This Probably Won't Go Anywhere, But...

[jchcollins]

It's intriguing to me that this subject never seems to go more than a few months without rearing it's ugly head again. But it's well-tilled ground at this point. For James, it's really well-tilled ground...

When I first became aware of graded cards in the early 2000's, I hated slabs and the entire concept too. I thought they looked clinical and clunky and extremely out of place, and the information they divulged on the flip was something that I thought informed collectors should be mostly aware of in the first place. But as others have pointed out, over the years - the means to the end for the slab - particularly for those of us who buy online without being able to physically inspect every single thing first, and the ability to get something at least somewhere in the correct condition ballpark for the price we are paying - is extremely helpful. For me beyond that, slabs are a decent holder with an opinion on it. Nothing more. I too have cracked many slabs, sometimes because I just don't like the aesthetic of the particular slab, or the way the card moves in it, or something pretty trivial. But I understand their purpose now.

I would also agree with those who have said that ship has sailed, automobiles are here to stay, etc. etc. There are many things I still dislike about grading today, even without the noted scandals - grading is a human endeavor and thus far from perfect - but at some point you either put up with the way the world works, or you increasingly have a hard time living in it.

I also think that it's just foolish today if you have Ruths, Cobbs, Gehrigs, Mantle rookies, what have you in any condition, and you don't have them in slabs. Sorry. Sure, you can collect "not for the money", but to just be seemingly totally ignorant of some cards and their value for your future, or your future heirs at this point is dumb. Keep your heads in the sand if you like, but nobody is going to live forever, even if you don't get hit by a bus next week. If you just "don't care" and whoever winds up with the cards after you are gone gets taken or loses money and oh well, that's that! - fine, but you are being silly and irresponsible IMO.

As others have echoed many times before - wouldn't it be boring if we all collected the same thing? Wouldn't it also be boring if we all collected in exactly the same WAY?