Is It Utterly Insane...

[MattyC]

To crack out an entire collection from slabs, and keep raw? Is it complete financial folly...but if never selling, isn't that moot? I loathe the dollar value-obsessed and number-grade obsessed climate that slabs create. Thoughts from fellow collectors?

[t206trader]

Ultimately it's an individual decision. If you're not interested in selling later then it's just whatever you prefer. Still, ultimately when you collection moves on to a family members hands they may not have the same desire to hold onto it as you do. If this is the case (and it typically is) it makes more sense to leave them slabbed for better resell value in my opinion.

[Bicem]

I did it and have enjoyed my collection more since. You can always have them slabbed again if you ever need to sell or if a competent grading company ever comes along.

[steve B]

I think it can also depend on the card.

I've sent in a few, it's fun and if my daughters don't go for collecting the cards will sell for more than if they weren't graded.

But I don't see much reason to slab a common T206 with a few big creases. It's a beater, and will always be one.

But I also don't see a lot of point in cracking out cards. Maybe if my collection was all ungraded already.

I get the arguments about the dollar and grade obsession, but that's the collectors, not the holders. I could blame the toploaders just as much, or the plastic sleeves, or the old pages, or rubber bands......Every era has had its storage styles, and each new thing has been taken a bit poorly by older collectors.

Steve B

[ullmandds]

It is "mildly" insane to do that...even if you plan to keep these cards "forever"...I mean how often are you going to want to hold a babe ruth rookie card raw betwen your fingers? From a protective standpoint...I would leave them slabbed.

[MVSNYC]

There is a board member with an insane T206 collection. he cracked out 100's of cards to create a raw binder set. let's see if he chims in.

[JohnBrownsElbow]

I just started collecting the T206 set a few weeks ago. So far I have acquired ten cards--nine "commons" and a Sam Crawford. Eight of the cards were in SGC slabs. The commons were all SGC 40s and the Crawford an SGC 20 because of minor paper loss on back.

Last night I busted them all out and put them in Card Savers. I love the look and sturdiness of the SGC holders but I wanted to be able to touch the cards.

It hasn't been twenty four hours yet but I certainly don't regret the decision so far. I can always get any better cards regraded if I need to, right?

I'm planning on buying a Christy Mathewson or Walter Johnson in the next few weeks. I'm sure it will be slabbed when I buy it, but I'm also sure I'll crack it out immediately. And I will also be doing my best to avoid buying slabbed commons from now on. I don't think I paid any extra premium for the ones I just cracked out but no reason to pay any extra cost in the future.

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by steve B

I get the arguments about the dollar and grade obsession, but that's the collectors, not the holders.

Steve B

This is brilliant. I see it now... I guess I don't hate slabs or companies, I hate people!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by MattyC

This is brilliant. I see it now... I guess I don't hate slabs or companies, I hate people!

hater....

If it were me I would leave them in the slabs. IF you ever go to sell them, any higher end ones have to be in slabs to get all of the value of them, imo. If you want to touch cards buy some low grade, cheap commons and have at it. I probably have half my cards in slabs and half not....but 99% of my higher end ones are slabbed. And I still have hundreds that aren't...and have been touching them all morning already....

[midwaylandscaping]

Originally Posted by Leon

hater....

If it were me I would leave them in the slabs. IF you ever go to sell them, any higher end ones have to be in slabs to get all of the value of them, imo. If you want to touch cards buy some low grade, cheap commons and have at it. I probably have half my cards in slabs and half not....but 99% of my higher end ones are slabbed. And I still have hundreds that aren't...and have been touching them all morning already....

I'm with this

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by Leon

hater....

If it were me I would leave them in the slabs. IF you ever go to sell them, any higher end ones have to be in slabs to get all of the value of them, imo. If you want to touch cards buy some low grade, cheap commons and have at it. I probably have half my cards in slabs and half not....but 99% of my higher end ones are slabbed. And I still have hundreds that aren't...and have been touching them all morning already....

Man, just watch where you touch before and after.............