To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Ken McMillan</b><p>Quick opinion question. I have an E121 Lou DeVormer series of 120 PSA 5 ex card that I am planning on sending into SGC for crossover ( I can't stand the PSA slabs). I really like SGC and want the card in a SGC holder and really do not care what grade the card comes back as. My question to the board is as follows: Is it better to crack it out of the slab and submit it or to cross the card over sending in the slab intact? I had a negative experience one time when I cracked a Koester Bread Elmer Miller card in PSA slab from the slab and SGC called it a W575 is my only reason for hesitation. Opinions please.<br /><br />Ken

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Phil Garry</b><p>Ken:<br /><br />As long as the final grade is not that important to you, I would leave the card in the holder and let the professionals at SGC crack it out for you. They probably stand a better chance of doing it without risking any damage to your card.

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Frank Wakefield</b><p>Leave it in...<br /><br />1- If you leave it in you have a fairly good shipping holder for it.<br /><br />2- SGC will gain a thimbleful of joy from seeing the crossover.<br /><br />3- There's a very slight chance you could damage the card breaking it out, you can't do that if you don't crack it out. Pass that ever so slight risk on to SGC.

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Ken McMillan</b><p>Frank and Phil,<br /><br />Thanks for the advise. That was kind of what I thought especially after being burned on the Koester Card. Do you think is would do any good to resubmit the Koester card with an explanation that it was graded as a Koester by PSA. I was collecting it as a type card originally. Ken

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>T206Collector</b><p>SGC gives a full and fair review of in-holder cards. <br><br>_ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ _ <br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.t206collector.com" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.t206collector.com</a> this month as we count down 4 Magies, 2 Wagners and a Plank!<br />

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Joe D.</b><p>"SGC gives a full and fair review of in-holder cards. "<br /><br /><br />I hate to disagree - but I think there is an unavoidable bias when submitting a card for a crossover (no matter who the grader is).<br /><br /><br />When the general office receives the card, do they cover up the grade so that the grader does not see the third party opinion?<br /><br />As far as I know - they do not.<br /><br />Something like that would be easy - and should be done. A piece of removable tape blacking out the number grade.<br />If the grader can't see the number, then guess what - - no bias.<br /><br /><br />There are a couple of other things that bother me with regard to the crossover process - but I will refrain.<br /><br /><br />Just to be clear - the above is a general statement and not meant for SGC exclusively. Actually it is meant for SGC and PSA (are there any other graders?)<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br />

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Rob</b><p>"(are there any other graders?)"<br /><br />yeah, i think some company named Beckett (did i spell that right?) just graded/authenticated a lot of t206s including a $220k+ card thats for sale in the REA auction. <br /><br />BTW, I don't think it matters in this case whether or not you crack it.<br /><br />Rob<br /><img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>T206Collector</b><p>I understand why you say that, but I've submitted more than 50 PSA cards in PSA 3 to PSA 6 condition to SGC for crossover. I've gotten all sorts of results, from trim, to too low to cross, to bump. But a majority will come back the same. If there was a "bias" it has not been evident from my submissions. I've had two nice PSA 4's cross into SGC 60's, including my SGC 60 T206 Cobb Bat On Shoulder. I submitted that one in its holder. My 1933 Goudey Grove was a PSA 4 and is now in an SGC 60 holder -- that was also submitted in its holder.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br><br>_ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ _ <br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.t206collector.com" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.t206collector.com</a> this month as we count down 4 Magies, 2 Wagners and a Plank!<br />

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Joe D.</b><p>"If there was a "bias" it has not been evident from my submissions."<br /><br />my experience has been the opposite.<br /><br />I have noticed bias. From both grading companies.<br /><br /><br />

To crack or not to crack
 

Posted By: <b>Matt</b><p>That's a good idea to cover the existing grade. I also go with the rest who say to leave it in. The person who cracks it out has likely done hundreds of cards. I've only cracked one card out of a slab. It was in a GAI slab. The card wasn't worth much, it was a Randy Moss autographed card. I got it out with no damage but I must admit that I had a tough time breaking it while trying to be gentle at the same time.