PSA Set Registry - Is it worth it?

[brian1961]

Hoping that your wife is in good health now.[/QUOTE]

Thank you, Lou. You're a real friend to be so thoughtful. It was my mother-in-law that passed away in the middle of January. She was a great lady, very sweet and special.

To bring this around to something the lads will love, way back in '88, my wife and I and infant son had to be away from home for a day. We were staying with other relatives. Anyway, that just happened to be the night a Mr. Mint auction ended. That's when The Mint Man ruled the hobby and had the choicest of gems to be had.

Anyway, Alan's auction had to be postponed a day, due to technical difficulties with his many auction phone lines. Oh, was he ever ticked off about that. Alan re-scheduled his auction to end the following night. His auctions always ended at 10:00 on the dot. Well, I could not be home on auction night, and among Alan Rosen's delectable items there was what I believed to be a once in a lifetime Mickey Mantle regional, in the finest conceivable condition.

Chance of a lifetime.

Anyway, my mother and father-in-law lived within a Mantle home run from where we were staying the night. I pleaded with my dear mother-in-law to use their phone to make a bunch of long distance calls. This is when Ma Bell ruled the roost, and everyone paid them well for it. Mom graciously said yes, and I of course assured her every penny would be paid back.

Long to short, God helped me win the card! I was on cloud 9, so overjoyed was I. In retrospect, it WAS the chance of a lifetime. When the hefty Bell phone bill came, I paid her back, gladly.

So, while all the company was here, and funeral service, and so on, late that Sunday night the memory of her kindly allowing me the use of their phone, while the house was empty, flashed through my mind. Brought a big smile to my face, then a wistful expression, and a couple tears of humble gratitude as I reflected on her love and compassion for her son-in-law on that night long ago.

Have a great day, guys. Be safe. ---Brian Powell

[brian1961]

Jim----

In the discussion on whether or not it is worth it to have your cards graded and registered in the PSA Set Registry, there are some basic issues that must be kept in mind. Bro, I apologize if this comes off as if I'm talking down to you. It surprises me sometimes what we collectors perhaps take for granted today, as opposed to what we endured or put up with in the earlier years of the hobby. First is the plain and simple truth it was a wise decision itself to go through the cumbersome process of getting your cards graded by a reputable third party authenticator, such as PSA, SGC, and Beckett.

Down through the years, cards were handled in all sorts of ways, usually causing condition degradation. Once the adult card hobby took off, beginning about 1969, more than a few of the attempts to house and store treasured cards wound up backfiring, causing, again, condition degradation. And a lot of pain!

It wasn't until third party authenticators began grading and, to the point, properly encapsulating the cards that they remained in the condition which they were graded. You can now relax and hold that card without fear and trepidation, admire it, read the backside, and of course let SOMEONE ELSE hold it as well, without your heart being in your throat!

Once graded in that elegant holder, the card is so displayable! Having said that, you must guard against your cards being hit by direct sunlight, or overexposed to florescent lighting. That is so important. Also, display and storage in cool temperature, with stable humidity levels, is also paramount. That can be a bother, but you still have to work a bit to ensure your treasured cards stay in the same nice condition PSA graded them.

Lastly, this is a challenge to describe, but there's something extra meaningful about that swell card in a hefty graded card case. The card's importance is instantly magnified. With the protection comes the added weight of the holder, and the feel of that in your hand is wondrous.

'Nuf said. ---Brian Powell

[steve B]

I believe the slabs are polycarbonate, which blocks most if not all UV. Some shows a bit of transmission of longer wavelengths, but most blocks the shorter wavelengths.

I'll have to try an experiment sometime. I'm not sure I have a UV reactive card that's slabbed.

Steve B