Pandemic induced “new people”

[FireRob]

I have read several stories about the issues with all the “new blood” in the card world. This is another one of those posts. I am calling them “new people” to encompass new collectors and these “new investors” who I personally feel have ruined the current climate. At least from a collectors stand point. Maybe ruined is too strong of a word but I got nothing else. Also I am glad we got new collectors. This is about the new investors types.

One prime example is a box bottom card I have been searching for in spectacular condition to submit to PSA. Pre-pandemic most ‘80’s unopened wax was reasonably priced. Well even then I didn’t think that reasonable but way better than now. I had bought at least 10 different boxes of wax, celllo and rack packs of 1985 in search for one particular card that would grade a 10. Still searching. Now I can’t afford any. Now people are paying thousands of dollars for what I was paying a couple hundred. ‘86 Topps was out of my price range before last year.

Back to my point. Found a card on eBay from a new seller with low feedback who I assume is, I stress the word assume because I don’t know for sure but based on the evidence as a whole, I assume is new to cards and totally in it for the money. At the very least she did something she shouldn’t have. She has all four cards that where included on the back side of different 1986 Topps wax boxes listed on eBay. She has cut them herself and ruined it beyond the point to make it grade-able by PSA.

When you submit hand cut cards to eBay you have to leave a little extra around the broader or they will not give it a numerical grade. I believe their words are something along the lines of “entire card edges must remain intact” I forget exactly. She has cut right up to the yellow boarder. Sure they look good and she did a good job but it is too close for PSA.

This card looks like it would have graded high. High enough for me to be extremely happy. Now it’s another hard to find card that becomes a story of what could have been if only in the hands of someone in the know. In the pictures below the graded card is a picture of the highest graded hand cut box bottom from 86 Topps in PSA’s population.

Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations. The search continues.

This is two of his cards. All four look about the same. Very clean, wrinkle, crease free. Just cut too close. When you look at the third picture of the high grade graded one you will see that there is a little black line around the yellow broader that needs to remain.










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[pwaldo]

I have read several stories about the issues with all the “new blood” in the card world. This is another one of those posts. I am calling them “new people” to encompass new collectors and these “new investors” who I personally feel have ruined the current climate.

Totally agree with this. The industry and a lot of things are going through growing pains now because of it.

[clk823]

in general i feel the price of any product is ridiculous, vintage or not, I'm guessing when you cut box bottoms, there must be some form of criteria, "Prior" to cutting PSA or any grading company might offer, then again i do not know,