Condition / grading obsession in the hobby

[David W]

Originally Posted by MCoxon

Do you think grading created more "investors" vs. collectors? That could be one of the outcomes of the introduction of grading...

Maybe, but where grading really grew in popularity was the advent of E Bay.

It made it much simpler to purchase cards when you knew what you were getting.

There was Tipton mint, and Larry Fritch mint, and on and on it went. I hated the descriptions in some of the old Fritch catalogs - NM, except for punch hole in top, or VG/EX - except for writing and slight crease.

What did that mean??????

So PSA and others devised a scale with standards and you knew what a 1, 2,3.... etc were.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by David W

Maybe, but where grading really grew in popularity was the advent of E Bay.

It made it much simpler to purchase cards when you knew what you were getting.

There was Tipton mint, and Larry Fritch mint, and on and on it went. I hated the descriptions in some of the old Fritch catalogs - NM, except for punch hole in top, or VG/EX - except for writing and slight crease.

What did that mean??????

So PSA and others devised a scale with standards and you knew what a 1, 2,3.... etc were.

the few times I have bought raw cards I have been disappointed....I almost never disappointed on graded cards if ever..