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  #1  
Old 06-23-2018, 08:52 AM
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Default Morale at PSA

Imagine that you are a PSA grader. Every day you come to work and go to the storeroom and pick up your stack of ungraded cards to be graded that day by 5PM. Every day the storeroom seems to be getting larger. Every day the lines of lemmings (i.e. collectors) at the office and at shows get longer and longer. Fork lifts are now required to bring in the daily mail on pallets. Every day your stack of ungraded cards is a little higher due to the “sincere” corporate interest in reducing backlog and turn around times. But every day as the storeroom grows, the lines get longer, the backlog increases and turn around times lengthen, you groan but carry on. How do you really feel about your job?

Your name is Sisyphus. Camus wrote an essay about you called “The Myth of a PSA grader”.
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Last edited by frankbmd; 06-24-2018 at 08:07 AM.
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  #2  
Old 06-23-2018, 08:56 AM
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Speaking of Camus.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg camus.jpg (43.7 KB, 818 views)
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  #3  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:01 AM
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sounds like a postal job newman?
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  #4  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:02 AM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL6ubXD9ZjY
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  #5  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:02 AM
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Sounds much like a local DMV worker.
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  #6  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:16 AM
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Interesting comparison, Frank. And one day that boulder may roll over the graders before they reach the top of the hill, er, pile of raw cards!

Unlike Sisyphus who was condemned by the gods to repeat this seemingly meaningless task, graders at PSA willing signed on for the work. But I wonder if many of them have come to the same conclusion as Camus: "The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
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  #7  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:20 AM
barrysloate barrysloate is offline
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And I can't believe Peter actually has a trading card of Camus. How many Camus's(sp) does one need to trade to get one Mickey Mantle?
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  #8  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barrysloate View Post
And I can't believe Peter actually has a trading card of Camus. How many Camus's(sp) does one need to trade to get one Mickey Mantle?
I am still looking for a Sartre from the same issue. And Einstein.
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  #9  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:28 AM
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Is he missing part of his head?

Back to topic. It would take a lot of money for me to be a grader.
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Last edited by Leon; 06-23-2018 at 09:29 AM.
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  #10  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:30 AM
chalupacollects chalupacollects is offline
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On the positive side its also called job security... By the way sent 30+ cards in on 5/31 under the monthly $6.50 special and had them back in my hand on June 19th...so things are looking better!
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  #11  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chalupacollects View Post
On the positive side its also called job security... By the way sent 30+ cards in on 5/31 under the monthly $6.50 special and had them back in my hand on June 19th...so things are looking better!
Perhaps the turtle has morphed into a rabbit.
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  #12  
Old 06-23-2018, 09:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth View Post
I am still looking for a Sartre from the same issue. And Einstein.
I think a Sartre for a Camus would make for a very fair trade.

Getting back to Frank's original post, I do believe all the graders are over worked, and to compensate they unfortunately grade cards more quickly than they should. And as such, there is a lack of accuracy. It's a lucrative business, so why not hire a few more graders?
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  #13  
Old 06-23-2018, 10:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barrysloate View Post
I think a Sartre for a Camus would make for a very fair trade.

Getting back to Frank's original post, I do believe all the graders are over worked, and to compensate they unfortunately grade cards more quickly than they should. And as such, there is a lack of accuracy. It's a lucrative business, so why not hire a few more graders?
"Transient graders" on a PRN basis might help. I'm sure there are a few excavators out there with some free time. Plus they could move a lot of cards in a hurry.

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Last edited by frankbmd; 06-23-2018 at 10:37 AM.
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  #14  
Old 06-23-2018, 10:58 AM
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That atmosphere would be conducive to corner cutting (pun). Vintage Non-Sport submission...10 second glance...rubber stamp whatever grade. T206 stack that looks okay but need to check the edges...15 second glance for this one, stamp the grade...10 seconds for this one, give it an N5 they'll just send it back and someone else will get their loupe out...repeat.
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  #15  
Old 06-23-2018, 06:10 PM
hcv123 hcv123 is offline
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Default Not so much!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth View Post
Perhaps the turtle has morphed into a rabbit.
I waited 2 months for a botched submission ("mechanical error/reholder) which was logged as received by them on April 16th - a whopping 5 cards - still not back. ARRGH.
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  #16  
Old 06-23-2018, 08:39 PM
steve B steve B is offline
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One of the umpires we had for a particular doubleheader (All we played in that league) summed it up pretty well. The first game went 15 innings and the second headed into extra innings. As I left my catching spot headed to the bench he said " hey let the guys know that from now on if it's not rolling or over my head it's a strike" That game still went 12.

I can picture the graders doing something similar. No obvious damage ? 5 Big crease or stain? 2
Really nice centering 8

Seal em up and get em out!
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  #17  
Old 06-24-2018, 07:47 AM
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I just got a bulk order back in 10 business days.

They may be getting over the hump
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  #18  
Old 06-24-2018, 07:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leon View Post
Is he missing part of his head?
No, he had a medical condition known as a fivehead, its 25% bigger than a forehead
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  #19  
Old 06-24-2018, 07:58 AM
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The morale at PSA. No matter how bad we screw this up they will still come back, they’re addicted, pop report and registry feens. Put whatever grade you want on the cards.
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  #20  
Old 06-24-2018, 03:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigdaddy View Post
Sounds much like a local DMV worker.
Without the sloths working behind the counter?

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  #21  
Old 06-24-2018, 07:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chalupacollects View Post
On the positive side its also called job security... By the way sent 30+ cards in on 5/31 under the monthly $6.50 special and had them back in my hand on June 19th...so things are looking better!
Speak for yourself.
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  #22  
Old 06-24-2018, 07:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lowpopper View Post
I just got a bulk order back in 10 business days.

They may be getting over the hump
Speak for yourself.
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  #23  
Old 06-24-2018, 08:21 PM
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One must consider the PSA grader happy.
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Old 06-24-2018, 08:52 PM
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How do they compensate their worker drones at PSA? Is it a flat per-hour wage, a flat monthly salary, or do they get paid per card (or auto or whatever) graded?

Depending on how you are rewarded for work, an ever growing stack of cards could either put a smile or a frown on your face.
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  #25  
Old 06-24-2018, 08:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seanofjapan View Post
How do they compensate their worker drones at PSA? Is it a flat per-hour wage, a flat monthly salary, or do they get paid per card (or auto or whatever) graded?

Depending on how you are rewarded for work, an ever growing stack of cards could either put a smile or a frown on your face.
I was Told (Like 20 Years Ago) a Wage and Commission (like 0.50 a Card).
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  #26  
Old 06-24-2018, 09:29 PM
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$0.50 per card would be a hell of a payday for a grader if it takes as long as 30 seconds per card. That comes to six figures a year alone. Plus a wage on top of that commission?
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  #27  
Old 06-25-2018, 10:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CobbSpikedMe View Post
$0.50 per card would be a hell of a payday for a grader if it takes as long as 30 seconds per card. That comes to six figures a year alone. Plus a wage on top of that commission?
Funny this is Brought Up

I was just Reading a Book Last Night (The Card: Collectors, Con Men, and the True Story of History's Most Desired Baseball Card).

The Book Stated that in the Fiscal Year 2005 PSA Graded 1,084,000 Cards.

They Had 13 Graders that Year.

So if all 13 Graders in 2005 Worked 5 Days a Week and 8 Hours a Day They Each Graded 320 Cards a Day.

That Comes to 90 Seconds Per Card.

But Those Numbers Do Not Take Into Account.

Vacations
Sick Days
Lunch Breaks
Bathroom Breaks
Regular Breaks (Talking to Co-Workers, etc.)

So they actually Spent Less than 90 Seconds Per Card Graded in 2005.


Last edited by that T206 Guy; 06-25-2018 at 11:00 AM.
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  #28  
Old 06-25-2018, 11:04 AM
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And to think that in another thread someone suggested the cards get CAT scanned.
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  #29  
Old 06-25-2018, 11:10 AM
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Quote:
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And to think that in another thread someone suggested the cards get CAT scanned.
I Never Said they GOT Cat Scanned.

I Stated there Should be a Way to do that Sort of Thing (To Take Out the Element of Human Error and Keep Everything Consistent).

Last edited by that T206 Guy; 06-25-2018 at 11:10 AM.
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  #30  
Old 06-25-2018, 12:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by that T206 Guy View Post
I Never Said they GOT Cat Scanned.

I Stated there Should be a Way to do that Sort of Thing (To Take Out the Element of Human Error and Keep Everything Consistent).
Don't worry, I was saying it in tongue-in-cheak. I knew you were talking about automating grading.
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