Sorry, just venting here about card grading
 

At one time, I sent six cards to SGC for grading. Wasn't in a hurry, got my cards back, no big whoop. Think I paid maybe $6 a card to have them grading, plus postage.

There is now an opportunity for me to make a trade for some cards that I would never otherwise be able to get. I have five non-Howe stamped cards that I've had for almost 30 years, and they are all HoFers. One big one. The person who says they may trade has two cards I would be interested in. Both have damage to the front and a stamp on the back. Although I've not really ever been big on graded cards, I do understand this gentleman's point of making sure we both know what each other's cards might be worth. Get them all graded by PSA, then use SMR as a guide to determine value.

So I would have five to get graded, in hopes a reaching a value equal to his two cards. Honestly, I think I have him beat and he might owe me in the long run. But this is the first time in more than 20 years I've looked at pricing of having a card graded, and I can't believe it. A card with your estimated value of more than $500 has to be graded at a higher service level than a card valued at less? Are they going to spend more time looking the more expensive card over than the less expensive card? If that is the case, why would you ever bother to have a card less than $500 in value graded? It sounds like they don't really care about it as much and those prices only go up from the more than $500 level.

Guess I've lived in a top-loader, binder sheet vacuum for too long.

PSA charges differently for higher valued cards because of their grade guarantee. More expensive cards have higher liability if they damage them or grade them incorrectly. They also come with quicker grading times so that you get them back faster.
All companies have raised their rates lately, but most give discounts to bulk submitters. You can still grade for $6-7 a card with PSA or SGC, but for lower valued (under $99 raw usually).

Just my honest opinion. Just forget about the trade unless done without grading. What happens when they over grade one persons cards and under grade the other persons. Then you have the wait to get them graded. Then after spending the $ for grading the other person pulls out and you are stuck spending $ you did not need to.

I have had the get them graded and I will buy them deal before. After I wasted the $ on grading it was nothing but crickets from the buyer.

Good luck on adding the Howe cards without the hassles.:)

Just an idea, but you could ask for a sale price and try to sell your cards on the BST to come up with the cash.

Seriously, you'd go through that hassle? Tell the other guy to use SGC (or PSA), that way only one of you has to get the cards graded. If he wants to cross them later, then that's up to him.

I've never heard of such a request to make a trade by getting the cards graded first then comparing SMR. Sounds like a lot of work and money before a deal is even made. I'd never agree to it myself. I hope you do end up with the cards you want somehow though.

They are already graded. Both SGC and PSA are fine. Don’t send them in again. A reasonable person should be able to match values for a trade. If they can’t then grading again isn’t likely to help both sides.

Didn't sound like the five Ed has to trade are already graded. He says he's had them over 30 years, but never said he got them graded. He started by saying he, at one time, did get six cards graded which is his experience with grading. Now grading has changed prices and service levels and he is amazed by these changes.

No, my five aren’t graded
 

None of the cards I’ve ever collected have I been concerned with condition. My first run at a set of T206s was just buy what I could afford. Sold all of them (about 200) on eBay and used those funds to start reassembling the collection I have now. So not clear on grading guidelines by PSA or anyone (major concern now is card with tape on the front and a rubber stamp on the back vs. clean card front, tougher Sweet Cap 350-460 back Factory 42 with very small amount of paperless on back). My gut tells me the card I have now would grade better but don’t know and don’t know by how much if it did.
Do like the idea of just selling on BST thread but again have no idea of value. Too many qualifiers all around.

Make sure the "value" of your cards is over $500. Raw cards can be valued much less because you don't know what they will grade. The declared value is as much for PSA's insurance purpose than anything else. I've seen many cards after grading have a value of $500-$1000, yet were sent in with a value/grading service of $100.

The risk you take there is if they damage your card, the $100 is all you will get in return. PSA's Regular Service is $20/card for cards up to $500. You could value yours at $499 and save $30/card in grading fees.

Don't forget they will charge you $29 for return shipping as well.

Definitely take advantage of the experience on the boards here. Post pictures of the cards in question and ask people their opinions on either the perceived grades or what type of dollar value they would put on the cards. If you wanted to go the route of selling your cards and purchasing the ones you're interested in from that other guy, ask people to make offers on your stuff. Might be an effective first step.

I would think you could get a deal done without grading anything, unless the guy with the cards you want is a complete novice about T206s.

Let me know if I can help. I buy raw stuff all the time and feel very comfortable with what they will grade based on scans.

Couldn't agree more with what Luke has just said.


BTW:

"Guess I've lived in a top-loader, binder sheet vacuum for too long." ..... That's where I live, and couldn't be more content :);)

I would have to be getting one heck of a deal to consider making a trade with someone who uses SMR to value his or my cards. My guess is this will not be an easy transaction.

Most people who frequent the board are realistic (key word there is "most"). I use SMR for T205s, a little bit. It is a guide. I very rarely pay exactly SMR....I pay more and I pay less but rarely
exactly. It is a public number to go by and is a starting point :)

I rely more on their recent auction data than I do the SMR. Not only do you get more recent prices, but you can view the actual card that sold to determine where yours could potentially be priced based on your quality vs. others in the same grade.

I can't think of any method other than falling back on a yearly price guide less reliable than SMR. Not a fan.

Sell your cards for a fair price and negotiate a fair purchase price. I agree with prior posts, this smells like a difficult trade.

Thanks to Luke and Scott for their help
 

Luke and Scott volunteered to take a look at scans of the cards in question and give me a better idea of what was going to be involved in this process if it happens. Haven’t heard a word from the gentleman with the two cards I’m interested in and not really sure I ever will unless I pursue the matter, and that would probably make me seem desperate, which I’m not. Would be great to get them but I’m not fool enough to do something stupid. Thanks to Scott and Luke, now I know what I should expect or ask for.

Help from members is what makes this board great, whether advice or an extra set of eyes looking for what you’re interested in. Thanks to all.

There is almost 17 yrs of information stored on the site and a wealth of knowledgeable members. I ask for a second set of eyes quite often, privately, when not publicly. The forum/board can be a great resource.