[rjcj2017]

Well, I have BGS graded commons from 2004-05 Topps Total basketball ... Keith Van Horn, Fred Jones and Melvin Ely ... not by choice.

They came in those mixed blasters with guaranteed graded cards, LOL

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The same reason as why you have JP Arencibia in your signature.

I'm sorry, but this is funny.

[tate31nym]

JP's on a tear...unfortunately the rest of his team isn't.

He's in my sig because I like him and he has potential.
And I suppose that's a pretty good reason for grading odd cards too.

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My other question is what is the best way to bust a graded card free of its slab? I have a couple Piazzas that are slabbed and I bought them that way because they were cheap. But they're graded by "questionable" companies and I'd rather just have the loose card. Plus the slabs just don't jive with the rest of my collection.

[y2hood]

This might not be the most preferred method of busting but my method has worked 100% of the 30 times I've done it without damaging a card.

For PSA cards or similar cases line a flat head screwdriver up in the groove on the side of the older and then firmly but carefully while holding the holder to the screwdriver slam it on a hard flat surface. Do not go full force. Obviously if you're a grown man you have the strength to drive it through to the card. Just enough force to break the seal. From there you can just work the head around the edge breaking it apart. Whole process takes maybe 45-60 seconds.

For BGS cases (or similar) it's trickier and messier. My method requires eye protection, but again no damaged cards yet. I take wire cutters or an equally strong pliers type tool, something designed for destruction, and bust the upper right corner nearest to where the grade is. Warning, there will be shards of plastic going every where. When BGS advertises their cases as tamper proof, this is why. There is no returning the case to prebusted condition. Once you've busted a good hole into the corner work in a flat head screwdriver and proceed like you did with the PSA card, only using more force breaking the seal.


Other people might have more gentle, mess friendly, methods.

Note: I only bust cards out of holders for low grades and putting them back in a commons binder or cleaning up the surface for a regrade OR to save money on a crossover service.

[tate31nym]

Sounds like fun. Thanks. These are just a couple of Piazzas minor league cards which are easily replaceable if things go too awry. They could be fakes for all I know. But, they look good to me. I'd much rather put them in the 9 card pages with all their friends than continue having them secured onto a card page with packaging tape (I'd lose them otherwise, ha).