GAI - Global Authentication

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Posted By: (www.bestbaseballcards.com)

This company seems to be getting a LOT of business, and I personally don't know why... Their prices can't be that much cheaper than BGS or PSA whom are well known and respected.

I bought my first GAI card the other day, and it obviously isn't as strict as PSA OR BGS, yet their cards seem to bring better prices than the other "non-established" grading companies.

I have had problems with all the "other" grading companies (ie pro, fgs, capitol and the like)...I really don't know why we need yet "ANOTHER" inferior grading company?

I see they have prior PSA employees, and some big names, and they have influence with some of the "big dealers", but I don't understand why the big dealers or collectors are giving them interest???

On a final note, are these forums just for pre war cards, and if so, does anyone know of any good forums for "non-pre-war"....

Thanks
Also...please check out my website and give comments/recommendations ----

http://www.bestbaseballcards.com

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Posted By: TBob

You say you bought one GAI graded card and based on that you state that GAI is not as tough a grader as PSA or SGC? That's ridiculous. GAI is as tough as SGC on caramel cards and tougher than PSA which seems to be grading anything and everything lately. If you examine recent PSA slabbings you'll see tobacco cards which used to get PSA 4 grades getting 5s and 6s. PSA NEVER used to give cards with knobbly corners anything more than a 4 yet they do now.


I have had problems with all the "other" grading companies (ie pro, fgs, capitol and the like)...I really don't know why we need yet "ANOTHER" inferior grading company?>

Inferior? Why because they don't cow-tow to the big boys who get breaks on grading that Joe Collector doesn't? GAI grades consistently and fairly in my judgment and their company is more collector friendly than the other 2.

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Posted By: (www.bestbaseballcards.com)

I would "HARDLY" make the statement that GAI isn't as strict as PSA or BGS based on "ONE CARD". I said I recieved my first. I have seen many cards on ebay with GAI that are graded too high. I have even started collecting scans of GAI graded cards. It is my intention to buy several and then send them to "beckett" and see what they show and publish my findings, and let the public make their own decisions. As far as being friendly, I would hardly give that any presidence...if they are new and small, they HAVE TO BE to get some market share...what scares me is that if I buy a GAI 9 for $500, and it comes back as a bgs 8 worth only $200...then we have some real problems.

You seem "almost" "too-pro" GAI where you may have an interest in the company? I posted the message to get some feedback, and to hopefully share some information with other collectors for our "mutual interest" for our investments.

Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of money (currently unemployed), to send several expensive GAI graded cards to beckett for some "honesty" finding. If they prove to be grading "accurately" and "fairly", that would be GREAT...but so far, I don't see it that way....

As far as PSA grading, I have found that they have become "stricter" more recently, since Beckett has stole a lot of their business. Personally, I am a beckett man...I only buy BGS/BVG unless I can't find a card except for PSA.

On another note, is there anyone out there that knows ebay userid "godswork". They have been buying up all the 1980 (psa/bvg 8's and 9's) rickey henderson rookies. ...and since he has started buying them up, they went from $200 to $400 over the past few months....He must have bought a few hundred of rickey's rookies over the last 6 months....I picked up a few for myself seeing the price has been driven up. Why would someone buy hundreds and hundreds of 1980 rickey henderson rookies?

I wonder if we will see some GAI 9 rickeys come on the market?....surely most MINT rickeys that are gradeable have already been graded...

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Posted By: Kevin

Actually, GAI is inferior, mostly because they come up with really goofy ideas such as grading packs and boxes and then hire people who don't really know how to grade or much about the material that they are grading.

For example, they hire Mark Murphy to authenticate packs, yet he was fooled by those ridiculous Topps Holiday Rack Packs that he was selling a few years ago. Anybody who can get fooled by those has no business authenticating anything.

GAI cards don't bring much of a premium, and the only reason the graded packs do well is because they don't have any competition.

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Posted By: MW

http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=153652&messageid=1068865129&lp=1069184244

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

I think they are relatively reasonable with their grading. I certainly wouldn't call them inferior--ESPECIALLY to BVG who I think has few clues on pre-war cards. Some of the stuff I've seen in BVG holders is ridiculous including reprint cracker jacks to name one instance. I do think the cigarette pack grading, unopened pack and box grading is a little silly too.

Anyway, this site is primarily for pre-war cards and the general concensus on the site is that SGC is the best grader of vintage pre-war cards. Others may say PSA or GAI but a quick poll would probably put at least 60-70 percent of the people here with SGC first.

Beckett is fine if you're dealing with 1980 and up cards and they do seem to command a price premium for a Beckett 9.5 versus a PSA10. Don't know that that really says much for either company although the buying public seems to be willing to pay a little to a lot more for the BGS 9.5.

The thing that I think cheapens the whole Beckett line is that BCCG crap that they put out to fill the Shop At Home orders and sell crap on their website. I've seen T206's that were graded BCCG5 and BCCG6 that had SEVERE creases, missing chunks, etc. That is misleading and borders on fraud if you ask me.

Anyway, I found it odd that you didn't even mention SGC in any of your notes. Your thoughts on them? You pictured a couple of SGC cards on your website.

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Posted By: runscott

GAI seems to be tougher than SGC and PSA at times, but this may be an illusion caused by their "half grades",e.g: a card is closer to a 2.5 than a 3.0, but closer to a 3.0 than a 2.0 - SGC and PSA give it a 3 and GAI gives it a 2.5.

I also agree with Kevin's assessment of GAI's "odds and ends" grading.

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Posted By: OldOriole

Beckett's grading simply cannot be compared in the VINTAGE card market. They have not graded enough cards and are not players in the Pre-War market. This shows in a quick check on eBay note not a single beckett graded pre-1930 card and only ONE in the completed section. I don't know if they are good, bad, or in between but they clearly have not cracked into this market. Many people who collector modern cards seem to prefer them (probably because of the name - I think we all remember saying in our younger,uneducated days "What's Beckett on this card?"),and I've noted they even get a slight premium. But, the vintage market is a different beast and Bekett is nowhere to be found. Also, GAI is a fine company and whether you like them or not, clearly should not be mentioned in the same breath as inferior companies such as Pro, etc.

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Posted By: grilloj39

I switched over from PSA to GAI about 9 months ago. I pay lower prices (a flat rate as well) for my submission versus PSA/SGC/BVG. Turnaround times have been 2-3 weeks on all submissions. Their grading is the most accurate IMO, and they by far, have the most experienced senior graders around. I collect hockey (and vintage c55, c56, champs, etc., as well).

Although not important in my decision in selecting a grading company, as a side benefit, they have the nicest holders, especially tobacco, in the industry.

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Posted By: runscott

but I have to disagree on the holders - SGC, hands-down for attractiveness. I just got back a Fatima Pittsburgh that looks incredible in the holder.

The....choke....new PSA holders also look good...that was hard to say!

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Posted By: Wesley

Are you referring to the new holders for the T3s? I haven't seen any other new PSA holders.

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Posted By: (www.bestbaseballcards.com)

I Do agree with most "objective" people that have responded, some are obviously biased. I agree that:

1. Beckett isn't as experienced (newer company)

2. SGC is superior IMO, to PSA AND GAI.

3. Beckett hasn't really tapped the vintage cards, but I believe this is mainly because most "gradeable" cards have already been graded for vintage. But where that isn't the case with new era cards, beckett is clearly gaining market share, if they haven't already surpassed PSA. SGC really isn't even in the running here.

I still have to stick with my guns and say that Beckett is the strictest (IMO), and I would much prefer a BVG8 Nolan Ryan rookie than a PSA8 Nolan Ryan rookie. I let a BVG5 Jackie Robinson Rookie sell on ebay for about $1100, and it was better than any PSA 6 I have ever seen. A PSA 5 wouldn't sell for nearly that much.

Again, I really am not into 19th century....can someone direct me to forums that are not explicitly 19th century so I don't disrupt you any more...

Thanks...
NEW GENERATION CARD COLLECTING----
Mike McSweeney

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Posted By: runscott

I guess "new" is a relative term.