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Old 04-16-2006, 11:11 AM
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Default test- would you pay more from me graded vs non

Posted By: Joann

I say no - don't get them graded. Third party grading has an important place in the anonymous and arms-length transactions of internet trading. But if it is someone that you have reason to trust and/or has a decent return policy, I don't think it's needed for lower end cards.

I can understand why people would feel more comfortable in the higher ends where the difference of a single grade can mean thousands of dollars. But for lower grades on the relatively common sets, where the contribution of slabs is trust/confidence and not so much value, I'd rather keep the third parties out of it if at all possible - just to keep from introducing more costs into the system. If I have reason to think the person is knowledgable and fair I would not pay more just for the slab.

As to the intrinsic value of slabs - protection and display - I have been struggling with that. I have been meaning to get all my cards SGC'd except one from each set to keep out for handling and passing around. But as I show people my cards, and look at them myself, it is invariably the raw cards that get the attention, including mine. The slabbed cards are nice, but they are not ... cards. They are more like representations of cards, or displays of cards. But not really cards. So I am rethinking my drink here, and considering going the opposite direction and breaking all my slabbed cards (about 1/3 of my collection) out - except a very few where value considerations are in play. I also have never accidentally wrecked a card, so maybe the protective aspect of holders is overstated. If I could come up with a neat way to display the cards (gotta admit - black SGC's are gorgeous, and the slabs themselves better than topholders for display) it would be a done deal.

So for me, there is really no reason at this point to want a slabbed card over raw. Keep them raw Leon. IMHO

Joann

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