More Grading stuff...

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Posted By: Russ Bright

So... I'm seriously contemplating sending some cards in to get graded. Some of these I want to sell eventually, some I want to sell NOW and some i want to hold on to. I'm definately going to use SGC for my T205's as they look great in the holders and i already have 15 or so IN sgc, and i like uniformity. May even get my PSA crossed over, they're 1's so it's not like they'll fare poorly...

My question, is it worth it to sign up and pay 99 dollars for a gold tier membership if I only want to get a few cards graded by PSA? I know the resale value would be higher as opposed to SGC (especially on more modern cards) but i don't see myself using their service more than a couple times and MAYBE less than 10 cards total.

I want to eventually get all of my T205 graded, is it best to wait for a deal (i have over 100 i need graded) or select a choice few i want to show off? The bulk deals look good BUT i don't really have 4 or 500 dollars to spend on grading right now.

so... PSA options? suck it up and do it? find a friend who has a PSA account and will send the cards in for grading for me? Decide to get it graded by SGC who is decidedly harder and my cards might not fare as well?

I know these are all subjective and opinionated answers, but i appreciate any and all feedback.

thanks!

R

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Posted By: barrysloate

If you have high grade cards you get the six submissions plus a year's subscription to their magazine, plus I think I got a nice shoulder bag from them. I guess it is worth it even though I didn't renew mine after the year was up.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

In my opinion, the answer is NO.

But I'm biased.

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Posted By: Kyle

PSA's bag is gone, now you get a Smithsonian book on baseball. I recently read a post from Joe Orlando though that PSA is working on a new book to include with memberships.

If you need someone to submit for you, I'm sure there are people on here who would. I know I would if you wanted.

Take care,
Kyle

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Posted By: Russ Bright

Ok, i have 5 or 6 cards I'd like graded by PSA, if anyone who would be willing to send these for grading please e-mail me at ambrosia2@hotmail.com and we can figure something out that would be great. I've never graded anything before with any company so I might need a little help...

thanks!
Russ

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Posted By: T206Collector

If I had $1,000 for grading, I'd take advantage of SGC's August Set Registry Special -- $5 per card, 200 card minimum. That would just about complete my T206 collection in graded format. But, the home purchase is much more important. Registry specials will have to wait...

http://www.sgccard.com/monthly_specials.htm

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Posted By: Russ Bright

WOW! that's an awesome deal, but i'd need to hustle and pick up 95 more T205's to get them graded... lol

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

$1000.00 for grading ..... one thousand dollars for grading? And some people think I am crazy for buying baseball cards - well these guys are buying houses for their cards. Big McMansion style houses!

See honey !!!! How smart your husband is?

Yeah, you are right. I am just a cheap old fool.

I know, if I really cared about my cards, Id want them to be nice and snug in a prestigeous accomodation. Not one of those downscale NASA, AAA or PRO houses.

But that grand is only to start. Soon enough they will have to move out - our place just ain't good enuff. They will need a 24hr/day gated community with fire suppression, security .... and eventually ... the dreaded silica gel.

Who knows how much more that will cost, and what does silica gel do to the environment, and is it really smuggled into this country illegally? And suppose it takes out all of the moisture?

See? this is too much! Ill just haveta buy a dozen or so cards with that $1000. - it is the only safe way to proceed.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Gil,

I think you're missing the point here... the guy wants to get some of the cards graded for resale. For the most part, unless you are Joe "known to the hobby as a good guy" Dealer it's probably best to slab the cards to get maximimum return on the cards. Wouldn't you rather spend $1K on plastic than on a really cool E, T or N card?

Grading has other interesting by products:

1. It keeps the drug companies employed because after getting cards back from grading companies people's blood pressure sometimes rises to unsafe levels. Also, other people seek other types of medical relief (barbituates) to be more accepting of how some snot nosed, unknowing inexperienced 18 year old kid (that knows little or nothing about what we hold sacred) just screwed you over.
   
2. It gives people the opportunity to bitch about how crappy these companies really are and how much some of them really could care less about you.
   
3. We get to start a thread (on average, 2.3 threads a week) about how subjectivity of grading companies differs and about the second thing mentioned but not so much the first because nobody wants to admit to having to take medication because this hobby sometimes gets the better of us. However, drinking alcohol is much more acceptable so feel free to substitute the use of alcohol as a means of calming the nerves (rather than left handed cigarettes, Rx based relief or a shrink).
   

Got it Gil?

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Posted By: dennis

gil you are old school and i too have never sent in a card to be graded. so i guess i'm old school too.

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Posted By: JimB

Russ,
You can submit your cards yourself. Just print the forms off the website and send them in.
JimB

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Posted By: Russ Bright

Thanks for all your help! My original intent was because i haven't graded in the past and don't intend to do so in the future (except through SGC and just for MY personal collection) Which is WHY i didn't just go through PSA, pay the 100 signup fee for a membership that I wouldn't use, and get a tote bag (lol) I have found someone who is willing to send these in (thanks Keith!) and it is much appreciated. Maybe someday when I have more to grade I'll get the membership!

again, thanks for all of your help!

R

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Posted By: T206Collector

I like having my cards graded and stored off-site for a number of reasons, none of which do anything but maintain or improve their value and presentation aesthetic.

I also like having my best cards in a safety deposit box so I don't have to fret about them being stolen, damages, burned, lost, etc. during my move or thereafter.

I also don't want the cold metal and humidity of a bank to cause condensation inside the slabs.

Cost of grading: $5-$8
Cost of silica gels: $9.95
Cost of safety deposit box: $7/month

Cards preserved for my children when they get old enough to appreciate them?

Priceless

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Posted By: Rick

The fee does include 6 gradings, SMR and access to the pop reports plus a gift

the six gradings alone would cost you 60 to 70 bucks, the SMR is a fairly decent magazine that sells for 5 bucks and you get a year subcription and guide and the pop reports are also a good way to get an idea of whats rare etc, also last for a year.

And you get a nice gift ...Its not that bad a deal.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

T206Collector: I certainly wish your family the happiness and enjoyment of you and your collection. And it is ok if we differ on our approaches, methods and criteria.

We are very different as well as very similar, T206Collector. My youngest daughter is thirty five years old. Neither daughter has the remotest interest in my cards, nor do they have any need for their value.

So, I am not building a nest egg here. I am simply collecting what I like, when it is priced prudently, and I don't want any seperation from my cards. I don't want them entombed in plastic and I don't want them located elsewhere.

Good luck, Gil

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Dennis: I am not old school. I flunked out of Old School because I couldn't get the "buy low" "sell high" stuff right. See, when I find something that I (think that I) need, I buy it rather than wait for it to come back cheaper - sometimes it doesn't ever come back cheaper. And the sell high doesn't work for me either, because I very rarely sell - why would I if I bought what I wanted?

But DCWD, you certainly may be Old School.

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Posted By: Steve M.

Several posts have hit on it but here is the reality:

Try to sell a nice raw vg/ex T206 common and you'll be lucky to get $25.00.

Invest $6-$8 to have it slabbed SGC 50 (vg/ex) and you have a card that will sell for a minimum $50.00 (I'll buy all you have )

No matter how much we love this hobby and no matter how much of purists we would like to consider ourselves there is one reality...SOME DAY, SOMEONE IS GOING TO SELL THOSE CARDS.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Well Steve, if they are going to sell them, and it still makes sense to have them graded, then they should grade them. But for all I know, a grade from a company in 2005 may be irrelevant to the price when my cards are sold.

And I don't want my cards slabbed now.

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Posted By: T206Collector

"a grade from a company in 2005 may be irrelevant to the price when my cards are sold"

That is something I have been very cognizant of since I began collecting graded cards. They are only worth what the credibility of the grading company is worth.

I fully expect or anticipate that I may have to have my SGC graded cards crossed over to some heretofore unknown grader down the line. Could be for any number of reasons -- if SGC gets too big, their quality control may suffer; if SGC gets too small, they may go under. Either way, whether SGC will be around or relevant when my son or grandchildren sell the cards is anyone's guess.

I would expect that SGC cards graded in certain years (e.g., 2001-2005) might carry a certain provenance beyond the life of the company. There may be some way of identifying years based on cert numbers, I just don't know. Then you would be collecting not only the card, but the holder...