Are We Slaves To The Registry?

[frankbmd]

This may just be a variation of the state of the hobby, but focusing on specific issues within the hobby in terms of what has created "the current state of the hobby" may shed light and insight as to how we got here. A series of basically "what if" questions are listed. Comment on one or more or add a question to the list. Please note there are no rules to restrict posting on this thread.

What if the PSA Registry did not exist?

What if Pop reports did not exist?

What if TPGs did not exist?

What if VCP did not exist?

What if eBay allowed only 99 cent opening bid auctions without BINs?

What if high end cards didn't cost so much? Would less nefarious and fraudulent behavior be attracted to the hobby?

Are current products dependent on manufactured scarcity going to survive? What if there were no current products? Would the vintage market be adversely affected?

What if auction houses didn't sugar coat their "lots" with flowery descriptions and just laid them out like a flea market?

What if all cards did not have borders? Would centering fanatics go insane?

and finally

What if you couldn't find this thread because Net54 was banned from the internet?

[Leon]

Net54 banned from the internet? Interesting concept. Sometimes I think about what would happen if I just deleted the board. It is a 1 click function in the admin. Poof.

[commishbob]

Originally Posted by leon

net54 banned from the internet? Interesting concept. Sometimes i think about what would happen if i just deleted the board. It is a 1 click function in the admin. Poof.

867949A4-C37A-49EF-9729-489BB65E1648.jpg

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Leon

Net54 banned from the internet? Interesting concept. Sometimes I think about what would happen if I just deleted the board. It is a 1 click function in the admin. Poof.

I double dog dare you.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I double dog dare you.

Well, it won't happen but if it was done how could you respond?

And I think Frank asked too many "what if's".

.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Leon

Well, it won't happen but if it was done how could you respond? :eek

.

I think Edvard Munch captured the reaction of most of the board...

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Leon

Well, it won't happen but if it was done how could you respond?

And I think Frank asked too many "what if's".

.

Just a menu Leon, so members only have to decide which question to answer, rather than what question to ask.

[brianp-beme]

We maybe, me no (answer to subject line question).

Brian

[Leon]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Just a menu Leon, so members only have to decide which question to answer, rather than what question to ask.

I was only joking. Sorry to derail your thread.



What if the PSA Registry did not exist? The world would still be here.

What if Pop reports did not exist? See #1

What if TPGs did not exist? See #1

What if VCP did not exist? See #1

What if eBay allowed only 99 cent opening bid auctions without BINs?
See #1

What if high end cards didn't cost so much? Would less nefarious and fraudulent behavior be attracted to the hobby?
no

Are current products dependent on manufactured scarcity to survive? What if there were no current products? Would the vintage market be adversely affected?
See #1

What if auction houses didn't sugar coat their "lots" with flowery descriptions and just laid them out like a flea market?
See #1

What if all cards did not have borders? Would centering fanatics go insane?
yes

.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Leon

Well, it won't happen but if it was done how could you respond?

And I think Frank asked too many "what if's".

.

How would I respond? After one month - "Leon who....?"

Now about all those "what if's?"

TPG + Registry + Pop reports have all contributed to this hobby getting a bit whacky. Are they negatives? That depends on your interest in the hobby. For a lot of collectors it's just increased the price of card board. For others it has increased the value of their "card board portfolios".

[drcy]

Was listening to this crust classic just thing morning.

Slave, slave, slave
From the cradle to the grave
You made yourself the system's slave

Amebix- Slave

[Gradedcardman]

Originally Posted by Leon

Well, it won't happen but if it was done how could you respond?

And I think Frank asked too many "what if's".

.

Amen

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

This may just be a variation of the state of the hobby, but focusing on specific issues within the hobby in terms of what has created "the current state of the hobby" may shed light and insight as to how we got here. A series of basically "what if" questions are listed. Comment on one or more or add a question to the list. Please note there are no rules to restrict posting on this thread.

What if the PSA Registry did not exist? I don't know.

What if Pop reports did not exist? I don't know.

What if TPGs did not exist? I don't know.

What if VCP did not exist? I don't know.

What if eBay allowed only 99 cent opening bid auctions without BINs? I don't know.

What if high end cards didn't cost so much? I don't know.
Would less nefarious and fraudulent behavior be attracted to the hobby? I don't know.

Are current products dependent on manufactured scarcity to survive? I don't know.
What if there were no current products? I don't know.
Would the vintage market be adversely affected? I don't know.

What if auction houses didn't sugar coat their "lots" with flowery descriptions and just laid them out like a flea market? I don't know.

What if all cards did not have borders? I don't know.
Would centering fanatics go insane? I don't know.

and finally

What if you couldn't find this thread because Net54 was banned from the internet?

I don't know.


I hope that my responses help to clarify my positions on these important issues.

Rick

[brian1961]

"Are we slaves to the Registry?"

Ebay sellers certainly price their items as if we are shackled to the PSA Registry, as if we are all involved in it. I prefer my item professionally graded by one of the main firms, but the Registry has made it a rich man's game that I fear will price the far majority of active collectors out of that ball game. Maybe I am wrong; there's actually more and more collectors jumping into the fray with deep pockets. Yes? No?

Early on I sized up the matter of working towards collecting an entire Topps or Bowman regular issue set. In the end I'm sure there would be some gratification, particularly if you were in the top 10 of the finest of that given set. Be that as it may, you start to think about how to store all those slabs? How to display them? It just left me empty, and questioning the sanity of all this. Yeah, we really do need reputable professional grading; I wouldn't want to go back to "it's a screamer" or "so sharp you could shave with it" garbage, but all that hassle and expense to collect a 600-card Topps set, just to have boxes of slabs that you're too afraid to display out in the open for fear of ultra violet ray damage, etc. ...... distills to "THIS IS FOR THE BIRDS---FORGET IT!"

I was more attracted to smaller, tougher sets, and player registries. However, even that gets overwhelming.


In the end, I discovered that I just enjoyed collecting items I found particularly attractive and well-designed, that had a terrific player photo, and PSA-graded. If someone wants to collect the entire 1967 Topps set, they better think it through. Six hundred-plus cards is a lot of work and expense. The pre-war guys have split the T-206 into all the tobacco companies, but they're happy as a clam, and that's fine if they're content. We collectors often find ourselves parsing and dissecting things, so we can one-up our fellow collectors I suppose.

I better stop the ramblin', but I seriously wonder if many collectors have just given up on the Registry, and unlocked their shackles from it?

"The Show Must Go On" say those who sell.... What if it's just become .... too expensive? As has been written by many, top-of-the-line creme de la creme cards and items seem not only to retain their value, but continue to appreciate. That is healthy for our hobby. Let's face it, when a card reaches 4, 5, or 6 figures, it MUST be graded!

Back to the OP however, methinks the compulsion to doggedly pursue the task of completing huge regular issue GRADED sets has lost its luster and appeal, and going back to hunting down centered raw cards with great eye appeal is becoming more appealing again.

--- Brian Powell