Graded cards, bubbles, & misappropriated premiums...

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Posted By: Jason

A little off-topic, but I thought it might be interesting to hear some of your far-more experienced thoughts on this...

Suppose PSA, (or any of the other grading companies) go belly up.

What happens to all the slabbed cards that are out there?
Does everyone break them out of the cases?
Do they retain any premium they may have enjoyed?
Wouldn't prices collapse for those that have been chased most aggressively for the Set Registries? - or would they simply be sent in to any remaining grading company to be crossed over?...

while I like some of the aspects of the grading services, I have to admit that part of me wants the grading company business model to fail so that prices fall back to something more fun and affordable...but that's just me being greedy...

anyway, any thoughts on this grading service premium and its permanency?
Jason

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

I doubt it would happen. It's a big enough company that it would likely be sold and repositioned, rather than going belly up. The brand is strong, and they have a large customer base - like any business, there's value in that.

If you believe that card grading is here to stay - as I do - then I think it makes sense to believe that the two major players aren't at any risk of disappearing. They may evolve, but I don't see "belly up" as a possibility.

However, if it did happen, the cards are still the cards. With the exception of high-grade commons from the 50s to present, I like to think that the slab AFFIRMS value and does not ADD value.

-Al