Am I misunderstanding?

[wdwfan]

I don't deal with the whole 'graded' thing and will only buy raw. Unless of course, it's a big name RC like Clemente or Koufax or something. I might consider buying raw then. But otherwise, it's raw for me.

Never bought graded, never sold graded. Don't want anything to do with graded.

Originally Posted by iwantitiwinit

Don't buy raw cards.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

I don't deal with the whole 'graded' thing and will only buy raw. Unless of course, it's a big name RC like Clemente or Koufax or something. I might consider buying raw then. But otherwise, it's raw for me.

Never bought graded, never sold graded. Don't want anything to do with graded.

Unless you have the opportunity to examine raw cards in person and a loupe to carefully examine the cards, especially the edges (scrupulously avoiding those with razor sharp edges or corners pinched at the top, indicating the card has been put through a paper mill/press, enlarged and then cut back to size with corner defects removed to simulate a NrMt or better appearance), buying raw cards, notably expensive ones, is indeed a practice to be avoided, especially if the card's retention or appreciation of value means anything to you. The card doctors are still out there, even with graded cards (I recently saw a 1907 Wolverine News Ty Cobb rookie--with significant surface markings to establish there was no doubt whatsoever that it was the same card-- go from SGC poor to SGC Ex when someone was able to remove some light writing from the low end of the card without SGC detecting it), but buying graded does offer some significant assurance of authenticity and thus acceptance in the marketplace.

Just some words to the wise,

Larry