Published January 03, 2026 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD
More than 26 million cards were graded in 2025. Let that number sit for a moment.
That isn’t just a data point—it’s a signal. A reflection of how deeply the hobby has shifted, and how quietly a new expectation has taken hold: if a card is decent, it should be graded. Not because it needs to be sold. Not because it’s part of a long-term plan. But because the industry has conditioned us to believe that grading is the natural next step—almost a requirement—rather than a choice.
For many collectors, grading has become less about intention and more about reflex.
Here’s the part that often gets lost: intentional collectors do not have to grade their cards. If you’re not planning to sell, optimize profit, or chase market validation, there is nothing wrong with protecting a card in a simple toploader, a one-touch, or a display case. Preservation and enjoyment do not require a slab. Value does not only exist when something is encapsulated and assigned a number.
And yet, the current infrastructure of the hobby pushes us in the opposite direction.
When grading becomes frictionless, omnipresent, and culturally reinforced, it stops being a tool—and starts becoming a trigger. It accelerates spending—grading has become prohibitively expensive, especially at scale. It encourages over-optimization. It nudges collectors toward decisions that feel urgent rather than considered. Suddenly, ripping doesn’t end when the pack is opened. It continues through submission fees, shipping costs, insurance, and the emotional rollercoaster of waiting for a grade to define whether the card—and by extension, the rip—was “worth it”.
That’s where #RipResponsibly intersects with intentional collecting.
Volume doesn’t equate to intention. More slabs don’t mean smarter choices. Sometimes, less truly is more.
Ripping responsibly doesn’t just mean setting limits on packs, boxes, or breaks. It means pausing before the next step. Asking why you’re grading. Asking who the decision is really for. Asking whether this move aligns with your goals—or whether you’re being pulled by momentum, comparison, or fear of missing out.
None of this is anti-grading. Grading can absolutely make sense—for resale, authentication, protection, or long-term planning. But when it becomes automatic, unquestioned, and financially stretching, it’s no longer a neutral choice. It’s part of a broader pattern where speed replaces reflection and optimization replaces enjoyment.
Intentional collecting gives you permission to opt out of that pressure. To collect for connection, not constant validation. To protect what you love without overextending your means. To remember that not every good card needs to be maximized—and not every moment needs to be monetized.
The hobby doesn’t become healthier by grading more cards. It becomes healthier when collectors feel empowered to make decisions that fit their lives, their finances, and their values.
And sometimes, the most responsible move isn’t another submission—it’s choosing to slow down and appreciate what you already have.
#CollectorsMD
Intentional collecting means choosing what adds meaning—not automatically following what the system rewards.
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