Time to draw some connections!    The Adidas Kobe 2. Probably the most well known Kobe shoe on the market. In casual conversation with folks who know nothing about shoes - if I say ‘I made some Kobe

Time to draw some connections! 
 
The Adidas Kobe 2. Probably the most well known Kobe shoe on the market. In casual conversation with folks who know nothing about shoes - if I say ‘I made some Kobe sneaker cards’ the conversation inevitably leads to the most memorably hideous shoes that came out at exactly the wrong time for hideously ugly shoes.  
 
I know I’m beating this one into the ground...we’ve got the pic of @snoopdogg , the pic of the #824pack card, and now the pic of this actual pair I came across a little over a year ago.  
 
They were graded a 5.5/10 and they sold for $175 in less than a day. Let me repeat that - THEY WERE GRADED A 5.5/10 and SOLD FOR $175 in LESS THAN A DAY. I mean...I’ve heard time and time again that (newer) items that are graded below an 8 rarely fetch more than raw (non-graded) items. Is sneaker grading different? If I never graded these Kobes (ie: kept them raw) - what do you think the chances are that they would have gone for more than $175?  
 
This brings up an interesting point...a point I’ve really been trying to hone in on. Sneakers have utility value. Shoes are wearable and protect your feet (s/o @sneakerpreservationsociety ). Cards are fun to look at (and flip through), but have virtually no utility value.  
 
Does that make sneaker grading pointless? IMO, it makes sneaker grading a bit more nuanced. Instead of saying ‘grade everything’, you might say something more like…’grade the shoes I’m not going to wear.’ Deadstock shoes can be investments. Samples and PEs can be investments. Those Yeezy Boosts you wore to your buddies house party? Those are not investments. 
 
I have a feeling that if (when) sneaker grading takes hold, the rules for grading are going to be quite a bit different.  
 
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