He wasn't saying that all collectors over here are obsessed with those two things, but pointed out that neither of these things seem to be as important to the average Japanese collector.
There's a huge part of me that wishes I could permanently turn off my "care for condition", because it'd definitely save me money.
Right before Christmas, I finally added Jose Altuve's 2011 Topps Update rookie card to my collection. Raw copies typically sell for $15 to $18 on eBay, but I decided to pay $63.89 for this:
Why would I pay four times as much for a slabbed card? Well... there are a few reasons:
#1: I enjoy collecting graded rookie cards.
#2: This was a spur of the moment purchase that involved combined shipping.
#3: When it comes to the majority of my card purchases, condition matters.
That doesn't mean that I don't have an appreciation for well loved cards. I totally do. In fact, I have a special name for them: "cards with character".
My 1952 Topps Jerry Coleman is the perfect example:
I purchased this card off of COMC back in 2017, because it's what I envision a 1952 Topps baseball card looks like when I close my eyes. There are creases all over the place and even a small tear. I love everything about this card and have no desire to replace it with a graded copy.
But that's just the way I collect. Sometimes I wanna purchase a card with character for my collection, while other times I enjoy buying a new graded card. It's who I am as a collector. But that's the beauty of our hobby. There are countless ways to collect. Buy what you want to buy. Collect what you want to collect.
Diversity among our collections is a great thing. So is accepting each other for who we are and the different ways we collect. Happy Thursday and sayonara!
21 comments:
Amen Fuji! Also, great Altuve!
That Coleman is a beaut!
It's funny, I don't mind taking in a low grade, damaged card...but if I accidentally damage one? I feel like it's the end of the world and mope for days.
Depending on the card that you damaged, moping might be warranted!
For newer cards I usually care about condition, because it's easy to find decent condition cards. For older cards, I actually like a little damage. Makes it seem real. A card 100 years old shouldn't have its gloss still on it. It should have natural wear.
Collecting in Japan is refreshing for a set collector since condition doesn’t matter and cards aren’t pursued for grading. But each to their own for sure. Interesingly, I purchased my first ever graded card and it’s a beauty. I’ll share in a fe weeks.
Grading for me has always been about authenticity rather than condition. Eye appeal matters much more so that post about collecting in Japan is as wonderfully refreshing as when I discovered that no one in Europe (or the rest of the world) cares about preserving their Panini soccer stickers in a pristine unpeeled state.
As you said in an earlier post (and I 100% agree): collect what you enjoy!
I didn't really go into this in the post, but my main issue with the obsession with condition in the US isn't that collectors care about condition (I mean, we all do!) but the way that massive swings in $ values have become so tied to extremely minor differences in condition that the hobby as a whole pays way too much attention to it because so much is on the line for so many collectors (especially those with $$).
I would absolutely pay that price for a PSA 10 Altuve RC. It might not reach Mike Trout level-value but it's a great investment.
I have a 1975 Bob Gibson 3000 K Highlight card that is horrible shape because I spilled water on it years ago. I expected my dad to ask my why I was so careless, but he dried it out on a wood stove. I'll always remember that. It probably looks awful to everyone but me.
Wonderful post. I've often thought too how wonderful it is how many different collectors there are and how we each desire different things but it's all under this one wonderful umbrella. Diversity in collecting is great. Nice Altuve pick up.
I'm not as concerned with condition for older cards; but anything from the early 1990s on to today I just expect to be in better shape.
1) I've said it before in my blog - My idea vintage card is in decent shape but has handwriting somewhere other than on the photo, thus bringing the price down to my level... But I also don't mind mild creases or rounded corners in many cases.
2) Does foil on a card like the 2011 Altuve make authenticity a bit less of a problem? I have no idea how sophisticated counterfeiters are these days.
3) I somehow missed the Japanese card blog you'd linked to - Another blog for my reading list! Thanks!
I pretty much go out of my way to avoid graded cards as i find them to be a pain to store.
That Coleman card Is what happens when your mom washes your pants and forgets to check the pockets :)
I've said it many times. Grading is good for confirming authenticity and condition for long distance transactions when you can't inspect something in peron. Otherwise, it's corporate interference and artificially inflating values. A Gem mint 10 graded card shouldn't be worth any more than the high book raw value. Just because someone arbitrarily decides to grade something and that grader decides what level it is, the value shouldn't depend on how many times this has happened. "Populations" are irrelevant.
I generally strive for nice condition cards, but I agree that any vintage card that doesn't have slight defects looks fake. Newer cards (after '81) should be relatively pristine.
Condition of modern cards doesn't bother me too much. A PSA 8 or PSA 10 looks close enough to me to appreciate the same and if it saves me $100 because of the lower grade I will take the 8. Vintage means nothing to me condition wise. I enjoy the well loved cards too
I generally avoid graded cards, but that Altuve is beautiful. Those are the types of cards that can persuade me to buy graded.
There is nothing wrong with a good ole vintage card in rough shape
shoeboxlegends - thanks! i'm glad to finally cross that off of my list
the lost collector - all of those creases sure add character to it.
billy kingsley - that's a great point. doing the damage yourself just sucks.
jon - yeah.. damaging a vintage mantle definitely hurts more than a 2016 topps mantle
section 36 - can't argue with that. a perfect t206 would almost seem fake.
sumomenkoman - looking forward to seeing what you purchased
nick vossbrink - my vintage graded stuff is definitely about authenticity... where as my newer stuff is more about the condition. i think it's so cool that europeans don't care about keeping their panini stickers unpeeled. they actually use their stickers as their intended.
sean - loved your post. very eye opening. yeah i think many of us collectors have been trained (or brainwashed) into buying into the whole better condition = more money belief. i know i've thought that way since i was little.
chris - figured this was a good time to buy it. yeah... it won't ever reach trout numbers, but if he can bounce back and restart his 200 hit season streak, this card has room to grow.
play deep - great story. now that's what i call a card with character.
peter k steinberg - you and i are practically on the same page... except my fixation on condition goes back to the early 80's, instead of the 90's.
the shlabotnik report - glad i was able to share sean's blog with you. he's got some great stuff on there. as for authenticity... i'm almost afraid to find out how good counterfeiters are these days. sad thing is... even graded card slabs can be doctored.
nachos grande - they take up much more space, but i've created a pretty good system.
big tone - lol. yup. gotta wonder what this particular card's story is.
gca - great comment. i agree that they artificially inflate values. lol. how can i argue? i just paid 4x the price for my altuve.
collecting cutch - that's a great way too look at things. wish my eyes didn't see the difference between a psa 8 or psa 10 on this altuve rookie.
snorting bull - thanks. i think it looks beautiful too.
sport card collectors - agree 100%
IMO grading has hurt the hobby. And I do not understand the need to grade 1/1s...or base inserts esp for players with a few years already behind them. I do prefer modern era cards in nm/mt condition but my vintage? These should be well-loved cards. I'm fortunate to have some nice copies but don't mind soft corners, wrinkles and writing. They'd compare greatly to me if I had tattoos.
Tattoos and vintage cards. Great comparison!
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