[sbfinley]

Well.... All things considered, the card really isn't absurdly overpriced in my opinion. I don't collect 62's, but I know the set is condition sensitive. If you could get the card to cross to a 9 you could double your money in the right auction. Big IF, however, to preface that statement. The good news, it is an earlier GAI submission. By the cert number I'd place it's submission in late 2003 - early 2004. That doesn't match the seller's timeframe, but it's just an estimate on my part.

Look, GAI doesn't have the best reputation (and with understandable reason) but in my experience they were a fairly consistent grading for a short period following their inception. Some people will tell you anything grading by the company is garbage. If you want to live with that assumption more power to you, but by association you are also implying that early PSA graded items are garbage too. You know, considering the company was founded by early PSA President Steve Rocchi and he poached a number of their graders to create GAI. Times change, tech changes, grading standards have changed. I'd be just as nervous crossing or regrading early PSA and SGC cards as I would early GAI cards. It's all a gamble, but more importantly it is a gamble on someone's opinion.

Personally, no... If I was working the set in high grade I likely wouldn't gamble on the card. That opinion, however, comes from my biased way of collecting. I don't particularly have a need from my cards to all be ultra-high grade. I don't put my cards on a registry. I don't consider my collection an investment. I don't disparage people who do, and if I did (knowing what I do) it might be a card I would consider gambling on although I would have been fine with the BVG card you mentioned.

Anywho, good luck with the set and have fun.