I am not a PSA basher...but?

[Archive]

Posted By: Joe Pelaez

I was about to go to bed.

"1)"Fought the trend" means fought the trend toward graded cards."
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Jim, where do you get this "Fought the trend" stuff from?
What fight?
Unlike today, during that period there were more collectors that knew how to grade their own cards.
Why should they spend time at a slab table when they can get a raw one for less? .. that sounds more like economy, than fighting the trend.
If you handle enough cards, you can tell trims.
It was an opinion.
An opinion just like most of the posters on this board would walk past a table loaded with the shiny stuff. ... I wouldn't call fighting the trend either.
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"Thus the advent of grading was able to allow me to enjoy the hobby again as I could buy cards with confidence they were not altered."
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Please permit me to guide you to the top of this thread, and introduce you to the title of the thread.
If you wish to see others, I will dig up some from the archives.
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"2)"Completely missed it" refers mainly to the huge run up in prices in graded cards. I assume most although not everyone likes to make money even though it is a hobby."
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A hobby and a portfolio ... Two totally different animals.
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"Secondarily ""completely missed it" means they never thought that graded cards would take off like they have"
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Jim, to an investor, this is going to be unbelievable and incredible.

We Never Gave That a Thought.

Here's where we differ.
The hopelessly insane mindset of a collector, is totally different than the money angle investor in denial.

Two different animals.

The sicko's are into the joy of filling the empty slots.
While the investors are more into filling the portfolio.
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"sort of the Mr. Mint mentality who fought graded cards every step of the way until almost the entire high grade portion of the hobby was high grade."
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Jimbo, I'm glad you brought up Alan.
There was a time when as a collector I went to more shows, all over the US, than Alan set up as a dealer.
Then he started doing all the big shows in the country.
Before I go any further, let me say that I worked for an airline and that made it possible to fly out to the coast, and catch two 700 to 1000 table shows at LA & SFO during a weekend.
I got to know many good dealers all over the US.
Alan knew that I was from NYC, because he had seen me at many shows there, but he was PO'd at me, because I never bought any cards from him ... anywhere.
Why should I, he wasn't very likeable, and I could always get it cheaper some where else.

You're right, he wasn't into slabs for quite awhile, but you have to remember, Alan was a business man - a Huckster of the third kind.
Any one that was around will tell you.
Alan may not have been liked, but it was his community theatre that helped put this hobby on the map, and in reality set the stage for the slabbers to jump over to the cardboard business from their numismatic hunting grounds.
Alan Mr Mint Rosen, is a business man, and the business side of him, told him it's time to join the slabbers.

Do I have to tell you what happened next?
I'm glad you asked.

He was one of the dealers that I did not talk to at the Texas national in 1990 about the alterations being done with high end T206's.

Jimbo, does the Rosen/Keith O/SGC 2001 Fiasco ring a bell?

Good Luck, but most of all, have fun and enjoy your collection.

Joe P.