The power of the registry drug.
 

1969 Topps #400 Don Drysdale PSA 10 Gem Mint Pop 1 Last Topps Card

Final Bid(Includes Buyers Premium): $4,731

My high bid was $600... Which I thought was reasonable... I guess not LOL
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http://smalltraditions.com/LotDetail...ast-Topps-Card

No Sean, for lots of folks reasonable doesn't apply!

Come on, who can put a price tag on the thrill of seeing an online, arbitrarily formulated set "GPA" rise one thousandth of a point? Or seeing a little badge next to your set name online? That's worth millions!

To whom? J. O. methinks.;)

and consequently billions!! As I say all along, the registry is it's own game and I don't personally think it's about collecting cards. It's about having pieces of paper, in plastic, with the highest total cumulative number. I am NOT saying it's a bad thing, it's just different (to me) than baseball card collecting. I think if those guys get enjoyment from their numbers on their pieces of paper, more power to them. It doesn't hurt me...I wish them all the very highest numbers possible.

Agreed. If someone digs it, by all means enjoy.

I just don't get it, myself. I've tried to; spent a few years building one of those sets. Love the set, but in the end just had too many problems with the registry game: the economics of low pop commons and very thinly traded cards, the set weightings being decided by third parties, the GPA rules also being set by other parties-- one just gives up so much control of their collection to one specific company when one enters that game.

To me the Set Registry game is not the same as building a set. I totally get set building. But the registries are really just a marketing tool designed to get guys to spend money a certain way; wouldn't be surprised if great research was spent profiling a collector's mindset, and designing a gaming experience that would really meld with OCD, addictive streaks, and competitive urges. I think it is brilliant on the part of the companies, no question.

You said it very well in that it is really its own separate animal. More of an online game that involves collecting cards. I guess when one looks at it that way, it might be no different than any other online game. Interesting angle.

But the salient point for me is simply that I was done sweating GPA's when I left school ;)

It's the biggest angle since beanie babies. we all know where that ended up.

tulip craze for the new century.

More Set Registry Insanity
 

1986 Topps Ryne Sandberg

Raw value: $0.50 - $1.00

PSA 9 value: $13.00 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Topps-6...item53fc87a937)

PSA 10 value - $2,426.00 (http://smalltraditions.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=2278)

yikes
 

OMG! And look at that huge stain on the back of that 10 by "Talkin' Baseball".

As someone who only recently gave in and started incorporating slabs in my collection at all, I don't see the attraction of the Registry game what-so-ever. That being said, "à chacun son goût", whatever tickles your pickle (not a literal translation:D). This hobby is beautiful because it accomodates many "right" ways to collect something.

Wow that's truly nuts. You wouldn't even be able to find a buyer for that card if it was raw. It's overproduced 80's garbage! Just think how many unopened boxes, packs and cases of 1986 topps are out there. No doubt there's, tons of "10's" out there sitting in garages and storage bins. Not to mention how many 9's which many times are interchangeable and basically look exactly alike, but that's besides the point here.

I thought you'd have to be a loon to grade any 1986 topps card. That's truly crazy! But hey the buyers happy I guess, the sellers certainly happy so win win. Plus when buyers like this are out there buying things like this they're not bidding against me on anything I want so everyone wins I guess