What is the opinions here of the PSA Registry?

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Posted By: John_B_California

The PSA set registry isn't just for millionaires to show off their 8's and 9's. Look at some of the major sets.

T206 - 30 people with more than 20% of the set completed.

1933 Goudey - More than 30 people above 20%.

The numbers are similar for '34 Goudey, 51 Bowman, 52 Topps, etc. Someone has a complete '34 Goudey set with a 2.66 grade. The vast majority of sets are low to mid grade. Why just focus on the top 1%?

I enjoy looking at the scans and reading the comments left by collectors. My vote is for #1 and #2.

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

"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."

Jim...that seems to be just common sense...those people that don't care for something aren't going to use it.

I personally lean more toward John (wonkaticket) in this debate - I can certainly see the pros of the registry such as a centralized place to keep tabs on your collection and the free photo hosting. On the other hand I think it brings out a competitiveness and show-off aspect that isn't always good for the hobby if taken to the extremes. If I were to have a place for people to view my collection I'd probably rather just have my own site.

Anyone who pays 11k for a 1933 Goudey Pat Malone (the recent Goodwin auction) has serious problems...whoever does is certainly free to do what they want with their money, but I'm also free to call it amazingly dumb. Cards like that would simply not go for such a price if people couldn't "show them off" on the registry.

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Posted By: Wesley

After adding the buyer fees, the final price is actually $13,644.61. The 1933 Pat Malone is a very rare card in PSA 8 condition, so I am sure, to the buyer, that card is worth every penny.

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Posted By: cmoking

If that card had closed at 6K, I would have been happy to buy it. Does that make me nuts? Crazy? Does that make me want to show off in the registry set? No. All it makes me is that I want to complete the set in all PSA 7 or PSA 8. Nothing to do with the registry set even though I use it and have fun with it. I'm just saying if a guy wants to complete a set in high grade, it doesn't have to be because he wants to show off his johnson is bigger than the next guys. I have no chance at breaking the Top 5 in that registry set, and I probably can't even get one spot higher, but I still want the best looking set that I can afford. I could afford 6K. The eventual winner could afford 13K. Another guy apparently could afford 12K (the underbidder).

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Posted By: Wesley

You are right. Everyone is free to do as they please.

$13K just seems like a lot to me for a 1933 Goudey common.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

because I do not slab my cards with PSA, nor do I ever plan to do so. People like me do not use it because we do not collect PSA-encapsulated cards, do not intend to collect PSA encapsulated cards, and actively remove cards from PSA holders. In fact, I typically cross over cards I purchase from PSA holders to SGC holders, for reasons that have been discussed ad nauseum already. I think it is misguided, therefore, to conclude that people who do not use PSA's registry simply haven't tried it. There are so many "advanced" collectors who do not like PSA and therefore will not use the registry that its value as a registry of prewar cards is similar to the pop report's value as a measure of prewar card scarcity: minimal.

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

I understand the rarity of the Malone, Wes, but it is still just Pat Malone. I just can't fathom someone paying that much for that card. Even if I was putting together a high grade Goudey set I couldn't bring myself to pay the freight for that card - I'd much rather buy a 6 and spend the difference on other things.

I guess that is what makes a market though...I may personally think it is dumb, but it isn't my money.

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

cmoking,
I suppose I was a bit too harsh in my previous post, but to me you would certainly have been nuts to pay that much for a Pat Malone - it is, however, your money to spend. My thinking that doesn't take anything away from you personally as from reading your posts you seem like an all around nice guy.

I'm more of a low to mid grade guy who prefers quantity to quality, so I suppose I just don't get paying such high prices for a common that wasn't printed in any lesser quantity than others in the set.

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Posted By: cmoking

you have a right to think i'm nuts. my wife think I'm nuts too!

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Collectors want to have great sets or lets say many collectors.

I would try to improve my 33 Goudey Sports Kings set from 8.00 not because I would move up in the registry but to improve my set. I think the vast majority of psa set registry participants would answer the same way.

The Malone is just the latest indication that pop drives value. Not a surprising number to me. Remember we are dealing with company ceos, wall street guys, wealthy attorneys and $23K is not a big number to certain of them. And this is to Set Registry participants the most popular pre-war set.

Jim

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Posted By: Nick

What do you think about the SGC Set Registry?

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Ditto my above post as to the PSA registry. I'll admit an attraction when they started theirs, but the infatuation soon gave way to a "what am I doing" feeling. I've abandoned my set listings even though I've actually finished a set since putting in the partial info some time ago.

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Posted By: bob

I don't think that anything that encourages using BB cards as an investment strategy is good and certainly not great. That rules out 1 and 2.

I certainly don't think it's evil. That rules out 5. I think the only thing that approaches evil in the hobby is outright theft or maybe cutting up Babe Ruth's bat into itty bitty pieces.

I guess I'll say 4 altough maybe if I was Bill Gates and had bajillions of cash I'd have a 33 Goudey set in PSA8/9 and then I'd say 3. As it is I do have a 33 Goudey set (and love it!) but I think it would cost much more to encapsulate 95% of my cards than it did to buy them.