General Forum

I read an artice in a magazine about how collectors would prefer to buy their cards ungraded and they dont need someone to tell them the condition of their cards and also to pay them a premium for the privilege.

Whats your opinions on the grading process? are the grading compaines like PSA/Beckett just hiking the prices of lesser priced cards up? a $1 card when graded seems to go to $15. Is it worth it?

Personally I think grading only makes sense when you are concerned about counterfeit cards. Even that has come into question as there have been situations graders have been accused of authenticating counterfeit / altered cards. Some are really into it but I have a hard time seeing the value.

The slabs of PSA and BGS can look nice but it does unnecessarily drive up the prices of cards.  While I care about the condition of my cards, as I'm sure all collectors do, I don't need to obsess about having my cards in the most perfect condition.  As long as they look fine to the naked eye, I'm happy with my cards ungraded.  Plus if buying a graded card or getting one graded myself is going to cost me an extra premium, I'd rather just take that money and spend it on another card I want.  More bang for my buck.

Ungraded only for me. I loathe the very concept of card grading and everything that it stands for.

Personally, I agree with Mitch in that the value in grading is in the authentication, especially for high value vintage or rookie cards. That being said, there have been stories in the news recently of PSA missing alterations such as trimming, which makes me question the whole process.

I do have a few graded cards, but it's not a big part of my collection. I'll pick up a PSA 10 John Olerud card if it's cheap, especially if it's one of his RC's that I remember chasing back in the day. It's just a neat side pursuit, and I think the slabs display really nicely. 

I prefer ungraded but I am not against the grading process.  I have used grading for certain rookie cards, like Auston Matthews, in order to keep the card in the original shape.  I have also used it for authentication process.  I pulled a miscut card from a pack of 1982 Fleer baseball a long time ago that had parts of two Cardinals players on the front and a Phil Niekro Atlanta Braves back.  I sent that one in sos it could be authenticated.  It laughingly graded as a 2, but I was happy to get it slabbed.  One last note, my most recent submissions have been to SGC as I like their slabs the best.

I like graded cards myself, and will pay the premium to have them slabbed/graded when I can afford it.  One, it helps with insurance/investment value as its 3rd party, and not just your personal opinion on grade.  I know I am in the minority. 

Not only do I like how they look, but the slabs are somewhat water resistant, wich is good for a clutz like me...  I like at least knowing if I knock over my cup of coffee while sorting cards they won't get ruined...  Of course 99.9% of my collection is raw/ungraded, but if I win the lottery I will send in everything ;P

I'm not into grading.    I do see it if you are into collecting as an investment .    

I’ve said this all before and it’s reflected in the comments above. I used to hate grading. Then I started picking up graded cards purely for the authentication factor. Probably better than nothing. If I feel confident in authenticity, I don’t care about grading.

I’ve never sent anything in. Doubt that I ever will. Maybe someday. Just a few. 

I do think it just unnecessarily ups prices. 

And I can look at a card myself and assess its condition, though it helps on eBay, where I can’t see every flaw. 

I’ve grown to accept grading as a part of the hobby. I take the good, ignore the bad. 

V3

Having his cards graded is buying opinion from someone reputable, but how to be sure what the grader does is the Real McCoy?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/14/your-money/sports-card-alteration-fraud.html