If you follow this blog with any regularity you probably know that graded cards are not my thing. I think I own a total of five. The only other one I've written about is here.
I understand why people do it. But by encasing the card, you lose the ability to feel or smell the card. Just holding a 100-year-old piece of history has got to be worth something.
I get that grading keeps the card from deteriorating or gives its owner a universal way of displaying their collection. I also understand there are monetary reasons. But with poor old baseball cards, the practice seems absurd.
I don't need a grader to tell me this card is in poor condition. So why did I recently buy this card? It was an impulse buy. Yeah, I'll admit it.
Do I have second thoughts? Sure, but it's a great old card anyway. And who can stop me if one day Frank Bowerman is freed from his plastic case.
I'm thinking about it.