Does slabbing create value?

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Posted By: Bruce Moreland

Of course grading creates value, if the grade says something good about the card. It's the same kind of thing as taking a used car to a mechanic -- the knowledge that the car is in decent shape might be worth more than the cost of the inspection.

If you have old commons that are NM or NM/MT, or old stars that are maybe EX or better, having them graded can help a huge amount in some cases.

A T-206 common in 4 isn't helped much, because the grade doesn't really say anything good about the card. It says that the grader thinks that it's not altered, and that there's not some terrible problem going on, but with a T-206 common in that grade there's not that much problem with alteration, and it doesn't take a lot of understanding to tell that a card is VGEX more or less.

I'm used to doing 50's stuff, and I'd never try for a 4 or 5 on a common. It seems like you guys have more problems with alteration on this really old stuff, but I'd still think that it doesn't make great sense to slab a T-206 common in EX or worse.

I'd have to check eBay to know for sure.

bruce