OT-$282,587 for a Mantle PSA 9

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Posted By: E, Daniel

I would think the whole collecting by condition discussion comes down to being pretty simple - you become expert at what you focus on. If it's 7's 8's and 9's you look at all day, then the differences though seemingly minor to many are plain as day to those whose focus they are.
Similarly if you like SGC40's better than 30's because it often means less distracting or major creases - though in number they may be the same, then you choose them that way. Everyone gets to choose what's important in a card's aesthetics, and then builds their collection to reflect that.
I could be wrong, but it seems everyone who wants to denegrate Jim's collecting style focus on the grade of the flips he collects. And I think Jim focuses on that grade because it is reflected in the card's condition. If an 8 requires similar corners but better centering than a 7, I'll lay dollars to donuts he just plainly prefers a centered card. In fact, he's said a million times when drawn in to such discussions that he simply doesn't like the look of creases/wrinkles, wear to surface and corners, poor centering, and other effects of time or poor print quality on paper.
At a guess, he probably similarly likes his car clean, and when it gets dirty it bugs him. If someone puts a scrape or a nick in his fender, he more than likely gets it fixed straight away so that he can continue to enjoy his car...
I'm not sure why anyone hounds him for his decisions (ok, exept the whole backbone comment, though I doubt it reflects everything he has added to the board or to other interested collectors, and shouldn't follow him for bloody ever...). They make him happy.
A guy with a vintage car who keeps it absolutely shmick and cleans it when he gets home, or a motorbike rider who has to keep all the chrome absolutely reflective, we don't judge their true ability to enjoy the machinery they own because of a pre-occupation with condition? In fact, it seems mostly we celebrate those people as serious enthusiasts who give us nice eye candy to look at in the magazines we thumb in barber shops and planes.

And, if ultimately he also sleeps easier at night as a collector because he feels the market for his cards will save his bacon or conscience if he has to sell, and wishes to talk it up for both his own peace and to make it self-fulfilling through some marketing....hell, I don't care. Why should anyone? The truth will be told in the lifetime of his collecting and how he disposes of it.

While it is regularly said you shouldn't spend what you can't afford to lose on this hobby, truth is that for most people losing the money they've spent on cards would hurt them enormously emotionally, financially, and have consequences to others in their families. Maybe some will tell me bulldust and that their collecting affects no-one but themselves, I'd think that they would be in minority.

I thought with Frank's post attempting to celebrate however we collect, that we were past all this crap.
Doesn't everyone just want to move on?


Oh, and I love my GAI3 52' topps Mantle and wouldn't upgrade it for the world. Kind of like my old dog, she maybe couldn't do it all but she reflected the best parts of me and will always be connected to me, I mean, I chose her, and loved her from the very start. And similarly I feel a real connection to my cards as I keep them safely until the next owner gets that responsibility. Isn't that enough to know, and isn't participation on this board with the time it chews up a pretty good example of everyone's passion for vintage cards? I doubt you could start one up that only had slabs and the flips inside, with no cards to enjoy!


Daniel