For most collectors, investing in graded cards is a good decision worth pursuing. A slab helps protect the card inside and ensures its value is preserved. With the card industry surging to new heights this past year or so, the demand for grading services has skyrocketed as well. Along with this demand comes a new offering that could potentially split the NBA card community in half.
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Just recently, Hybrid Grading Approach (HGA) announced that they are offering a PC slab option for card collectors. Basically, those interested can submit their card to HGA and the company will encase it inside a customized slab. In this case, there won’t be any grading involved and the slab itself will just feature a label of the card.
HGA added that they are charging $13 to $15 for this service, depending on the quantity of the cards submitted to them. They also said that this particular service is aimed at those who want to protect their card collection and make them look good at a fraction of the usual grading costs. HGA stated that their PC slab option is in no way similar to their authentication service.
Why NBA Card Collectors Can Rise Up For And Against HGA’s New Service
Innovation is certainly a welcome development, especially for those in the hobby. Any new trend that can elevate card collecting will have its fair share of supporters. The thing is, there are those who see HGA’s new service as an abomination to the conventional means of card grading. Here are some reasons why.
Collectors pour out their hearts and souls when they hunt for cards. At the same time, they invest their hard-earned money to have them graded and encased in a slab for protection. HGA’s new offering can cheapen the whole grading experience and pave the way for these PC slabs to flood the market. Worse, those who have no idea how to determine value can overprice them, much to the detriment of most hobbyists.
But what can rile collectors up is the fact they will pay money to have their cards stored in a glorified case without any authentication or grades. For some, this new service will be seen as unnecessary.
On the other side of the argument, some people will praise HGA’s move as a good one. It can help protect their cards and make them more visually pleasing. At the same time, these cards won’t cost as much or take too much time, as compared to the conventional grading process.
The Verdict On HGA’s PC Slab Option For Card Collectors
Unlike PSA and BGS, HGA has to make some moves that will help them stand out from the competition. Their PC slab option is one of them. With grading fees increasing, the company must have thought that collectors will find this service acceptable to resolve their card protection needs.
While the better option is to have your NBA cards graded, HGA’s PC slab option is by no means the end of the world for the hobby. It’s something that can add value to your collection at a price that won’t seriously dent your budget. At the end of the day, the more options that are available to collectors, the better it will be for the hobby.
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