Raw Vs Graded prices
- Thread starter BlackCrow78
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GarnettFan4Life
OZCT Supporter
Raw comparable to a PSA 8 for me.
PSA 9 = 2-10x raw
PSA 10 = 5-20x raw
Pop1 = 2x PSA10
pretty variable ranges here. Player dependant, depends how many graded and how many more may be graded soon (what year is the card), do I want to buy while there is hype at the moment etc etc
i also look at what BGS are around too, what is the sub grades of those graded. Past sales check and also, what is the backlog at the grading companies.
PSA 9 = 2-10x raw
PSA 10 = 5-20x raw
Pop1 = 2x PSA10
pretty variable ranges here. Player dependant, depends how many graded and how many more may be graded soon (what year is the card), do I want to buy while there is hype at the moment etc etc
i also look at what BGS are around too, what is the sub grades of those graded. Past sales check and also, what is the backlog at the grading companies.
I almost never buy PSA10's. If they were 2x or 3x raw I'd consider it, but that rarely happens. Often a PSA10 is at least 5x or 10x. Most of the cards I buy are PSA9 but I'm happy to take any grade whatsoever if the centering is good. As for the second part, I doubt I would ever be in the running for a card that had a pop1. It's something I've never thought about. P.S. I rarely buy raw cards now as people have become far more knowledgeable about grading and the likelihood that you are buying a raw card that could gem has dropped significantly - especially for cards that are $200+ raw.
Iron Clad Lou
OzCardTrader
I've been considering starting a collection of purely 8s or 7s.
I really just love the cards and not really concerned about the investments or grades.
I think that could be an affordable collection
Absolutely. It's not all doom out there for collectors. If you're focusing purely on NBA rookie cards in a PSA10 it is but there are plenty of raw Michael Jordan cards out there that can be had for not much more than $1.( at least last time I looked) And those are cards from the prime of his career! I love collecting baseball and I've been picking up Ken Griffey Jr. second year cards for cheap in a PSA8 or PSA9. There's many slabbed cards out there that are cheaper than the cost of grading them. There's lots of raw LBJ second year cards that are very affordable. I think if you just buy cards that you really like the look of or second year/third year cards you can still easily participate in the hobby. Wax busting is difficult at the moment but collecting is not.
I have never sent a card for grading, but I do own a few graded cards. Not many though - it's just not something I really care that much about. I also tend to go for PSA 9 since I feel they're undervalued compared to 10s, which mean almost nothing to me as a collector first. Personally I feel the PSA 10 base card craze will be the first card to fall - the fundamentals just aren't there to sustain it.
If I'm looking for a card and it's only available raw, then that's fine. But if there's a raw AND a PSA 9 for similar price, I'm picking up the 9 because I factor in the grading cost into the purchase price, and that means the actual card inside often costs less than the raw one. This has been my approach lately for SP cards primarily - here's some of the recent SP 9s I've grabbed for good prices while all the focus is on 10s. I collect 93-94 Finest refractors so these ones were great pickups for me since these ones are hard to find at any time
If I'm looking for a card and it's only available raw, then that's fine. But if there's a raw AND a PSA 9 for similar price, I'm picking up the 9 because I factor in the grading cost into the purchase price, and that means the actual card inside often costs less than the raw one. This has been my approach lately for SP cards primarily - here's some of the recent SP 9s I've grabbed for good prices while all the focus is on 10s. I collect 93-94 Finest refractors so these ones were great pickups for me since these ones are hard to find at any time
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GarnettFan4Life
OZCT Supporter
i bought my first psa 7 and an 8 the other day, cards still looked cool and some of the 9’s have been getting up there in price I didn’t want to pay
GarnettFan4Life
OZCT Supporter
I recently bought a PSA 5 of a /20 card - still counts!
PSA 6 today of Kobe - gonna be looking at a PSA 4 of Shaq later too haha - who can get to the PSA 1 first
bert_quiozon
Hobby Master
RAW for me is a grade 6 or 7 for 90s cards and 8 for ultramodern.
I only buy psa 9 or bgs 9 and sometimes bgs 9.5 for my pc because its more reasonable than psa 10. And I think grade 9 is a collectors grade especially if you focus on 90s cards. I only buy a 10 if its really a good deal. I also consider grade 10 as an investor or flippers grade who focus on the roi of the card thats why I dont even bother bidding on them since I dont have the same deep pockets as they have
I only buy psa 9 or bgs 9 and sometimes bgs 9.5 for my pc because its more reasonable than psa 10. And I think grade 9 is a collectors grade especially if you focus on 90s cards. I only buy a 10 if its really a good deal. I also consider grade 10 as an investor or flippers grade who focus on the roi of the card thats why I dont even bother bidding on them since I dont have the same deep pockets as they have
GarnettFan4Life
OZCT Supporter
Yeah good points , depends on the set too as well as era for me. Was it 18-19 or 19-20 Chronicles Elite Black Box or one of those releases that’s having a lot of edge and corner issues and people are happy with getting a 8 grade?
some of those 90s sets like sPx, UD3 and the like have been tough grades too
some of those 90s sets like sPx, UD3 and the like have been tough grades too
Haha. It's getting that way. Thankfully not all PSA1's are created equally. There's some that probably shouldn't have a grade and others that might be a PSA 4 on a good day. Buy the card and not the grade is the best advice I was given.
I bought my first ever PSA7 six months ago ( Mike Trout Bowman chrome rookie) and just missed out on a Joe Montana rookie card in a PSA5 last week. The card sold for $170 US and will probably be double that before the week is over. I may have missed the boat with Montana. There's seems a real rush to get those kinds of cards ( goats/iconic cards) in any grade right now. The price rises and the speed with which they are rising is mind boggling.
Lots of nice shine going on there.I have never sent a card for grading, but I do own a few graded cards. Not many though - it's just not something I really care that much about. I also tend to go for PSA 9 since I feel they're undervalued compared to 10s, which mean almost nothing to me as a collector first. Personally I feel the PSA 10 base card craze will be the first card to fall - the fundamentals just aren't there to sustain it.
If I'm looking for a card and it's only available raw, then that's fine. But if there's a raw AND a PSA 9 for similar price, I'm picking up the 9 because I factor in the grading cost into the purchase price, and that means the actual card inside often costs less than the raw one. This has been my approach lately for SP cards primarily - here's some of the recent SP 9s I've grabbed for good prices while all the focus is on 10s. I collect 93-94 Finest refractors so these ones were great pickups for me since these ones are hard to find at any time
Iron Clad Lou
OzCardTrader
I've got a stunning Tim Duncan Topps RC that I can't wait to send in. I'll be devastated when it comes back a 9, but there's something about me grading my own cards without a care about how it comes back.
I have heaps from the early 90s and some from every 8 years or so (when I return to cards), but now I just want to keep my favourites nice and sealed!
I have heaps from the early 90s and some from every 8 years or so (when I return to cards), but now I just want to keep my favourites nice and sealed!
I agree. There is no better feeling than having your own cards graded. I'm currently waiting on a 30 card sub and have just sent another 9 card sub in. The 30 card sub has taken nearly 4 months so far and I don't expect them back for at least another four months. The second lot will probably take until Christmas, but that's ok. It what it is.
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