PSA 5 Evers....I don't think so....DO YOU ?

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Posted By: T206Collector

You said on March 13 in this thread:

"I certainly won't risk buying an un-graded card via mail that is very expensive."

We, two, are not so un-a-like, it would seem.

That is, I could ask you the same question -- what did you do before third party grading? I'm sure your collection grew through in person meet and greets at shows and otherwise; and via mail deals with trusted confidants. Well, ebay and 3rd party grading evened the playing field and opened the market to everyone at all times.

Prior to ebay/PSA, while I had a modest collection of vintage baseball cards (a 33 Grove; a Matty white cap and a Bender portrait), my collecting of T206 cards grew exponentially after ebay and the advent of 3rd party grading made internet collecting preferable to purchasing cards at shows -- cheaper, more variety, better condition -- my best cards are ebay/internet purchases. I was drawn to ebay, which is a 24/7 internet card show -- allowing me to add to and sell from my collection in a nano-second. PayPal has sped the process up even further -- I can sell a card today and purchase another card with those funds in the same day, and the actual card hasn't even been mailed yet.

This is an exciting time to be collecting baseball cards. 3rd party grading and ebay are huge components of that. To suggest otherwise does not recognize the massive and positive influence that both have had on the hobby. The increases in price reflect the health of the hobby, not the opposite.