for you. I've had them create about 10, not for the award. Enter the first card, and you're the #1 in the set. You just have to have five cards to qualify.

I don't disagree but if your set is private you obviously can't post pics and I believe most that are private are trying to protect themselves from others knowing what they own.

I am someone who has built high grade registry sets and can speak from experience that there could be some rational to keeping them private I just choose to share mine and add pics because I enjoy it.

As far as anyone loosing sleep over what their registry count is I think it is doubtful and probably more people took it seriously to get the prizes. I zoomed mine up to 2,000 an hour or so after they launched it and that was it.

I just was indicating that one of the medals that is part of it is being number one in a set and I certainly take that seriously for the sets I focus on. Having one of my wrestling sets win an award in 2013 was a big deal to me and some may think it's stupid and others may think it's cool but if no one took it seriously the registry would have died along time ago and it is stronger than ever.

This gentlemen Charles Merkel is in many ways responsible for collectors changing their focus and actually collecting the bums in high grade. I don't know one person growing up that would have given two sh++'s about a common just because it looked perfect.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Charlie along with a couple of other guys was certainly a pioneer of the registry sets and built an incredible collection. I sold him a card here and there, very classy guy especially for a plaintiff's lawyer.

[Dpeck100]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Charlie along with a couple of other guys was certainly a pioneer of the registry sets and built an incredible collection. I sold him a card here and there, very classy guy especially for a plaintiff's lawyer.

It is awesome that there are some pioneers out there like him that have incredible collections that are worth a fortune. He sounds like a good dude in the articles I have read about him and his cards.

His sets are like works of art and extremely impressive.

[Exhibitman]

Meh. It is just like the registry itself: preferred by those who like it. If you don't care about the registry the PSA awards and medals aren't meaningful to you other than as a means to a free lunch and some swag at the National. it is just another way some collectors prefer to measure themselves against others. I prefer height...I'm 6'4".

I know if I ever won an award it would not be going on my wall by my diplomas. I put more value in the plaque my daughter's little league team gave me for coaching them; that one is on the conference room wall.

[JollyElm]

I'm not a registry guy, but have a couple of questions if anyone could provide some edification with regards to Topps master sets. These questions are all connected in a roundabout way.

1. Does the "weight" of particular cards get updated/changed from time to time? Some extremely hard-to-find variations are only weighted as a 1. It makes no sense. Very low pops, which leads to...

2. Say there's a card with a very low total pop (in other words, virtually impossible to ever find), but you're lucky to have one in mid grade, is it 'worth' having it in your registry (the alternative being waiting until you can possibly find a higher grade one at some point)? Say it's a PSA 5, but your set is at 8.5 overall, wouldn't that lower your rating and actually hurt your efforts? The point here is without said card, you're looking at 8.5, but with it you're now lower in the 8 range. And if that card had a higher 'weight,' wouldn't that exponentially lower your rating? Which leads to this question...

3. Is their some sort of bonus for having a set 100% complete that would make Question #2 basically moot?

Just trying to get a general feel for the registry world.

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

1. Does the "weight" of particular cards get updated/changed from time to time?

2. Say there's a card with a very low total pop (in other words, virtually impossible to ever find), but you're lucky to have one in mid grade, is it 'worth' having it in your registry (the alternative being waiting until you can possibly find a higher grade one at some point)?

3. Is their some sort of bonus for having a set 100% complete that would make Question #2 basically moot?

1) It can. Normally doesn't until someone working on the registry makes the suggestion; you can recommend a new points scheme, and if it's a popular registry, they'll put it to vote.
2) It's better to have any spot filled rather than empty for the overall Set Rating, which is how they rank order the sets.
3) You can earn up to 3 free grades a year for completing 90% of cards in a registry set.
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/benefits
And if your set is top ranked at the end of May each year, you get an icon that your set was the best that year.