Thoughts on Grading Cards...

[mattjc1983]

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the subject.

I am in my mid 30's so my generation has, I think, a totally unique perspective on the hobby because while many generations of collectors EXPERIENCED the junk wax era, we're the only generation to have been INTRODUCED to the hobby by and RAISED ON the junk wax era. Because we never knew a more rational market before, I assume (but could be wrong) that we're far more skeptical of the hobby than the older generations or the newest generation of collectors.

My skepticism directly translates to my view on graded cards, and it's pretty much in line with yours. I got back into the hobby a few years ago and buy graded examples ONLY as proof that the card is real/unaltered. I could care less what the actual grade is, and actually would buy an altered/AUTHENTIC "grade" in the right circumstances and for the right price. I pretty much only care about centering, and I use my eyes, not the grade, to judge that.

With that said, I'm sure some collectors feel that even the authenticity of the card shouldn't be put up to the grading companies, and that we should trust our own expertise. Frankly though, as a casual collector, I don't have interest in becoming an expert on how to prove a card is authentic. It's worth it to me to pay a few bucks to have that evaluation done by someone who, while not perfect, certainly will know more than me. And like you, I've never submitted, only bought second hand, so not even sure I end up paying much more than raw usually.

When I do buy graded, I prefer BGS as many on here have stated they have the thickest and likely least tamperable cases. I've never even held another company's work in my hands, but if I were to buy from other than BGS it would be SGC just because there's so much not to trust with PSA (both the company itself and those who fake their products, IMHO).

With all that said, I certainly do wish the hobby didn't have a fraud issue and grading for authentication purposes wasn't even necessary. Or wish that I knew and trusted a fellow collector well enough to just take their world on their cards. But that's not the world I feel we live in.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by mattjc1983

I am in my mid 30's so my generation has, I think, a totally unique perspective on the hobby because while many generations of collectors EXPERIENCED the junk wax era, we're the only generation to have been INTRODUCED to the hobby by and RAISED ON the junk wax era. Because we never knew a more rational market before, I assume (but could be wrong) that we're far more skeptical of the hobby than the older generations or the newest generation of collectors.

I'm right there with you, I will be 40 next year. Started on Topps wax in '86 and got out of collecting anything new probably around '91 or '92 when the various new sets after Upper Deck came on the scene just got more and more and more to the point where I was no longer interested in keeping up. I put the cards away from then until after college, when I got interested again because of ebay, but since then have focused only on vintage.

I was skeptical of graded cards at first too, and still am to a point - though I do see the value, even for what I collect (midgrade or worse) just for the authentication and to know what I am getting when 99% of what I buy these days is online. I do think it's a joke that PSA was basically built on a lie, but anymore I don't think they are dishonest as a company intentionally - there are just the "errors" that come naturally when you operate at that scale and have super high-volume customers who expect special treatment.

Like some others, anymore I collect purely for my own enjoyment and not for investment. PSA on the whole as well as SGC (I don't have much experience with Beckett) seems to be generally on the level. I have some PSA 4's that look better than other 5's in my collection without any apparent technical rules that led to the grades, but to me that is not a huge deal. If I really disagree with the grade on a particular slab, usually I'm glad to get it at a reduced price and then I will just bust them out of the slabs upon arrival.

I will say that there are some other groups online where some very gorgeous cards are routinely displayed, but where the purpose generally seems for folks to jerk each other off about how great PSA is. I got some nasty comments for just questioning that PSA might have some flaws once upon a time. Not that I blame folks for trying to protect their investments, it's just silly to me these days that there is an entire sub-hobby about a service and not the cards themselves. I cannot get into that part of it, but I do enjoy looking at PSA 9's and 10's of cards that I would never be able to afford in a million years.