General Category > General Discussion
VGA Grading...
UncleBob:
So... there's a bit of a hub-bub in the collecting community. Normally, I wouldn't much care, but I have a reason I'm interested.
There's a company that's made a business of being the self-declared authority on grading items (trading cards, comic books, etc.). One of the things the grade are sealed video games.
Lately, items they've graded have been getting some pretty good prices on eBay.
Here's the deal - I'm not a sealed collector... I like to play my games. They're so fun!
But... a few years ago, I won a contest from Hudson... I was awarded an awesome shirt (that I still wear on occasion!) and a sealed SNES game - Hagne. When I got the game, I'd never heard of it, so I did some digging and saw it was a somewhat rare game.
Knowing how collectors can be, I couldn't get myself to rip open the game... knowing somewhere, there was a collector who'd cry out in pain.
So, it's sat in my closet of doom for a few years.
Recently, GameSniped.com featured an open/complete copy that ended up going for a pretty penny. Browsing through the recent history on eBay, there was a sealed copy that went for $700. Someone mentioned on GameSniped that they knew of a sealed copy that sold for $2,000.
My copy is pretty darn minty (aside from two minor dents in two separate corners). I've really, really considered selling it and finally picking up a cart-only copy to play and stashing the rest away in my Wii U fund (or, perhaps, attending a second Zelda concert... or both, depending how much I get!).
But this recent VGA hub-bub has me thinking I should shell out the ~$70 to get it graded.
Thoughts?
MedaForce:
If it was me I would recored me opening it and post it on YouTube. ;p
Personally I think the whole graded thing is a con, I don't trust them and I don't think anyone else should either. My uncle who has been collecting and selling comic books for 40+ years had some comics graded and found that depending on how many issues you send in they would be at least a 10pt difference. He had sent in 2 copies of Ninja Turtles #1 to get graded and sealed, these issues were mint, you couldn't find a better copy if you tried (He bought them directly from Eastman and Laird and as soon as he got them they went right into bags with boards) and they came back as 85, he felt that something was fishy so he sent in another, but this time with a dozzen or more other books he was getting seal for some friends and the book came back as a 96, and what is even more odd is he would personally say that the first two were in better shape then the 3rd one he sent in. I could go into more detail, but I think most would find it rather boring. When he contacted them about it they just said that they would be willing to re-grade it, if he wanted to pay to have if re-graded and they would not charge him to have it resealed. Since then my uncle has not done business with them, and turns down most comics that are sealed and graded. One of the books he got back in the second batch was graded as a Near Mint (don't remember the exact number) but the issues was more like a Good or low Very Good, he said even a child could tell it wasn't a near mint book and that if he tried to sell it as one he would get laughted at.
Now I do think you should get a case to have it sealed, I've seen some places sell snap boxes that will fit games, but don't waste the money to get it graded.
AS for the selling part, if having a sealed copy or a compete copy is not a big deal to you, they yeah sell it, have it go into the hands of someone who will appreciate and enjoy it more then you. And put the money towards something that will make you happy.
Pikmin Overlord:
Personally, I am not at all a fan of this VGA grading crap. I'm a collector who loves to play his games, but I also try to keep all of my stuff in good condition. I would never have any use for that organization, and to be honest, I never really understood collectors of sealed games (unless they have an additional open copy to play). I won't advise you on what to do with your copy, but if I had a copy of Hagane (and if I am lucky, I will someday), it would be open and sitting on my shelf along with all my other SNES games that I play.
madrocsz:
Honestly, it bothers me that this even exists, however this is my own personal reasoning.
The best part is, the company who does the grading, has their own ebay store where they sell games, so while I am sure this is a legit operation, there could be different games or even making higher grades to sell them for higher.
Just my 2 cents, but its somewhat contradictory to own a video game and keep it sealed, the only exception to this maybe are those who keep 1 to keep sealed and 1 to play. Heck, I even open all my collectors editions
tiktektak:
I'm also a opener. Even though I have hundreds of PS3 games for example and bought at least 70% of them new I always open them up. I don't play all of them BUT I still open them!!!!!!
About VGA. I think they just had a nice idea of ripping people off their hard earned money that's all.
I mean come on how can they even try to tell me that THEY ARE THE VIDEO GAME AUTHORITY?
Dickheads not more. I don't need someone to tell me in fishy way how good looking my games are. I grade them myself. Tsss. >:(