Graded cards--do you collect them or not?

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Posted By: brian parker

Just thought it would be interesting to find out the percentage of the frequent and occassional posters on this board collect graded cards. Are all of your vintage cards graded, most of them, some, or just a few? Do you only buy graded cards, or do you buy 'raw' cards and have them graded? Do you never buy them, or sometimes buy them and break them out? If you don't collect them, are you a long time collector of vintage baseball cards?

I am not interested in your grading company of choice (Lordy knows we have other threads dedicated to this), so please don't mention it in your responses.

Just thought it would be neat to get a handle on the make-up of our little group, and perhaps discover whether this hot topic graded is the result of the majority of the contributers being slab collectors, or that the issue just provokes some of us to bang away at the keyboard.

I will start off by saying I do not collect graded cards--although over the years I have purchased a handful that I have broken out. I came into the hobby before card grading companies existed--I always remember the first couple of shows that I went to that had dealers with slabs, and I just thought it was the dealer's way of displaying the cards.

Brian

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

(except for my 3 chess players from the N162 set--I think they look nice in their SGC holders.)

1) I can't afford graded cards.
) I like putting them in Mylar, then in sheets, then in albums.
3) I think I can grade better than most, and as good as the rest, of the grading companies.

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Posted By: rod

I can't afford them either. I have a hard time understanding why a card multiplies in value after it's been given a grade most people reading this could approximate and put in a nice holder.It all seems a little arbitrary. Actually I have a theory that these grading companies are all run by a Hawaian syndicate.

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Posted By: petecld

I buy cards un-graded. I buy cards in PSA slabs. I buy cards in SGC slabs.

I've even bought one card that WAS in a SCD slab.

The important thing is that I buy cards, not slabs.

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Posted By: jay behrens

I buy only raw cards because I am not looking for top grade cards, but if I do aquire a really nice card, I am not opposed to getting slabbed. Mainly to protect the card from me.

The few graded cards I have bought, I did so becuase the price for the card was right, or in the case of the SGC70 m116 I have, a roll of the dice on a card with no picture and seller with zero feedback. The price was under $20 and he took PayPal, so I wasn't going to lose any money on the deal.

Most of the cards I have had graded are my Indian cards. Allen & Ginters look awesome in SGC holders.

Jay

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Posted By: Nick

Brian,
In the past I have only bought and sold raw cards. It may sound corny but...I think the cards look kinda sad, trapped in that slab! I think there is nothing like the feeling of touching a card that has been around for nearly a century. It's like going to an art museum and being able to touch a Picasso, instead of just admire it from behind the glass.

As a small time seller on ebay. I believe that slabbed cards get more money. So lately I've been dabbling in selling graded cards.

Nick

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Posted By: runscott

...but I've never bought a card slabbed by PRO, AAA, or NASA.

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Posted By: Glen V

I buy type cards that I don't have - most cards are not graded, but if they are I don't crack the cases open (yet).

Grading companies weren't around when I first started collecting - that might have something to do with me not having cards graded. It would be interesting to see percentage of pre-grading co. vs. post-grading co. collectors that use grading services.

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Posted By: John(z28jd)

I buy grade cards,but never overspend because theyre graded.I have alot of psa 2/3/4 T206 cards but wouldnt spend twice the amount because it was graded 6 or 4x the amount because it was a 7 and so on.....For type cards i know nothing about i think id rather buy graded ones,or buy just from well-known sellers i trust

short answer: i buy both slabbed and unslabbed

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

The majority of my cards are ungraded, but I have started buying graded cards if I feel they are a good deal.

I also have decided to send all my T202's to SGC for grading and register them, it will be a slow process but they look great in the holders for a tough issue to even find decent holders for. I have also sent all my 19th century cards into SGC, for the same reasons as my brother, to protect them from me.

If I have cards that I am looking to resell that I feel would grade VG/EX or better I send them off to get graded before selling. I have to supprt my habit somehow.

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Posted By: Kenny Cole

I HATE graded cards so I break them out. That way I can avoid these vicious debates about which grading company is the best.

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Posted By: Marc S.

I buy both graded and ungraded cards. As for grading companies, I am usually indifferent between PSA and SGC. More than anything, I think when I tend to purchase a "popular" series card (think T206 with a common back), I am more likely to purchase a graded specimen. When I purchase a type or hard-to-find card (think T206 tough back or something like the D303 Niagra Baking card I own...), I don't care about having the card graded so much.

MS

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Posted By: leon

I buy cards graded or not. If I do buy a graded card it will NOT be from one of the phony baloney companies. When I get an (in my opinion) expensive card I will have it slabbed to protect it from me AND I like the idea of a 3rd party telling me it is not tampered with. At this point in my young collecting career, with the help of a black light and 10x-15x loupe, and with my little bit of experience, I can usually tell a bad card myself. The SGC holders do look good but I will reiterate what someone else said. I do miss being able to touch the cards when they are slabbed. On the other hand everytime a high priced card goes in and out of a sleeve, in it's naked form, there is a little bit of wear. If you don't think there is any wear then you are wrong. I remember taking my most famous card in and out of it's sleeve (and smelling it)and trying to be oh so careful. Now if I accidentally drop it on a table it's no big deal....I also want to add that I collect cards for all of the reasons that have been stated before and not necessarily the money aspect of it. But with the amount of money a lot of us have in them, keeping their prestent condition is also important....regards all

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Posted By: Scott M

I don't own any graded cards. I have no aversions to buying graded cards but I won't pay a premium for them (which is probably why I don't own any).

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Posted By: warshawlaw

At this point, I will not consider buying a high end card by ebay or mail order unless it is (1) graded by SGC or maybe PSA, or (2) comes from a very reputable seller I know and can trust to refund if there is a problem. I've been burned once too often via ebay and mail order to do otherwise.

When I buy raw high priced cards it is typically in person so I can give them a thorough going-over. I have lately resorted to using a magnifier. Even so, I have been burned a few times with recolored cards (eg 1971 Topps, 1902 Ogdens (boxing), etc.). I usually end up sending my raw cards to SGC to encapsulate, because I like the look (if the card is for me to keep) or because I generally do better selling them if they are graded. I will also encapsulate a card that I cannot decide on the grade of due to a flaw or damage. I am comfortable using SGC as a "second opinion" on those cards.

As far as low end cards and high grade cheap cards go, I don't bother with slabs unless it is for a display or for a specific collecting goal I have (I've had quite a few $10-$20 commons from certain sets encapsulated because I am building sets and want them to display consistently). My experience is that a $5 common does not become a $100 card unless it scores a 9 or a 10 and there is a niche buyer for it (I once made 10X my purchase price on a Denny McLain 1968 card because it was really sharp and came back a 9; the buyer was a Tigers nut). I do have quite a few lower value graded cards "left over" from when PSA offered a turnaround guarantee on its service--I got over 100 freebies from them and just sent in anything from the 1960's and 1970's that I felt was mint to use them up.

I would never buy a card because it was graded X by the service; the opposite is true. I look for PSA O/C cards. If they look nice, I buy them. In my view the damage to the card price from the qualifier is way out of whack with the reality of what many 8 O/C cards look like.

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Posted By: Robert

I buy mostly raw. But I have bought graded. It all depends on a lot of things. If I am looking for a card and I can only find in a slab then I will buy it. I prefer to buy raw cards because I also like to be able to hold the card in my hands. Also like the smell of the old cards. And they do look like prisoners in a slab. Rob {Bigb13}

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Posted By: Todd (nolemmings)

I approach collecting graded cards the same way as Warshawlaw. In addition, I will bid on PSA pd (print defect) cards on many occasions, because such "flaws" are usually ridiculously minute, are applied/observed inconsistently by the otherwise perfect PSA, and are usually available for a fraction of non-qualifiers with softer corners,worse centering, etc.
Todd

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Posted By: Albie O'Hanian

Most of the pre-war cards I buy are non-graded, although I no longer buy them on ebay unless I know the seller. I will buy them without seeing them in person only from a very few sellers that come with excellent reputations. I occasionally will buy a graded pre-war card on ebay.
For post-WWII cards most of what I buy now is already graded.

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Posted By: Dan Mathewson

I have been slimed by a few un-graded card purchses.

And, before you tell me that grades/slabs don't GUARANTEE anything, I know that already.

BUT: my experience so far has been that I have not yet been slimed by buying a graded card. And, I don't pay a premium for the grades that I do buy. Everything I've bought, I've bought at market or below market. I've been fortunate so far in that regard. (eg: Even though I pd $1K for that SGC Nadja Matty, I still think it's worth more than that.)

That's just my take, and it's served me well. After buying them, depending on the holder/grader, I may get them re-graded/re-slabbed.

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Posted By: Scott Whittenburg

Currently less than half of my collection is graded, but I'm slowly converting over to graded cards. It would be interesting to see what percentage of cards older than, say, 1969 are slabbed by someone. It seems that in the not too distant future all old, gradeable cards will be slabbed by someone, so this discussion will become mute. Oh yeh, some of you guys will never get them graded, but you'll pass on and the next guy will get them graded. What you'll eventually see is that cards that are slabbed aren't slabbed because they are worth more unslabbed, which will tell the buyer that the card's not worth much. The price differential between slabbed and unslabbed cards will get bigger and bigger until all cards worth grading will be graded.

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Posted By: B C Daniels

You won the group of E-90-3's that Pete offered a short time back correct??? Did you submit those for grading? How did they do???

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Posted By: Anonymous

>...so this discussion will become mute

Scott, I'm not picking you for this and really don't care in general how most people use the English language, but this a pet peeve; the word you should be "moot", not "mute".

Sometimes I think I am the only person left that knows this since everyone, included my dumb brother, says "mute".

Jay- wh0 5p33ks flu3nt d00d (d3wd) 5peek

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Posted By: runscott

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Posted By: rod

After reading Elliots "Warning- wow..." posting , it seems this discussion is both mute and moot.

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Posted By: Scott Whittenburg

Brian, Yes I did submit them and I knew they were "stinky" when I bought them!

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Posted By: petecld

If the "Pete" Brian refers to in his post is meant to be me I think everyone reading this board should know I NEVER sold a group of E90-3s to Scott Whittenburg or anyone else for that matter.

Every E90-3 I've ever sold has been as singles and were either graded by SGC or were in such condition that grading was a moot point.

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Posted By: B C Daniels

http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=drscott

note feedback~ Pete,you sold the good Doctor three E-90-3's!


2) HE clearly reiterated your thought.he stated,they were stinky when he got them.I figured he sent them in to be graded being as he REGISTERED the set with PSA. Lay off the mary jane and you might remember you who sold stuff too and not need to try to defend yourself for nothing.

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

I've been a tobacco card collector for close to 30 years. Until recenty (6 or 7 years ago), the only graded cards I had in my collection were ones I had purchased slabbed (98% SGC and PSA). The bulk of my collection was purchased raw back in the 80s.

In recent years, with the proliferation of devious, unscrupulous, dishonest ebayers, dealers and fellow collectors, I felt in order for me to be 100% sure that all my cards were untampered with, I slowly began submitting them to SGC. I did have a few come back (not many, and almost all that did were purchased on ebay in the last 5 or so years) altered, trimmed, etc. As they did, I'd sell them as is in their rejected SGC holder and replaced them with legit cards when I found them. A painstaking process, but now all the cards in my collection (the ones SGC grades) are slabbed. I'm also currently in the process of getting my PSA graded cards in SGC holders (although I have a problem getting a comparable SGC grade and hate accepting a lower one and get many back because they will not meet my minimum requirement).

Also, while debating whether to go the slabbed route or not, one of the deciding factors was the observation that graded cards slabbed by reputable companies were selling for more then an ungraded counterpart. I plan on retiring in 8 years or so. I also plan on not taking my cards or money to the grave. At that point, I will slowly enjoy selling off my collection and using the proceeds for other endeavors and enjoyment. I think I can maximize those proceeds by selling slabbed cards.

I feel 9 times out of 10 I can spot an altered card, but to feel I've been right 9 times out of 10 isn't quite good enough for me, and I feel it also never hurts to get a second opinion. For $7, what the heck, a good insurance policy's premium the way I look at it.

This is not to say I buy only graded cards, quite the contrary, I buy mostly ungraded cards and get them graded later.

Thanks for starting the N2 registry Jay. Best all, Keith

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Posted By: runscott

so I'll start...it seems like the PSA proponents think the SGC'ers picked SGC over PSA as part of some evil plan to do away with clear plastic and red labels, or because for some unknown reason we "hated" PSA and exist only to bash them - maybe it is the result of some weird pyramid scheme that no one can any longer remember the origins of. I guess it's now thought that there will be packs of us bar-hopping tonight in a gloating celebration, toasting to PSA's eminent demise...Detroit will probably burn.

I think your little history just shows that this isn't the case at all - you decided to go with slabs and made a rational decision based on what was important to you (or you signed up for that pyramid scheme and are protecting your $49 investment). Guess what? that's what everyone did - PSA, SGC, and GradeTek proponents alike.

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Posted By: petecld

Get with the program.

Find your dictionary and look up "defend". Now, look up "clarification." Wow, look! Two different definitions.

I didn't "defend" myself, just clarified your vauge statement. I don't think anyone would call 3 cards a "group".

Of course I'm typing to someone who thinks 4 or 5 cards is a "collection."

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Posted By: Brian C Daniels

or I will blow some of your BS covers as a conservative........and it was you who denied the term GROUP and felt the need to catagorically deny something you obviously did.that being sell a "group" of cards to someone.It was harmless,but your wanton need to look like a cut above is a joke and you know it.A group is 3 and my otiginal point was that I was wondering if any raw cards were graded and how they did.And simply,that was the point.Now go back to your double size cubical and smoke some more pot to rattle your memory and quit with the camping on here to promote your alreay punitive bologna with me. it's serves zippo purpose and I'll just respond appropriately because not like you and your pot habits,I do not care about reputation.Save it for your butties you claim to bond with.Waring with me will only prove you defying your own alleged purpose for contributing to this board and the registry desires you have. Sabve it for me face to face and store it up for me.