the points in this post are my exact gripe with the whole slabbing, grading craze. It turns collectibles into commodities which basically price people who are collectors out of collecting due to people, including those with more money than brains, speculating. I don't collect because it's worth "X". I collect because I find in fascinating in it's history, thrilling in the hunt, and gratifying in completing something, among other emotions.
Slabbing and grading in the card world created penis measuring competitions for who has the highest graded this or that. Then slabbing moved to autos. ok, so it helps to ensure authenticity. Fair enough...but now there's auto grading. As if, no one can tell with their own eyes whether or not an auto is bold or not. Why? Money and only money. The TPAs figured out a way to tap into those same competitions now for who has the "Best" auto.
Moving along to photos..So far the Type system is being used primarily for assessing when the photo was made. I am sure next will be grading and then the registry to tap into the same competitions for who's got the best.
And most recently, we moved to tickets. Same story. Started with slabbing to prove authenticity and then moved to grading and then moved to labeling every single thing that happened in the game.
Player's First Game..OK
Player's first game at home..OK
Player's first Hit...Sure
First Single, Double, or Triple?
First Run...ok
First walk..eh
First HR..ok
Every HR thereafter.. I guess
First walk..?
First HBP?
First Sacrifice bunt?
First Sacrifice fly?
First SB..Sure
First Caught Stealing?
First Intentional Walk?
First Grounded into DP?
Golden Sombrero?
a Cycle..OK
I mean where does it end? It all leaves me shaking my head.
It's all about money. Can sellers point out something, anything, that happened in the game that might convince someone else to pay more for it?
Now, I am not a pie in the sky dreamer. I get it. Things have changed and that all the stuff I am griping about is the way it is now. I don't have to be happy about it and can remember the day when it was different. IMO, grading/slabbing has been the main reason why things changed and I don't really think the hobby is overall better for it.
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