More interest in raw cards in 2024 - Observations

[Fred]

I'm still trying to figure out what board members believe is a fair discount rate for ungraded cards (when compared to a comparable slabbed card). If a graded card value comp is $500, then what's a board member willing to pay for a card that appears to be in that condition (but not slabbed)?

What do you say when a dealer says "that's what a graded card would go for"?

My response is (nicely), then perhaps you should get it graded and sell it at that price. To which some dealers cop an attitude and others figure it's time to negotiate.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Fred

What do you say when a dealer says "that's what a graded card would go for"?

"Well I'm not willing to pay the premium for graded cards. I buy only lower priced raw cards."

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Fred

I'm still trying to figure out what board members believe is a fair discount rate for ungraded cards (when compared to a comparable slabbed card). If a graded card value comp is $500, then what's a board member willing to pay for a card that appears to be in that condition (but not slabbed)?

That depends on the card. As an example, for a '76 George Brett in "Mint" condition, the difference in price between raw and PSA 9 can be significant. For others, like a Fair/Good T206 common, not so much.

What do you say when a dealer says "that's what a graded card would go for"?

I'd say, "perhaps you should get it graded and sell it at..." Oh, wait. Yep, you nailed it.

My response is (nicely), then perhaps you should get it graded and sell it at that price. To which some dealers cop an attitude and others figure it's time to negotiate.

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[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Fred

I'm still trying to figure out what board members believe is a fair discount rate for ungraded cards (when compared to a comparable slabbed card). If a graded card value comp is $500, then what's a board member willing to pay for a card that appears to be in that condition (but not slabbed)?

What do you say when a dealer says "that's what a graded card would go for"?

My response is (nicely), then perhaps you should get it graded and sell it at that price. To which some dealers cop an attitude and others figure it's time to negotiate.

There is no standard discounted amount that raw cards sell for in comparison to graded cards. They're worth just as much outside the slab as they are inside. The amount a buyer is willing to pay is more a function of how confident they are in their ability to predict what it would grade if submitted. If I'm looking at a card that I am very confident will grade a 6, then I'll pay full comps of a 6 to acquire that card. Especially if it's difficult to find otherwise. But that's based on my assessment of the card, not someone else's. If the seller says it's NM-MT and wants PSA 8 pricing for it, then I'm not a buyer obviously. But it works the other way too. If the seller lists it as VGEX but I'm confident it'll grade as a 5, then again, I'll bid as if it's in a 5 holder already. But I'm extremely confident in my ability to grade cards accurately. If you're not confident in your ability to grade cards then you shouldn't be buying them raw to begin with.

[gst6]

I have no strong preference. I think in theory the concern for fakes is higher once you get into pre-WWII cards given their simplicity, so I understand "authenticating," but at the same time, it's not like I'm buying $100K cards here. No one is forging a torn-to-shreds Orval Overall.

I think people get obsessed with the grade, too, and there's probably a market inefficiency there. Compare a random N172 graded a 1 vs one that's graded a 4, and I feel like fairly often the 1 looks as good or better, but a lot of people are just bidding just based on a grade.

Auction houses I think are pretty much exclusively graded cards now, so this probably skews what I've added recently, but I'm not in a rush to grade anything I have that's raw.

I will say... I don't understand grading modern cards at all. It's got to be, what, 90%+ 8s or 9s? And magically all the hyped 1/1s get 10s. To me, card grading is mostly card authenticity, and that's just not needed for something like the Skenes debut patch.

[PhillyFan1883]

I miss the days of raw cards being the majority at shows to be honest. I enjoy going through stacks of raw at the old time dealers still to this day bulding out my sets.

[Balticfox]

Yes! So do I.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by gst6

I will say... I don't understand grading modern cards at all. It's got to be, what, 90%+ 8s or 9s? And magically all the hyped 1/1s get 10s. To me, card grading is mostly card authenticity, and that's just not needed for something like the Skenes debut patch.

Grading with modern is really just a mechanism for culling back the insane print runs into 10s and not 10s.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Snowman

Grading with modern is really just a mechanism for culling back the insane print runs into 10s and not 10s.

What a game!
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[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by Snowman

Grading with modern is really just a mechanism for culling back the insane print runs into 10s and not 10s.

Yes! Exactly. It's like I have whole sets of junk wax cards that I bought for $10. Wouldn't it be great to go through the 700 cards to find one that's worth $10 and throw the other 699 out.

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[Exhibitman]

For some sets, you can. I bought a large collection of junk wax sets, ended uo with maybe 100 cards from it. 1990 Score, for example, the Bo Jackson BB/FB card is worth as much as the rest of the set. Pull the Jacksons and a few of the rookies (Thomas, Schilling, Sanders, etc.) and big stars (Griffey, Ryan, Bonds, etc.) and junk the rest.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

For some sets, you can. I bought a large collection of junk wax sets, ended uo with maybe 100 cards from it. 1990 Score, for example, the Bo Jackson BB/FB card is worth as much as the rest of the set. Pull the Jacksons and a few of the rookies (Thomas, Schilling, Sanders, etc.) and big stars (Griffey, Ryan, Bonds, etc.) and junk the rest.

Instead of the junk pile, alternatively you can send them to a artist desperately in search of such material to slice up for use in their baseball card montage creations.

Help a starving baseball card artist in need!


Brian (I am not one of these artists, mainly because I find it difficult to cut cards using the small, rounded point kiddie scissors allowed around me at home)

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

1990 Score, for example, the Bo Jackson BB/FB card is worth as much as the rest of the set. Pull the Jacksons and a few of the rookies (Thomas, Schilling, Sanders, etc.) and big stars (Griffey, Ryan, Bonds, etc.) and junk the rest.

Groan.... That's what I hate about the mentality of sport card collectors these days. Non-sport card collecting is much better balanced or sensible in that regard.