[jared6180]

I am pretty new to vintage. I have seen some raw cards that look really good, but with all the trimming junk going on I can't bring myself to feel good about buying raw cards. Even graded (at least in the lighthouse holder) makes me a little nervous. I am not a high end collector, but I do want cards with good eye appeal that are real. I have read to only buy from people you trust when it comes to raw vintage, but I don't know anybody with vintage of any kind really, much less anyone I trust. I am in Kansas. No shows for MILES and MILES it seems.

Should I just bite the bullet and buy graded even though they cost more?

Where would you start your collection? I am on a fairly tight budget and can't spend thousands on a card or probably more than $200 on a single card in a month.