[the 'stache]

John, you're not alone. It would bother me, too. While the slabs exist predominantly to protect the card, and to provide authentication/opinion as to the card's quality, aesthetics always come into play with something you're going to display, or even just take out once in a while to look at. After all, baseball card collecting is a visual hobby. If it weren't, we could all just get bye with listing the cards we've purchased. We might as well just all exchange registry names, and hand out polite little applause when a new card is added. No, we share our treasures, with their little quirks and imperfections, and I, personally, drool all over my laptop screen when I see something really nice. And a slab with a big crack at the top is an eye sore that can somewhat detract from the viewing experience, especially if it were to interfere with our viewing of the card.

I would say proceed with caution. If it were a PSA or SGC slab, the card, as you know, could be liberated with ease. But those Beckett slabs are like Fort Knox. I know some people know how to open them, but the degree of difficulty makes me very nervous. Any BGS slabbed card will have that protective mylar sleeve for the card, but that wouldn't protect it if the case shattered.

My advice would be to hold off on doing anything, and keep your eyes peeled for any local shows that Beckett might do in your area. I don't know if they'd do reslabbing on site (whether or not they offer that service, in addition to on site grading, escape me), but you could always submit it to have it re-slabbed, and then just pick it up, or mailed back to you. Doing it that way would cut your shipping and insurance costs down by at least half.

I'm lucky enough to live within driving distance of Beckett's HQ in Dallas. I could always hop in my car to get a card graded on site, thereby eliminating any costs besides the actual service I'd be requesting.

Let us know what you decide.

Originally Posted by jchcollins

The situation that led me to write this post involves a BVG slab that is still intact, but has a booger at the very top where something hit it and there is a very small circular area that has some small starburst cracks radiating out of it. It's not huge, and it's certainly not cracked all the way through, but when the light hits it just right it looks awful. Not sure if it's worth it trying to crack Beckett / BVG, which I know is a thicker and more difficult slab to crack (I can liberate PSA cards in my sleep...) Guess we'll see.