I've been looking into this quite a bit, and certainly there are lots of examples that deviate from the norm. But one aspect that continues to confuse me is why there isn't significant cross-over investment activity. A few points/questions:
- It seems to be agreed by most that graded-PSA increases resale value (and there are plenty of examples of that).
- Some people assert SGC is the "better / more consistent" grader. I don't have a view on that necessarily, but I have seen (and own) plenty examples of SGC cards that clearly look "better" (to me) than comparably graded PSA cards.
- If we assume the first points are correct, wouldn't an opportunity to buy SGC, convert to PSA and resell be an easy decision (even including costs of regrading or converting)?
But it doesn't seem like it. I've seen many "cross-over" type threads on various forums where the grade from PSA was lower than an SGC grade. Not all the times, but that seems to be the case more often than not. Which prompts all sorts of questions. Is there a significant difference between eye-appeal (how collectors might view a card) and technical grading where one company is harsher than another on certain aspect that are irrelevant to eye-appeal? If there is a sense that a card has been graded by SGC (sent in SGC slab), does PSA grade it lower intentionally? Doesn't seem like that could merely be the result of marketing and market dominance. There is more there, it would seem. I ask because I have a number of SGC slabs that look better than many of their PSA counterparts, and have thought about crossing them over (for registry and consistency), but worry about the PSA grade. At the end of the day the card doesn't change and if I own it I wanted it, but it seems like it would effect investment results.
Now, left out of this is authenticity discussions for older cards. I can't speak to that, but it seems like some/many believe SGC is better in this area. That would further support that cross-over opportunity should be even more desirable. Get a better chance at an "authentic" then cross-over for gain.
I don't know the answers, but it seems like there is something that isn't explained (or at least I don't understand). Yes, buy the card is easy, but there are lots of factors to consider.
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