POLL.....Who referred you to the PSA set registry?

carkim

I guess the question really is who, and/or what made you decide to register your first set on the registry?

Here is my story…and I would like to hear yours.

In the spring of 2001 I heard that the National was going to be in Cleveland, OH (50 miles from my house). So I decided to renew my membership to PSA and check out the show in the summer. While I was renewing my membership online I notice there was this PSA Registry Link. I clicked on it a saw about 5-10 sets listed. I searched the site for a while and noticed that you could request a set to be listed. I had about 1000 nice raw 1974 Topps Baseball cards so I requested that set. I went to the National and submitted about 500 cards to be graded. The rest is H-I-S-T-O-R-Y.

So, I guess no one actually referred me to the registry, I just happened to stumble into it.

How did you hear about the registry?

Carlos

Virtualizard

I stumbled on to it as well while doing a cert verification for an ebay auction with no pic (aren't they great).

JEB.

dalew

I was buying raw ungraded cards off of ebay to complete the 72 Topps Baseball Set. I paid alot of money for cards and when they arrived, I was not happy. I was looking for certain cards and noticed the PSA designation. I looked into it.

I saw that PSA graded cards were not that much more expensive, at that time and began to bid on them.

After awhile, I sold my raw cards and exclusively bought graded cards, both PSA and SGC. The SGC cards were busted open and sent to PSA. I was impressed that they graded very closely.

What I didn't know at the time is that the qualifier cards (mostly OC and ST) although graded did not hold the value of non qualifying cards.

After subscribing and watching you, Frank Bakka, Erik Jarvi and others I finally figured out to go for cards that did not have qualfiers. I wish I would have learned sooner.


I don't remember how high my first 72 Baseball Set got on the Registry when my wife got sick. I had to sell them all off. Now, after two surgeries, and the fact that she is in check with her cancer, I decided to build the set again, with no less than an 8, but throwing in some 9's so that I could give them to my son.

I want him to have a completed 72 set graded based on my past passion as some of you have had with the 52 set. Because of my age, the 72 set is my equivalent of your 52 set.

I figure as long as PSA stays true to form in grading, the cards that have been acquired will not decrease in value.

So, it has been a great time.

Alfiewt

When I first saw the Registry there were very few set available and I think the only sets registered where Merkel's and Fogel's 1952 Topps sets. This was before the registry was open to everyone, I think PSA only listed sets that the confirmed in person. I would come to the PSA website often for the population report, and the old forum on the website. One day I saw an anouncement for the the new online version of the registry. Soon there was a buzz about it on the forum, and PSA started taking requsts for sets. Back then there was usually one set added a week, all sets were waited, and had writeups by Joe Orlando. I remember looking each week to see what set was the newest added. Soon PSA created the Registry Forum and BJ was being flooded with set requests. After a two or three week span went by without any new sets added, I think a post was made on the forum about no new sets being added. BJ soon responded saying that Joe O has been out of town so she hadn't been able the get the new set weightings aproved so she could added the sets. She asked the forum members if she should start adding sets without weights and the responce was yes. With that, the growth of the registry exploded with several new sets were being added every day, and the requests kept coming in. The requests are still coming in!

Well that turned into the short history of the registry, but there is so much more.

KING KELLOGG

carkim...


Hey Carlos... Actually I think it was a tag/team with you and Frank Bakka that convinced me to join the Registry...

After bumping heads with the original "Fab Five" on the '72 baseball eBay auctions...and between all the emails back and forth...I became friends with all of you... And later joined the ranks myself!!


So, I can credit Frank, Carlos, Neil, Erik, and Mike Castaldi for helping me get in and get "close" to the top 5..

I,m hovering at 87% complete now, and still feel like the rookie!



Many thanks to all the guys who encouraged me to join!




As far as starting this crazy Kellogg stuff...How can you not enjoy mentors like GEMMINTMAN, ZARDOZ????

A truely fun group to participate with (totally insane but sane at the same time!?!?...)




Larry.

gemint

First thing - Dale, I'm glad to hear your wife is getting well. Good luck on reacquiring the 1972 set. Now that the mass frenzy for PSA 8s has subsided, you may find you can rebuild the set for less than you sold your last one for.

Regarding the registry, like Alfiewt, I would periodically look at the amazing sets registered up to the mid-50s. At the time, I had graded out the SMR listed cards from my 1969 set but had graded few of the commons. At $10-15 each and a three month wait (at times), it didn't make much sense to grade the commons. I had bought some PSA 8 commons for upgrades to my mostly raw set on eBay but there weren't many available in those days. I stopped by at one of the local Tri-star shows and asked PSA if they would consider expanding the registry to include newer sets. They said they were working on adding them. Then one day I went into the registry and noticed that the 1969 set had just been added. It was the first post 1956 baseball set to be added to the registry. I went ahead and registered my "set" which was just over 10% complete from a slabbed standpoint. I got hammered on the forums by some who complained that such a low completion percentage should not be allowed on the set registry. We had quite a debate about the potential benefits of opening the registry to the average collector, what percentage should be required before registering, etc.

Today we have 3,000+ sets registered, including 31 of my own, $5 grading specials, one to three week turnaround times and lots of graded commons in circulation to bump up our sets. I've immensely enjoyed being a part of the growth of this segment of the collecting world and eagerly look forward to the future of vintage set building.

RobE

Heard about it on the forum and saw it on the PSA websight but never took the time to pay attention to what it was all about.It didn't matter to me since just about everything I've ever owned was ungraded up until about 2001.

Within a matter of time I clicked onto the registry and saw one of my favorite sets ever which I think was complete.The 52 T.My jaw hit the floor.Next was the 61s and then I looked at more and more and saw some of the most impressive collections ever gathered in one place.Never thought of looking there and was in completely floored.

Next,I had the pleasure of cyberconversation with Jay C/O QC who was consulted for my facination with the registry.He gave me the whole run down of the registry concept and was an influence within his words about it.I picked out a set I was familliar with starting to collect cards in a way I never did before and picked up some of my first cards from Jay too.Thanks to Jay,a few others & the Registry I have learned a whole new way to collect.

JeffVN

RobE referred me to the boards and the Set Registry. I've been lurking and chating ever since.

MickeyC

I stumbled upon it via the PSA website. I had just picked up some nice looking 72's (or so I thought, most came back 7's), and was checking their pop reports before grading them. Saw the registry button and followed it.

First set registered was my 77 set, as that is the first one I remember collecting. Next came the 71 set, I feel it is a beautiful set. But, in surfing through other members' sets, I realized how beautiful some of their cards were in top grade condition, and that led to me adding several other sets.

It's been a great experience and I've learned tons. Also thanks to Jay for helping me on my 63 set!

The generosity of the members is overwhelming!

Mark

FB

Neil Downey and I got to talking over the Internet as both of us were buying raw 1972 Topps cards from eBay. He turned me on to this neat idea called "Grading". The idea started out to "supplement" the raw set with a few of the key cards in graded form. When PSA opened up the opportunity for the masses to send in cards - it was like an addiction! I could send in 2 of each card, keep the best and sell off the rest and almost cover the cost for the entire load!

And after getting to know a bunch of the lunatics already on the board, how could I not keep coming back for more?

dude

My answer was "Other Forums". I found out about the Registry in the Sportscards and Memorabilia Forum. The PSA Set Registry Forum didn't exist at the time.

I actually started doing graded 1967, 1968 and 1969 sets in early 1999. PSA didn't have a Registry catagory for those years back then, and it didn't matter to me. I knew I wanted to put together a graded set for each of those years and it didn't matter to me if anyone else cared if I was doing it or not. There were not very many people putting together graded sets in those years at the time. A lot of people thought we were crazy for attempting to do it. At time, as best as I can recall, there were only four 1967 "major players" on eBay: Skylaneflyer, Paul Mount, Ted Hershey and myself. For 1968, it was Joe Ragno, Brian Daniels, Tim Turner and myself, and for 1969 it was Ron Sanders Jr., Ray Boehm and myself. As of today Tim Turner, Ron Sanders, Ray Boehm and myself are the only ones still active, but at least 100 new people have shown up in those years. What a difference three years makes.

Kurt

I also first saw it when there were only a few sets listed. I stumbled on it browsing the PSA site one day. My first impression was this was a new service where one could send in a complete set and they would grade it as a whole. I didn't think each card would get individually graded. I never imagined anyone would buy or sell a graded "common" card. It's kinda funny how so many "commons" aren't so common anymore.

Aaronman

Carlos,

Joe Orlando was the one that introduced me to the registry. He mentioned it to me a little before it came out. It has certainly exceeded my initial expectations and I spend hour pouring/drooling over people's sets. To date, I have only registered 6 or 7 player sets. I am currently working on a few complete sets but most of my cards are still raw. I bought partial sets from 1964-1969 and have been filling them in with a combination of raw and graded cards. I have submitted about 300 of those cards to PSA and the grade breakdown was roughly 25% 9's, 65% 8's and 10% 7's. The partial sets I bought were very nice. I have yet to register the sets but will in the near future.

-Doug

cfunkho

I had a goal of collecting 1961 Topps baseball cards, and my wife started buying some for me. I had never heard of PSA, and was buying ungraded cards off of eBay. Needless to say, the quality varied. Then my wife came home with two PSA-graded cards, and that's when I decided I was better off collecting those. I could guarantee the quality of the card (at least more so than looking at a scan of an ungraded card), and I could easily show them to my friends, who I previously wouldn't have trusted to handle the cards. When PSA ran a set registry special, I registered my set and sent some raw cards in (marketing works!).

Chris

carkim

Then my wife came home with two PSA-graded cards,

WHAT A WOMEN!!!

Your wife (like mine, who buys me cards) is a PSA 10.

Carlos

KING KELLOGG

cfunkho....


Some guys have all the luck!!!


My wife thinks sportscards are "silly"....
I guess she's upset because they're not labled by Ralph Lauren or Martha Stewart.... and actually go up in value the next spring season!?!?

Oh 'well...gotta love her!!!




Larry

LuxuryWines

I actually went online to submit some cards after buying a few PSA graded cards and thought it would be neat to get some of my own graded. Started searching around the website and just became enthralled with some of the sets listed and alos found the boards interesting and informative....

Fabfrank

I stumbled upon the Registry while browsing the PSA website. I was flirting with the idea of doing some smaller modern sets and was surprised to see people trying to put together 500-700 card sets in graded condition. Not only were there graded sets but they were mostly vintage (1950's to early70's). I didn't want to be ridiculed for wanting to do a modern set, so I read the boards, gained some knowledge and kept to myself. I started noticing that some collectors were talking about their players sets (Schmidt, Boggs etc.) and I said "Those guys are modern players are most of their cards are from recent years. Maybe I can do some modern sets and not be laughed off the boards"
Anyway, I've registered and am working on all the SP and SP Authentic football sets (1993-present) and the 89 Score Football set. I've also entered the vintage world by working on the 70's Kellogg's football, the dreaded 71 Baseball and I will shortly be registering some Philly football issues.
I finally realized that what I collect is for myself and no one else. Whether modern or vintage I collect and grade what makes me happy.

carkim

I finally realized that what I collect is for myself and no one else. Whether modern or vintage I collect and grade what makes me happy.

Fabfrank,

That's the way it should be.

Carlos

PS. Ditto to your signature line

Fabfrank

Thanks Carlos. I've had my eye on the 72 Topps football set also. Once I finish my current projects, that bad boy will be on my radar.

ydsotter

Carlos, it was YOU who refered me to the set registry. It was right after I bought a psa 8 1976 topps world b. free rookie from you. :-> thanks!

interchanges

Murcerfan suggested I put my Wilson Frank set on there since it might be one of the best. And PSA got what it wanted. I sent in my cards that weren't graded.

Golfcollector

I receive dthe "e-mail" that explained the concept and that they were opening it up to any set that was submitted and then would be added. I must have been one of the first, because 2 of my golf sets were added to teh registry really quickly, which created a stir among those of the more mainstream sports. People could n ot figure out why they would put golf cards on the registry.

I took a little heat on the boards at that time, but as BJ told me, first come first serve.


It's nice that PSA looks out for the little guy as well.

Dave

Tipem

I actually heard about the registry from grading cards with PSA.I also thought that it was for sending in complete sets and only after checking out the web site did I realize what a great concept it really was.Up until a year ago,I only collected mostly 1980 and up cards.I did have a few nice vintage cards.I have been doing shows off and on from 1987-1997.I bought unopened wax boxes from the 70's and had been sitting on them for a long time.The only card that I have ever regretted selling was a 56 Mantle.I decided to sell my wax and put together a 56 set,PSA 8 or better.I have come to the sick realization(like others on this board), that I am addicted to the registry and will soon register a 71 set and start a 55 set.I also have a real nice 64 Philadelphia set and a 67 Topps set, both football.

I would like to thank the members of this board as I have learned an invaluable amount of information from reading these posts.

Vic

boggs301012

It took me awhile to think what got me started on the registry. It is a long story.( I will give the whole story )I like most people recieve Beckett. I saw there adds for card grading. Looks up the prices on ebay and thought wow my 10.00 card in a holder is worth 10x as much . So I sent in ten cards..waited a few months and recieved my cards back. Mostly 8.5 's I thought Beckett was harsh. After years of ebay I kept seeing psa graded cards. So I bought my first psa card a 1989 Bowman Tiffany 9 and thought wow so cheap 4.00 or so. I was hooked I bought a few more and a few more.Then I found the psa web site, joined the forum. Found the registry and I was stunned at the sets that were listed . A few months later I emailed and offered the idea of a player registry. ( I am sure I wasnt the first) Because I have a hard time spending a fortune on names I dont know. After almost a year or so they were taking names for players I offered up of course Wade Boggs, a few months after that Wade Boggs was the 1 st player listed on the registry set!! I was excited and a few submissions later My set is starting to shape up.

BigKidAtHeart

local dealer who first told me about "grading cards"
(and how PSA was the industry leader....)
led me to their website & MessageBoards
that is how I stumbled into the registry
~jeff