To crack or not to crack...

[ruth_rookie]

Originally Posted by BradH

I agree with this completely -- I don't remove cards that are susceptible to further damage if they're already frail, or if I don't have a proper binder to put them in.

Back in the ‘80s my best friend and I had the largest collections in the neighborhood, something we were very proud of as pre-teens. We both kept them stored in shoeboxes in our bedroom closet. One day he and I were gonna make a few trades after school, so we ventured to his house after getting off the school bus. It had been several months since we’d done this, and I was very excited because I had finally convinced him to trade me his ‘62 Maris for a couple of Pete Rose cards, who was approaching Cobbs all-time hit record. We get to his house, remove his shoe-box collection from the shelf and....

Half of his cards (along with a large portion of his comic book collection) had been shredded, including the ‘62 Maris I wanted so desperately. Termites had all but destroyed the only thing of value he owned. I promptly went home and convinced my mom to buy me a small safe. But i’m pretty certain (safe or no safe) his cards and comics would be around today if they’d been encased in plastic.

[glynparson]

Honestly do what makes you happiest. One point You can always crack out later you can’t definitely get back in the same grade holder.

[MartyFromCANADA]

For pre-war cards, I could really care less about grading, being a low grade collector. But I like the comfort of a slabbed card. Knowing that my purchase is at least authentic.

I do send modern cards in once in a while... I have no idea why. Lol.

[KMayUSA6060]

Bigger name cards I keep slabbed (Ruth, Cobb, Mathewson, Young, Johnson, etc.). Otherwise, my cards go into a binder and I keep the flip to show authentication/grade.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I honestly go back and forth on this issue. Ideally, I love the idea of raw cards laid alongside each other and/or in a binder, and I have cracked a few T212s. I suppose if a collector does sell cards that he cracked out and loses some money on them because they aren't graded, it could be seen as a trade-off for having owned and enjoyed them for many years.

However, I also do like the appearance of the T cards in SGC holders. I am not real worried about re-sale value, profit, etc. per se. However, I do allow myself to sometimes consider economic realities and the complexities of doing business in an online world. Buying and selling cards in slabs is easier. I don't like saying that, but it is true.

See how I argued both sides of the issue??

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

I'm pretty new at building a vintage set, but for my 1952 Bowmans, I plan on keeping any graded HOF cards I get in the holder, but still put them in the binder. I currently have a graded Mays and a graded Kiner in a "four pocket" sheet at the back of the binder. I don't plan on buying many graded, so they should all fit (I'll add the Berra, Musial, and Mantle, and that might be it...the Kiner sort of just landed in my lap at a great price, so that wasn't planned).

I haven't decided if I want to put a reprint in the proper place (or even a printed scan) or not...right now those respective slots are empty.

But now when I flip through my binder, I know the "good stuff" is waiting for me at the back.

Just my two cents.

[Bpm0014]

But most of my collection is non-graded and I like the consistency of it. Also, I have very little interest in future value of a graded card vs. a non-graded card and I have ZERO interest in the registry numbers.

I enjoy my collection for it's consistency and it takes up far less space when the cards are in binders or top loaders.

Yes, yes, yes, yes! I'm at like 512/524 of the T206 set. All raw, all in binders. All 4 Cobbs, the Demmit, the O'Hara, a couple signed ones, etc. All raw, all in binders. Many were cracked out of holders and I have no regrets. Even my high grade Cy Young pitching. I love them in a binder!