Posted By:
CoreyRS.hanus"Well there are over 33,000 sets on the PSA Set Registry and certainly the whole competitive aspect of the registry is the primary reason for the huge growth since inception."
Two questions,
First huge growth of what?
Second, how many different people who are primarily collectors (as opposed to investor/speculators) have sets on the registry and what percentage of the collecting (not collecting + investing/speculating) base do you think they comprise?
IMO there are many collectors, both old-timers, newbies and those in-between, who enjoy collecting not for its competitive aspects and who in a heartbeat would prefer to see the registry concept disapppear forever. Many of us also feel that the registry concept was not introduced by PSA out of some altruistic desire to improve the hobby but rather as a cold money grab to induce people to submit their cards to them, much as we regard their introduction of half-grades and their backroom deals not to look for alterations or downgrades to be guided by the same motivation. Yes, I respect those who feel otherwise, but I don't think those who feel as I do should be looked upon with scorn and regarded as irrational in our beliefs.
I'd also be fascinated by a study which broke card owners into two categories -- (1) primarily collector and (2) primarily investor/speculator -- and compare the two groups as to how they feel about the registry. My guess is that the investor/speculator group would be much more supportive of the registry than the collector group.
I feel the only growths the registry concept fueled was the growth of prices, especially for condition rarities, and as well as the growth of investors/speculators into the hobby. I don't feel it had any material impact on the growth of collectors.
As to those speculators, their signature trademark is to look after their own financial interests, regardless if it makes shambles of the market they entered. They have no interest in cards for what they represent and would just as soon invest in pork bellies if they felt they could make a better return.
So you'll forgive me if I have a different view of the benefits of promoting the growth of such people into this hobby.