Hey everyone,
I’ve been watching a lot of Japan buying vlogs on YouTube and noticed that I rarely, if ever, see PSA 9s of cards being showcased in stores.
I then asked a couple of friends who have visited personally, and they also said they have not seen many, if any, PSA 9s of modern or of most vintage cards.
So my question is, where do the PSA 9s and below go? Do most people just crack them and sell them raw? Do they just get put for sale online?
America, those people buy everything and don’t question the price.
I don’t think the average or even above-average Japanese person is sending their slabs to America.
From what I’ve heard shops do not even buy PSA 9s or below for most things.
My friends and I found PSA 9s occasionally at shops and the card was almost always a buy because it was cheaper than raw
Knowing Japan theyre all probably somewhere in the gacha machines.
We immediately dispose of them due to the immense shame they bring.
No but really. Space is limited and there’s no room to display things that won’t sell. Shops either don’t buy them in the first place (unless it’s something worth putting on a shelf) or they end up in a box called “PSA9 and under” that you can just flick through.
For private collectors I’d assume people would just crack them or put them on mercari but honestly there’s no reason to assume things are much different.
For some stuff, maybe to ARS so they can 10 for minor OC issues haha…
(Disclaimer: to be clear, not really a dig, I like ARS and think PSA is a bit harsh on centering lol)
into the fake 10 slabs with the real 10 label that that one guy used to make 
Do you think they go for sale online? Or is that still not something people do.
During my last visit, I checked out the SNKRDUNK store in Aki. Absolutely insane how much high end stuff they had on display, and only in 10’s. I asked if they carried anything else, as I’m a true believer in PSA 9 being the best deal in regards to cost and condition, but it was legitimately only 10’s. It’s a little strange, as so many of these cards are still extremely valuable in a PSA 7-9. But in a way, it’s also a crazy flex.
What did they say after being asked why only carrying 10s?
「面倒くさいバか外人」
They told me they didn’t speak english and to get the hell out of their store
Jokes aside, I didn’t really ask why, just IF they had anything available in lower grades. I think the storefront having so many high end 10’s is a way to drive tourist interest to their website, where I have purchased multiple PSA 9’s from. They’re a hybrid between traditional store with their own items up for sale, but also consigner. You can list items via SNKRDUNK, and once something is sold, you send it to them to authenticate, then they ship to the buyer.
You’re right in your overall assessment though, it does seem like physical Japanese storefronts either deal in raw cards or PSA 10’s with little in-between. Everything else just gets dealt with online.
What are the main sites for buying online.
Mercari Japan and Yahoo Auctions?
