Posted By:
Mark HoltJust scanned through the highlites (lowlights?) of this thread and a quick comment:
You guys claiming David Vargha and Jim Crandell are PSA hacks or backers haven't followed their comments on other boards or on this one in detail. David was banned from CU for a variety of reputed (real or imagined?)crimes committed against Joe O (or was it his daughter)long ago. Jim has been highly critical of PSA many times.
Their points on the Registry ring true to me - look at the number of T206 sets listed - jot down the number because it will be 30% larger in 6 to 8 months. I collect low grade T206s and put them on the Registry - I'm 31st or something ('Mark's T206 Set) and will never likely crack the top 20.
I travel extensively on the job and its a bit of a comfort to be able to see my cards in a hotel room across the country using the internet. I buy 3's raw or graded (HOFers), 3s commons, and 2's Southern Leaguers and will never likely finish the set. I add about one a month as that's what I can afford. I still find the registry fun and enjoy the 'set collectors' kick of adding another % completion to a great set.
Lots of mainstream vintage collectors buy graded cards because like me their primary method of purchase is eBay and graded cards give you a better shot of not getting a fake or ending up with poorly scanned cards with wrinkles and back damage.
I've been buying at that rate for years and I can tell you the prices for all grades are going up - look at my set - I have some 5s or 6s and don't want to spend that much anymore so now its 2s and 3s and those have gone up 50% this year. I bought PSA3 commons for around $20 a year ago and its over $30 today. 6s - forget about it. I still have 20 or so raw commons and will get them graded at some time just to get them on the Registry. Being the average sort in intelligence, income, and dress (six suits, 7.5 ties I actually wear, 2 pair of shoes besides athletic stuff, a Blazer with 75000 miles) I'm guessing there are plenty just like me on the Registry.
As a final thought rising prices are an annoyance, only important to my wife who will no doubt enjoy selling my graded cards after I croak. I'd rather they go down so I could buy more but that is not what is happening down here in VG-EX land.