Graded cards--do you collect them or not?

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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