Before PSA and grading companies
 

and without them today: How would we look up past sales? everyone says their card is mint......some pictures not so great to check the details....also with Cert Numbers we can trace the exact card...

yet another reason you cant hate third party graders as they are better than the alternative..

seriously though..was there some past sales website with just raw cards..? I do note a 'raw' category but they usually price out in the psa 1 range..

Isn't that what Beckett was?

Beckett showed you the exact card that was sold and the price?

I'd venture that the advent of the internet is what's really responsible for being able to see the exact card that sold and the price.

Even without grading companies, if the cards were selling on eBay raw and there was a VCP-style database that logged in all those sales, one could likely find an exact card due to its centering, corners, and other unique flaws. Of course, the internet combined with the grading helps make things much easier.

That said, past sales data points aren't always that valuable, especially for rarer cards with a sparse sales history, cards that haven't had a pretty example sell in a while, or if you are trying to pry a specific card from a collector's collection.

of course always exceptions...but even in raw card prices..there would be the same issues you cited.....private collection, rarity etc......but on the average , dealers do cite VCP often..there are high and low ends within each numerical value .but that's a good starting point...

really a lot more work to match raw cards versus Cert numbers.....

I would buy every Jackie Robinsom 1952 Topps PSA 5 and 6 at 'book' price right now...but VCP is what brings up the price..

A 'What was it like before PSA?' or 'before VCP' topic brings to mind the SNL skit about a local television news show where the teleprompter goes out and the newscasters don't know how to function without it. Within a half hour without a functioning teleprompter they're shown as savages in loin clothes trying to survive on the set.

Wake up and smile! https://screen.yahoo.com/wake-smile-000000476.html