PSA vs. SGC

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Posted By: Dan Mathewson 

I thought this might add some interesting discussion on the ongoing topic of whether "PSA Graded cards demand great dollars at auction than SGC cards do"... (Links to the auctions I'm referring to are at bottom).

Here are two of the same card...a 1905 Matty E95 Philadelphia Caramel Card. One is a PSA-2, one is a SGC 30 (2). Both auctions ran virtually concurrent, ending less than a day apart.

Both look qite similar, but from the discussions here, if one is a PSA-2 and one is an SGC-2, one would expect the SGC-2 to be AT LEAST as good at the PSA card, if not better, but more strictly graded (I'm just going based on what people say here on this board).

Interesting that the SGC graded card commanded a high bid of $148, while the PSA graded card commanded a high bid almost 40% more at $204.

Just thought I'd toss this out for discussion, as I have heard many comments about this topic for so long, and several folks here have mentioned an interest in seeing more directly comparable examples. The auction links are below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31718&item=2712941446&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31718&item=2712495713&rd=1


Cheers! -dan

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Posted By: Todd (nolemmings)

Only 2 common bidders. Also, no bidding on the sgc card for 6 days--and then only after the PSA auction had ended.
I guess people could tolerate that nasty stain more than that nasty crease, but weren't all that interested in either card (or at least were not interested enough).
Todd

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Posted By: jeff s

as always, there are so many variables that complicate these discussions.

First off, especially in lower-end grades, there is are large differences between cards of a certain grade. It would not surprise me if, for instance, both of these cards were SGC 30 and they still bid up to approximately the same prices.

As for as the scans indicate, the PSA card is quite a bit nicer -- I prefer SGC, but I'd spend more on the PSA card in this case. As far as I can tell from the kinda small/blurry scans, the PSA card is almost worth a "3" and the SGC card is just barely better than a "20."

It seems that, rather than preferring one company to another, bidders may be bidding on the card, not the case. Or maybe the PSA bidders are banking on that company's inconsistency, hoping to resubmit for a better grade.

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Posted By: scott brockelman

i don't think the comparison everyone strives for will ever gel. in this case, as it should be in every case, buy the card not the holder. the psa card had a slight stain but no creases(at least that i could see) and a nice image. the sgc card was heavily creased in the corner and not as nice appearing. IF the cards were raw and laying side by side, i would have paid more for the psa example, and if they were graded 2, i would have done the same. you can not blindly buy a card based on the numeric grade. you have to see it and determine for yourself the asthetic value. had the cards been flip flopped in their respective holders the nicer card would have still brought more.

scott

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Posted By: BcD

I have an SGC 80 & 84 and a psa 5 of this card and the SGC ones are much nicer! By the way, SGC will be history in a few months! POOF!!! They will become GAI leon.....GAI

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Posted By: leonl

very subliminal of you....that story is all yours....(maybe so ....maybe not...is my guess)......later

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Posted By: Dan Mathewson

So, is it possible that SGC overgraded this card? This has been an interesting topic to follow on this board, as I follow several of he conversations comparing the two services.

I constantly hear it stated that SGC grades tougher and more consistently than PSA does. And, that an SGC-5 is consistently a better quality card than a PSA-5 (and so on, up and down the scale...)

I've actually been curious to see if this is true, and I've kinda waited for a comparison like this to come up on eBay to check it out. I am curious about others' opinions...

(I haven't been on the board much lately, been traveling quite a bit, and I'm in Anchorage right now freezing my baseballs off...)



-dan

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Posted By: jay behrens

I have not looked at the cards in questions, but when you get into the lower grades (VG/Ex and lower), you can get a huge variance in the quality of the card within a a given grade. Sounds like this is the case. This is my only real serious gripe with grading system, not enough differeniation in the lower grades.

I like SGC's system simply because they have not limted themselves to a 1-10 scale, but I really wish they would make full use of the 1-100 scale they use. Is it really that hard to grade a card in, say, 4 areas (centering, corners, register, surface) and rate each on on a 1-25 scale then total them up for a final grade?

Jay

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Posted By: runscott

Dan,

here are two cards given the save grade by SGC, the one on the left for rounded corners and stains, though no creases. The one on the right is a near-perfect card, but has the slightest surface wrinkle on the back, that is nearly impossible to see now that it's behind plastic; however, ANY wrinkle, no matter how small, prohibits a card from grading 'EX'.

As the other Scott pointed out, you should be buying the card rather than the assigned grade.