Base set first edition/ shadlowess blisters query

Hi all,

I'm new to this but thought it would be a good place the ask my question.

I have some pretty rare base set blister packs (1st edition and shadowless ones)

I am mainly holding on to them as a long term investment I have already had them for years and they've dramatically increased in value already.

I live in the UK and there's a company called UKG graders who grade sealed Pokemon blister packs. It's a relatively inexpensive to get them graded.

I can't figure out wether or not this is a good move to make and want some advice from other collectors out there.

In my head there's pros and cons of both;

Pros:
Authenticates the product and that it is genuine and sealed.

In a sealed casing so it can't be tampered with or is unlikely to get damaged.

Cons:
Am I shutting myself off to buyers in the future that would want to buy the packs to open?

Is UKG really recognised as a grading company in the Pokemon world?


Ultimately I'm wandering if it will increase the value or If it will infact decrease it? And what are collectors looking for out there with the base set blister packs are they opening them or are they keeping them sealed?

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated
Thanks
John

Most of your English language buyers will be in America. I've been collecting for years and have literally never heard of UKG. So I'm thinking only buyers in the UK will have heard of them, which may put people off of buying. Hope that helps.

Any help??

Zolker said:

Any help??

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PSA is far and away the preferred grading company in the Pokemon TCG community. It will likely be worth the exorbitant shipping to get a PSA grade instead of a UKG grade given the last two PSA graded 1st edition base set booster packs last sold for $817 and $890, and had a PSA grade of 9.

UKG is probably not going to be worth it unless you're selling exclusively within the UK.

The problem with psa though is the don't grade the blister packs do they? It would be a shame to rip them open and just grade the pack inside

Maybe this is just the collector in me talking, but I'd honestly hang on to them. To, like, keep forever, haha.

Zolker said:

The problem with psa though is the don't grade the blister packs do they? It would be a shame to rip them open and just grade the pack inside

Click to expand...

Honestly have no idea in that regard as I personally don't collect sealed boosters (at this point, too much money to drop on sealed product when I've always been after the cards themselves). Have you checked to see how Beckett Grading Services handles them? As that's another North American grading service, that's a name with at least some name recognition outside the UK in the Pokemon TCG community.

Personally anyone looking to purchase packs of that value and that vintage is either a sealed collector and is never going to open them so will appreciate them being graded already or is a youtuber who will possibly want to open them but won't mind paying the extra premium