General Forum

That Bernard King 78 Topps just recently sold on 12-22-21 for $3,000 PSA 10 and on 2-15-21 one sold for $8,000 PSA 10 Gem Mint. 

https://www.sportscardspro.com/game/basketball-cards-1978-topps/bernard-king

I have no interest in grading cards.  However, I am wondering about how these slabs will do over time.  Are they supposed to be resistant to the yellowing and general crustiness that happened to many of the old top loaders?  If this starts happening I can imagine how many people will get tired of looking at their nice cards in dirty old slabs and then try to get them out of the slab.  Aren't they supposed to be tamper proof?

Is your PSA 10 really a PSA 10 if its encrusted in a nasty slab 40 years from now?  Maybe there will be a company started that provides the service of just getting cards out of the slab?  Or maybe there will be a company that just starts grading the condition of the slabs.  Haha, sorry I'm just  joking.  The whole grading thing just seems like a rabbit hole to me.  

What happens if someone leaves their PSA 10 out in direct sunlight in their car on an Arizona sunny afternoon?

I havent seen enough PSA graded or graded cards to compare and internet pictures just dont do (or do) a card justice. Ive seen other comments saying the same about the PSA grade and card quality. I know PSA got caught up in a scam with grading cards that had been trimmed and another time with fake autographs if i remember correctly.

I agree about the cost and yeah the printers these days are impressive for quality but there is several other variables to consider. Paper quality, Ink quality, Ink color, alignment....

"I'm hoping that at some point the cost of grading comes down from the nose bleed seats to a more reasonable price."  

Same here.

good questions. yeah that would suck to have a old crusty slab. I think grading is a bunch of BS to but for me its about the $$$. The physical card does nothing for me. I wouldnt waste the time to sell a card for $1.00 or $3.00......so...gotta slab em..... Altho id sale every card ive got if somebody would pay me $0.45 per card and take them all or none.

Who would pay $8000 dollars for that card simply because it was graded by a company as a 10?  I don't understand it.  It makes me wonder how it is that people have that much money to toss around on things like this.  This same card ungraded can be had that looks pack fresh from basic inspection for not very much money.  

Im a huge fan of SGC, i love the black tux. Inexpensive to grade with and quick turn around. I went through Nashcards for a discount

I have bought graded cards and would send cards to be graded if the cost was reasonable. Grading does a few positive things in my opinion. It certifies a genuine card and it protects the card, that alone is worth $20 to me. Aside from that the number isn't that important. I usually can't tell the difference between an 8 and a 10. I actually like the 7-8 range. Usually the card at that grade will sell at what an ungraded good looking card will sell for and I won't need to pay for the grading!

I dont understand it either. Apparently alot of people have alot more money than they need. I also dont understand how or why people are paying $145,000 (current bid) for a box of 86 fleer basketball https://sports.ha.com/itm/basketball/1986-87-fleer-basketball-wax-box-with-36-original-unopened-packs/a/50051-51976.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515

or paying $21,000 (current bid) for a box of 80 Topps basketball https://sports.ha.com/itm/basketball/1980-topps-basketball-wax-box-with-36-unopened-packs-magic-bird-rookie-year-/a/50051-51975.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515

These people are paying more for a box of basketball cards than I will ever have in my bank account after a lifetime of working, frugal living, and trying to save every way possible. As long as they people have that kind of money to spend then im going to do my part with helping them to spend it. Hopefully.

Ive been thinking about SGC but I just dont like the fact that they also base the cost to grade off of the value of the card. How can a person determine the value of a card 1; before it is graded and 2; with the prices of cards changing so much and so often. Thats why the card value should never be a factor in the cost of grading. Plus just because 1 graded card sells at a price today that does not mean that tomorrow a person can sell the card they own that is the same grade for the price that the other card sold for. Thats basic supply and demand stuff.

As someone had said before thats the same as me pulling into a automatic car wash driving a 15 year old Nissan Sentra and paying $10 for the car wash when the guy behind me is driving a 2021 BMW 3 series and having to pay $30 for the same car wash that I paid $10 for. Its the same service regardless of how much your car cost.

So why is it a person with a more expensive card has to pay more for the same service than the guy with a less expensive card?