It's an interesting phenomenon that I've noticed too. Some sellers tend to get prices realized from their raw cards equivalent to or higher than a graded card.
Here's my theory: Once a card is graded, it loses its potential. A nice NM common ungraded can always have the potential to be an 8 in the eyes of a buyer. A slabbed 7, is undoubtedly a 7 (obviously ignoring the crack out and resubmit game).
To me, its a similar phenomenon to unopened wax. A '50s or '60s unopened 5-pack of cards will sell for at least several hundred, and depending on the year/series several thousand dollars every time. Chances are that pack is going to have 5 EXMT or NM commons that combined are worth maybe 40 bucks. But the potential of it having a 10 is there. The potential of it having a Mantle/Mays/Aaron is there. Buyers are spending bucks on the potential. Suppose its an appeal to the gambler in all of us.
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