Uncatalogued cards

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

One of the things that drives me crazy about Cuban and Puerto Rican cards is the whole cult of secrecy that seems to exist among some of the oldtimers in the hobby. I have personally alienated myself from several of these people by checklisting some of these previously unchecklisted sets and posting them on my website.

Even with American cards, I don't think it helps the hobby or the value of a one-of-a-kind (or really rare) card remains uncatalogued. I know for me, I would never pay a penny more for a card just because it was uncatalogued.

I like the idea of cards being catalogued just to know what's out there. Stating values can be helpful as a guide, and most (not all) collectors seem to realize that a guide is not a concrete value a card is worth or will sell for if you throw it on ebay.

Many of us will never own the high-dollar one-of-a-kind uncatalogued cards that some on this board have hidden in their collections. But I would think it would only add value to have some of us drooling over those cards even if we have no chance of owning them. Desirability can be more valuable than scarcity. For example, if all of Leon's Western Playgrounds had been auctioned off at the same time, even on ebay, how much more do you think the bagman would have sold for than the others?

That said, whoever owns an uncatalogued card has every right to hide that card away or do whatever they want with it. It doesn't matter if their motives are financial or not. I'd personally like to see the card, but I don't feel the owner owes the hobby anything and can feed the card do their dog if the so desire, whether they discovered it themselves, or bought it from a Major auction house.

Except for Dan. I think Dan owes it to all of us to post some scans of all the rarities he's been hiding from us all these years. Kidding about that of course, but I will say that in my opinion having the Alpha Engraving cards catalogued and seen has only added to their desirability and value.

So it wouldn't hurt to show us some other goodies (nudge, nudge).

-Ryan