What is the opinions here of the PSA Registry?

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Posted By: cmoking

What do you all think about the PSA Registry?

1. Great for the hobby
2. Good, but is a bit silly at times
3. OK, fun but no need to take it seriously
4. Why bother?
5. Evil. bad for the hobby.

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Posted By: Elliot

Good poll question. Brian, this way nobody will select other.

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Posted By: DJ

five....

DJ

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Great for the hobby and fun.

Its where the best sets in the hobby lie with some exceptions and it fosters competition as to who has the best sets.
Its also the primary reason why PSA keeps its large lead on SGC and GAI on graded cards as so many collectors have bought in to the concept of graded sets.

Dav

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Posted By: steve k

1. Great for the hobby

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Posted By: Marc S.

Great for the hobby - but silly at times

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

#2.

 

Makes for a good checklist, a good place to store a record of what you have (including scans), and a way to get in touch with other collectors who have the same interests.

 

Keith

 

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Posted By: jay wolt

I vote for #1
as Keith stated its great for a checklist and to keep in touch w/ other collectors. Keith and I have done a slew of T3/T9 trades and purchases due to this.
My son, a Marine while stationed in Afghanistan got to feel more like home while looking at his Mantle cards thru the scans on his registry set via the computer. He feels no need to compete w/ other collectors, he hust wants to admire his collection.

As far as the silliness factor, it can be as silly as you want it to be in your quest for the low pop high grade cards. But for the majority of collectors thats not a factor. SGC & GAI also have a registry and thats great for their collectors too! ...jay

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Posted By: Steve Dawson

I vote #1, with a bit of #3 also.


Steve

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Posted By: John

Put me down for a big helping of #4 with a dash of #5 on the side please.

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Posted By: John Harrell

I'd choose 5

John

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Posted By: joe brennan

I choose 3. Its ok to keep track of your cards and needs. I've bought some of the cards I need from fellow collectors. I think it gets way out of hand when it comes to the PSA 9's and 10's for common players. I used my 1963 Fleer Football set as an example. ( sorry not vintage, but a childhood set) PSA 7's go for $8, while 9's go for $200. $190 x 70 commons = $13k difference. Most of my 7's, to the naked eye, centering and corners, are only minutely different than the 9. I'd rather have the jack to spend on OJ's or T206's than be ranked #1 for another 20k in the set including stars. JMO though. out

"I had the right to remain silent. I just didn't have the ability" Ron White

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Posted By: Brian Marcy

I would have to go with great for the hobby. It is a great idea especially for competitive people (Aren't we all?) It is a great way to prove you have the best. The only down side I see to it is - he who has the most money wins. I guess everything is that way but the set registry sure seems to emphasize that. My Dad and I only have non-sports sets on the registry. Haven't found a sports set we wanted to do yet.

Brian Marcy
Scottsdalecards.com

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Posted By: John J. Grillo

The PSA registry (including the SGC registry) is great for the hobby. I think all the positive choices apply to some degree. Some find the competition aspect of the registry fun and exciting and that's is a good thing if it adds enjoyment for the collector.

I personally like using both the PSA and SGC registry simply to showcase the various cards I have, to keep track of what cards I need to finish a set, and to correspond with other collectors who may collect the same cards as I do.

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

I vote # 2 or #3 . I think anything that helps collectors communicate is a good thing. Like PSA or not, It's been a positive to have collectors, meet greet and trade cards of similiar interest. I have met lots of nice collectors on both SGC and PSA registry's and look forward to meeting many more. Be well Brian

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Posted By: dstudeba

Good for the hobby, bad for my wife. If it weren't for the people I met through the PSA set registry I wouldn't have gotten back in the hobby. My valuable paper would still have Ben Franklin on it instead of Roy Campanella.

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Posted By: Scott Mosley

I think its nice as a tool to see some of the other collections out there and share with fellow collectors.

If it generates interest in the hobby for others, then I think its generally good.

Just like the population reports, though, I wouldn't put too much stock in the actual numbers.

Scott

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Posted By: DJ

As an "Old Schooler", I'm surprised there aren't more 4's and 5's.

Only three so far. From a person who started collecting seriously in the mid-seventies, I feel that because of the registry, it has changed the way we collect cards. In the old days, a $200 card was about a $200 card.

Today that $200 may be $4K if there are only three in the world with a high grade.

It's also misleading as it doesn't account for the "Ungraded cards". Not to mention the HUGE vlaue difference when it comes to a 8, 9 or 10 depending on what the registry says and which company gave out the grading.

I'm curious to see what others that haven't responded yet feel about this topic. Other "Old Schoolers". Mr. Behrans, Mr. Gaynor, Mr. Lemke, Ms. Vognar. Leon?

DJ

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Posted By: Rick

#2

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Posted By: leon

2

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

[1] Lots of fun. Great way to organize a collection. Also helpful if selling becomes a necessity.

Frank

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Posted By: cmoking

Like an earlier poster, I'm surprised there aren't more 4s and 5s too. I would vote 2: Good, but silly at times.

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Posted By: Howie

Anything good or bad to say about the concept of a set registry applies to both PSA and SGC. It's a great way to keep track and organize your collection, and see how your set compares with other collector's sets. It's also a great way to network with other collectors with interests similar to yours. If anybody wonders where all those cards go that PSA and SGC grades, many are listed right there in the registry listings. You can collect at any level and with any goal you like. To constantly belittle and insult collectors that don't collect the same way you do does no good for promoting the hobby. Anything that makes it easier, safer, and more enjoyable for collectors is a good thing.

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi DJ
I started collecting in 1976 at age 8, so I consider myself "old school" by you standards, and will tell you that most Old school collectors don't care that much about grading, but know that they will benefit from it greatly when they do sell there cards. Boy Is that a run on sentence! The only 4's and 5's will come from people who want collecting to be a true hobby, with little or zero appreciation in value.... Be well Brian

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Posted By: Andrew

#2 if those are the only choices.

One of the negative outcomes (and there are lots of positives) is that it often puts grade scarcity above card scarcity. For example, 1933 George Millers: sorry, but it's got holes in it, what will PSA grade is a major concern. A 19?? Topps PSA 9/10 common, prices through the roof, even though 1000s of the card exist. The high dollar difference between one numerical grade is silly, as the number is based on the subjectivity of a pair of eyes.

Oh, the question was about the Registry, not grading. Okay, nevermind. Registry good.

“A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.” - English Proverb

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Posted By: Misunderestimated (BKH)

A "2" from me -- and I use both PSA and SGC's respective Registries...

On the whole they have defntiely helped my collection, fostered positive relationships and enhanced collecting in general etc....
But, human nature being what it is, people go overboard sometimes (I'm affraid that includes me at times) with the competitive aspects of it and caring too much about the holder and too little about the card.

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Posted By: WP

A great marketing tool, but will it do long tem damage to the hobby? Many novice collectors are spending obscene sums of moey on commons that will eventually decrease in value ala 1951 Bowman PSA 9. Will these people be turned off from collecting.

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Posted By: JimB

I would go with #1 great for the hobby for the most part. It is used by a lot of people who are not necessarily competing for the best set. It has helped put me in touch with a lot of collectors with similar interests.
JimB

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Posted By: Nick

PSA's registry provides a record of ownership for insurance purposes, permits centralization of tradelists and wantlists, provides an incomplete but free population report, has centralization of collector email addresses, provides checklists for sets, player sets, and specialty sets, and provides free image hosting to show off your cards.

Which one of those things isn't helpful to the hobby?

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Posted By: Chris Mcalister

Ditto to what Nick wrote!

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Posted By: will watson

i like the registry. i'm never competitive in it, but its fun to be able to track my set progress and even compare my stuff to the rest of the collecting world.

for all you people who whine about the registry: you obviously dont use the registry, so why complain about it? if someone has the money and wants to pay insane prices for low pop cards, that's their business. there is nothing wrong with competition and wanting to be the best, cause if there was why bother watching baseball? last time i checked, the goal of sports is to be number one

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Posted By: John

You mean the registry has a checklist of sets? Wow where on earth did they get such a thing! Man I could have used one of those all these years.

Gee that’s funny I always thought the reason people began to play sports was because it was fun. I had no idea it was all about who was NUMBER ONE!!!!!! Yeah Grunt!!!

You’re right that’s it no more fun collecting sharing pictures & memories of cards with fellow collectors. From here on out I’m all business I’m going to sign up and compete with other collectors! Now I see the light that’s why I started collecting as a child to kick the asses of all who crossed my baseball card path! Look out registry leaders Wonka’s coming for ya…and he’s bringing hell with him!

Now all I need is a Power ball win and a lobotomy and I’m set.

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Posted By: Nick

Not all of us take the Beckett Almanac or Standard Catalog with us everywhere we go. If you're eBaying away from home, isn't it nice to quickly access a checklist?

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Posted By: John

The Registry:

As for a place to show off your collection you could do that here, or with a simple web page. The registry is not about sharing it’s about climbing a social ladder. It’s about my car is bigger and more expensive than your car, look at me look what I can afford and you cant. It's pure and simple keeping up with the joneses. If you think its anything more than that your fooling yourself.

One of the funniest things to me about the registry, it’s like a retarded high end country club with the very wealthy at the top of the clubhouse surrounded by any “Joe” who could dig up a driver both waiting for tee times. There are no guidelines what so ever. I love how many sets are registered with 2 or so cards for a 500+ set giving a completion percent of less than 1%. These guys are of course listed right next to the heavy hitters funny stuff. Leon should list each on of his type cards he’s probably working on at least 200 diff sets right now.

I’m not too impressed with people with these ultra-high grade collections. For the most part (some exceptions) these collections aren’t collected they are delivered. Collectors put them together with virtually unlimited budgets working with a huge network of dealers. These dealers find these cards then deliver them to the collectors assuming they can afford the card when it is received. Am I impressed with the high-grade card it self absolutely, Am I impressed with the collector who has it most of the time the answer is no.

It’s easy to assemble or obtain most anything when funds aren’t limited, as it is for most of us. What really impresses me is when collectors working with normal budgets track down and obtain nice collections that they enjoy and are passionate about. I find these people having more reverence for their less than high grade cards than the guy with his stack of mint 9’s. These are the people who have kept the hobby alive and will continue to keep it alive after all the hype is dead and gone. And the people with the heavy wallets move on to the next big thing.

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Posted By: Lyle

because I like to see other people's collections when they have photos . I often enjoy the historical and sometimes humorous comments made about each set .If it hadn't been for one of the Registry comments by BCD , I would never have known about a certain Cobb card.
Finally , I have orchestrated several trades using it by contacting other collectors .

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Posted By: will watson

professional athletes play sports to win (unless your initials are T.O.). just like people seek better jobs with better salaries. people would rather drive a corvette than a yugo. its human nature to want the best. doesnt matter what the ulterior motive is- for bragging rights, to reward yourself for all the hard work youve put in, whatever.



"From here on out I’m all business I’m going to sign up and compete with other collectors!"

do you use ebay? because that is, in effect, what you're doing in an auction. competing against other collectors, trying to outbid them to win a card. tell me, how many times have you sat back and said "hey! i don't think i'll bid on this auction, because i bet someone else wants it"? probably never. if you want something, you gotta compete with other people who want the same thing. thats what the registry guys do (albeit on a much more expensive scale).



"For the most part (some exceptions) these collections aren’t collected they are delivered. Collectors put them together with virtually unlimited budgets working with a huge network of dealers. These dealers find these cards then deliver them to the collectors assuming they can afford the card when it is received."

that's the exact same concept as this board. collectors helping each other out. locating cards for each other. ive seen countless trading and wantlist threads on here, and ive seen many posters find cards for each other. and dont give me any complaints about the dealers marking the cards up. theyre dealers, this is their job. they take the time to locate cards for wealthy collectors, and profit from it. if they didnt, they wouldnt be able to feed their families.



"And the people with the heavy wallets move on to the next big thing."

strange, most big time collectors (fogel, branca, louchios, halper, crandell, merkle, etc) have been collecting for decades. only difference is, theyve become successful enough in their jobs or business ventures to be able to now afford the best of the best. don't fault them for it, because it sounds like jealousy.

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Posted By: Chris Mcalister(not the football player)

I have a set registered, but not to compete with others. There are many advantages for me to have my set registered. I also like to view the cards in other peoples sets. With the registry it is possible to view cards that otherwise have no picture reference. I work hard for a living and am on a limited budge to collect.I want to collect the highest grade cards for my set , not to be vain, but if available, I would prefer to collect a card in as good a grade as I could afford.I don't care if someone has a better set because the playing field is not always level. This is just a fact of life. I really enjoy the hobby and have met some of the best people I know because of it. Best to all!

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Posted By: John

Will;

I’m not faulting anyone Will, did I mention names? For every long term wealthy collector you can name I could point to 100’s of people spending inane amounts of money on seemingly average cards, because some dealer twists the worthless and inaccurate information retained in these pop-reports to their advantage.

Lets get something straight I don’t fault anyone for having a good job and lots of money, I don’t have anything against people who have great things either. I understand the world is not a utopian place and some will have more than others, believe me the last thing I am is jealous so don’t even insinuate that I would be, you missed my point entirely.

Second of all if you cant read the underlined sarcasm in my post above you’re as clueless as the guys who compete in the set registry. Which is nothing like competing in an auction by the way, at least in an auction by competing you win something. The registry is nothing more than two guys in a locker room arguing over who’s Johnson is larger.

For the record the Fogels’ of the world aren’t the issue, it’s the people, the 100’s above who I mentioned spending silly amounts of money on cards, because they have been roped into false hype and good old fashioned BS. When the new blood and influx of this money finds out their new rare low-pop common they paid $1200 for is worth $300, the bad taste sets in the mouth and their gone from the hobby. That’s the bigger picture here.

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Posted By: Brian

edited to say: "Brian, if you don't have anything nice to say or can't contribute, don't say anything at all"


Brian

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Posted By: steve yawitz

2. there's no doubt some silliness involved, much of it ego-driven, i'm sure. but it's been good for me. i've been able to meet some fellow collectors and acquire some cards i might not have been able to were i not a registry participant. plus, it's a nice way to share images of my cards. i know a website could achieve the same effect, but i doubt i have the computer savvy for that.

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Posted By: DJ

I think Wonka and I are the same person but I don't know him.

Collecting baseball/tobacco cards have been around 100+ years. Why is it "now", in the year 2005 that we must know (keep track) how many cards in a particular grade exists. These opinions all based on what the number on the plastic says-graded either fairly or unfairly by unknowing people and it will never be a fair evaluation since, believe it or not, raw cards do exist.

These "fantastic" old collections (names of great collectors were made above) were obtained when the business was a hobby and cards could be picked up fairly cheaply. Sure they had to have some disposable income but not like today. Look at the price guides of the 1970's (Babe Ruth Goudeys for $60) and the buy/sell lists that were sent out by early dealers. As there are collector's of milk cow dispensers, horse shoes, bottles, cat figurines...collections are born out of the "want" and the values of these items wouldn't break your bank and you can have fun with it.

To think an old time collector who purchased a Wagner for $3K would ever believe it to be a six figured card is simply...insane, an illogical thought.

I know a mailman who made $12K a year in the 1980's and has a seven figured collection that will never find it's way inside a grading facility. He purchased a complete 1952 Topps set for $1,200 in 1976. I think Barry Halper traded away a cow for a Pre-War jersey that sold for high five figures and there is no way I can buy Microsoft stock at forty cents a share in the mid-eighties.

I think the registry is simply so misleading and so flawed. It sure has done two things. Add excitement and new collectors.

DJ

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Posted By: identify71.

1. the set registry is great for the hobby!

If I collected high grade sets, I could see this utility to be very valuable from many aspects.

And high grade sets are as reasonable a criteria for a collection as any other. There is a bit of the johnson (= pride) in all collections. It is the same as 19th century only collections, pre-war, HOFers only, solely rare cards, or any other card assembly.

Yes, some groupings cost more than others, and high graded cards are expensive, but so what? Do not begrudge our brothers and sister collectors simply because they have chosen to put more money into this hobby than you have chosen to do. Remember, some holders of comparitively significant collections, have much of their assets tied up in these collections. Others have a higher disposable income, and can afford relatively high priced cards.

But this is only cards. I recommend focusing on something important, such as whose wife has the best legs. And the correlation of the cards which are collected and the attributes of our spouses, pets, children, garden, etc.

Who has the white french poodle with the hot pink toenails? And what does he collect (he certainly is doing something right).

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Posted By: warshawlaw

PSA started it as a means of getting collectors to submit common cards. The idea is brilliant from a marketing standpoint, which is why everyone else is picking up on it. From my standpoint as a collector, however, I say who cares? The registry serves no useful educational purpose, unlike a site with open use and full imaging, so what is it good for? Helping well-heeled collectors compete to see whose Johnson is a "10". Kinda juvenile from my perspective.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Well, that's the hilarious thing about baseball card collecting by adults - it'a a way for us to keep part of our childhood intact.

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Posted By: Al Crisafulli

I have no problem with the registry, and have a couple of sets listed myself. Personally, I don't care much one way or the other how people choose to collect. If someone wants to spend huge dollars chasing down high grade Don Mossi cards, and they get joy out of doing so, who am I to criticize how they choose to collect?

I have a 1938 Goudey set that I love. I completed it months ago, and had the whole thing graded by PSA. Then I started looking at it and I realized that my PSA-2s and my PSA-7s were very different-looking. So I decided to start upgrading.

Over the weekend I found a very nice Marvin Owen in White Plains. I was thrilled to bring it home. I'll be thrilled (I think) when the grade comes back. And it's just Marvin Owen.

At the same show, my nine-year-old son snagged a pile of shiny basketball cards from a very nice seller. He's thrilled to have a card with a swatch of Shaq's jersey embedded in it. He's thrilled to have picked up a couple of cards of his favorite player, Jason Kidd.

Which one of us is right, and which one of us is wrong? There's plenty of room in this hobby for everyone, and it makes no sense for me to sit and judge people who don't buy the same type of cardboard as I do.

-Al

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Hey Al, how did you know that I'm looking for a 58 Don Mossi in PSA 8?

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Posted By: will watson

"Second of all if you cant read the underlined sarcasm in my post above you’re as clueless as the guys who compete in the set registry. Which is nothing like competing in an auction by the way, at least in an auction by competing you win something. The registry is nothing more than two guys in a locker room arguing over who’s Johnson is larger."

first off, i didn't know you were being sarcastic. i don't really pay close enough attention to the boards to get a feel for everyone. my apologies. but i must disagree with your "whose johnson is bigger" argument. true, i'm sure many collectors get into pissing matches over low pops. its human nature to be the best. i laugh at these people, because odds are when they go to sell they'll probably recoup no more than 25% of their investment. what is the old saying, a fool and his money will soon be parted? something like that. but you're focusing way too much on these guys. there are more than 15,000 sets on the registry. probably only 3-5% of these sets are what you would call super competitively built. most people use the registry for the same reasons i do- to have a place to list their set, track its progress and completion percentage, etc. they arent competing against the world, only themselves. its fun to add a few more cards and watch your completion % jump up another 5-10 percent. makes you feel like youve accomplished something. and it makes you want to strive to find a few more cards to get closer to your goal.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

It seems like the few collectors who do not like the PSA Set Registry have never used it. Those that have or do are unanimous in that they like it although their reasons for liking it may be different.

One argument cited for not liking it is that unknowledgeable unsuspeccting collectors are tricked into paying high prices for low pops.

First, the people paying these prices are generally collectors who colllect a lot of vintage sets and have been doing it a long time.

Secondly, low pops are the prime driver of value for mainstream pre-1959 sets and will continue to be. Low pops have been an excellent investment and will in my opinion to be.

Graded cards and the set registry are the future of the hobby and it gets bigger every day.

Jim

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Jim makes the good point. Based simply on the trend, graded cards and the set registry are becoming more popular. Common sense dictates that the registry will continue to flourish as collectors are, as a whole, a competitive bunch. That being said, as someone who owns high end graded prewar cards and sets from the 50s, the value of the prewar cards has gone up much quicker than the cards from the 50s.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Jeff,

Absolutely right!

The pop of pre-war cards in high grade is much less than post-war. This will undoubtedly continue. Many of my pre-war cards have gone up 5-10 fold in value the last 7-8 years and I expect further appreciation.

Jim