Slab damage?

[jchcollins]

Am I the only one who finds it unbearable when a graded card comes in the mail and the slab is somehow busted-up? I get that they are intended to protect the card as well as tell the story of it's authenticity and grade, but I can't stand it when I get a card that is in NM condition and the plastic protector that tells me that is scratched-up or busted somewhere. I've been know to turn a graded card back into a raw card just because the holder was ugly.

Anyway. First world problems, I guess. But just got another one in the mail today that fits this description. Get some graded card bags and take care of your slabs, people!

-John


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[Bestdj777]

I don't care about scratching, but would be upset if it was cracked. The most annoying thing to me (limited to baseball cards) is when I get a card that has been graded by a certain company and it has slipped out of its internal gasket. I bought a four figure card from a reputable auction house that was boxed well and arrived that way. Nothing worse than having to tap it back in to the holder. The funny thing is, I ended up slamming it in my safe door on accident one day and broke the slab. It's my only graded card that has since been freed.

[jchcollins]

The situation that led me to write this post involves a BVG slab that is still intact, but has a booger at the very top where something hit it and there is a very small circular area that has some small starburst cracks radiating out of it. It's not huge, and it's certainly not cracked all the way through, but when the light hits it just right it looks awful. Not sure if it's worth it trying to crack Beckett / BVG, which I know is a thicker and more difficult slab to crack (I can liberate PSA cards in my sleep...) Guess we'll see.

[the 'stache]

John, you're not alone. It would bother me, too. While the slabs exist predominantly to protect the card, and to provide authentication/opinion as to the card's quality, aesthetics always come into play with something you're going to display, or even just take out once in a while to look at. After all, baseball card collecting is a visual hobby. If it weren't, we could all just get bye with listing the cards we've purchased. We might as well just all exchange registry names, and hand out polite little applause when a new card is added. No, we share our treasures, with their little quirks and imperfections, and I, personally, drool all over my laptop screen when I see something really nice. And a slab with a big crack at the top is an eye sore that can somewhat detract from the viewing experience, especially if it were to interfere with our viewing of the card.

I would say proceed with caution. If it were a PSA or SGC slab, the card, as you know, could be liberated with ease. But those Beckett slabs are like Fort Knox. I know some people know how to open them, but the degree of difficulty makes me very nervous. Any BGS slabbed card will have that protective mylar sleeve for the card, but that wouldn't protect it if the case shattered.

My advice would be to hold off on doing anything, and keep your eyes peeled for any local shows that Beckett might do in your area. I don't know if they'd do reslabbing on site (whether or not they offer that service, in addition to on site grading, escape me), but you could always submit it to have it re-slabbed, and then just pick it up, or mailed back to you. Doing it that way would cut your shipping and insurance costs down by at least half.

I'm lucky enough to live within driving distance of Beckett's HQ in Dallas. I could always hop in my car to get a card graded on site, thereby eliminating any costs besides the actual service I'd be requesting.

Let us know what you decide.

Originally Posted by jchcollins

The situation that led me to write this post involves a BVG slab that is still intact, but has a booger at the very top where something hit it and there is a very small circular area that has some small starburst cracks radiating out of it. It's not huge, and it's certainly not cracked all the way through, but when the light hits it just right it looks awful. Not sure if it's worth it trying to crack Beckett / BVG, which I know is a thicker and more difficult slab to crack (I can liberate PSA cards in my sleep...) Guess we'll see.

[jchcollins]

I decided before I read your post Bill. And the verdict is...well, turns out a BVG slab isn't that much harder to open than PSA after all:

The lip that extends further out to cover up what are essentially two thicker slabs pushed together is the tricky part. Neither PSA or SGC has anything like that. But once you use wire cutters to get a corner of that lip off, the rest works pretty much the same with a flathead screwdriver, except you have to pry up the rest of that much thicker and more resistant lip around the edge. I'll give Beckett credit, theirs is the most difficult slab bar none - but I still got it open.

Below is a picture of the card in question now. I'm much happier.

-John

[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I decided before I read your post Bill. And the verdict is...well, turns out a BVG slab isn't that much harder to open than PSA after all:

The lip that extends further out to cover up what are essentially two thicker slabs pushed together is the tricky part. Neither PSA or SGC has anything like that. But once you use wire cutters to get a corner of that lip off, the rest works pretty much the same with a flathead screwdriver, except you have to pry up the rest of that much thicker and more resistant lip around the edge. I'll give Beckett credit, theirs is the most difficult slab bar none - but I still got it open.

Below is a picture of the card in question now. I'm much happier.

-John

I have heard that numerous times as well, which is one of the reasons I am leaning towards them to grade my cards.

Question, however. In order to remove your card like you did, would it be impossible not to damage the slab in order to do so?

I have read about PSA being fairly easy to crack and the only noticeable, but not always, is the frosting you get when you do so.