SGC & PSA Question

[skelly]

While it seems to be true that cards graded by PSA might be stronger sellers than the same card in an SGC holder with the same grade, I just don't understand this. The reason being is that SGC seems to be as tough, if not tougher than PSA on grading. Wouldn't it be easy enough to buy a SGC graded card and then just send it in to PSA for the crossover if you simply want the card in a PSA case? Anyway, I was just curious what people's thoughts were on this.

[kmac32]

Could care less about PSA graded cards and the few I have bought were crossed over to SGC. Grades have always been comparable. I prefer SGC as the cards look so much nicer than cards in PSA holders. Just my opinion.

[zljones]

It seems like it is best the use PSA for post war card, and SGC for prewar from what I have heard and noticed. Seems like SGC is more accurate and the prewar SGC values are higher for prewar, while the PSA post war cards seems to sell for more and is in wider use for postwar.

My main source for this is VCP. Does this statement seem correct?

[kmac32]

Very accurate in my opinion.

[AndyG09]

PSA has a stronger registry, which sometimes helps drive up the prices when two or three registry collectors bid up a card. I don't do anything post war, but know PSA has most of the power there where the registries are much more popular.

[glchen]

Originally Posted by skelly

While it seems to be true that cards graded by PSA might be stronger sellers than the same card in an SGC holder with the same grade, I just don't understand this. The reason being is that SGC seems to be as tough, if not tougher than PSA on grading. Wouldn't it be easy enough to buy a SGC graded card and then just send it in to PSA for the crossover if you simply want the card in a PSA case? Anyway, I was just curious what people's thoughts were on this.

Well, part of the reason is that you still need to send your SGC card to PSA, and there are costs associated with that. Say you send 10 cards to PSA, and these aren't under a Collector's Card Special. The minimum fee per card is $10 (assuming under $100 declared value using bulk services). You need to ship your cards over to PSA, and then you need to pay postage back from PSA. And you need to pay postage back from PSA, where the minimum postage fee for 10 cards is $22.50. Therefore for grading, this can easily add up to $13 per card. If your card isn't worth that much, it's better to just buy in the holder that you want rather than crossing over.

Also, there is no guarantee the cards will cross. A few months ago, I cracked out 8 SGC graded 1933 Goudey's that were at 80/6. I cracked them out so that there wouldn't be any bias for a crossover. These eight cards came back from PSA with five lowered to 5.5, one remained the same at 6, and two got upgraded to 6.5. Therefore, it's better to just buy the card in the holder that you want unless you believe the card is strong for the grade.

[Wichita]

The PSA grading standards are a bit different from the SGC standards. It seems PSA is more critical of corners, registration, and some other details. I tried cracking out some SGC graded cards to cross over to PSA. The few 8 and higher cards I submitted were graded lower by PSA, but ones in the 6 to 7 range pretty much crossed over to equivalent grades.

[jg8422]

Originally Posted by Wichita

The PSA grading standards are a bit different from the SGC standards. It seems PSA is more critical of corners, registration, and some other details. I tried cracking out some SGC graded cards to cross over to PSA. The few 8 and higher cards I submitted were graded lower by PSA, but ones in the 6 to 7 range pretty much crossed over to equivalent grades.

What do you mean by "registration?" I have heard that term a few times and always wonder what it means.

Thanks for your help.

[bunst]

Originally Posted by jg8422

What do you mean by "registration?" I have heard that term a few times and always wonder what it means.

Thanks for your help.

Basically it is focus. Sometimes you'll see a card that appears like you have double vision when looking at it; and that would be a card with poor registration. Or when the colors don't fall in line where they should.

[E93]

Generally I think SGC is a bit tougher especially since tightening their criteria on centering but one could find exceptions from both. All the cards from both sides are graded by humans. That said, PSA is so tough on crossovers it seems like they just reject crossovers most of the time on general principal. I have not gotten than impression from SGC.

In terms of re-sale value today I think a blanket claim of PSA for post-war and SGC for pre-war is a bit simplistic.
JimB

[CMIZ5290]

For what it's worth, i can speak from experience pertaining t206s. I have many graded by psa and sgc. Psa graded ones bring more money, it's just that simple. As far as the argument that sgc are more strict on grading, i don't buy that. I have seen alot of recently sgc graded t206s and can't believe how high the grades were. The credibility of psa is just simply stronger than sgc.

[Fred]

"The credibility of psa is just simply stronger than sgc."

YIKES!!! I'm not sure if I agree with that. Perhaps I'm taking that out of context.

As much as I don't care for PSA, I think that both psa and SGC are about the same when it comes to the actual "grade" assigned to a card.

psa grades more cards therefore they open themselves up to more criticism because there are more potential grading anomalies to be debated.

[CMIZ5290]

Fred- if you are not so sure, tell you what, ask the owners of the major auction houses as to which ones they want in order to bring top money for the consignors.

[ullmandds]

Regardless of which TPG slab the auction houses prefer...PSA has a history of grading T206's...as well as most other vintage more leniently/erroneously than SGC...this is a fact.

Yes...both companies have made mistakes...BUT...an SGC card is more likely to cross to PSA(cracked out of course prior to sending) or even receive a bump...than vice versa.

I'd prefer an SGC prewar over PSA practically 100% of the time.

I agree with the registry angle...PSA owns this market...and fools and their money...well...you know!

[Fred]

Kevin,

I wouldn't disagree with you about the preferences of auction houses. I still don't agree with the "credibility" part. I think Pete said it best in his post about "fools and their money"...

Whenever people bring up T206 grading and PSA I have the ultimate answers:

• Gretzky Wagner (graded by psa)
• Hall collection of T206s (graded by psa)