[Archive]

Posted By: Steve Verkman

As many of you know, my company was one of the strongest supporters of the SGC grading company for many years. We felt they were more consistent graders and I agree with the others who posted about how much better their holders look than PSA or Global.

A grading company is only as good as its graders and its integrity. I have stopped submitting cards to SGC since Derek Grady left as the top grader. While Derek was not perfect, we was 100% honest and would research something before blindly making decisions on grading and authenticity. After Derek left, I cannot say anything good, bad or indifferent about the graders at SGC as I have never met them or know a thing about them as they are almost certainly VERY new to high quality vintage cards.

Many of you made reference to David Foreman. He now apparently has an ownership stake in SGC. Foreman has been a major supporter of PSA for almost 10 years and is literally a pioneer when it comes to trimming and restoring cards. He has been buying low and mid grade cards and "improving" them for over a decade now.

Even if one supposes that Foreman was undergone a religious conversion and is now a Saint, do you guys really believe as I was told by Sean at SGC that Foreman does not buy or sell any cards? Why would he give up a potentially large income to get involved in the declining and incredibly competitive grading world.

I don't know how many of you noticed but Foreman's brother submits cards to SGC and is now running his own auction of high quality vintage cards (he had many on display at the National). If that is not a conflict of interest, what is?

Foreman apparently had a major role in the Teletrade company, with rumors around the show circuit stating that he owned the company. From what I understand it no longer exists as he allowed many cards from the PRO Grading Service and other problematic material to be funneled through Teletrade.


With all of this said, I can offer no strong endorsement of any grading company. SGC is the only one that has a known dealer as an owner and has the brother of this person grading cards. PSA is obviously flawed as is Global but they do not share this quality.

To my mind, the only reason to grade a card is to sell it for more money, That is assuming you know what you have and trust the person or people from whom you acquired the merchandise. Ebay obviously brings along a new set of problems but as knowledgable as members of this group are in ferreting out bad sellers, it seems to not be too terrible. I am speaking somewhat out of ignorance on the need for graded cards on ebay as I buy only a handful of items on ebay.

I write this not to cause any controversy but to make sure that the great and very knowledgable collectors on this board know what they are buying when they use a particular grading company.

Steve Verkman
Clean Sweep Auctions