Graded vs. Raw Rant.......

[RCMcKenzie]

John, I used to say 'grading is for Topps cards', but now that I'm collecting Topps cards again, I want raw cards for a binder. I think grading is for selling on the internet. I dunno.

[ALR-bishop]

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video...105G91708&tt=b

[Exhibitman]

A Card Slabber's Nightmare

To grade, or not to grade, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of inconsistent grades, or to take arms against a sea of slabheads.
And by opposing grading? To sell cheap no more, and by refusing to play we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that grading poppage cause us.
Devoutly to be wished: to sell raw but not too cheap.
To grade, perchance to dream, ay, there's the rub; for in that submission lot what tens may come?
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause; there's the disrespect that makes calamity of leaving raw cards.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of dealers, the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, the pangs of selling off Dad's raw cards, the long delays, the insolence of lowball offers and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes, when a collector himself might their quietus make by leaving his heirs a box of slabs instead?
But that dread of what the graders do, the packs we bust from whose bourn an altered card somehow returns, it puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than pay some schmuck to grade our stuff.
Thus conscience does make raw card men of us all.
I shall now withdraw, and touch myself anon.

--If the Bard collected cards, with apologies to Robin Williams...

[homerunhitter]

It was interesting that while I was looking at graded cards on eBay yesterday, that I noticed myself passing on “older” PSA slabs that didn’t have the psa hologram on them. Which validates what many of you are saying. Why buy graded now because in 20+ years no one is going to want “todays” psa slabs.

I’m leaning toward slabs only make sense if your going to flip/sell NOW because as mentioned 2023 psa slabs will look ancient decades from now and the newer cool psa slabs will be most in demand.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

It was interesting that while I was looking at graded cards on eBay yesterday, that I noticed myself passing on “older” PSA slabs that didn’t have the psa hologram on them. Which validates what many of you are saying. Why buy graded now because in 20+ years no one is going to want “todays” psa slabs.

I’m leaning toward slabs only make sense if your going to flip/sell NOW because as mentioned 2023 psa slabs will look ancient decades from now and the newer cool psa slabs will be most in demand.

I completely agree with the part I made bold. Unless I am selling something it isn't getting graded.

It is a great marketing tool the grading companies use for the new is always better crowd most of us are in.

As mainly a collector this is what gave me the wake up call. For 30 years I never got anything graded and though it was silly. Then I ended up with a super high grade raw vintage set. I got the whole set graded and 100s of other vintage cards shortly after a flip change. Figured awesome they are in the latest greatest flip. Ended up buying mainly graded cards for a while. Then they changed the freakin flip again. When my first thought was to get the entire set into the new slab/flip I knew I had a problem. I sold 99.99% of all my graded cards and have never looked back and don't miss owning a single graded card I had.

[homerunhitter]

Thanks Ben for your thoughts on this, I appreciate it very much. This is the EXACT dilemma that I have in me going back and forth on whether to go full speed ahead in grading or go full speed ahead in raw cards. My concern is like you mentioned. Finally competing my collection of graded cards and then PSA changes to newer cooler slabs then with my OCD, I feel I would sell everything and start all over trying to get them all in the newer slabs. So now raw cards might be the direction I go.