GAI Graded Cards
 

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I did a search and could not come up with a definitive answer.

I am wondering about GAI graded cards. I have seen references here about how they were once reliable, but evolved into not being so. In another recent thread, Peter Spaeth indicated "This was GAI's failure despite the excellence of Mike Baker as a grader...".

Can anyone provide details around such?
Is there a way (number sequence) to tell if a GAI graded card can be "more trusted" than another series of numbers? Any details around why?
What is the danger of trimmed or re-colored cards with GAI?

Looking more for informed details, not opinions such as "Don't trust any GAI".

Thanks in advance.

The below metallic labels shown here is from their old, reliable days. GAI autograph LOAs with Mike Gutierrez's name on it are also from their earlier, reliable days.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....Y445_QL70_.jpg

The problem I think is that they were still using those metallic flips when they went bad, that is, started doing favors for people (IMO). Cards that say first graded are usually fine. But it's a crap shoot I don't think you can tell from the cert if it's early GAI or not, maybe I'm wrong.

I think you’re exactly right. There are 2 reasons cards are still in their holders. Either they will grade less in a legitimate holder or they will not pass authentication. There is no reason to keep a card of significant value in their holder because most people won’t look at it. You have to judge the card as though it was raw - because it may as well be.

I have a GAI 2 graded T206 Bresnahan Portrait I got pretty cheap. The card wouldn't grade a 2 anywhere else IMHO, but I wanted a GAI card holder just for fun and its labelled 1st graded so Ill keep it in the slab.

Or because someone is too lazy/cheap to regrade a VG T206 common.... :o

As others have said, there is almost no (good) reason to have a card in a GAI holder today. It will devalue them.

I have quite a few early '60s Hall of Famers that are mid-grade (mostly GAI 5s and 6s). They were bought back when GAI was on a par with the other TPGs.

It's not that I'm too lazy to re-grade them... it's more that I care lots more about the card than the inconsequential slab. I would rather judge the card to my standards than have a stranger do it. I suppose that when it comes time to sell, I should consider re-grading, but am not sure it's really worth the cost of doing so.

Instead of coughing up the money to an entity I dislike, I might rather just crack the cards out, and sell them as raw through Greg Morris.

I was mostly referring to myself. I have one GAI graded card, a VG common.


I keep it that way for similar reasons to yours, It's pretty easy to tell it's a real T206, and it's also pretty much a classic VG card. I also keep it in the slab as an example of a GAI card. Similar to why I keep an Acugrade card in its slab, there aren't many around. (It's also almost certainly not a 7 as I believe it's trimmed)

Imagine that, a trimmed card in an ASA holder.

I have purchased a couple, both 1st graded, that will be staying put as they are only commons. Both look OK to the eye compared with other graded and raw cards that I own.

Even though they weren't that great, in their time, they had some good cards in their holders. No doubt a few good ones remain.

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I actually think they have the best all around slabs... SGC style looks, PSA sleekness, and love the identification on the very top of the slab... much easier to identify when trying to track down a graded card in a box. Too bad the grading is unreliable.