choice of grading companies

[larietrope]

Is there a reason to select one company over another for grading purposes ?

[rsdill2]

Yes.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Just pick PSA. Thread should end here.

[bnorth]

Just pick PSA. Thread should end here.

LOL, only if you are a seller and selling now.

[Neal]

Is there a reason to select one company over another for grading purposes ?

For me, there are only three ..... PSA, SGC, and BGS

BGS for modern, SGC for select cards that just look great in the holder (most do) and PSA for pretty much everything.

PSA is king, no doubt.

I am really starting to like modern cards and the BGS grading system and slab. I'll take 9.5s that cost less than the PSA equivalent all day long.

[jchcollins]

(Deleting duplicate post).

[jchcollins]

Just pick PSA. Thread should end here.


No it shouldn't.

PSA may be the most popular grading company along with a litany of fanboy buyers and customers, but purely as a grader they are subjective and inconsistent like the others, and have a C-grade track record at best when it comes to standards over time. Look at a card graded PSA 5 from 2000 vs the same grade last year. It's all over the map.

The controversy with PSA started on day one, when they knowingly encapsulated a trimmed Wagner card as "PSA 8". Can't argue with their bet on the publicity - it clearly worked in their favor.


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[Johnny630]

Agree John. I've seen many ugly cards for there grade in their holders. I also feel much more comfortable buying a SGC card over PSA. I trust they get it right more often then PSA. Just my opinion, both companies are fine, I prefer SGC hands down.

[Republicaninmass]

Yes.


This

[1952boyntoncollector]

No it shouldn't.

PSA may be the most popular grading company along with a litany of fanboy buyers and customers, but purely as a grader they are subjective and inconsistent like the others, and have a C-grade track record at best when it comes to standards over time. Look at a card graded PSA 5 from 2000 vs the same grade last year. It's all over the map.

The controversy with PSA started on day one, when they knowingly encapsulated a trimmed Wagner card as "PSA 8". Can't argue with their bet on the publicity - it clearly worked in their favor.


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The person that started this thread will end up using PSA. I was attempting to save everyone time as its clear PSA keeps getting market share.

I have never seen anyone regret selling a card in a PSA holder. I have never seen anyone wish they crossed over a PSA to a SGC card before selling it.
However the opposite is not true with SGC.

If you plan on never selling your cards then yeah i agree, use whatever, even use KSA or old GAI holder, or SGC or any other initials

[jchcollins]

I'm not disagreeing with anyone who says that PSA will probably provide the max return on investment or resale value, but just mentioning things that for other reasons should not end the conversation.

It should also be pointed out that PSA has a well known reputation for treating their high volume dealers preferably. There are lots of PSA 5's and in some cases 6's floating around out there with creases that really should have been 3's or 4's - but for the fact they came in through a known dealer. To me this and things like inconsistency of the grading scale over time totally defeats the purpose of TPG. I can grade a heck of a lot more consistently than that myself, and I've known how to since the 1980's. Cards with creases or even "wrinkles" should not be called Excellent, and in my opinion any card with a noticeable "tilt" or slight diamond cut should not be PSA 9 or 10. Yet there are countless examples of both.

[1952boyntoncollector]

I'm not disagreeing with anyone who says that PSA will probably provide the max return on investment or resale value, but just pointing out things that for other reasons should not end the conversation.

It should also be pointed out that PSA has a well known reputation for treating their high volume dealers preferably. There are lots of PSA 5's and in some cases 6's floating around out there with creases that really should have been 3's or 4's - but for the fact they came in through a known dealer. To me this and things like inconsistency of the grading scale over time totally defeats the purpose of TPG. I can grade a heck of a lot more consistently than that myself, and I've known how to since the 1980's. Cards with creases or even "wrinkles" should not be called Excellent, and in my opinion any card with a noticeable "tilt" or slight diamond cut should not be PSA 9 or 10. Yet there are countless examples of both.

There are also PSA 10s and high end PSA 10s...... problems with all the companies so i would rather go with the one in which everyone agrees gives me the most money back on the investment. You will see throughout the year a big reason to sell cards, whether it be 'college for the kids' 'pay for medication' 'pay for vacation' etc.....why not get something that will help if you are ever in need the most.

Id rather have a PSA card and talk bad about it but have more medication at the end of the day if i was to sell the card then have some other company which i can say on a message board is the best but at the end of the day i now have less medication or anything else i can afford.

[jchcollins]

See to me, a statement like "there are high end PSA 10's and low end PSA 10's" is illustrative of why professional grading is so insane. When in reality you know that most people can't tell the difference between a PSA 8 and a 10. I understand the point, and cannot disagree that yes, PSA is probably the best choice if you are looking to be secure… But just begs to reiterate the point over and over again that it is just somebody's opinion. Grading is so subjective and has so many variables that it will never be anything more than that.


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[1952boyntoncollector]

See to me, a statement like "there are high end PSA 10's and low end PSA 10's" is illustrative of why professional grading is so insane. When in reality you know that most people can't tell the difference between a PSA 8 and a 10. I understand the point, and cannot disagree that yes, PSA is probably the best choice if you are looking to be secure… But just begs to reiterate the point over and over again that it is just somebody's opinion. Grading is so subjective and has so many variables that it will never be anything more than that.


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Right that was my point about the PSA 10s and high end PSA 10s..thats crazy.


But again and again people ask your question and like i said before, save time and just pick PSA and the thread should end there

unless you want to sell your non-PSA card and receive less medication. We both know you will end up using PSA no matter what is said.

The only exceptions so far I can see is if you never plan on selling any cards ever or are rich enough take the loss and can pay for whatever is needed in an emergency from the bank.

[frankbmd]

My perspective is a bit different.

Optimizing every sale of a graded card should involve using ROI (return on investment) as the standard for that card, and not whatever a PSA benchmark is.

Over the years I have tracked my personal ROI for all three grading companies, and perhaps surprising to some the ROI I have realized from all three is essentially the same.

PSA cards cost more and sell for more because of the Registry, a successful marketing tool indeed.

But if I can buy company As card for $50, company Bs card for $60 and company Cs card for $80, and ultimately sell them for 30% more at $65 for the A card, $78 for the B card and $104 for card, I make 30% regardless of the letters on the slab.

With this approach and my experience, I consider price when purchasing but have minimal concern about which slab the card is in. "What difference does it make anyway?"

Please note well that I am a collector and not a dealer, holding cards I sell for an average of five years. I could care less about the Registry game or Registry prices. The crossover game for profit is a casino that I don't frequent. In my current collection All three grading companies are represented by at least a 20% share.

I have the data to justify this approach and opinion and I am only crazy 37% of the time. Those who disagree may be.:D

[kgibson]

Last year I took a dozen of my raw cards and assigned numerical grades to them myself. 6 months later I took them out and graded them again without looking at my previous grades. I was amazed at my own inconsistency and wondered what was I thinking. Since that day I will not complain of TPG inconsistencies. I challenge everyone to try it yourself.

[1952boyntoncollector]

My perspective is a bit different.

Optimizing every sale of a graded card should involve using ROI (return on investment) as the standard for that card, and not whatever a PSA benchmark is.

Over the years I have tracked my personal ROI for all three grading companies, and perhaps surprising to some the ROI I have realized from all three is essentially the same.

PSA cards cost more and sell for more because of the Registry, a successful marketing tool indeed.

But if I can buy company As card for $50, company Bs card for $60 and company Cs card for $80, and ultimately sell them for 30% more at $65 for the A card, $78 for the B card and $104 for card, I make 30% regardless of the letters on the slab.

With this approach and my experience, I consider price when purchasing but have minimal concern about which slab the card is in. "What difference does it make anyway?"

Please note well that I am a collector and not a dealer, holding cards I sell for an average of five years. I could care less about the Registry game or Registry prices. The crossover game for profit is a casino that I don't frequent. In my current collection All three grading companies are represented by at least a 20% share.

I have the data to justify this approach and opinion and I am only crazy 37% of the time. Those who disagree may be.:D

Yes i agree with ROI is the most important thing, but you are talking about holding a card for 5 years where many dont do that. The disputed Dimaggio has been sold 3 times in a year for example.

There are certain cards that this may work. But i know i wouldnt buy a Rookie Hank Aaron SGC 7 for $500 less than a PSA 7 Aaron right now.

As more and more people flock to PSA, there may be a nice market to buy SGCS as well. mid to low grade T206 cards for example seem ripe now for SGC

[Republicaninmass]

It should also be pointed out that PSA has a well known reputation for treating their high volume dealers preferably.

I've had overgraded and ungraded cards come back from PSA and I'm nowhere near high volume

[mechanicalman]

Interesting data on the ROI. I don't think most dudes look at it that way, but they should.

[frankbmd]

If you make 30% in every scenario, wouldn't it be best to buy Card C's holders as your absolute dollar profit is highest?


The question wasn't how to get rich selling baseball cards. I am a collector, not a dealer, as I said.

I believe Ford and Toyota earn more profit than Ferrari and Maserati, and the last time i checked, their cars sell for less.;)

The number of folks (buyer pool) for a $100,000 baseball card is quite limited. When you go to sell a $100,000 card, you better hope that one of those buyers is interested.:eek:;)







Edited to reflect that I am responding here to a post that was essentially deleted.

[airhed4]

Getting sick of PSA turnarounds getting longer and longer to show up in the system. But sick of SGC sending back cards with just an "A" no grading.

[irv]

Getting sick of PSA turnarounds getting longer and longer to show up in the system. But sick of SGC sending back cards with just an "A" no grading.

I agree, it should at least have an explanation as to why, but in light of some recent (amongst the past ones) PSA shenanigans, I think it is a safe(r) bet to stick with SGC.

[steve B]

Getting sick of PSA turnarounds getting longer and longer to show up in the system. But sick of SGC sending back cards with just an "A" no grading.

If you request no "A" slabbing you get a slip with the reason. I'm not sure why they can't include that with an "A" slabbed card, but that's how it works.

Also, if you're tired of getting "A" slabbed cards stop sending in altered or way outside of spec cards. ;)

Steve B