Posted By:
Joe D.matt:
"I agree this improves their overall product; two is the greater than/equals policy which I disagree with . Do you believe that said policy improves their overall product or do you disagree with that policy as well?"
Matt - I don't know if greater/than equals by itself helps their overall product, but demotions would definitely hurt their overall product. It would shake the confidence and support their customers have in their product. It is an unnecessary punishment that serves no purpose as I see the margin of error for any grader is more than 1/2 point on the scale.
Quite frankly, I think a 5.5 can get a 6.5 and a 6.5 can get a 5.5 from any grading company. I've seen overgrades and undergrades. The grading companies themselves know this. I have been told by a grading company that I got 'lucky' and a 'strong grade' was given by the grader. They didn't look to confiscate the card.
Everyone (including a grader) knows or should know - you need to look at the card, not just the number on the flip! No matter how many points they have in the scale, grading will always be subjective. I guarantee there will be 4.5s that look like 5.5s and when they go to auction, they will get more bids than other 4.5s
What you are suggesting is that PSA starts over.... scrap everything they have done before and start anew. I see this as ridiculous. And more to the point on this board - I see it as another "bash PSA" type statement (i.e., "they stunk before and they need to start anew")
I agree with others on this board... the people who could be up in arms about this are top registry people. They have a place in the registry (that they care about) that can now be challenged for no other reason than a change in policy. Most likely - everyone from second place down will see this as their chance to move up (everyone has an ego). I couldn't care less about the registry. I do like to upgrade my cards... but things like eye appeal and ink vibrancy, ink registration mean a heck of a lot more to me than a technical grade.
I will add - and have yet to hear anyone comment on this:
I think that if SGC were to add these half grades:
2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 6.5 - it would be a product improvement.
SGC does not offer these half grades. If they decide to at some point... I would think it would be perfectly reasonable for them to accept 2s, 3s, 4s, and 6s for possible greater than/equals bumps to their new system.
I bet this board would have much less of a problem with SGC offering a greater than equal bump review if they had a grade scale change - because the assumption is SGC hasn't made the mistakes that PSA has made.
So again, thats what it comes down to. People just want PSA to start anew - because this board has its own negative bias of PSA grading.