Beckett Message Boards

I have a lot of questions for grading cards. Like is it really worth it, what if you know the card isn't in great shape, should you do it anyway? If someone could just explain in detail, that'd be great.

(09-14-2011, 06:44 PM)Joshua92 Wrote: [ -> ]I have a lot of questions for grading cards. Like is it really worth it, what if you know the card isn't in great shape, should you do it anyway? If someone could just explain in detail, that'd be great.

I have had a lot of the same question regarding grading and it has came down to personal preference. It really depends on what you want to do with the cards and why you want them graded. For some they get their cards graded to have them safely encased. Others get their cards graded to hopefully increase their sell value. Personally I have a large MJ collection and have debated on whether or not I should get my cards graded. Since I do not plan on selling them, I do not care if they are graded or not. Being that they will stay in my personal collection, the grade is not an issue. I have however started collecting some graded MJ cards. I am going after his older stuff (80's base cards) to have them encased, to ensure a nice grade, and to make sure they are authentic. Other than this collection, I do not actively seek graded cards. Some people do like to collect high grade cards, so if this is the case, then grading would be beneficial. They also like the satisfaction of knowing the card they own is in mint condition. Overall to grade or not to grade depends on what you want to do with the cards. If you plan on keeping the cards for a personal collection, do you want them graded so they are encased or because you are simply curious of a grade? Essentially it boils down to what you plan on doing with the cards and why you want them graded in the first place.

i just recently had my first grading experience, and i am hooked. i love the encasing that is provided and as mentioned before, grading adds to the value of the card. but when all the dust clears, its still a personal preference.

Check auctions on ebay to see a comparison for a graded card vs an ungraded card.

For instance a graded Jordan RC will always sell higher than an ungraded one simply because you know it is real. You can buy an ungraded card for about $200-$600, but for those same cards graded, you could easily spend $500-$5000 depending on the grade.

Personally I do not waste time grading low BV cards. It will cost you about $10-$25 to get a card graded by BGS depending on the service level you choose and the number of cards your getting graded. It doesn't make sense IMO to spend that kind of money to get a $10 card graded. You have already spent more than it is worth.

There are always exceptions. For example a BGS 9.5 David Robinson RC is worth about 8 times its ungraded value. A BGS 9.5 Reggie Miller RC is worth about 15 times it's ungraded value. There are many examples like this and they don't all involve RC's

Like nickm1123 said, some people just like having their cards encased and protected. So maybe it is worth the cost for you to do that.

As far as having cards that aren't in good condition grade. I would only stick with High end HOF RC's in this case. A graded Larry Bird/Magic Johnson RC will always sell more than an ungraded one in the same condition. Besides, some of these older cards are just hard to find in good condition. A BGS 7 might be a really high grade for one of these.

Hey man!

Welcome 2 the beckett family

Honestly in my opinion it depends WHAT card you're thinking of getting graded. If it's a rare, high end, or special card to you personally, then YES, grading is worth it. However if it's a common base card for example it may just be a waste of money with little to no return on investment.

Grading (especially with BGS) is an AWESOME way to protect your special cards. With BGS for example, the card inside the capsule is put into a poly sleeve and barely moves to prevent damage. Grading though can get pretty expensive, so again use your own judgement, but most of all grade what makes you happy!

Hope this helped


Ben

this is just my opinion but...it's just another gimmick to me..

Thanks for all the different responses guys! I'm kind of debating getting my Kevin Durant graded. Unfortunately that's by FAR my highest value card.

What Durant? Show us this bad boy! Lol

I have it posted in the "Favorite Cards" thread.

I agree with most on here that it's a matter of preference. I personally want to get all of my Pistons cards graded, even the ones that are currently worth $0.05. I have a few reasons for it.

(in no particular order)
- For me, makes organizing my cards that much easier. I organize my cards by year, then brand, then number. I do not separate GU/AU/RC or anything from the regular base cards, they are all together. However, I'm starting to see that some cards are being re-"described". Some college cards (I don't have many) are going from being 2006 to 2006-07 and some cards which had a number of say 15 might get renumbered to RR15. The RR is just an example of the numbering prefix on some cards. However, regardless, I don't think that would hinder me too much in terms of organizing them.
- PROTECTION!!!! I definitely prefer BGS/BVG cases over any other that I've seen out there. I know not all of my cards would even get a 5 (I don't think at least) but to know that in 50 years, they'll still be in the same condition, that's a good feeling. It also means I don't have to worry about the kids around the cards, they'd be safe. Wouldn't have to worry about pets, animals, weather, humidity, etc. If only they made the slabs flame retardant.
- Kind of rarity. One, not many Pistons cards get graded. Again, this is because of the preference of other collectors and what they feel needs to be graded.
- Display. I feel more comfortable to display a card in a slab than in a top loader. Less dust, looks nicer, etc. It also shows pride in my collection.

Now this reason that I'm about to explain is because of another collector. When I first started getting on the boards, I saw a person on the baseball forum who had his basement done up very nicely. He had cards, I believe in magnetic holders, and they slid into grooves in the wall. So when you went into his basement, you could see all of his cards on the wall, and they wouldn't budge if there was an earch quake. I'd like to do the same but have BGS graded cards. I'd just have to decide what color paint to use behind them. lol. But it'd be cool to have cards on the walls of my basement (when I get one) that go from 2 feet above the floor (I'm not in a flood area, so that should be good enough) all the way up to the ceiling. If I wanted to look at my cards, I'd just go down stairs.