The ethics of cracking certified cards

[ALBB]

As much as I also am not fond of slabbed cards, I would be a little cautious with any extremely high value card ( very early 50s Mantle, etc)...come the day you might want to sell the stuff...a buyer might " feel better" paying you ,...knowing the..for ex - 1940 Play Ball Joe Jackson is graded/slabbed

[Volod]

I did quite a lot of cracking a few years ago as I was working on a couple of vintage sets. Then, one day I was a little too anxious to free a particular card, my hand slipped on the tool handle and a sharp piece of plastic dug a nice hole into the unfortunate image of Bow Wow Arfft. I left the violent liberation army at that point, but I still empathize with those who enjoy it.

[commishbob]

Originally Posted by Volod

I did quite a lot of cracking a few years ago as I was working on a couple of vintage sets. Then, one day I was a little too anxious to free a particular card, my hand slipped on the tool handle and a sharp piece of plastic dug a nice hole into the unfortunate image of Bow Wow Arfft. I left the violent liberation army at that point, but I still empathize with those who enjoy it.

LOL


My very first attempt to free a card resulted in my dinging a '59 Killebrew when I put that thing together. Nothing too costly but it did cause me to be much more deliberate on subsequent operations.

BTW...I do keep the flips that came with the cards I bust loose. I stick them in one of the 20 pocket pages intended for tobacco cards. I keep that page at the back of the binder for that set.

[Case12]

I use binder, so I crack them all. Use the wire cutter method on the top corner. Works great. I put the top paper header behind the card in the binder....figure why not keep it instead of tossing it.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Volod

I did quite a lot of cracking a few years ago as I was working on a couple of vintage sets. Then, one day I was a little too anxious to free a particular card, my hand slipped on the tool handle and a sharp piece of plastic dug a nice hole into the unfortunate image of Bow Wow Arfft. I left the violent liberation army at that point, but I still empathize with those who enjoy it.

I've cracked at least 100 slabs in the last 2 decades and only ever damaged one card - unfortunately it was a '56 Clemente. A shard of plastic dug into the surface on his face - and an EX+ card went to about a G in a matter of seconds...

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I've cracked at least 100 slabs in the last 2 decades and only ever damaged one card - unfortunately it was a '56 Clemente. A shard of plastic dug into the surface on his face - and an EX+ card went to about a G in a matter of seconds...

Same for me...and also same I've only had one mishap. I was cracking a PSA 6 1967 Topps Boston Red Sox team (high number) and when popping with screw driver (PSA's pop so easy) the center snapped, usually never happens, and I dented the card in the middle...tiny dent. Went from a 6 to a 3...lol. That hurt, and now I take just a little more time so that doesn't happen again. Got a little cocky there. Still a nice card in my binder but I know I will end up replacing...everytime I see that card I get anxiety!

[Harliduck]

Is it terrible to add that I have popped 4's and 5's that look like 6's and 7's...and have sold a few those that were now raw and they sold for more raw? I don't sell that often but you think someone with a good eye could make a lot of side profit doing so. That 5 was probably originally sent in for grading hoping for a 7, now someone knew may think it can be a 7...

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

Is it terrible to add that I have popped 4's and 5's that look like 6's and 7's...and have sold a few those that were now raw and they sold for more raw?

Not at all, this actually highlights the subjectivity inherent with grading mid-range cards. I popped another '56 Clemente in a BVG 5 last year because there was a problem with the case or something, and later decided to sell it. Greg Morris bought it from me for comprable to what I paid, and then later sold it for nearly 2x that amount. I saw the auction on the other end and know it was the same card; and he described it accurately as EX to EX+. So the point there is just that particularly for some sellers, the spectulation is rampant and people will shell out for raw cards - even if they just think they may be undergraded. That or there is something just hypnotic about bright blue backgrounds...