"Buy the card, not the holder"
 

I've wanted this card for the last several years. I think it's Grove's most significant card and it's in the Top 250 Sportscards registry set. As the #1 card in the set, it's almost never seen without a lot of print, dark toned borders and dull colors, so when PWCC listed this PSA 4 with bright white borders, vibrant colors and hardly any print I just had to have it.

Yes, I spent nearly $200 over SMR and tied the highest-price paid for that grade recorded by VCP since 2006, but compare my 4 to the latest PSA 5, PSA 6 and PSA 7 that have sold.

My PSA 4 ($493); PSA 5 (sold by PWCC in same auction as mine for $728.99);
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps2b8baa5e.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...psf8e5f060.jpg


PSA 6 sold on eBay for $942.78 in March; PSA 7 sold for $5021.80 by Memory Lane last December (certainly nicer than mine, but over 10X nicer?)
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps5942f99a.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps28fcd511.jpg

Stellar
 

Great examples and it really shows how to amass a quality collection without being married to a number on a plastic slab!

I'll admit I am a fan of TPG, but if you see my collection, you'll immediately see that I don't really care what grade is assigned (within reason:cool:)
I slab for aesthetic and protection reasons mostly.

This Grove is a stellar card , especially given your comparisons! Nice job!

Beautiful Grove!

I'm with Brian. I don't collect slabs, but I'm a big fan of TPG. I'm not a part of any registry, so I can breathe easy when it comes to collecting. I'm willing to bet a lot of registry guys/gals know some of the time, they aren't buying the better appealing card and are just buying the number on the slab...which is quite sad :(

An iconic card with an attractive image of a great player. Doesn't get much better, and your copy is the best of the bunch. Great example of BTCNTH!

That is a very nice card. I wonder if there is something on the back that the grader saw that we haven't seen that might have lead to the technical grade. For certain cards, I don't mind a wrinkle, crease or even a bit of paper loss on the back but I know that a TPGer would take that into consideration. I also have never sent a card to a TPGer.

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grove
 

great acquisition!
congrats.

all the best,
barry

Congrats on a great score. Proving once again, that good things come to those who wait.

Amen to that, brother. Your Lefty is the best of the bunch. I'd pay more for that one than the higher graded ones for my collection, too. Great eye, and great buy.

Nice comparisons and as the hobby matures even more the cards are being sold more for their attributes than the opinion a TPG puts on a label. For me, the most important thing a TPG does is it gives me an expert set (or more) of eyes to catch alterations. I realize imperceptible-to-the-naked-eye wrinkles can be found too, but that isn't my main requirement. I guess if I collected high grade it would be. :rolleyes:

That's an amazing comparison. Your card is certainly the best of the bunch. Nice job picking that one up.

Thanks,

AndyH

I am with Leon on this one. I don't like the slabs, but when I buy on eBay or the BST here, there is too much risk of getting a doctored card or even a forgery. And those risks go up big time with value of the card. I don't think I would buy a 52 Mantle from my own grandmother unless it was slabbed.

I know neither is infallible, but getting authentication from SGC or PGC is worth it, IMO, and much better than buying a loose card online.

My grandmothers were slabbed long before there were TPGs.;)