Are you a "Vaulter" or Card-in-Hand Collector?

[messier2]

Hi Guys,

I just recently signed up for PWCC after seeing some 90's cards that interested me. They have an option to either send to their vault or send the card to you after purchase.

For me, I never considered "vaulting" anything since I like to have the card in hand for my collection and/or trading/selling at shows. I get the advantages of sending to their vault (ease of transfer, no sales tax, insured, 24/7 security etc.). They even gave me a PWCC vault address to send my card purchases to! But, like I said, I like to have my cards in hand!

What about you? How do you collect?

[hermanotarjeta]

This is kind of like asking if people like other people opening boxes for them or opening boxes for yourself.

In hand is always the best.

[messier2]

This is kind of like asking if people like other people opening boxes for them or opening boxes for yourself.

In hand is always the best.

And yet the breakers are thriving! lol

It seems like people who let others break for them are in the "quick hit" category, rather than enjoying the box breaking moment. I don't break boxes anymore, but when I did in the past...I do my own breaking!

[Chris P]

In hand...thats what collecting is all about for me. I want to be able to physically see my card whenever I feel like it

[r338]

I don’t see the appeal of that unless for a quick flip.

[IronCladLou]

In hand. I have cards at SMC that I could probably sell, but i have never had them in my hand and feel weird selling stuff I haven't had in hand.

[Kobefan]

It’s not how do you collect, more like do you collect or invest. Some collect some cards and invest others, but I can’t imagine someone placing their pc in a vault. The vault is more for flipping/investing.

[SupermanBrandon]

Collectors don't hold their own cards?

[tjforce]

I do both.

From a # of cards perspective, probably 99.8% of my cards are in hand.

From a $ of cards perspective, probably 70% of my value is in the PWCC Vault.

The reasoning? I didn't feel comfortable leaving that much in value laying around the house. Imagine fleeing from a wildfire and half your car is filled with a sports card briefcase and boxes of sealed wax. Not to mention, the cost to insure it is less with PWCC.

I get a lot of enjoyment out of the cards I have at home, and in knowing that the majority of my investment is safe in the vault.

[90skid]

Absolutely in hand. I’ve purchased on PWCC and I’m like you betcha I want that slab shipped to ME.

[JumpshotMcGavin]

Collecting = Definitely in hand
Invest/Trade Cards = Vault

[rifleman69]

in hand

[NotGoSportsBall]

Paying someone else to open your cards reminds me of a genre of adult video.

[Spacemanspif]

BO trolls who have zero knowledge or experience making huge judgments about people who actually do use these services. I'm shocked.

[watashiwa05]

I used PWCC vault for a bit. It’s a great service for the insured storage, and saving on tax/shipping when buying at auction.

BUT I just needed to get them in hand. Couldn’t stand not holding and organizing the cards…and the scans were great but wouldn’t match my IG feed of iPhone pics if I wanted to show the cards off.

[IronCladLou]

BO trolls who have zero knowledge or experience making huge judgments about people who actually do use these services. I'm shocked.

I don't vault because the pissing around dealing with it Internationally just makes to too hard.

I would probably use these services if I was local and it was cheap for me to manage.

[mrseanc1]

I vault most of my flips. I’ve always been concerned about what happens in the case of a forced bankruptcy. I don’t imagine it would be easy to get my cards out. Quietly PWCC slowed way down just prior to and just after their recent acquisition.

[sethc1020]

In hand always, I've never used a vault service and have never even considered it. I like seeing & holding my cards, doesn't matter if they are PC or to make money on I still want to see them in hand.

[4barrel]

My problem is, I don’t trust anyone but myself. I would be worried that my big dollar, super rare card would get stolen or “damaged” or “lost” and end up in someone else’s collection/sold or legitimately damaged or lost.

[Kobefan]

BO trolls who have zero knowledge or experience making huge judgments about people who actually do use these services. I'm shocked.

So you're telling me that you vault your PC cards? I mean the kind of cards you wouldn't sell at any reasonable prices, in both near term and long term?

[WaiverWire]

I prefer in hand because I like to avoid the counterparty risk. A lot of people don’t understand counterparty risk. Here’s an example, when FTX went under, it turns out Sam Bankmann Fried didn’t have the assets he said he was storing for people. Good luck with that. There’s a reason people say “Possession is nine tenths of the law.” To each his own.

[hauntedcomputer]

My biggest cards are vaulted and I've never even touched them.
My next tier is in a safe deposit box I haven't opened since I filled it up.
My third tier is in a couple of shoeboxes in the attic, and I never look at those.
The "eBay tier" is sitting in a cabinet by the computer to ship out and provides enough shuffling around and looking to feel content that it is a leisure hobby. I'm by no means a dealer but the little stuff is the actual hobby, while the PC just sits in the dark.

I am not a touch/see fetishist. The acquiring is the pleasure for me. Once I have it, the thrill is gone, which is why I quit building sets. A picture of a picture is a lot more convenient, since a card is just a picture.

I also have only a handful of paper dollars around. Shocker, most of my dollars and capital investments are digitally vaulted and I feel no particular way about that, either.

[msink28]

I had the exact same experience.

I used PWCC vault for a bit. It’s a great service for the insured storage, and saving on tax/shipping when buying at auction.

BUT I just needed to get them in hand. Couldn’t stand not holding and organizing the cards…and the scans were great but wouldn’t match my IG feed of iPhone pics if I wanted to show the cards off.

[asujbl]

If I truly, 100% trusted the vault, then all of my cards would be there. All of them

And I'm a pure collector. I haven’t sold a card in forever outside of a random extra here or there

I don’t care about holding or looking at my cards. I know I own them. Hell I’d like to get my basement cleaned up

I have cards I definitely haven’t touched in years

But I don’t fully trust the vaults. That’s just me

Also they have (most?) value limits

I’m all or nothing. If they won’t take my entire PSA PC based on minimum values? I’ll keep it all

But I have no interest, in the right circumstances, having my PC in my house

That’s just me

[asujbl]

My biggest cards are vaulted and I've never even touched them.
My next tier is in a safe deposit box I haven't opened since I filled it up.
My third tier is in a couple of shoeboxes in the attic, and I never look at those.
The "eBay tier" is sitting in a cabinet by the computer to ship out and provides enough shuffling around and looking to feel content that it is a leisure hobby. I'm by no means a dealer but the little stuff is the actual hobby, while the PC just sits in the dark.

I am not a touch/see fetishist. The acquiring is the pleasure for me. Once I have it, the thrill is gone, which is why I quit building sets. A picture of a picture is a lot more convenient, since a card is just a picture.

I also have only a handful of paper dollars around. Shocker, most of my dollars and capital investments are digitally vaulted and I feel no particular way about that, either.

Same… to a degree

My SmugMug is my collection once I purchase and scan

I rarely, if ever, actually handle a card

I legit have PC Cards I’ve probably not touched in 5+ years. I don’t see the reason to?

[IronCladLou]

My biggest cards are vaulted and I've never even touched them.
My next tier is in a safe deposit box I haven't opened since I filled it up.
My third tier is in a couple of shoeboxes in the attic, and I never look at those.
The "eBay tier" is sitting in a cabinet by the computer to ship out and provides enough shuffling around and looking to feel content that it is a leisure hobby. I'm by no means a dealer but the little stuff is the actual hobby, while the PC just sits in the dark.

I am not a touch/see fetishist. The acquiring is the pleasure for me. Once I have it, the thrill is gone, which is why I quit building sets. A picture of a picture is a lot more convenient, since a card is just a picture.

I also have only a handful of paper dollars around. Shocker, most of my dollars and capital investments are digitally vaulted and I feel no particular way about that, either.

Same… to a degree

My SmugMug is my collection once I purchase and scan

I rarely, if ever, actually handle a card

I legit have PC Cards I’ve probably not touched in 5+ years. I don’t see the reason to?

https://media.tenor.com/sjU1RguQ1CYAAAAd/what-have-they-done-what-did-they-do.gif

[messier2]

Well, I just bought a card on Goldin...it went straight to the vault. Not sure how I feel...but I guess it's ok! lol

[Spacemanspif]

So you're telling me that you vault your PC cards? I mean the kind of cards you wouldn't sell at any reasonable prices, in both near term and long term?

Not all of them. I have thousands of random cards in my house, most of which I'd probably sell if someone offered a reasonable / above market price, but there's also some that I have no intention of selling. And that goes the same for anything in my vault. There have been plenty of examples given of why people stick cards in a vault, I think my personal reasons mostly echo TJ's. My vault currently has less than 100 cards, which are valued at more than everything in my house combined (probably).

I also don't see how anyone can logically draw a line from "uses vault" to "investor/flipper", other than just lumping together "things I don't like". It costs money, and takes more time, to ship something from the vault than it does from my house. Most people are some combination of collector/investor/vaulter, because if I brought up the fact that you have a link to your COMC in your signature and COMC is essentially the very first vault service, you'd probably make up some excuse for why it's ok. And to be clear, of course it is ok to have cards stored there and sell them

Buying / Selling / Ripping / Grading / Investing / "NEEDTOHOLDINMYHAND" are all valid ways to enjoy the hobby. Trying to tear other people down just because they don't enjoy it in the exact same way is just lame internet nonsense.

[duron]

I like busy cards, so the entire draw for me is enjoying them in person.

I also think it’s less about “things I don’t like” as it is “holy $hit I thought more people still did this.”

[cardsin47]

All Wax / All Vault

[mcgee2134]

I keep all my high value cards in a vault. That way they are insured and also so I don't have anything of value in my house.

[ninjacookies]

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExcXltbzV3aTBtaTkxdWZjYXZwNXNtNWZtdXFtMWRreHl2OGljamc4YiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/gYBXOSYMT3Bp6/200.gif

Palpable Master Race on the check-in.

I won't even let my ex wife have custody of my chamois wash mitts.

The phuck am I going to get some rando dude named Brent have a conservatorship over my kardboard babies.

[Makakilo Cards]

Vaulting isn't normally my thing but I would highly recommend leveraging the free selling and submission fees on ebay right now. If you're already planning to sell it, might as well.

[GOATcards]

higher-dollar-value kards get vaulted, but most of the kards I have are in-hand for aesthetic appreciation.

the only kard I have copies of in both vault and in-hand is the 87F Jordan sticker

[montej1695]

The majority of my collection is still in hand, but I vaulted about 20 cards w/ PWCC at the A.C. National just to get some experience w the process.

I can still see the cards in a really nice layout in my portfolio. I can easily show them off to friends and people that express interest when the topic comes up etc…

No sense in applying any label for those who choose to use it or those who choose not to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GOATMJ]

IN HAND

[asujbl]

How often do the non-vaulters (again I have none at a vault. My entire collection is in hand) touch their cards?

Especially PC

Inventory I get if selling, listing, trading and whatever

But if it’s a PC item do you just randomly take it out of the box or whatever to play with it?

I guess I’m confused as why anyone would care about either side

[Makakilo Cards]

How often do the non-vaulters (again I have none at a vault. My entire collection is in hand) touch their cards?

Especially PC

Inventory I get if selling, listing, trading and whatever

But if it’s a PC item do you just randomly take it out of the box or whatever to play with it?

I guess I’m confused as why anyone would care about either side

Yes, exactly. I flip through them and think about when I was 12.

[asujbl]

Yes, exactly. I flip through them and think about when I was 12.

How often do you do this?

[Makakilo Cards]

How often do you do this?

A few times a week. I keep them in my home office.

[asujbl]

A few times a week. I keep them in my home office.

Good for you

[threepointplay]

I am in hand only.

I realised a while ago, that if I own a card that I do not feel comfortable about holding or looking after myself; then I probably should not own that card in the first place. I would prefer those funds to be held in some other financial instrument. It is just not what the hobby is about for me.

[Kobefan]

I am in hand only.

I realised a while ago, that if I own a card that I do not feel comfortable about holding or looking after myself; then I probably should not own that card in the first place. I would prefer those funds to be held in some other financial instrument. It is just not what the hobby is about for me.

Me too. If I cannot hold and keep the cards with me, I would rather not be in the hobby. I would rather just put the money in a stock market or something else.

[gododgersfan]

My high end stuff are in a vault or safe deposit box. Just can't have stuff in the house for a number of reasons. For most of my graded collection, I do enjoy looking at them and sharing them with my son.

[Jagsfansunshine]

Me too. If I cannot hold and keep the cards with me, I would rather not be in the hobby. I would rather just put the money in a stock market or something else.

Same the physical aspect is the appealing part. Much like a piece of art hanging on the wall.

[discodanman45]

Just got a second email from PSA telling me it is not too late to vault my cards with my order instead of sending them back to me. I am not flipping these, send them back!

Conspiracy theory time! Do you think PSA has incentive to grade vaulted cards faster to get them on their selling platform quicker? Giving higher grades to vaulted cards also means higher sales and higher commissions.

[asujbl]

Same the physical aspect is the appealing part. Much like a piece of art hanging on the wall.

It's only the same if you display your cards (and perhaps you do)

If you put a bunch of pieces of art in a box to store it then what's the point? Outside of you wanting to keep something that might be worth money. It needs to be displayed for people, even if just yourself, to see. If all your cards are sitting in a 5,000 count box it's not the same thing

It's apples and oranges

Now if you take your cards out to show people on a regular basis? Or you take them out to sort them, look at them, display case, whatever... It's at least closer green apples and red apples I suppose

But it's not the same as art

And just to reiterate, I have my entire collection in hand, I just see both sides of it equally

[duron]

It's only the same if you display your cards (and perhaps you do)

If you put a bunch of pieces of art in a box to store it then what's the point? Outside of you wanting to keep something that might be worth money. It needs to be displayed for people, even if just yourself, to see. If all your cards are sitting in a 5,000 count box it's not the same thing

It's apples and oranges

Now if you take your cards out to show people on a regular basis? Or you take them out to sort them, look at them, display case, whatever... It's at least closer green apples and red apples I suppose

But it's not the same as art

And just to reiterate, I have my entire collection in hand, I just see both sides of it equally

More people should at least try out displays.

Bet they stay up.

https://media.tenor.com/cDBq2TwUsWMAAAAC/pause.gif

[messier2]

I just "un-vaulted" my two purchases on Goldin. How long do those take to be shipped?

[asujbl]

More people should at least try out displays.

Bet they stay up.

https://media.tenor.com/cDBq2TwUsWMAAAAC/pause.gif

I don’t know what this means

Sounds like a UV situation for 99% of people