PSA Grading at National
 

How much was PSA grading on site at the National ? I see they graded 10,000 items. With the high grading prices is "The Registry" a thing of the past ? I can't see sending in commons.

IMO Registry is Yesterdays News... Pop is all I hear that matters in 2021

The younger generations doesn't build sets, they constantly trade in vaults.

I'm not as gloom and doom on the registry. We are in a very hot market that will not last. At some point people will leave, meaning less submissions. Times will get better, more service levels will be reinstated and (maybe) some prices decrease.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a level where the PSA membership will allow cheaper submissions to keep the registry alive and well, but it just might be a two-year turnaround.

I'm no expert, nor do I play one on TV...but just my thoughts.

$200 express was the minimum for NSCC with guaranteed back by Sunday show end.

Big money and big advertising for them.

They made a huge profit on that week

I'll be damned if I am gonna wait 2 years to get my cards back. It was already bad enough that I waited 1 year and DIDN'T get my cards back!!!

Watched one of those young camera-tootin' bloggers unveil his $250 per submission live at the National. He was optimistic about the potential grades because he had heard that PSA was "grading easy" at the show.

Hmmm. Let's say that you are PSA. A massive crowd of potential submitters is at your disposal. On Wednesday/Thursday/Friday you "grade easy". Word spreads around the floor of the convention hall that PSA is "grading easy". Those who were hesitant (after all, $250 per can get pretty hefty if you are going to submit a stack of cards) are now much less so. Off to PSA they rush 'cause they are "grading easy", after all. PSA is laughing as it rakes in $250 per.

Conversely, if PSA was "grading normal" or "grading hard" it is much less likely the hesitant would be willing to risk $250 per. Clever.

BTW, the blogger in question had good reason to be optimistic. As I recall he received two 10s and a 9 on his three-card submission. He was quite pleased.

As a flip side, every time I was at their booth(another long story), the girls working the front were bombarded by whining, complaining, rude submitters that were quite displeased with their results. It was not all apple pie and smiles....I did see one guy happy with a Jordan Rookie that got a 6.

And they shut down grading for a time one day when they had reached all that they felt they could grade and return on time. They did reopen for submissions later on.

Does anyone know how the big submitters like 4SC and the likes plan on adjusting? Are they getting a huge break on the grading fees to where they can still grade the 1976 common?

No truth to the "grading easy" scenario. I submitted before the doors opened for $600 and $1000 and got barely acceptable to brutal grades.

It was $250 for end of show, $600 for end of day. $250 orders from Wed/Thurs got done by Friday/Sat.

$100 for end of day re-slab, $250 for 2 hr (I believe)

As a flip side, every time I was at their booth(another long story), the girls working the front were bombarded by whining, complaining, rude submitters that were quite displeased with their results. It was not all apple pie and smiles....I did see one guy happy with a Jordan Rookie that got a 6.

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No truth to the "grading easy" scenario. I submitted before the doors opened for $600 and $1000 and got barely acceptable to brutal grades.

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Sorry to hear about both of these things. And based on these two pieces of evidence it appears that my cynicism got the better of me.

In case anyone was curious. Clean back no stains or damage.

That grade on the 52 Mantle is a complete joke. I’m sure the cost to submit wasn’t cheap, to get that grade in return would make my blood boil.

Is there a crease somewhere? Every SGC 1.5 that I have with great eye appeal has a crease, some VERY hard to see.

What do you see yourself that might make them think that card is only a 1.5?

Not that I needed any further validation, but PSA is a complete and utter joke of a grading company.

I was thinking about bidding on this card until it was removed.
Upon further inspection I found out they, PSA, labeled this Joe Page card/ Sain bio back incorrectly as, which can be clearly seen, it is actually a Joe Page back. :(

P.S. I just read your other post, Scott. Explains things a little better.

There is a wrinkle down from the center of the top border to the level of his eyebrows. It does not appear on the back of the card. I've received 4's on cards with heavier creases. I certainly thought it was a 2.5/3 and super appealing even at that grade, but at least technically justifiable.

I got a couple of free t shirts for my $250 submission.

Nice I spent over $3k and didn't get one :(

the tshirt is super nice. Wish I picked up a couple more.

Everyone who graded cards I know was happy…Good grades on modern and vintage.

That's awful! I have a Willie Mays rookie in PSA 4 and it has three creases!

I am sorry Scott, that really sucks. It just goes to show that PSA’s grades no longer mean anything aside from the population and maybe registry. The standards and grades vary so widely over the years that who know what a true “4” is other than it says it on the flip and goes down in the pop report as a 4.

Crack It.... your grade will be different, probably higher.

It was graded at the National. I am sure it was scanned and will be recognized and receive the same grade. Also I can't exactly just keep spending consignor's money like it's water. I pay the expenses up front, but it does come out of their settlement.

+1000

10,000 x $ 250 each = 2.5 million. Not bad for a few days, while others wait over a year for their cards, or never receive them, or are labeled wrong etc.

That's super conservative as the cheapest grading fee I paid during the show was $600

PSA Grading at National
 

You definitely got screwed on that one. Looked like a 3.


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I would've been happy at a 2.5 even like the '51 Bowman Mantle I got creamed on a couple months back lol.

Even at a 3 I wouldn't have been bashful about extolling it's appeal. Though I would've agreed with the technical grade.

Hopefully it won’t matter. I tend to think, in the lower grades. People care more about eye appeal than numbers. I’m thinking you’ll get close to what you would if it were in the holder it belongs in. That’s a solid card.

That's actually been our experience to a degree. We might not get all the way to the price of a higher grade, but we certainly outperform the number on the slab. So while I kvetch, it's probably not as big a deal as some of the 7's we've had that we thought had a shot at 9's.

That Mantle grade is criminal. They're getting so inconsistent now. Such a joke. 10 years ago, that was a 4. Send it to SGC, it'll come back as a 2.5 or a 3. Send it to BVG, it's probably a 5. Slabs like this belong in a class-action suit. I saw a similar Gretzky OPC RC in a 1.5 that looked like an 8 other than a light surface crease across the bottom left. Just makes no sense. Someone needs to direct these graders to PSA's own published grading standards on their website.

Unfortunately when they're providing just an "Opinion" it's very very hard to sue.

I realize that PSA slabs in equal grades bring more than SGC slabs, especially post war, but I’m one of the old timers who always sent (and still send) my cards to SGC for better customer service, better card appearance, etc, especially with pre-war cards. I’ve had my bitches about some of the grades but they still are more consistent in their grading IMHO.
The bottom line is as a long time collector who always tries to use the rule of thumb to buy the card not the holder, I love it in auctions when there are multiple cards of the same player with comparable card appearances and grades but the SGC card is obtainable for hundreds of dollars less.

Very well said Bob.

"Time Is Money"
 

...any idea as to how much more time the kids spend looking over your card for $600 ??

..

I was thinking 3.5 for the Mantle. When I see the grade 1.5, my brain thinks (barely above falling apart). Well, anyone can see, that Mantle is FARRRRRRR from falling apart.