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How important is it to start with certified seed for the backyard grower?
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I would say it is rather important. That means that the certified potato is less apt to have one or more virus problems that usually increase each year...regardless of your isolation. Certified potatoes may be reasonably free of disease but often are allowed a small percent that may have an less debilitating virus. Likely the allowance for ring rot is zero. The store bought certified tubers should be a their peak of physiological maturity and should grow a bit better than weakened tubers of your own that may have been sprouting and shriveling for some time in your home storage area.
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On the one hand it would sure be nice to plant the spuds I grew last year and save on seed costs.
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I do it all the time to save costs...but then again I grow hundreds and hundreds of potato varieties and my own creations cannot be obtained but from my personal collection.
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On the other hand, I don't want to inadvertently spread disease and contaminate my garden.
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Growing your own potatoes is a risk for spreading disease but the major thing you may be increasing is scab, rhizoc, scurf, things like that.
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Last year I tried a half dozen new varieties. My favorite was Yellow Finn. This year I can either order new Yellow Finn seed potatoes, or I can hold back 5# of them from the root cellar. What do you think?
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Since it sounds like you are not wishing to grow any variety except Yellow Finn, why not buy a few pounds of new spuds and plant them next to your saved tubers. That way you can report back to us and tell us what you think. What I think is of less importance compared to your thoughts. I want to know your opinion after harvest.