Posted By:
Eric S.I have a fairly large collection of T206's that date back to the mid eighties when I worked in a card shop in Ohio after school. Back then a EX common could be had for $5 and Nap was $25, other HOFers were under $100 and Wagner had really just gotten mainstream. I think there are a few considerations when opening the topic of graded vs. raw:
1. Are you a collector or strictly a dealer. If a collector, I can't imagine enjoying a century old card with unique and high quality artistic value in a slab. If a dealer, I can see the benefit.
2. Cards are only worth what others are willing to pay. Graded cards by x,y or z grading company hold different premiums. Many times it's not the card bringing the higher value, it's the grader. I have seen too many examples of graded cards that had to be graded by a lesser bipedal animal than us. Too incosistent and not worth the poor display case you've paid for along with the inconsistent evaluation of your card.
3. Look at what grading did to the coin industry. The longer grading occurs the more potential the card has to experience deflated prices on the market. This is escalated by the wide range of internet opportunities to purchase cards. If you increase the cost you must increase the sale. If the cost of sale becomes a narrower margin the the sale price you experience a lesser %gp. Whether a collector or dealer, we are worried about the bottom line. Less overhead = lower cost = more price flexibility.
In a nutshell.........I miss the days of old. There are a lot of fat bodies out there sucking up cards as comodities and throwing them in a poorly designed slab with a laser label and selling them at inflated prices. I'm not prophetic and can't predict the future of graded cards, but I know where I spend my money.