WATA/VGA Grading Record Logs

[DefaultGen | 5,415]

9 minutes ago, AdamW said:

Even if you're a collector not an investor, a pop report at least could help you figure out if you need to buy now before prices get any higher, or you can wait for em to drop...

If you're a collector you probably already have a decent pulse on this though, or at least know where to look for that kind of info. The pop report lets someone with zero knowledge look at a glance and see "Oh, the Nintendo tape Pro Sport Hockey or whatever has so few graded copies, I should buy all of those up!". And I'm not saying that's a good or bad thing, I think more info is a good thing. But in terms of prices, a pop report will probably hurt collectors more than anything.

Hulk 181 and Jordan Rookies are extremely common, but still command crazy prices. I think rare games are more likely to get hyped-via-pop-report than some common Mario games will get devalued for being common. The thought process will just be "It's Mario/Pokemon/Fifa/Spider-man, doesn't matter how many there are".

Edited June 17, 2021 by DefaultGen

[inasuma | 1,203]

12 minutes ago, DefaultGen said:

But in terms of prices, a pop report will probably hurt collectors more than anything.

It really depends on the game/state of the market. I genuinely believe games are being peddled with false information online, in auctions especially. Having pop reports would at least enable collectors to see true a game’s rarity as it relates to their organic demand. 

[GPX | 1,370]

On 6/17/2021 at 7:37 PM, jonebone said:

Aren't the only people clamoring about these population reports "investors"?  If you want a copy of a game, do you really need to know how many games have been subbed to date?

Sure, population reports need to come out but if you're really that upset about it then it's just an excuse.  I mean heaven forbid we collected stuff pre-Wata like damn gunslingers of the Wild West not knowing what was out there. 

Population reports help the “collector” as well to know which ones are genuine rare instead of hype-driven, and which ones are of the highest rank condition. For instance, as a collector, I might find 1 copy of a title that has highest graded condition 9.2; and there are 25 copies of another title with 9.8 having the highest condition. That 9.2 graded-title I might value it more as a “rare” collector.

I agree to some extent population reports aren’t necessarily a must. And prior to WATA we were like “gunslingers in the Wild West, not knowing what was out there.” However, the Wild West has now become the Wacky West. The difference between the 2 being in the Wacky West (current era), one false “gunsling shot”, could spell the end of our collecting career, or we might have to sell our car/house to recoup a loss.

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

To be honest, population reports are nothing more than extra data that most collectors will ignore.

One group of collectors will focus on a 75-80 range because having  population report will not help them get a 90 a those prices. And another group will see what they want, and ignore everything they should know before they make a bid. Both have an opportunity to get information that will improve their chances to get what they deserve. But just like many who believe their only options are VGA and Wata, they believe their actions are the right ones for their own goals.

However... I should note that I gave up on pop reports because of everything I found prior to knowing how great NA was. Plus, they do not tell me how rare my games are prior to them being graded. 

[Gulag Joe | 584]

"Running short on time? Send us your video game collection and we will hold on to it for you forever."

[ApebitMusic | 130]

I don't know if I'm convinced that the pop report would bring prices down, in general. Let's say, for example, there are 1000 SMB 3s graded. Is that a high or low guess? I have no idea. But more importantly, would that be viewed as many or not that many? Where is the threshold? I think it's tough to predict where the threshold would be, and it would really depend on each game.  

[final fight cd | 187]

18 minutes ago, ApebitMusic said:

I don't know if I'm convinced that the pop report would bring prices down, in general. Let's say, for example, there are 1000 SMB 3s graded. Is that a high or low guess? I have no idea. But more importantly, would that be viewed as many or not that many? Where is the threshold? I think it's tough to predict where the threshold would be, and it would really depend on each game.  

I would think that a lot of these games are perceived as rare. Like somebody’s sealed game is a unique piece.  If, for example, it was slipped out that there were 1000 sealed and graded Mario 3s I bet the price would fall generally across the board.  However, I would also bet the highest grades would also command much much more money.  

[AdamW | 713]

yeah, it's not just how many copies there are, the grades are vital. And in fact the combination of grade+print, for many games at least.

For e.g. the Pokemon Red and Crystal that sold for high prices recently did so at least partly because they're believed to be the highest graded copies of the game (Crystal) or Sandshrew print (Red). If a pop report comes out and says there are 10 other copies in the same grade, that value would probably take a dive. If a pop report came out and said there was one or more higher graded copies of the same game/print, that could be a bigger dive.

[Frost271 | 22]

The only thing close to an accurate population report database lives at VGA.  WATAs database is 90% or so crosses with the exception of the named collections (i.e Carolina) that i guess were all raw and never graded previously?  I hope they are at least labeling / tracking crossovers internally so they can have something accurate compared to VGA. VGA  had no competition for 20 years. That database pop is solid.  Between WATA and their collusion with Heritage, Heritage labels a game as “only two ever graded” where as the more accurate statement would probably be “the only two crossed from VGA thus far.” 

I’m frankly surprised those PSA or CGC folks didn't try to buy VGA out for the database. Hitting the market as a new company WITH that pop report available would easily kill WATA and anyone else in the market. Redo your slab cases to CGC and you win the market with database (population reports) and branding alone.   Its crazy seeing WATA continuing to win this game. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Frost271

[AdamW | 713]

12 hours ago, Frost271 said:

The only thing close to an accurate population report database lives at VGA.  WATAs database is 90% or so crosses

 

Do you have any kind of source for this, or are you just making wild assertions?

[ExplodedHamster | 404]

There is no chance it’s anywhere near 90%, given all the new systems submitted and all the raw stuff gobbled off Ebay in 2019 and 2020, but the point remains that if WATA has not tracked crossovers, there will never be a fully accurate pop report. It will be artificially high, actually, with many games counted twice.

Edited July 16, 2021 by ExplodedHamster

[doner24 | 1,197]

 

12 hours ago, Frost271 said:

The only thing close to an accurate population report database lives at VGA.  WATAs database is 90% or so crosses with the exception of the named collections (i.e Carolina) that i guess were all raw and never graded previously?  I hope they are at least labeling / tracking crossovers internally so they can have something accurate compared to VGA. VGA  had no competition for 20 years. That database pop is solid.  Between WATA and their collusion with Heritage, Heritage labels a game as “only two ever graded” where as the more accurate statement would probably be “the only two crossed from VGA thus far.” 

I’m frankly surprised those PSA or CGC folks didn't try to buy VGA out for the database. Hitting the market as a new company WITH that pop report available would easily kill WATA and anyone else in the market. Redo your slab cases to CGC and you win the market with database (population reports) and branding alone.   Its crazy seeing WATA continuing to win this game. 

If WATA is full of crossovers, that means that the VGA report would be less accurate than WATA if they ever release one. 

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

12 hours ago, Frost271 said:

I’m frankly surprised those PSA or CGC folks didn't try to buy VGA out for the database. Hitting the market as a new company WITH that pop report available would easily kill WATA and anyone else in the market. Redo your slab cases to CGC and you win the market with database (population reports) and branding alone.   Its crazy seeing WATA continuing to win this game. 

I would be willing to bet that the security-tags on the WATA cases act as a big distinguishing factor, and may have implications related to a spin-off NFT marketplace.

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

11 minutes ago, arch_8ngel said:

I would be willing to bet that the security-tags on the WATA cases act as a big distinguishing factor, and may have implications related to a spin-off NFT marketplace.

You will be able to buy NFT pictures of other people sealed games! Thats the next big speculation market

[Hammerfestus | 3,866]

9 minutes ago, MrWunderful said:

You will be able to buy NFT pictures of other people sealed games! Thats the next big speculation market

You laugh now…

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

16 minutes ago, MrWunderful said:

You will be able to buy NFT pictures of other people sealed games! Thats the next big speculation market

It sounds silly, I know -- but I fully expect them to jump on that bandwagon and point those QR-codes (or whatever they use) directly to NFTs in some way.

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

1 hour ago, Hammerfestus said:

You laugh now…

I will laugh then, too because I am not gullible enough to fall for that shit.  
 

1 hour ago, arch_8ngel said:

It sounds silly, I know -- but I fully expect them to jump on that bandwagon and point those QR-codes (or whatever they use) directly to NFTs in some way.

I would bet money you are correct. Along with a subscription model for access to something. 

[OptOut | 8,889]

8 hours ago, MrWunderful said:

I would bet money you are correct. Along with a subscription model for access to something. 

Deniz's Only Fans? 

[Frost271 | 22]

On 7/16/2021 at 10:27 AM, AdamW said:

Do you have any kind of source for this, or are you just making wild assertions?

I should of clarified,  like GameCube / PS2 / Xbox and before era.  I forget that people grade newer systems these days lol. 

[inasuma | 1,203]

5 hours ago, Frost271 said:

I should of clarified,  like GameCube / PS2 / Xbox and before era.  I forget that people grade newer systems these days lol. 

i'm also curious if you pulled that 90% figure out of your rear

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

On 7/16/2021 at 8:41 AM, doner24 said:

 

If WATA is full of crossovers, that means that the VGA report would be less accurate than WATA if they ever release one. 

VGA's report has not been accurate for some time now. Not because cross-grading is a thing these days, but also because people have done YouTube videos showing them opening up their graded stuff for numerous reasons. 

[Scott_Schu30 | 0]

I have a Wata 9.8 graded super Mario bros 2 nes game. Does anyone know if there is a way I can see how many 9.8s are out there? I know Wata pop report is a lil funky but if anyone knows any info for me please let me know!

[OptOut | 8,889]

2 hours ago, Scott_Schu30 said:

I have a Wata 9.8 graded super Mario bros 2 nes game. Does anyone know if there is a way I can see how many 9.8s are out there? I know Wata pop report is a lil funky but if anyone knows any info for me please let me know!

No there is currently no way of knowing how many of those there are.

Either way, congrats, send that into HA immediately and make huge bank!

[AdamW | 713]

I've seen some screenshots recently that people with graded games have posted which show the current population of the same game in the same grade. It seems to be info WATA makes available to the person getting the game graded, possibly only if you pay for the additional report. Are you the one who graded the game, and if so, did you buy that report?