Grading companies like PSA, BGS, SGC and others have developed slabbing as a key part of their business model over the past few decades. A properly slabbed card offers several benefits over a raw, unprotected card in terms of preserving condition, verifying authenticity and increasing value. Here are some more details on the slabbing process and what it means for collectors:
Before a card is slabbed, it goes through a rigorous authentication and grading process. Experienced graders at companies like PSA and BGS will examine every aspect of the card under high magnification loupes and lighting. They are looking for production issues, centering, corners, edges, surface and any other flaws that could impact the condition and designated numerical grade from 1 to 10.
A card deemed authentic after examination will then be Sealably enclosed in a tamper-proof plastic holder. These slabs are designed for durability and to avoid any risk of the enclosed card being removed or switched for a fake. The front of the slab prominently displays the assigned condition grade while the back labels the card details, sets security features like unique hologram labels.
Some key benefits that slabbing provides include condition verification, authenticity validation, long-term protection from the elements and physical damage, and easy verification of the official grade. Raw cards can be altered, cleaned or tampered with over time in ways that are impossible once they are certified and encapsulated in a graded holder. This adds confidence for buyers and collectors.
Slabs are generally more valuable than equivalent raw cards because potential buyers don’t have to risk unknown flaws or question authenticity – they are getting an expert-verified item in a protective case. Statistics show PSA and BGS slabs consistently sell for premium prices compared to raw cards at auction. This grading/slabbing process has become an important part of the broader collectibles industry.
As the hobby has boomed in recent decades, so too slabs have multiplied into the millions. You now see everything from common base cards to iconic rare vintage issues like iconic Mike Trout, Mickey Mantle and Shohei Ohtani rookie cards professionally graded in slabs. It has allowed even very low-grade survivors to still retain verifiable historical value because the condition is set in stone.
The main downsides of slabbing involve the costs involved. Fees at the major graders range from around $10-$30 per card submitted depending on turnaround times selected. There is also risk of potentially lowering a grade if subtle flaws are uncovered compared to an untrained eye. Some prefer the romance of raw cards, but overall slabbing has been credited with helping modernize and add transparency to the trading card market.
Baseball card slabs provide a important service for the hobby by giving verified protection, preservation and valuations that raw cards can lack. By encapsulating cards inside tamper-proof holders along with assigned condition grades determined by industry experts, slabs aim to add confidence for buyers and collectors at the perceived cost of romance for some. They have evolved into a central cog of the broader collectibles industry landscape. Whether you prefer raw or slabbed, their growing prevalence is undeniable as interest in baseball cards and memorabilia keeps expanding worldwide.
