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MarkThompsonMW: “I would say that roughly 70% of the time, they come back graded lower.”
What is lower? Can you provide an example of “lower” using SGC and PSA grades?
Do you know how SGC grades translate to PSA or is this an opinion?
MW: “That combined with the current PSA scandal where a major PSA authorized dealer was supposedly grading and slabbing his own cards and circulating thousands throughout the hobby via "grade-and-trade" as well as through other PSA Authorized dealers”
The “Scandel” appears to be ONE company that has unquestionably broke the law as the FBI has indicted them. Can we\should we conclude all PSA slabbed cards and or companies are fraudulent? As the article states “The charges were based, in part, upon evidence PROVIDED TO THE FBI BY PSA.” This doesn’t make PSA’s credibility look worse, does it? Further, “No Collectors Universe personnel were involved in the fraudulent scheme. Rather, Collectors Universe, using proprietary security measures that it has developed to protect collectibles consumers from fraud and misrepresentation, helped to uncover the fraud and to assist the Federal Government in the investigation that led to the filing of charges against the dealer.” Should we just skip this paragraph entirely?
MW: “….makes SGC easily the best bet right now.”
1. “Easily” – one dealer indicted and your opinion = easily?
2. “Right now”? Can PSA survive this “scandel” or are will they lose their position as the article states as “the leading provider of value-added grading and authentication services and products to dealers and collectors of high-end collectible coins, sportscards, currency, stamps, sports and entertainment memorabilia, autographs and other collectibles.”
MW: “Anyone who would argue differently at this juncture either works for PSA or has many thousands of dollars invested in PSA graded cards and fears a substantial loss in equity.”
1. “this juncture” – conclusive evidence and support from the one dealer and a few cards?.
2. “… many thousands of dollars invested in PSA graded cards and fears a substantial loss in equity”. Don’t you have thousands of dollars in PSA graded cards listed on your web site?
MW: “Just not true. Here are some recent examples of major rookie cards or "benchmark" indicators:”
Are you answering the first couple questions above re: card grades and is this fact or your opinion?
Could it be that PSA’s SMR prices are more conservative (i.e. lower)?
I thought PSA would grade a SGC 8.8 as a 10 from the sounds of respondents in this thread? Therefore, your SMR values are incorrect and the cards would be worth well more in every example you list?
How do you know what PSA SMR values are? Are you a PSA member?
MW: “As can be seen by these and other examples I could provide, SGC cards -- even those from the 1950s and 1960s -- have overtaken the values for similar PSA graded cards. And with the drastic loss of confidence from the current PSA scandal, I expect this gap to widen.”
1. “As can be seen by these and other examples I could provide, SGC cards -- even those from the 1950s and 1960s -- have overtaken the values for similar PSA graded cards.
There is no question based on the above conclusive evidence.
2. “and with the drastic loss of confidence from the current PSA scandal…..”
“Drastic loss of confidence” – A quick search of “Pre-30’s Graded” cards on ebay shows 258 PSA cards and 61 SGC cards. Is this the drastic loss of confidence you’re talking about or are these 258 being sold by “When It Was A Game”?
Finally, can these two companies even be compared? What is the economic size difference of these two entities. If SGC does do a better job of grading, have we seen the shift in the market place or will it come now that the above referenced article (just released to the public yesterday) is out? It seems SGC’s strength is in Mr. Grady. If the market has shifted (efficient market hypothesis), there still seems to be many people selling vintage cards in PSA holders. If the market hasn’t shifted to SGC quite yet, how will Mr. Grady be able to handle the influx of business? Will his resources be taxed and grading standards suffer or will he train others to grade vintage cards and therefore create as least two if not more opinions on what a card grades at SGC? I have many SGC and PSA cards, what I don’t have is such a closed-minded view of things.