Attrition and cards

calleocho

Its almost a given that population of high grade and rare graded cards will go up over...there are many anecdotes of amazing raw collections out there.

Some collectors dont care about selling and therefore also have no interest in grading and some just dont like grading.

These cards will most likely enter the hobby once they decide to sell it all or when they die.

There is also the hidden treasures that are found every few years.

But how about cards lost to the hobby?

Fire, flooding...massive natural disasters like Katrina..and man made like 9-11 or simply ramdon destruction.

What effects does the loss of cards have in poulations ( im referring mostly to rare pre war cards and rare high grade cards)

iamthegreatcornholio

<< <i>But how about cards lost to the hobby?

Fire, flooding...massive natural disasters like Katrina..and man made like 9-11 or simply ramdon destruction.

What effects does the loss of cards have in poulations ( im referring mostly to rare pre war cards and rare high grade cards) >>



Another form of attrition would be people doctoring cards. Although most of these were low-mid grade cards to begin with, I think it's a relatively large source of attrition. Does PRO publish population reports?

calleocho

thats true ...i hadnt thought of that.

meuandthelot

I've often wondered about those losses, and their effect on the hobby.
Along with the amount of undiscovered items in scrap books, attics, barns, etc..


This made me think about some of the greatest contributors to tipping the scales of supply...

MOMS and Younger Siblings of the Late 70's early 80's... sheeesh, they were wrecking crews

shouldabeena10

Never Fear ... vintage replacement cards are being printed as we speak.

GEORGETHEBAKER

Another thing to consider is the gems people have and aren`t even collectors.

My uncle who is about 75, assembled (back then) and has to this day a complete 1939 Play Ball set, the whole low series 1940 set (no Shoeless Joe) and quite a few 1941`s. He is not a card collector but they have survived all these years in his home. They will never be sold. He just keeps them because that was his childhood. I would put the graded condition at 5-6 across the board.

The last card from the `39 was lost but I was able to find one at a show in Madison Square Garden back in `92. $10.00.

Great set and with the exception of the last 1939 card, might be one of only a handful (if that many) original sets to survive.

helionaut

I think the amount of cards lost to fire, flood, etc., is tiny compared to the crack-n-resubmit guys who don't then report them to PSA. A certain notorious dealer is surely responsible for skewing the populations greatly on several tough sets, especially on certain cards. But even the guys who do it because they really think a card can get a higher grade should do it, if only to keep populations down on the grades they do get. If you have an 8 and try to resub for a 9, but get another 8, you should report the original 8 destroyed, thus keeping the 8 pop down.

JonB

I agree with Helionaut... I have a large stack of PSA labels that I keep in a baggy from cards I have cracked to re-submit.

One of these days I'll send in about 100 "flips" to them, and hopefully they will adjust the pop reports.