Hey guys, I’m a sort of new collector and new member of E4, I wanted to hear your opinions on something.
Is card condition paramout for you in your collections or do you sometimes hold on to a card because of its sentimental value, regardless of its state? I’ll make an example:
I have a Neo Genesis Steelix, which was my first ever Holo card I got from opening a pack as a kid that is kind of in a rough shape, but I find myself wanting to keep this particular one card in my binder istead of going and buying a replacement.
What do you think? Would you guys just get a good looking card (if your goal was to complete the set for example) and keep the first one in a special place?
Let me know what you think!
It really depends. For most set cards, I’m more of a sentimental vs condition collector. A lot of the time, I just want to get the card in my collection in 1 piece, even if it’s not totally flawless. Cards that I truly love, I’ll try and buy a higher graded copy to have in my collection at some point or another because certain cards I have a stronger attachment to the actual Pokemon, artwork, or other factors.
I guess the last thing to consider is that even cards that are like a PSA 5-6 condition range can still look totally fine as a binder copy or even as a display piece and can often get overlooked. When it comes to vintage cards, so many of them were handled/played or even lost/destroyed, so even a lower grade/condition example can be a solid copy to own in your collection for sentimental reasons.
Card condition is really only paramount to me when the condition is expressly part of the collecting goal. So for example, I am in the process of building a couple small sets in PSA 10 because I want the cards to be nearly perfect and I may frame/display them down the line, and I have decided for myself I want them in the highest PSA grade. However, I also have several binders (a base set binder, an artist binder, favorite species binder, etc.) that are all made up of cards I had when I was a kid (ie, not great condition), cards I have bought raw, or cards that were cracked out of slabs in lower grades (anywhere from 4-8 potentially).
For you personally, I’d say it really just depends what you want. Some people have cards they feel very strongly about due to stories like yours of obtaining them when they were a kid, and they will grade it simply for the extra protection or if they want to preserve it’s current condition (condition can always go down, but it can’t go back up), but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having it in a binder either if that’s what you prefer! Most of the cards I have from my younger years I still have in binders, but there are a few I will send to get graded at some point.
Welcome to the forum and fun question! Like @wooltchi said above I do both. I still have many of my scuffed copies from when I was young throughout many binders and I buy Psa 9s of them for a mint copy. Buying mint copies of cards I like invokes the same feeling I got pulling the rare cards I did back in the day. Whereas my already childhood set of cards work great in binders so both is the way for me
I keep all of my/ my brother’s childhood cards in a cardboard card storage box and labeled it separate from the rest of my stuff from when I started getting more “serious” about collecting. When filling set binders, I would just buy a new copy so that I wouldn’t mix around my childhood cards with the less sentimental cards. It’ll also protect you from mixing up similar conditioned cards of the same card where you forget which one is which
Ill echo what others have said and say there’s a space for any card in Pokémon collecting. I’m not going to put a damaged childhood card alongside a PSA set i’m completing.
But i can always hold onto it and find a home for it.
I have a “retirement home” Pokedex binder where i put my old damaged childhood cards/damaged cards from collection purchases that would otherwise sell for pennies.
This is more of a thought experiment for me since I don’t have my childhood cards or a ton of Pokemon related childhood memories. I’d probably do what others do and keep them separately since they fit different collection goals.
Similar to @explorer I try to find creative ways to showcase and organize cards that don’t have much resale value.
I try to have PSA 6 or better in my binders but certain damaged cards tell a story.
For example, I have a water damaged Dark Dragonite and Dark Blastoise in my Team Rocket binder that are going to stay there. They were pulled by me in the 2nd grade and still have them to this day. Seeing them live out their retirement years in a complete set, and not a seldom seen miscellaneous binder, makes me happy. It also gives me a deeper personal connection when flipping through that specific binder.
I only get hyper particular about condition when its time to make stonk plays to finance binder cards hehe .
For me, condition has always been super important. I just don’t like seeing imperfections. If something has too much whitening and is considered “LP” or something I still go ahead and advertise it as being Damaged. I’ve got some psa 10 I personally believe should be 9 and so I make sure to highlight it to potential buyers in case they have a similar particularness like me.
Recently when Crown Zenith came out, I bought an etb the day of release and split the packs with someone I was re-introducing to Pokemon. In her very first pack she pulled the secret rare Pikachu! I was floored!! It was such a great moment and a memory I’ll never forget! At first glance, I saw no nicks or scratches. It was a tad off center but psa doesn’t care about that stuff from my experience. I was really happy with the card, but even happier that it was HER that pulled it and in such innocent fashion!
She wanted me to sell it as the price was volatile but part of me couldn’t cause I suddenly felt attached to the card. Later that night i shined more light on the card only to reveal a crazy print line across the whole back!! Wow, nobody would pay the going rate now. But also, this wouldn’t be a psa 10 either. We set a mission together to try to sell as much from the etb to get the money back and well that wasn’t going to happen now. I still wanted to send the Pikachu to psa and get it slabbed. If by some miracle it got a 10, I’d gift it to her as she truly is a 10 out of 10. But if it got a 7 or something, I’d be selling at a loss. But even then I can’t justify the idea of selling it. I think it has too much personal value that only I can fully appreciate that card since I felt such strong emotions.
TL;DR: It varies for everyone! Situation, personality, budget!
I have a Misty’s Gyarados bended in 5 places frm my childhood in the spot where that card should be in my binder and I won’t replace it with a mint one.
.