Submitting to PSA through a local dealer?
 

Does anyone here submit to PSA through a local dealer's PSA account?

If yes, what's the general protocol? Is there really a potential grading bump for using a large volume account, or is this mostly a hobby myth?

If no, what are the pitfalls/risks involved (aside from the dealer switching, mishandling or outright stealing the cards)?

I have some cards that I need submitted (less than 10 total, in the $50 to $200 range per card), and a few for re-holdering as well, and would rather avoid the $120 - $200 PSA subscription fee, if possible.

I spoke to someone at a local show recently that says he does this all the time, but I don't really trust that guy, so I'd like some of your opinions about it.

I don't know about submitting through a dealer, but I can tell you that neither PSA nor SGC has a subscription fee.

To get PSA's bulk rates, you need a subscription. I should have been more clear, I suppose, and I'd be submitting at least 10 cards in that scenario (or the 6 to 15 free submissions that you get with a paid subscription).

There are members on here who do bulk submissions and let fellow members join in. I have done it before and it worked great. The only bad part is you have to then pay shipping to and from the person doing the submission.

I get the feeling you are referring to the membership fee. I am paid up for like three years as I buy a fresh membership to submit cards that are over $100 and want a reasonably quick turn around time. The special this month is $6 and that will end up being closer to $9 with shipping there and back. You might want to look at sending them in yourself and signing up. The turnaround time is estimated at 10 days for renewal voucher subs vs. 50 for a special. It also nice to send in a collectors club special with it and if you mark renewal sub on the box it will get logged faster and save you on shipping there if you plan to sub a larger number of cards at some point. In terms of high volume submitter's getting better grades, I don't buy it but many do. I have submitted plenty of 10's myself and what I have learned over the years is if you review your cards four or five times in different sessions you will catch more of the hidden flaws and kick a lot more to the curb. I am sending in a batch today and it took numerous reviews to find a surface bubble on what looked like a potential 10. Back in the raw box it went. I have found the hardest part of getting cards graded is removing your position bias and the fear of not sending something in that might grade high. It takes years of practice and it still isn't a perfect science. Good luck.

I've had a friendly dealer who is a major PSA submitter send the cards for me. It costs a bit more due to the double postage to get the cards to him and back, but the cards came back faster than they usually do when I send them and I felt that the grading was more lenient than with my usual submissions. Then again, I may just have caught a grader other than the infamous Grader of Death who normally takes on my packages.

Go with your gut! If you sub thru this guy, then have to wait 60+ days for PSA return, it will eat you alive worrying / wondering if you kissed your cards adios. Better piece of mind: Sign up with PSA and do it yourself.

I have used a dealer to submit to Beckett and to SGC before. For me, it is just because they deal with those companies as part of their job and I am quite casual about it.

I once asked a dealer friend to take an SGC 50 '38 Greenberg, crack it, and submit it to PSA along with some other cards of his. The card came back a PSA 3 (not surprising), but there was a new, small crease that must have happened when he did the cracking. I know your situation is different, but I would only go with dudes you really trust to take care of your cards as well as you would.

I live 10 minutes from BGS so I am spoiled and just go by there to drop off and pick up my orders.

That being said, I have submitted a card to PSA for review to bump from a high BGS 9.5 to a PSA 10 (1986-87 Fleer - Hakeem Olajuwon) through a local friend here who does bulk submissions.

I would say that you either need to pony-up for the subscription to submit cards for yourself (and potentially others) or if you're relying on someone else to submit for you, you have absolute confidence and trust in them to handle your cards.

I'm also very mistrusting of raw cards, but I've still accumulated these over the past few years - many were acquired through buying a small collection from a local who used to collect, but lost interest.

The prices were too good to pass up and the cards aren't high end or super high grade, so if a few come back as trimmed or altered, I won't be that badly disappointed.

Mostly, I'd just like them slabbed to match the rest of my collection.

I also have an R303 Goudey B&W HOFer that's in a hideous looking GAI 8 oversized holder (I won't even call it a slab) that looks more like the plastic packaging that you can easily cut open with scissors. I need that one crossed over.

By the way, I really appreciate the opinions, and will have to think about the route I'm going to take.

Does anyone know a reputable, high volume PSA submitter in NE Ohio, by chance?

I have no doubt the frequent flyers get rapid rewards. IMO, highly recommend submitting cards through a bulk submitter if you can, otherwise you're a small fish.

I don't think this is any different than any other business in America. Companies want volume, not one-offs. Especially in CA.

You would be better off submitting under a monthly special with someone who is a member (piggybacking)..I submit around every 3 months or so....you are more than welcome to tag along with me.

I always wondered if their "friends" get bumps that we don't get. Sucks that everything in life is politics.

You said it yourself.

For clarification, "that guy" was submitting his cards through local dealers to PSA. He is not a dealer himself.