Mid-Grade Collectors

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Lemme see, I can have one card in a PSA 8 case or a lower grade version of that card plus a whole buncha other cards too. I prefer the latter. I also remember the cards from the 1960s and earlier in lower grades, so they don't look right to me when they are crisp and clean.

Adam, I recently found and enjoyed a thread you had commented on about O/C cards and graded O/C cards. Gave me some good perspective in collecting particularly issues like ‘67 and ‘70 Topps baseball, where a collection focused on better centering is clearly going to be a real bear even if you can afford it. Centering was not so much an aspect of “pack fresh” that was important when I collected as a kid, so not sure how it became that way now suddenly when I’m in my 40’s. I don’t like miscut cards, but will agree with you there is some tolerable room with centering to still get nice cards (and at bargains) and not be quite so anal...

-John

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[Nick55]

I'm in my late 40's and have been collecting off and on since I was 9 years old. I've come full circle, starting out collecting in the VG or worse area as kid, moving to NM/Mint as I got older and earned more, and now in the last two years or so back to VG to VG/EX. For me, the best balance between eye appeal and the economic and time cost it takes to acquire cards is best at about VG/VG-EX condition. I don't have the time or patience (or the budget for that matter) to search for high grade cards, and frankly, I don't need them to be high grade to be satisfied. The other factor is that too many times I purchased cards online that looked to be high grade and were advertised as such only to be disappointed to have them be mid-grade once I had them in hand. I guess pursuing high grade stopped being fun and too much like work.

[pokerplyr80]

I look for low to mid grade cards with excellent centering and eye appeal. Great way to save some money.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Very nice Jackie.

[Marchillo]

A nice VGEX is my perfect card for eye appeal and value. My base Mantle collection 56-69 ranges from 2 to 4.5. If I went for 7’s I’d probably only have 3 or 4 of the late 60’s ones and none from 56-59.