Nonsense Newsletter No. 98: Why? To Grade or Not to Grade, that is the question. 1992 Topps Football, Stadium Club & More!
Sponsored by SGC Cards gosgc.com
It’s that time of the week again! It’s Nonsense Newsletter Friday, and we have put together an edition that is sure to exceed even the highest of expectations. This week, John Dudley tackles the ag-old question: To grade or not to grade? Meanwhile, I go all deep-dive into the psychology of why we collect. And then, of course, there’s the Quick Hits sections which is why I know all of you are here. So sit back, kick back and enjoy this week’s edition of the Nonsense Newsletter!
Contributor: John Dudley
To grade or not to grade? That is usually the question. The more interesting one to me though is whether to buy graded or to buy ungraded. The former question pops up on a daily basis on any large social media group that caters to the hobby. The latter only rarely shows up, but I’d argue it is more interesting.
With over 1.5 million cards graded last month alone, the grading business has never been hotter or more productive. Yet, I find myself buying fewer and fewer graded cards. The reason why? I’ve been on a 2023 buying spree. Why does that matter? Read on.
Contributor: John McTaggart
There are a lot of reasons why we collect trading cards, aren’t there?
Some of us do it for the entrepreneurial spirit of the hobby, the rush that comes with paying X-dollars for a card, then selling it for Y-dollars at some point down the line.Â
The challenge and thrill that comes from that excites the heck out of us.
Others collect for nostalgia, for a tangible reminder of a time when things were perhaps simpler, easier, calmer.
And others even collect for the ability these tiny pieces of cardboard have to connect generations of folks together.Â
I’ve had countless conversations about cards with people 20 years older than me, and 20 years younger, both equally as enjoyable and thought provoking.Â
Others, well, they collect for the therapeutic aspect of trading cards.Â
Honestly, I believe I would fall mainly into this category myself, despite absolutely loving the business end of the industry.Â
Quick Hits
Grading News- It’s interesting to see what eras make up the most of a grading company’s business. Unsurprisingly, at all the major companies about half comes from cards released in the 2020s. After that though, things get interesting. 40% of BGS’s volume comes from the 1990s to the 2010s. This makes sense as that time period was BGS’s heyday, but it is interesting to see that translated to grading volume. SGC has long been touted as the place for vintage and that holds up with 30% of their business coming from the 1980s and earlier. Read more about it at GemRate.Â
Vintage- Alas, an article on this vintage set hits me right in the sweet spot (and makes me feel old all at the same time). In 1992, I was at the peak of my hobby powers. This article from Sports Collectors Daily on the 1992 Topps football set brings back some memories… lots of them, in fact, given the set was 759 cards deep. Check it out here.
Hobby News- Topps Now has expanded into college football in a big way this year with the expansion of Bowman U. Each week new cards highlighting the biggest moments from the weekend are released for a limited time. They are print-to-order, so getting a copy of a card you want won’t be difficult, but pay attention to the ordering windows.
Hobby News- It’s Stadium Club time! While the set never sees major gains, it is a fan favorite and many collectors' top choice. This year’s version doesn’t mess with the tried-and-true formula and offers a couple of autos per box. The photography is amazing as always, but the parallels still have a lot of room for improvement. Peruse the checklist here.
The Sports Card Nonsense newsletters reflect the opinions of only the authors and contributors. They are for informational purposes only and are not a recommendation for purchases or of an investment strategy or to buy or sell any assets.