When collecting baseball cards, determining whether to grade cards or keep them ungraded is an important consideration. Card grading involves sending cards to professional services that authenticate, assess condition, and encase the card in a plastic holder with a numerical grade. While grading adds value, it also costs money and time. This article will explore the pros and cons of grading vs keeping cards ungraded.
One major benefit of grading cards is that it establishes an objective assessment of a card’s condition. Grading services like PSA and BGS employ strict standards to evaluate factors like centering, corners, edges and surface for each card. Receiving a grade provides a clear and universal communication of condition to potential buyers. Without a grade, buyers may be uncertain about a card’s true state of preservation when raw or ungraded.
Grades also increase resale value by appealing to collectors focused on higher grades. Collectors understand grades represent independent authentication of condition, reducing risks of fakes or undisclosed flaws. Cards that grade well, receiving marks of PSA 8, BGS 8.5 or above, command significantly higher prices in the marketplace than their raw counterparts. Top pop reports from servicesdetailing the number of a certain card at each grade level add desirability for scarce high grade examples.
Perhaps most importantly, encapsulating a card protects it long-term. Grading encases cards in hard plastic holders that shield them from fingerprints, dust, bent corners and other potential damages over time that can negatively impact value. This preservation factor is hugely appealing to investors and long-term collectors looking to maintain or increase an item’s worth. Raw cards are much more susceptible to gradual deterioration just from regular handling alone.
The costs of the grading process are also a major downside to consider. Major services charge fees of $10-20 per card submitted currently. Shipping costs and wait times, which can be several months, also apply. For large collections, grading every card quickly becomes very expensive. The slabbing process is also not entirely reversible should future owners want to crack a card out of the plastic holder down the line.
Grades are not failproof. While rigorous, grading is still subjective to some extent and errors or inconsistent results do occur on rare occasions. Cards could potentially grade differently if resubmitted. There’s also no guarantee a graded card won’t suffer damage like a crack in the plastic case later. Lastly, ungraded versions retain flexibility for raw collectors not focused on grades that adds to certain cards’ appeal and market.
For ungraded cards, the obvious perk is avoiding the costs and time commitment of the grading process entirely. Raw cards can simply be stored safely in portfolios, boxes or binders. This appeals to budget-minded collectors or those accumulating smaller collections. Cards kept raw are more directly exposed to risk of damage over time that could impact future values without the shielding of slabs. There’s also no objective condition assessment provided for potential buyers down the line.
Weighing these factors, most seasoned collectors recommend only grading your highest value vintage cards in gem mint or near mint condition where grades can multiply prices paid. For modern issues or less valuable vintage in lower grades, raw storage may be perfectly suitable to preserve collection quality without huge grading costs. Assessing your long term goals will determine if the protections and potential value increase of grading outweigh costs and flexibility kept of raw versions. Both have valid places in setting up a baseball card collection strategy.
While grading provides authentication, condition assessment and protection, it also requires money and time commitments that may not make sense for all cards. Ungraded storage maintains flexibility at less cost but without guaranteed long term condition preservation or objective grades to appeal to certain buyers. For valuable vintage gems and collections aimed as long term investments, grading’s benefits generally outweigh drawbacks. But raw storage works well too for most modern issues and lower end vintage where condition risks are lesser. Collectors need to evaluate their own budget and objectives to decide if the graded or ungraded route optimizes their individual collecting goals. Both have merit depending on the situation. With consideration of these pros and cons, collectors can establish the approach that offers best value given their priorities.
