They only exist because people kept asking for them to be created. So yes some people that are into they type of collecting seem to enjoy them. The price of 01 coins went up before the registries were ever made
Because they’re top pop and in some series very hard to find. They’re just as tight giving out a 01 as they are a new top pop
I don't understand them, but I know some people love them. Why would you try to find a coin in the worst condition possible?
They bug me because they may encourage people to make lowball coins -- jingling or shuffling coins to decrease their grade, instead of preserving them. Yes, I realize it's not that easy to make a straight-grade P01 coin, but it's possible, and probably not even considered "doctoring".
I look at a PO-01 set as a fragile market. Someone who invested in them will NEVER recover their investment when interest in them is lost. And IMO that's not too far in the future.
It may take longer than you think. I knew people trying to collect worst known pieces years before the third-party grading services existed. Today there are a lot more people trying to collect them. If interest in trying to collect very worn pieces hasn't waned in close to 50 years, why should suddenly change now?
Any investment will loose money if the interest collapses. But, I think that Conder is correct here - because the registry has brought this type of collection to people's minds, they have increased in popularity. Now, you could argue that the Registry may only be a temporary fad as well.... but that's been going for a couple of decades and shows no signs of slowing.
