If you're keeping cards for your collection - why grade?

General
22

I started grading because the cards just look so nice in the plastic case and are nicely protected. But you are right, they are difficult to store and I rarely look at my graded cards because there are so many and they are difficult to go through. I recently moved mine into a closet because I have no idea where else could I store them.

And since grading has gotten more expensive and it takes forever to get your cards back, I’m taking a break from it for now. And as graded card prices have taken a huge spike, I don’t buy graded anymore either. I’ll see what I’ll do later as there is at least one card I reeeally need to grade for my Play Promo set that would make the graded set complete (minus gold stars). But for now I’m out of it for quite some time.

23

I absolutely love this explanation.

Those of you who know me know that I’ve long been a dissenter when it comes to encapsulating cards. (I’m fond of jokingly referring to slabs as “PSA Plastic Prisons.”) However, @azulryu makes an excellent, er, case for encapsulating certain cards. I need to reconsider my steadfast opposition. :blush:

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24

I grade fro resale value, I does not make sense for me to sell a 10 candidate for raw for a rare card. I do not like graded cards in my collection. Binders look way better imo. But it does add another layer to collecting, which I can understand some people going after. But not for me.

25

I think it makes sense to track asset value in collections. It makes sense to grade before fees continue to grow with card prices. It also makes sense because it makes your collection more “liquid” if you ever need to disolve a few cards to pay for an emergency or for a big opportunity that requires cash. Finally, it allows you to get full-value for any trades you may need to offer to get another card you might really want.

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26

ROI my dude ROI …

27

Glad I could offer a different perspective! Also good to see you around, Glenn!

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28

Honestly I’m considering insurance for my collection, and grading cards gives an objective view of their condition so it’s easier to properly assess their value.

29

I’ve been grading a bunch of my childhood cards (base set through ex r&s). All of my modern stuff is perfectly preserved in sleeves/toploaders, and I’m not really in a rush to get those in a slab. With my childhood cards, I wanted to: 1) know what they were worth, 2) encapsulate them, and 3) validate whether I “actually” took good care of them (turns out I did a pretty nice job for many!)

It’s been a great way for me to find new ways for me to enjoy my old cards.

I don’t like how long it takes to grade, though. I also don’t like shipping my old cards in semi rigids wrapped with rubber bands. Just getting one damn card in a semi rigid is a process in itself…

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30

I started in the Pokemon hobby back in 2018 building NM+ binder sets in homage of how I used to collect as a child, but I then moved into grading certain cards and seeking out cards that are already graded. Coming from the coin hobby, grading is an integral part of collecting for many reasons. Of course, it is important to choose wisely which company you choose to grade your cards with and to stick with companies who have a strong reputation in the hobby of your choice. For Pokemon, PSA, BGS, CGC, and SGC are the only 4 companies that I would even consider dealing with.

Here are some key reasons why I believe that grading your cards are important and necessary.

Authenticity: Grading ensures that your cards are authentic. Now the fakes are much easier to spot in cards than in coins, but it is nice to have the peace of mind that your collectibles are genuine.

Insurance: Having your cards graded by a major 3rd party grading company like PSA, ensures that your collectibles are backed by the company guarantee of the grade and authenticity. It also gives your cards a unique serial number that can be logged and traced in case of theft.

Value: Once your card is encapsulated and given a numerical grade, it is now backed by the 3rd party grading company you chose to grade with (PSA, BGS, CGC) and is respected as such on the marketplace for the grade given, for the most part. PSA demands the highest price overall for your cards, but BGS tends to demand the highest value in a Pristine 10 (Black Label) grade. Consistency can also change for grading companies and some grades may be stronger or weaker due to human error. This happens in the coin grading hobby as well and a very popular quote that is said in the coin hobby is, “Buy the coin not the holder”. This phrase can be used in any collectible hobby that uses 3rd party grading.

Resale: If one day you decide to sell off your cards, having your cards graded and encapsulated ensures that you will get the most out of your collection in terms of value when selling due to there being a market value set for cards that is measured by the grade. Grading also gives confidence to the buyer when purchasing the cards off of you. Let’s say you have a beautiful raw copy of Charizard from base set unlimited and it looks to be Mint/Gem and then you go to sell it as is not graded. You will obtain far less than you would if it was graded a 9 or 10. This is in part due to the fact that there is an unknown as to how the card will grade and it is not backed by a company guarantee. There are also huge value gaps for a 9 grade to a 10 due in part to the low population of a card in a 10 grade and the impact that it is valued on the open market with the guarantee as well as the value of collectors who want to add the grade to their competing set registries as stated below.

Set Registry: This is a huge one in the coin hobby and this is a way for individuals to showcase their collections to the world and even earn awards for building their sets from the biggest set registry 3rd party grading company, PSA. The only way that you can build a set registry is by grading your cards and having a unique serial number. For PSA, your cards must be graded by PSA in order to add them to your set registry. Through the set registry, you can build sets on uniqueness, completion, and overall grade. There is also a leaderboard for categories such as building the highest graded set that puts your collection against others around the world and is then ranked for the world to see. You can also upload images of your cards to a digital database in your personal set registry and enjoy them digitally while keeping them stored away from your home such as in a Bank or storage unit.

Hope this helps in understanding why grading your cards is fundamental in collecting, but at the end of the day, always have fun with your cards, graded or not!

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31

To be more save against my own stupidity and a little bit of ego ><

32

Ironically, the first 3 point on your list are some of the main reasons why people grade.

  1. (Opportunity) Cost
    What’s the opportunity cost of not grading if you are ever in the position where you want or need to sell?

  2. Inconsistent condition
    Grading is subjective and can be inconsistent. But raw cards are even less consistent. Consider the difference in condition variability PSA 9s vs troll and toad NM cards. In reality, graded cards offer the most accurate and consistent assessment of condition available.

  3. Damage and Aesthetic Risks
    Accidents happen at grading companies. Many times they will compensate you but there’s no guarantee. But again, the risk of your card being damaged during grading is very small. Once it’s in a case, the probability of future damage is vanishingly small. Whereas anytime you handle a raw card, there is a chance it could get damaged.

Value, consistency and protection are some of the main reasons for grading. Having a card framed, authenticated and labelled are also positives. While storage or the current turnover rate for grading are not ideal, the total benefits far exceed the cost. Plus the sound of plastic slabs clacking together excites me in ways nothing else can

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33

This is also huge, I’ve heard some really improbable stories about getting cards back from theft because they’re uniquely marked.

34

I’m seeing some contradictions in these replies.

For people who focus on protection, then why not just send it in to PSA (or other cheaper option) for the significantly reduced price to just slab it instead of paying for it to be graded?

Then there are also a bunch of people that keep saying “if I ever decide to sell/trade in the future,” but the original question says that you don’t intend to ever sell it, so this point is totally invalid.

35

If you are sterile, why use condoms?

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36

You could have no intentions of selling a card, but in times of sickness, financial trouble, natural disaster, etc., you may have to sell things you never would have dreamed of just to stay afloat.

Also, if you were to pass away (unexpectedly or decades from now), grading cards would allow a loved one to more easily sell however much of a collection they want/need (funeral costs, etc) to.

Personally I would hope that my loved ones might keep a few of the cards that meant the most to me to remember me by, but they certainly don’t have a use for my entire collection, nor the same attachment to these cards that I have, and that’s okay with me.

37

I guess you intend to imply that the obvious answer both for grading and condoms would be protection (against dirt/STDs), but not only are there cheaper methods than PSA to protect your cards, I’ve also never heard of a condom producer upcharging you for having a particularily high quality member.

11 Likes
38

I can put a slab in my pocket and take it to work and not worry about it, kinda like when i was a kid and would just put a card in my pocket and go to school.

I can prove to myself conditions too, while some cards have debatable grades, or even incredibly bad grades, the majority of us know when a card is mint and getting that mint card verified is also satisfying.

I enjoy the stack of slabs on my desk at all times. Its also psychedelic to look at when the sun hits it at a certain angle and im trying to wake up. They store extremely well, they’re pretty versatile for options like framing, shelves, boxes, ive seen binders of slabs too.

PSA set registry is a great way to keep track of the collection. I wouldnt make a data sheet for my binder, way too much work. Punching in cert numbers and maybe taking a couple photos is real easy though.

Binders are just meh, i dont like putting massive value into a binder because its scary, and in the event i need to liquidate my collection, no ones going to take me as serious with a binder as they would if i had slabs. Its not realistic to think your cards will never be sold, eventually just about everything sells. Slabbing them makes sense for a lot of my cards. Generally anything over $200

39

I’ll be honest years ago I was embarrassed to collect Pokemon cards as an adult. This was far before anyone thought they were cool outside our small community at the time. Even on Efour I didn’t make an account till years later because I wanted to just read and never comment. When I got my first graded card I fell in love instantly and oddly enough it felt more adult like being handled by a professional company and being encapsulated in a nice slab. Binders and top loaders while reminding me of my childhood felt too childish for me as a working professional. I know it’s so silly but this is how genuinely felt at the time and buying raw cards was just a total crapshoot with condition and it became frustrating.

It didn’t take long for me to convert completely to graded as I just found the cards aesthetically better looking in a uniform case. Like others mentioned the protection is huge as I have a daughter and a dog who could easily damage a card. More importantly the outside opinion about authenticity and condition are crucial for me and helpful when buying, selling and trading. Also as a collector having high grades feels more exclusive and rare so that’s always an added chase that is personally gratifying when completed.

Nothing is wrong with the way anyone enjoys the hobby but for me graded is the only way I collect as I truly like it this way.

And for the record the hiccups by grading company does not deter me one bit. I find that people tend to over inflate the mistakes and scandals as if they are happening in large quantities when in reality its a tiny percentage of a very large pie. In the end I do believe the hobby needs grading companies whether some hate them or not, it’s part of the ecosystem that helps the hobby grow.

4 Likes
40

So you won’t catch the crotch rot