Curtis Comeau Curtis Comeau

Sometimes the best card isn't the best card on the market. Getting ready for Toronto Expo

As Collectors Prepare for the Toronto Expo in early November, I decided to drop this blog. Sometimes the best way to build a great pre-war hockey card collection is to stop worrying about owning the best examples.

I have gotten into plenty of debates with seasoned collectors about buying low-grade or altered/authentic pre-war rookie cards.

Many seasoned collectors swear by buying the highest grade possible. Easy to say when you've been collecting for decades and remember when a Georges Vézina PSA3 cost $3500.

But for newer collectors, spending a couple of mortgage payments, or even a small annual salary, on a single hockey card might keep you on the sidelines rather than in the game.

When I started collecting, I decided early on that I'd rather own a lower-grade example and get into the game. If I felt the need to upgrade that card later, I would.

Although not pre-war, my Marc-André Fleury YG journey is a perfect example. I started with RAW, then a PSA 7, upgraded to an SGC 9.5, then went all in on a PSA 10, and recently downgraded to a Beckett 9.

Yes, downgraded.

I decided to take the difference and reinvest the cash in building a 1910 C56 set.

The Argument for Buying the Best

This is a reasonable thought process.

Higher-grade pre-war cards are more desirable. I can speak to that personally, having sold high-grade examples for a profit. But because of the high price, they can take longer to resell and get tied into other deals: "I have to sell this before I can buy yours."

I understand the Buy the Best philosophy, and I don't necessarily disagree with it, particularly if you've been collecting for years and can sell older examples to top up a higher-grade purchase.

But I think some deeply invested hobbyists overlook something important.

Not everyone collects hockey cards as an investment, and not everyone has an unlimited budget.

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