I’m noticing more and more very large premiums being paid for cert numbers. Just wanted to see the opinion - and understanding to why? I get it but the premium being paid is quite huge - especially with the 1059 at the front.
It used to be that grading gave exclusivity in collecting. While many people would have a full art or ultra rare card, more serious collectors could distinguish themselves by purchasing professionally graded copies.
However, grading is the standard now. Especially on modern cards, PSA 10s aren’t exactly difficult and numbers of 10s consistently reach into the tens of thousands on popular modern cards. People need more to distinguish themselves than a PSA 10, which is why you see a more significant black label premium or doing truly insane things like paying close to $700 for a cert number.
Honestly, a logical result of the collecting environment we’re in now. Although I probably wouldn’t be betting on the emergence of cert number collectors to keep this up.
In China and Taiwan they like their 8s. Maybe it was an asian buyer who just wanted the 88888 number? At a recent card show some young kids (probably in high school) said that they like it when the last 4 numbers end in a birth year. Who would’ve known that would be a thing 
xD I avoid any slab with 4 in the cert number
False
I avoid doesn’t mean I will not buy 
. Also only card I own that has 4 in the cert right now is my creatures mewtwo, but I’ll be selling it soon
8 is a lucky number in some cultures like that in China. In Mandarin the number 8 shares the same sound as the verb associated with amassing wealth.
It’s like in CSGO, if skins’ float had 888.. in it or pattern 888 there would likely be a premium from Chinese collector, similar to that phenomenon. $600 premium is quite absurd though…
I can confirm was a Chinese buyer.
Yes they definitely like the number 8 over there.
Famous example: when China hosted the Olympics in 2008, the opening ceremony began at 8:08 on 8/8/08.
Oh and it’s the opposite for the number 4. You’ll have to mark down your 44444 slabs. 
By the time you read all the way down here I know some of you started to search the card with cert 88888888. Well unfortunately it’s not a Pokémon card, although ironically it was also graded as an 8.
Speaking of which:
I feel PSA does some of the certs on purpose. The 1000000 Charizard was 100% on purpose:
But it wouldn’t surprise me if the 111111111 Umbreon was as well:
And let’s not forget about the 69696969 Grass Energy 
/s
Greetz,
Quuador
I remember this selling on eBay for $30 lol… I wish i bought it
Youve really got me thinking, but are these submissions withheld for certain people when a specific cert number is brought up. Could also be an insider job as well. Just seems odd, but then again its too stressful to think about, and probably not worth delving in too deep. 
this just sold for $300 more than current market, even when a bunch of BIN listings were available at $950, not sure if this is a case of desired cert number or just ignorant buyers?
I can get behind like $10 extra, but anything over like $50 for a cert premium (we all know what numbers would constitute for that…) is kinda crazy imo. Collectors gonna collect tho!
this is what we call ego bidding
Haha I don’t but I remember posting about it when it was graded
Thanks for sharing!
Do you have an idea what percent of your sales go to Chinese buyers?
