Do you buy raw (not graded) cards?
 

Do you buy raw (not graded) cards?

When I do buy graded, I aid with their escape.

I buy raw cards and graded cards - no strong preference. How should I vote in this poll, which doesn't appear to have a very good choice for me? I suspect there are many collectors like me.

ditto

100% raw

But since this forum is primarily focused on graded cards and cards as investment, I firmly expect to be in the absolute minority.

Raw all day everyday.

They come in raw and slabbed but all end up raw.

Just thought about this at the show I was at over the weekend - due to the wait for graded PSA cards - the last few years have been 90% raw - 4 months to wait is too long - so I have bought a good amount of raw this year for my shows and limit grading - Thanks Jimmy

I dabble in the raw:

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So far the voting is about 60/40 with raw in the lead. So maybe you’re not such the minority you expected to be.

Although maybe there are few who share your same degree of righteous zeal for raw cards, which makes you feel more like a minority around here.

And maybe those who love graded cards aren’t willing to admit it to a pollster, for fear of being castigated.

Good and fair assessment, sir.

Graded. Helps me sell what I need to sell quicker/easier. Also helps when dabbling in the high end.

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"I prefer to buy graded cards, but may buy graded cards."

This confused me so I voted for it.

An assumption is that the following choice was incorrectly entered:

"I prefer to buy graded cards, but may buy graded cards."

Should it be:

I prefer to buy graded cards, but may buy raw cards."

With all due respect, your options have to be written better and more clearly. I suggest:

• I only buy raw cards.
• I only buy graded cards.
• I prefer to buy raw cards, but may buy graded cards.
• I prefer to buy graded cards, but may buy raw cards.

And this one seems to be a part of one of the other choices and not a separate thing:
• I may buy raw cards, but depends on the card.

yup

My answer is "It doesn't matter which, to me"

doh, and there's that too...

Agreed, I buy cards plastic or not, makes no difference.

Context is everything. Value, venue, etc. I prefer a slab for a mail order card or a really expensive one, but if I can examine the card in hand, raw is just dandy.

The slab can make you lazy, even in person. Over the weekend in Anaheim a guy was peddling a fake Rose RC in a resealed slab. A friend bought it without paying close attention, I called it out as a fake and reseal, and he was able to chase down the walk-in who sold it and get his money back.

Your friend was lucky you were around. It would have been really bad if it were a high grade fake and you weren't there.

As of now, 15 different people chose the unintelligible option:
"I prefer to buy graded cards, but may buy graded cards."

You can't make this stuff up.

My thoughts exactly!
 

I buy (and sell) both. I will not (or VERY rarely) buy raw cards any way but in hand in person. In person happy to buy raw as I am graded. Another necessary delineation is grading company - I will buy almost exclusively SGC and PSA graded cards (rarely BVG slabs). I as a rule (with very rare exception) will not buy any other grading companies slabs.

This

If it's a higher-dollar card (for me, 500 or more), slabbed. But if I see it at a show, raw or slabbed matters not. I just want the card.

If it's slabbed, it stays slabbed. Promised my wife I'd make it easier for her and a selected auction house some day.



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As the years go by, I care less and less about the graded card holders. It seems like the average grader knows less than I regarding authenticity, condition, and alterations.

So, graded or raw, it matters not. Buy the card, not the holder.

Only time I buy graded is if its in a collection or lot or something and then I typically dump it at raw pricing (I hate slabs such a pain to store and ship)

I'm with you, Stefan, as far as storage goes. I've liquidated slabs by the hundreds over the last few years and my storage requirements have dramatically decreased as a result. What would be cool is a sealed rigid slab about the thickness of a top-loader. I suppose the injection molding requirements for a rigid plastic like that are either technically or financially out of reach.

16.91% of voters have no clue what they are voting for.

All, appreciate the poll suggestion. How do you edit a poll? When I try to access, I can only edit the post, not the poll.

I like both but more so would say depends on the card. Vintage baseball middle grade and low end non graded, higher end graded.

For me, I like to display the cards, and the standard graded holders waste too much space, IMO. However, I am not enough of an expert to avoid counterfeits so I don't mind paying for graded versions of pricier cards.

Check out M1NT slabs. Supposedly, they are coming soon to PSA, SGC, and other TPGs. They look like iPhones.

I voted for: I prefer to buy raw but may buy graded.

As a collector who works around my tight budget, I’ll buy either. Typically raw but if graded comes my way at a better price of course I’ll get it. I buy the card not the grade.

A moderator can edit it but maybe another poll, with added/different question(s), might be better?

I like buying raw when appropriate.

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I think I would answer with option #4, but it is worded incorrectly, so I don't know what it really means.

Steve

Raw. I like the feel..


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yes GRADED on High end 1950's $1000 value and up
 

GRADED on High end 1950's $1000 value and up,
lots more comparable apples to apples sold listings in the event I need to sell them, and way easier to evaluate for insurance purposes.

Almost exclusively raw since, as a budget collector, I prefer not to pay the graded premium. I occasionally will buy graded if I can get it at the equivalent raw price.

I buy either/both, so I answered #3.

Only graded PSA / SGC / BVG / BGS

I used to buy raw cards, if they were graded.
Now I buy graded cards, only if they are raw.

Buy Graded for the next generation---mind set of our young folks + investors.

I've purchased 52 cards on eBay this year -- 42 raw and 10 graded. Almost everything I pick up from the auction houses is graded, but that's only abut 3 cards a month.

I buy both raw and graded, depending on the situation.

Since I learned how to grade and judge authenticity myself well before anyone had heard of PSA, if I'm at a shop or a show or elsewhere in person where I can inspect the card(s) inches away from my own eyeballs, I have no issues buying raw. For expensive cards ($300 and up for me generally) I will usually get these slabbed myself later if bought raw, but that is just personal preference. For cards cheaper than this raw, it often makes no sense to look for graded in person - as I find that for what I'm looking for (usually postwar vintage) - slabs in this range are sometimes 1.5- 2x more expensive than a comparable looking raw card that would likely grade in the same range as the more expensive slab.

On the other end of that scale, it is true that the pricier an item is, even if in person - I do prefer to have it in a reputable TPG holder (SGC or PSA) just for matters of convenience and common sense later. Regardless of whether or not you think professional grading is fantastic or you absolutely hate it; can't stand it - TPG's are a fait accompli in our hobby at this point, and to not acknowledge that fact is silly, IMO. A card is easier to sell later if graded. A card is easier to trade later if graded. I am a collector first and foremost, but much of this is simply the way the game is played these days. Individual collectors can choose to accept this - or not. I accept it because it often makes my life easier down the road.

If buying online only from a scan, and especially if not from a seller I'm already familiar with - I'm going to want $100 and up items in reputable slabs just to further protect me as the buyer. I have made exceptions to this - but they are increasingly rare as time goes by.

Hmmm. Raw cards. Shine on the front of the Cicotte is from the inside sleeve.

I didn't know how to vote because I don't really care about the plastic

Great cards, guys!

I buy NM-MT 50’s card, your not finding these raw very often if ever so yes I buy almost exclusively graded. I feel like a lot of collectors pride themselves on “I only buy raw, I crack my slabs, I grade my own cards” which is all fine and dandy but even my wife who knows nothing about the hobby can quickly and easily sell off my collection should something happen.

Any of the auction houses love graded, less work on their end.

technicality
 

When talking about sports cards, I never liked the term "raw". I prefer the term "ungraded". We're not talking about food here, we're talking about cardboard. Ungraded cards and graded cards.

Also, I prefer ungraded but I do collect graded because sometimes that's the only way I can find them. I will occasionally crack them out to fit in with my collection for uniformity though.

Yes, mostly for commons and minor stars. More expensive purchases I’ll buy already graded, and the overwhelming majority get sent for further authentication through EBay.


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