I will always go for the 10s also, however a 9 is always nice. Personally, my OCD doesn’t like to see the 9 among other 10s.
In terms of value the PSA 10 will always hold more and retain more, especially on the older sets in 1st edition, and with the potentiality of quicker growth and return, if you ever need to sell for any reason that might appear in your life. I also take that into consideration because…we never know.
Again the difference between the 9 and the 10, sometimes is so subtle that only the label gives it away. And a 9 collection is always nice to see!
Well yeah, every collector wants the highest grade, but the collectors with Realistic goals may strive for 9’s from sets, depending on their budget.
In the current market, it doesn’t seem difficult to obtain a PSA 10 1st ed base set, so long as you have the money.
If you could only pick 1 option, would you rather have 5 PSA 9 1st ed sets or 1 PSA 10 1st ed set? I’d argue a true collector would go for what matters to them more, maybe there is one set that stands out to them, or maybe they prefer to have more variety because they like a few sets a lot…
Maybe start with 9s and build towards 10? you could get the full psa 9 set and then gradually upgrade? or…just buy 10s you really like. It is of course up to you! Id rather have 30-40 than a couple 10s to start with
However if you see a 10 at a great price…snap it up!
2000 for the year set? or…do you mena 2000 plus you may sell some cards etc and it will fluctuate?
if you are hesitating due to psa 10 prices…I think you know 9s are for you to start with.
I am not an experienced collector nor do i know much about the psa market etc, but based on my own limited experience over the past 2 years and what you have said I think it is a fair analysis.
You could also grade some cards yourself dont expect a 10 and dont start chasing 10s buying loads(people do i know…but it would be counter productive based on your situation) just work your way up and get into psa grading and buying…see how it goes.
Hope this is of some use, if not…good luck anyways!
When I came back into collecting back in September, i was on a rampage buying PSA cards i like. PSA8s and 9s were the majority and some 10s. In December i had like 30+ PSA cards that were all less than £100 each. Then one day i decided to pull the trigger on a psa 10 1st ed shining zard. After knowing i owned that card, i sold all my non 10 cards and even some 10s to restructure my collection. I now have only a handful of psa cards in my collection, 8 to be exact. Am i happier and more content than before? ABSOLUTELY
In my last collecting ventures, i only desired psa 10s. i found my self frustratingly trying to obtain cards and feeling ocd with all my subbies because whatever wasn’t a 10 i’d throw a tantrum and just didn’t feel fulfilled. I have now, over time matured and came to a personal realisation and sense of what is truly a fulfilling collection and have never, ever been happier to have my collection consist of a mix of psa 9 and 10 cards, heck even 8s on some of them.
Upon returning to collecting my goal was to obtain cards in mint condition, therefore psa 9 satisfies this and pa 10 is just a bonus.
9s are so beautiful and really allows me to still appreciate the card and art work
I’m not talking from an investment perspective but purely from a fulfillment perspective,where yes condition does play a role, but i find that minty 9 hitting my hppiness levels just right
For myself it depends on the card. If it’s a lesser tier item like an Unlimited WOTC card or certain 1st Editions I’d opt for a 10, the same as if I really liked a certain card or set I’d desire the 10 and probably aim for that. This is regardless of budget. However, if I was looking to expand inventory/collection then 9s would probably be better. Similarly as someone else has already said; if a card in mint 9 is clean aside from it being OC or centered well with some minor whitening and is only just out of being a 10 then that is probably more worthwhile than the likes of a 10 due to the heightened price. Additionally, if a card is particularly rare or scarce on the market then a sub-optimal grade of a 9 or lower is always viable as the rarity and scarcity of the card should make up for the lower grade. As in, if a certain card only has 1-2 on the market and they’re 9s and no 10s then obviously having a 10 in your hands would be nicer but as the 9 is still the best on the market then if it’s in demand it’ll still go for a lot. Take the gold star Umbreon or Espeon example I suppose, they both still fetch high prices on a 9 due to their demand, rarity and scarcity. (It would be more helpful to make my point though if they still weren’t rare but the demand and scarcity factor is still present)
This is total bunk.
I have a PSA 6 Koufax rookie but I’m not a “true collector” because I can afford a 9 but don’t want to spend 45000.00 for one? Cmon man lol.
So many over reactions. All I meant was 10s are the pinnacle. Availability covers price as many people can’t afford full sets. Obviously collecting 10s are difficult and pricey. I was answering his question directly and wasn’t to anybody else.
And I wrote “true collector” as I was referring to the scene in the original fast and the furious. When he loses the 1st street race and says “dude I almost had you”. Vin deisel replies “any ‘real racer’ knows in doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winning is winning”.
So I was emphasising my point. Everyone knows 10s are the top. So if you can go get them.
Sad that I felt the need to respond and explain myself over a single word.
When I backtrack all the purchases I’ve done with graded cards it’s safe to say PSA 10’s have been worth the extra cost.
However I’m still happy I decided to collect japanese Shining cards as PSA 9’s, when I started that journey PSA 10’s were practically impossible to find. Eventually managed to get all 10 set cards for less than one of the first PSA 10 Neo 4 Shining Charizard sales reached around same time, no regrets.
In your scenario I’d take 30-40 PSA 9’s, this way you’ll be in touch with market all the time while learning new things from the hobby instead of buying one expensive card only few times in a year.
Best advice I can give is to create detailed wtb list early enough and make sure you’re happy with it, upgrading/downgrading can become a real nuisance in the middle of process.
