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

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I’m just always confused why people that spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on essentially pictures of dudes are so aghast that other people spend a couple dozen more dollars to put the picture of the dude in a plastic case.

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

...but if the question is why someone wouldn’t rely on the opinion of a stranger who's trying to sell them the card in lieu of the opinion of a stranger who's not trying to sell them the card, well, that's a bit silly.

Originally Posted by Touch'EmAll

But I honestly feel the chances of getting what you pay for is better with slabbed cards vs. raw (thru the mail sight unseen).

All very good points indeed. And arm's length card grading by a third party would certainly have its merits. The problem though is the speed at which it's degenerated into abject folly, e.g. the $33,600 that a slabbed Topps 1975 Dave Roberts card just fetched when nigh identical Dave Roberts cards are available anywhere else for $3.36. (Try explaining that to the man-on-the street.)

Sorry, but some of us reserve the right to sneer rather than cheer.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

All very good points indeed. And arm's length card grading by a third party would certainly have its merits. The problem though is the speed at which it's degenerated into abject folly, e.g. the $33,600 that a slabbed Topps 1975 Dave Roberts card just fetched when nigh identical Dave Roberts cards are available anywhere else for $3.36. Try explaining that to the man-on-the street.)

Sorry, but some of us reserve the right to sneer rather than cheer.

Even those of us that are into graded cards are mostly (entirely?) shocked and appalled by the craziness of the price on that card. Even as a hard core set registry goon, I wouldn't come anywhere close to paying that kind of a premium. Give me a solid PSA 9 for under 1% of that price and that's good enough for me.

[Balticfox]

What's really silly about PSA 10 graded cards versus PSA 9 graded cards is that if you showed a bunch of serious collectors ten cards broken from their slabs of which two had been graded 10 and eight had been graded 9, only 1 in 45 of those collectors would be able to pick out the two that had been graded 10. Then the other 44 would all argue about why PSA was wrong and how they were right.

Yet certain collectors/speculators are willing to pay mind boggling multiples more for the 10 graded card. They are of course buying the label not the card.

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Yet certain collectors/speculators are willing to pay mind boggling multiples more for the 10 graded card. They are of course buying the label not the card.

Unless the price difference is insignificant or it's the only one I can get my hands on, every 10 I've ever had gets sold to those willing to pay for that slab number.

I'll keep the 8's and 9's when it comes to higher-end grades for my personal collection. I'll let those that chase the 10's pay me for that number.

Many times that pays for almost all (or all) of the cost of grading the other cards in the order.

[perezfan]

The fact that newly graded cards have numbers on the flips that are (on average) 2 full grades below their older counterparts should render the whole misguided/corrupt process null and void.

But the sheeple are addicted to the slab and the toothpaste won't go back into the tube.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by perezfan

The fact that newly graded cards have numbers on the flips that are (on average) 2 full grades below their older counterparts should render the whole misguided/corrupt process null and void.

But the sheeple are addicted to the slab and the toothpaste won't go back into the tube.

To Hell with card grading and all the stupid BS associated with it. I've had my say about it. To all who like to tell me to give it a rest, so be it, I will. If they're worth more graded to some people, so be it. I don't care.

[BRoberts]

Originally Posted by jingram058

To Hell with card grading and all the stupid BS associated with it. I've had my say about it. To all who like to tell me to give it a rest, so be it, I will. If they're worth more graded to some people, so be it. I don't care.

Good to see you coming around to the idea of professional grading, Jim.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by jingram058

To Hell with card grading and all the stupid BS associated with it. I've had my say about it. To all who like to tell me to give it a rest, so be it, I will.

Nah.

I kind of doubt that, given your history. I'd say it's more likely that you will wait a few months and start another thread very similar to this one, or just find various and sundry places here and there on the threads of others to rant and rage about the evils of graded cards.

Don't get me wrong, I could care less. But let's be realistic.

[campyfan39]

This is a very good and observable point.

Originally Posted by perezfan

The fact that newly graded cards have numbers on the flips that are (on average) 2 full grades below their older counterparts should render the whole misguided/corrupt process null and void.

But the sheeple are addicted to the slab and the toothpaste won't go back into the tube.