General Forum

It's a fair question Easy30. I haven't damaged the cards at all in breaking them out. Most of the graded cards I've bought, I've left. They're on display, anyway. The two I broke out, I paid no extra to get the graded version, and they were cards each worth under $5. I just wanted to put them in binders. I think it was 1972  high number common and a 1956 Frank Sullivan worth about $3. I've been on the fence on my 1959 Koufax, which I think is a PSA 4. Might be different for high grade cards. 

Easy30 wrote:

I am not big into buying graded cards and I have never sent a card in.  However, I do buy graded cards every once in awhile for sets that I am working on.  I have never understood people who crack open graded cards? Aren't you just losing money by damaging a product you paid for?

I am 100% against grading cards. It is a huge reason why the card industry has struggled. It's a money grab and I HATE IT!!!

Never graded never will, have never purchased a graded for that matter either. I save my money for the hobby not the greedy "wanna get rich" companies.

You mean like...Topps? 😉

Because they're all greedy, wanna get rich companies. They aren't creating hundreds of insert sets and shortprints for my benefit. Actually, I can't remember the last time I bought anything directly from one of the companies. Even when I buy a factory set, it's from a third party seller. Most of my collecting now is of vintage stuff I buy from other sellers or the store. But, as much as I don't like it, I accept that there are companies whose main goal is to make money. If the fact that someone else paid a company to grade something can help me feel a tad more confident that it's authentic, great. 

In the end, it's not grading companies that are hurting the hobby, but collectors who have decided that only graded cards are worthwhile. It's kinda on us. 

Stepping down from soapbox now. 

V3

I'm not opposed to getting cards graded, although I have never done it myself.  I have a few cards that I have considered getting graded but once you start adding up the costs, you can easily get into the hundreds of dollars. That cost so far is what is holding me back.  

Never have or will have a card graded for many of the reasons listed above especially that I would lose sight of the card and would never know for sure that I got "my" card back.  The few graded cards I have came with a large lot of cards I bought from someone selling his collection. Could never understand why anyone had paid the costs of grading for cards worth $10 or less.

If I was ever to get a card graded, it would have to be a 50-60s card of an extremely high value such as a Mantle, Mays, Robinson. But I doubt if I ever will as I collect for the enjoyment not as investments.  

Save your money or spend it on additional cards.

Great replies and different viewpoints!!! I am definitely siding with the majority it sounds like. I do all of my collecting from buying other people's old collections that are stuffed in closets and forgotten about and a few on e-bay if the shipping is right. (Always risky there though!) I haven't come across any graded stuff yet, but was just asking because of the price difference listed on sell sites like e-bay or Etsy. Seriously doubt that I will ever send one off myself to be graded, but if there happened to be a show near me with a grading service then maybe.

~ T-Bone 

I have graded four cards in my lifetime. One was a Gretzky rookie Topps and the other was a Rickey Henderson rookie also from Topps. I was at a show and they had a booth that they would take back to get graded. Oh well both came back at BVG 5.5. The last two I sent in to be graded was a Dany Heatley rookie and a Steven Stamkos rookie. Both came back 9.5. The only reason I sent in is because I had a BGS coupon for having a subscription. No clue why I sent in those two.

As for buying, I will only buy if it was a good price or when I had some extra cash and bought a couple of Lots or cards for the ultimate hockey card collection. Wanted to ensure the vintage was real. But most the good price. But there are some sets that came graded in Hockey

I think I have 417 according to the DB

grading as an individual is stupidly expensive so the only way I go for graded cards are if I'm buying and want the authenticity rating thast goes with grading, usually for In-Person autos or vintage rookies

Grading companies charge different fees based on what THEY SAY the card would sell for. How anyone takes them seriously is beyond me.

I've also seen them damage cards as well. One of them I've seen them close it in the actual case. It was a 70s Topps baseball flagship card but I don't remember what player.

Further, I don't need to pay someone to tell me what my own eyes should be telling me.

I've also seen cards- including one in my own collection- where the UV coating has stuck to the case, permanently damaging the card. (1999-00 Stadium Club Chrome base card)

The grading game is for chumps and speculators who don't really collect cards but pretend to because they want to take your money for them. I will not knowingly purchase a graded card. I've been given a couple, and several came to me graded but were not marketed that way. Someday, eventually, I plan to fix them.