Peter Steinberg leaves SGC

[Rich Klein]

It's official and noted on the SGC FB page

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=SGC

[Rich Klein]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMfnLyWuiPL/?img_index=1

[Lorewalker]

Does not come as a surprise.

[jjbond]

Ugh. I've still been hoping SGC will stick around, as there are numerous financial reasons to do so:
- keeping SGC loyalists
- value in a known brand
- having a "competitor" in the market
- perhaps even specializing, with a "PSA Vintage" line run through SGC, and a "PSA Modern" line run through PSA
- potential to give customers the option of regular PSA cases or tuxedo cases

But...now there's more issues about why SGC might not stick around:
- SGC bought by PSA's parent company
- PSA moved into the SGC warehouse in FL
- SGC dropping bulk submitter discount rate
- SGC submissions down, processing time up
- SGC head resigning

That being said....I'm still hopeful? I mean, maybe this is all just growing pains to set up a new business plan??

[4815162342]

PSA President Ryan Hoge on the Future of SGC in a post Peter era.

https://youtu.be/rT-jvT2l-VQ?si=Ef2S6DoXL2KluQ4p

[jtq81]

If I'm Beckett or CGC I'm going after Peter right now.

[Johnny630]

SGC slab and grading isn't going anywhere because PSA won't cross their cards as the same grade. Too many rich, powerful, influential collectors own Big time 6 Figure Cards in SGC Slabs. The highest-selling Mantle 9.5 and T206 Wagner.

[Neal]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

Does not come as a surprise.

Exactly

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

SGC slab and grading isn't going anywhere because PSA won't cross their cards as the same grade. Too many rich, powerful, influential collectors own Big time 6 Figure Cards in SGC Slabs. The highest-selling Mantle 9.5 and T206 Wagner.

I don't think Nat is considering the investment some people have in SGC holders. That cannot have a bearing on business decisions he is going to make for Collectors' future.

In my opinion if Nat does away with the SGC brand, I do not see how that will impact Collectors' bottom line. I think more people than we might think will cave in and submit to PSA instead. Those that don't will have no impact on Collectors.

Personally speaking, I would hate to see the SGC brand vanish.

As for the Hoge interview, I clearly heard some things that were entirely contradictory which suggests to me we that he was not being transparent/honest...but that is business.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

I don't think Nat is considering the investment some people have in SGC holders. That cannot have a bearing on business decisions he is going to make for Collectors' future.

In my opinion if Nat does away with the SGC brand, I do not see how that will impact Collectors' bottom line. I think more people than we might think will cave in and submit to PSA instead. Those that don't will have no impact on Collectors.

Personally speaking, I would hate to see the SGC brand vanish.

As for the Hoge interview, I clearly heard some things that were entirely contradictory which suggests to me we that he was not being transparent/honest...but that is business.

If it’s the right collectors, which it probably is the ones that have the major big Cards if he wants to Nix SGC slabs and stop grading as SGC he might cross those specific cards. I don’t know. I think SGC grading is here to stay and not going anywhere. That’s just me.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

If it’s the right collectors, which it probably is the ones that have the major big Cards if he wants to Nix SGC slabs and stop grading as SGC he might cross those specific cards. I don’t know. I think SGC grading is here to stay and not going anywhere. That’s just me.

Tough to cross a 9.5 to PSA!

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by raulus

Tough to cross a 9.5 to PSA!

Good point !!! Another great reason for them not to go away.

[FromVAtoLA]

Paul was interviewed on the first 10-15 minutes of today's Sports Card Nonsense podcast. He confirmed SGC will be scaled down and turned into a "boutique" grading company. They'll stay small in scale and preserve faster turn-around times. They'll continue to maintain vintage grading capabilities. Their slab cross-overs will only be maintained for cards with $25k-$50k+ in value.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by FromVAtoLA

Paul was interviewed on the first 10-15 minutes of today's Sports Card Nonsense podcast. He confirmed SGC will be scaled down and turned into a "boutique" grading company. They'll stay small in scale and preserve faster turn-around times. They'll continue to maintain vintage grading capabilities. Their slab cross-overs will only be maintained for cards with $25k-$50k+ in value.

Until Collectors scales them down even further. I wish Collectors had never bought them but I do not believe for a minute that Collectors keeps SGC as a going concern as a goodwill gesture to the SGC faithful. It is 100% clear Collectors is not investing into the brand, Ryan Hoge made that incredibly clear, despite what was suggested after they bought them and some "insiders" posted here.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by FromVAtoLA

Their slab cross-overs will only be maintained for cards with $25k-$50k+ in value.

What does this mean?

[FromVAtoLA]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

What does this mean?

For a while they were offering a complimentary service to see if your card could cross over at the same grade. That was too popular so they charge a fee now and the pricing is geared towards high end cards. It’s around the 12 min mark.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by FromVAtoLA

Paul was interviewed on the first 10-15 minutes of today's Sports Card Nonsense podcast. He confirmed SGC will be scaled down and turned into a "boutique" grading company. They'll stay small in scale and preserve faster turn-around times. They'll continue to maintain vintage grading capabilities. Their slab cross-overs will only be maintained for cards with $25k-$50k+ in value.

There we go big guys with big money cards talk and others walk.

[brunswickreeves]

PSA is reallocating some SGC graders to cover PSA submission demand (in fact executing their 2026 staffing strategy now). Does it stand to reason then that SGC graders are viewed as competent as PSA graders? If so, will PSA cross over an SGC graded card into the same PSA grade? Currently that is not a standard practice by PSA.

[raulus]

Welp! Guess I got lucky by staying away from SGC slabs. Mostly dumb luck. Of course, my slabs from the other guys could be next.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by FromVAtoLA

Paul was interviewed on the first 10-15 minutes of today's Sports Card Nonsense podcast. He confirmed SGC will be scaled down and turned into a "boutique" grading company. They'll stay small in scale and preserve faster turn-around times. They'll continue to maintain vintage grading capabilities. Their slab cross-overs will only be maintained for cards with $25k-$50k+ in value.

From my March 8, 2024, post on Substack:

"This acquisition seems to be a true example of a synergistic fit. SGC has a proven brand with a loyal customer base and a record of handling things that PSA does not handle (and that PSA may not want to develop the expertise to handle). It is a niche rival that Collectors can gain from by adding SGC to its empire as a brand and division, not an arch-rival to be destroyed and cut up for parts. My suspicion is that instead of training up the expertise within PSA to compete with SGC by grading the stuff SGC handles, Collectors simply bought SGC because acquiring that expertise and market share was cheaper, like buying an oil company with proven reserves for less than it would cost to explore and find a comparable amount of new oil. I think that in the longer term SGC will become a division of Collectors devoted to the niche stuff that SGC does well."

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by FromVAtoLA

For a while they were offering a complimentary service to see if your card could cross over at the same grade. That was too popular so they charge a fee now and the pricing is geared towards high end cards. It’s around the 12 min mark.

Thanks!

[Brent G.]

If they decide to cut the SGC brand, I gotta think they'd offer a PSA Amnesty submission deal for all existing SGC slabs -- say $25, even crossover. They can sell it as, "We've examined decades of SGC encapsulations and wholeheartedly believe the standards applied closely adhere to those of PSA." I have no idea how many SGC slabs exist, but I gotta think they'd take in $100+ million.

[HOF_Forever]

I'm curious: what is driving people to forecast a drop in value and/or demand for SGC slabs if the SGC brand is discontinued?

Personally, I own both SGC and PSA slabbed cards and don't really have a preference. If SGC is discontinued it changes nothing for me regarding the cards I own. I would feel no need to cross anything over. I would also continue to buy SGC graded cards as I wouldn't view the discontinuation of the brand as invalidating the expertise and grades that SGC has put out over the past decades. I understand if people are into the PSA set registry, but if you own SGC cards today, why would one not cross over today instead of waiting for the SGC brand to go away?

It appears my opinion is in the minority of posters here, so I would like to understand the reasons that seem to be driving people to the opinion that existing SGC slabs will be devalued and people will want to cross everything over to PSA.


P.S. If this does come to pass, feel free to sell me your SGC slabs at a discount

[jchcollins]

The sideshow hubris of the YT community and everyone with their crystal balls over what happens next here has been amusing.

I love SGC and think it would be detrimental to the hobby if they cease to exist as a brand, but will not lose any sleep waiting for anyone to ask me...

[raulus]

Originally Posted by HOF_Forever

I'm curious: what is driving people to forecast a drop in value and/or demand for SGC slabs if the SGC brand is discontinued?

P.S. If this does come to pass, feel free to sell me your SGC slabs at a discount

History.

The now faded graders of the past are now nothing more than a novelty. Their slabs are viewed with suspicion. Admittedly, SGC hasn’t suffered from the same sorts of scandals as many now defunct graders, and there are many more pieces that have been graded by SGC over the years. Plus anyone who might have been fooled into thinking that the G in SGC implied some sort of guarantee will now be sorely disappointed because graders who are no longer in business don’t offer many guarantees.

Not that I have any real insights, but I would guess that the impact will be mild initially, probably particularly in the prewar stuff, simply because this crowd will snap up anything that comes with the smallest discount and therefore keep prices from dropping much. But as years pass by and memories grow dim, this crowd shuffles out of the hobby and with new collectors entering the market, the discount will likely grow.

[aldridgemj214]

I think the assumption on valuation risk stems from the belief that if they shut down SGC, they will also eventually shut down the website containing the SGC population report data. Now whether everyone cares about pop counts equally (or trusts them), they do provide a good reference point when laying down big $ on certain uncommon cards. Just my 2 cents.

[Lorewalker]

My perception would be that any card that remains in an SGC holder as more time has passed since the brand was eliminated, was not worthy of crossing, either due to weakness of grade or a suspected alteration. Eventually, scandal or not surrounding SGC's demise, those cards will continue to become significantly less valuable.

[Leon]

As much as I have had issues with SGC not knowing what they are doing (mostly due to previous ownership), I don't think their slabbed card values go down, regardless if they are still relevant or not. I could change my mind, but I don't see me crossing my cards to another holder. I collect cards more than holders....but, if it is almost 100% certain they get more money in another holder, then so be it. Time will tell.

This cards value, below, won't change in a different holder.

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

My perception would be that any card that remains in an SGC holder as more time has passed since the brand was eliminated, was not worthy of crossing, either due to weakness of grade or a suspected alteration. Eventually, scandal or not surrounding SGC's demise, those cards will continue to become significantly less valuable.

[parkplace33]

This article sums it up for me:

https://cardlines.com/peter-steinber...sgc-president/

But peeling back the layers reveals a more complicated picture. The reality of shared staffing, merged operations, and shifting resources suggests that this “boutique” repositioning could be less a renaissance and more a staged retreat.

With much of SGC’s grading staff being absorbed into PSA, and SGC’s Boca Raton facility supporting PSA’s massive daily intake, the brand is losing operational independence.

Collectors’ leadership has poured capital and energy into PSA’s scaling efforts—and with good reason, given PSA’s dominant market share and massive submission volumes.

Meanwhile, SGC is left to shrink and serve a smaller, more niche segment, which some insiders and collectors interpret as a prelude to further downsizing or even eventual shutdown.

This strategic sidelining raises questions: Is SGC genuinely being preserved as a boutique jewel in the grading crown?

Or is it being quietly phased out, with PSA consolidating grading power and market share under its banner?

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

This article sums it up for me:

https://cardlines.com/peter-steinber...sgc-president/

But peeling back the layers reveals a more complicated picture. The reality of shared staffing, merged operations, and shifting resources suggests that this “boutique” repositioning could be less a renaissance and more a staged retreat.

With much of SGC’s grading staff being absorbed into PSA, and SGC’s Boca Raton facility supporting PSA’s massive daily intake, the brand is losing operational independence.

Collectors’ leadership has poured capital and energy into PSA’s scaling efforts—and with good reason, given PSA’s dominant market share and massive submission volumes.

Meanwhile, SGC is left to shrink and serve a smaller, more niche segment, which some insiders and collectors interpret as a prelude to further downsizing or even eventual shutdown.

This strategic sidelining raises questions: Is SGC genuinely being preserved as a boutique jewel in the grading crown?

Or is it being quietly phased out, with PSA consolidating grading power and market share under its banner?

Here is your answer Quote from Article

“Collectors would let customers determine SGC’s ultimate future by their submissions but that vintage grading would remain “a pillar” for SGC. “We’re committed to the SGC brand.”

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by Leon

As much as I have had issues with SGC not knowing what they are doing (mostly due to previous ownership), I don't think their slabbed card values go down, regardless if they are still relevant or not. I could change my mind, but I don't see me crossing my cards to another holder. I collect cards more than holders....but, if it is almost 100% certain they get more money in another holder, then so be it. Time will tell.

This cards value, below, won't change in a different holder.

Agree with you, Leon, it's not like we're talking about some fly-by-night operation — they've been around for nearly 30 years. Not everyone feels the need to play the crossover game. I love the SGC look, my best cards are in their slabs — I'm fine if that makes me a sucker.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Brent G.

Agree with you, Leon, it's not like we're talking about some fly-by-night operation — they've been around for nearly 30 years. Not everyone feels the need to play the crossover game.

If SGC does eventually shut down completely, then sadly this group will likely have only a small role to play in whether SGC slabs retain their value, simply because only a small slice of collectors are here. I don't mean to dimish this august body - we are no doubt a relatively active group with some pretty impressive collections. Yet we're still just a small piece of the puzzle overall.

Even if only a relatively small part of collectors migrate away from buying SGC slabs, that will likely be enough to move the needle and get the process started. While most of us are focused on buying the card and not the slab, it should be abundantly clear by now that this approach is not exceedingly common across the larger collector base.

Once collectors see a meaningful discount for SGC slabs, that mentality will likely take root and grow. Some ideas have a way of taking on a life of their own, even if they're little more than perception based on legend. Naturally there will be lots of resistance around here, and plenty of SGC buyers snapping up bargains to put a floor under prices. But it's hard to imagine it will be enough in the grand scheme to prevent the inevitable over 5, 10, or 20 years.

And it's not like it couldn't happen to those of us with PSA slabs. While PSA appears dominant and unstoppable today, history is littered with such juggernauts who lost their luster and eventually withered to nothing.

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by raulus

If SGC does eventually shut down completely, then sadly this group will likely have only a small role to play in whether SGC slabs retain their value, simply because only a small slice of collectors are here. I don't mean to dimish this august body - we are no doubt a relatively active group with some pretty impressive collections. Yet we're still just a small piece of the puzzle overall.

Even if only a relatively small part of collectors migrate away from buying SGC slabs, that will likely be enough to move the needle and get the process started. While most of us are focused on buying the card and not the slab, it should be abundantly clear by now that this approach is not exceedingly common across the larger collector base.

Once collectors see a meaningful discount for SGC slabs, that mentality will likely take root and grow. Some ideas have a way of taking on a life of their own, even if they're little more than perception based on legend. Naturally there will be lots of resistance around here, and plenty of SGC buyers snapping up bargains to put a floor under prices. But it's hard to imagine it will be enough in the grand scheme to prevent the inevitable over 5, 10, or 20 years.

And it's not like it couldn't happen to those of us with PSA slabs. While PSA appears dominant and unstoppable today, history is littered with such juggernauts who lost their luster and eventually withered to nothing.

I'm sure most of us have taken advantage of that SGC discount at one time or another already. Last year when I was in the market for a Jordan Fleer RC, I went with an SGC that saved me $700+. I think it'd get the same grade via crossover, but I don't care enough to spend $299 to get it done and put it in a slab I like less. I'll either take that loss if I ever sell or my heirs will when I'm dead.

I have slabs of all kinds, I really only care about PSA when it's a high-end auto.

[Vintagedeputy]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

Here is your answer Quote from Article

“Collectors would let customers determine SGC’s ultimate future by their submissions but that vintage grading would remain “a pillar” for SGC. “We’re committed to the SGC brand.”

That’s exactly what SGC should have always been, vintage only. Screw the Pokémon nonsense and all the shiny stuff.

[jchcollins]

It's entirely possible I'm just too laid back about the whole situation, but to me at the end of the day, all slabs are just holders with opinions. They will always exist in some form or another at this point, whether that is SGC, PSA, CGC, or some as of yet unknown future entrant to the market.

If one or the other falls out of favor or ceases someday to exist as a brand, it will be entirely possible for me to get my most valuable cards re-graded or slabbed again with someone else. If I even feel like doing that, and not just leaving them in their current holders - or as I've been known to do sometimes - just busting them out to enjoy the raw card in a toploader or card saver.

The cards, barring some unforeseen event - will be the objects that retain the value over the long term. At least if I am betting. The rest to me quickly just becomes semantics.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

It's entirely possible I'm just too laid back about the whole situation, but to me at the end of the day, all slabs are just holders with opinions. They will always exist in some form or another at this point, whether that is SGC, PSA, CGC, or some as of yet unknown future entrant to the market.

If one or the other falls out of favor or ceases someday to exist as a brand, it will be entirely possible for me to get my most valuable cards re-graded or slabbed again with someone else. If I even feel like doing that, and not just leaving them in their current holders - or as I've been known to do sometimes - just busting them out to enjoy the raw card in a toploader or card saver.

The cards, barring some unforeseen event - will be the objects that retain the value over the long term. At least if I am betting. The rest to me quickly just becomes semantics.

I think where things get real is for some of us who have a lot of value tied up in our collection, particularly if the value is in some way connected to the number on the slab. Certainly if you have a lot of mid-grade or low-grade stuff, then it's less of an issue. If you have some really high grade stuff where the difference between an 8 or a 9 or a 10 can be gigantic, then the number on the slab matters, and cracking it out to go commando isn't a great alternative.

And when the value in your collection of those "rare for the grade" pieces climbs to 5 figures, 6 figures, or even 7 figures, then it gets real in a hurry, because the ongoing faith in the slab is a big part of the ability to continue to get that value if the time ever comes to sell.

All of which, I suppose, highlights the silliness of the whole business, and the potential fragility of those values for high grade vintage stuff.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by raulus

I think where things get real is for some of us who have a lot of value tied up in our collection, particularly if the value is in some way connected to the number on the slab.

I get it. My collection has value on the whole, but I have never been a super high grade vintage guy. I collect based on eye appeal, but a 50's star in a PSA 4 is probably going to be just fine with me.

If you are using your collection as a more significant investment vehicle for retirement or otherwise, then I can certainly understand the difference the slab makes.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

If you are using your collection as a more significant investment vehicle for retirement or otherwise, then I can certainly understand the difference the slab makes.

Can't speak for everyone, but I'm guessing that many of us didn't start out planning for this to be an investment or to fund our retirement. For a lot of us, the whole idea was to collect for the fun of it, and get nice stuff while we are at it. But with the explosion in values in the last 5 years, the numbers have gotten to the point where it's hard to ignore.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

This article sums it up for me:

https://cardlines.com/peter-steinber...sgc-president/

But peeling back the layers reveals a more complicated picture. The reality of shared staffing, merged operations, and shifting resources suggests that this “boutique” repositioning could be less a renaissance and more a staged retreat.

With much of SGC’s grading staff being absorbed into PSA, and SGC’s Boca Raton facility supporting PSA’s massive daily intake, the brand is losing operational independence.

Collectors’ leadership has poured capital and energy into PSA’s scaling efforts—and with good reason, given PSA’s dominant market share and massive submission volumes.

Meanwhile, SGC is left to shrink and serve a smaller, more niche segment, which some insiders and collectors interpret as a prelude to further downsizing or even eventual shutdown.

This strategic sidelining raises questions: Is SGC genuinely being preserved as a boutique jewel in the grading crown?

Or is it being quietly phased out, with PSA consolidating grading power and market share under its banner?

I watched two interviews with Ryan Hoge, who I think is an asset to Collectors, and it is pretty clear assuring SGC's future is not a priority and the value in Collector's buying SGC was 1) preventing another TPG from getting them and 2) to use as much of their infrastructure as possible to support Collectors present grading departments. Why else would they move in across the hall from SGC?

Remember we were told by both SGC and Collectors and few insider members here 18 months ago, that Collectors was going to pour in resources into SGC. That never happened and it was never going to happen and for the foreseeable future would let SGC run independently...foreseeable is now synonymous for 6 to 8 months in corporate speak. Now they have depleted the company of staff, leaving them with a lot less people to manage the brand and discouraging modern and TCG submissions. Will news of that result in a diminished demand for them to grade vintage? I could see that happening.

I am firmly in the camp that if the brand goes away, there is no possible way the cards inside the SGC holder retain their value. It might not happen overnight but it is inevitable to me. And I think we will see prices drop off...maybe not for the 1 card that Leon posted but for most cards. Once collectors see the forced contraction of the SGC brand are they going to be as excited about getting their cards encapsulated by them? Dunno but only a fool invests in a company that appears they might not be in business much longer.

As was posted by someone else, “Collectors would let customers determine SGC’s ultimate future by their submissions but that vintage grading would remain “a pillar” for SGC. “We’re committed to the SGC brand.” All this means is let's see how this news and these changes of stripping the company of most of their resources impacts SGC and once the demand drops or they cannot remain profitable we will shut it down.

Lastly, once SGC is depleted of personnel, etc, they really should ban submission of TCG and modern to them otherwise the 5 remaining employees will never have time to grade the vintage and turnaround times will be a year.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by raulus

Can't speak for everyone, but I'm guessing that many of us didn't start out planning for this to be an investment or to fund our retirement. For a lot of us, the whole idea was to collect for the fun of it, and get nice stuff while we are at it. But with the explosion in values in the last 5 years, the numbers have gotten to the point where it's hard to ignore.

Indeed. I've never considered my collection an investment, or bought items solely with the intent of investing. But what you say is true even for my stuff in that I'm surprised it's now worth what it is.

[Brent G.]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

I watched two interviews with Ryan Hoge, who I think is an asset to Collectors, and it is pretty clear assuring SGC's future is not a priority and the value in Collector's buying SGC was 1) preventing another TPG from getting them and 2) to use as much of their infrastructure as possible to support Collectors present grading departments. Why else would they move in across the hall from SGC?

Remember we were told by both SGC and Collectors and few insider members here 18 months ago, that Collectors was going to pour in resources into SGC. That never happened and it was never going to happen and for the foreseeable future would let SGC run independently...foreseeable is now synonymous for 6 to 8 months in corporate speak. Now they have depleted the company of staff, leaving them with a lot less people to manage the brand and discouraging modern and TCG submissions. Will news of that result in a diminished demand for them to grade vintage? I could see that happening.

I am firmly in the camp that if the brand goes away, there is no possible way the cards inside the SGC holder retain their value. It might not happen overnight but it is inevitable to me. And I think we will see prices drop off...maybe not for the 1 card that Leon posted but for most cards. Once collectors see the forced contraction of the SGC brand are they going to be as excited about getting their cards encapsulated by them? Dunno but only a fool invests in a company that appears they might not be in business much longer.

As was posted by someone else, “Collectors would let customers determine SGC’s ultimate future by their submissions but that vintage grading would remain “a pillar” for SGC. “We’re committed to the SGC brand.” All this means is let's see how this news and these changes of stripping the company of most of their resources impacts SGC and once the demand drops or they cannot remain profitable we will shut it down.

Lastly, once SGC is depleted of personnel, etc, they really should ban submission of TCG and modern to them otherwise the 5 remaining employees will never have time to grade the vintage and turnaround times will be a year.

Well said. This reads like every corporate buyout I've witnessed first-hand — big talk upfront, then gut the thing.

[Schlesinj]

For the hobby contingent of flippers of freshly printed items timing of grading and % perceived value was one major driver for anything newly issued going to SGC. IMO when they had a delay in response that % shifted to the next group that could put a 10 on a slab.

Even if a 10-20% difference in value (between PSA vs ABC grading company) occurred having something auctioned off first matters to those people. Hence why we see the suggestion to vault or go directly to eBay. Saving time.

That is where the money is not the buy and hold group sitting on this message board. Sadly.

[Yoda]

Monopolies are inherently passive, incompetent and corrupt. Collectors checks all the boxes.

[glchen]

I don't mean to be a contrarian, but is this really that big of a deal? People leave companies all of the time, for a variety of reasons. And SGC has always seemed to have a fairly long bench of top talent. I mean I remember corresponding with Brian Dwyer when he was at SGC, and now he is president of REA. Rob Luce, a former head grader at SGC, is also at REA now, I think. Derek Grady, another former head grader at SGC, has been at Heritage for years. I think SGC will be fine, and I'll continue to send submissions to SGC, especially for some types of items that other TPGs don't grade such as real photo postcards, BF3 pennants, and irregularly cut cards, most of which have a significantly lower grading fees than PSA.

[Kutcher55]

SGC cards in new holders with good eye appeal will retain value just fine. The ones in old holders with crummy eye appeal that were overgraded to begin with will continue to lose value.

[ValKehl]

I seldon got my vintage cards graded over the years, but when I did I used SGC. More recently, due to my age and a health issue, I decided I'd better get lots more of my raw cards slabbed to facilitate their eventual disposal. I was going to give SGC 200-300 cards (at the quantity discount prices SGC quoted me) at the April Chantilly Show, but I procrastinated and didn't get to it. I then intended to do this at the June Chantilly Show, but SGC was a surprising (to me) no show, followed by the recent Collectors' announcement re the future of SGC.

Here's my guess as to what will happen to SGC going forward. I'm going to hold off subbing my 200-300 cards to SGC for the near term future. I suspect that several/many regular SGC submitters will do likewise. This volume decline will prompt Collectors to fold SGC into PSA as the "Vintage Card Division of PSA" and eliminate the SGC brand soon thereafter. A bit later, PSA will offer holders of cards in SGC slabs a special deal to cross over their cards to PSA slabs at the SAME grades, if appropriate. Where PSA deems it not appropriate, the collector will be given the choice of having their card put in a PSA slab with a lower grade OR having their card returned in its SGC slab along with a full or partial refund of the re-slabbing fee paid. I see all this happening within the next 12 to 18 months.

If I were CGC management, I would be thinking that this might be our best opportunity to snag a sizeable share of SGC's future vintage card business. I see this being successful only if CGC is able to legally pirate SGC's best vintage graders and then promotes the heck out of their increased vintage focus with special promotions for vintage-card submitters and via other promotional methods.

As always, just my 2 cents worth!

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by glchen

I don't mean to be a contrarian, but is this really that big of a deal? People leave companies all of the time, for a variety of reasons. And SGC has always seemed to have a fairly long bench of top talent. I mean I remember corresponding with Brian Dwyer when he was at SGC, and now he is president of REA. Rob Luce, a former head grader at SGC, is also at REA now, I think. Derek Grady, another former head grader at SGC, has been at Heritage for years. I think SGC will be fine, and I'll continue to send submissions to SGC, especially for some types of items that other TPGs don't grade such as real photo postcards, BF3 pennants, and irregularly cut cards, most of which have a significantly lower grading fees than PSA.

The title of the thread is "Peter Steinberg leaves SGC" but the content of the thread is speaking to the contraction of SGC as indicated by Ryan Hoge of Collectors. Any company can survive the departure of a single person. We have far more than a single person departing SGC.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

A bit later, PSA will offer holders of cards in SGC slabs a special deal to cross over their cards to PSA slabs at the SAME grades, if appropriate. Where PSA deems it not appropriate, the collector will be given the choice of having their card put in a PSA slab with a lower grade OR having their card returned in its SGC slab along with a full or partial refund of the re-slabbing fee paid.

And this is the part where anything remaining in an SGC holder, as time passes, will be deemed far less valuable. The assumed will be the card is not worthy of present grading standards at PSA either due to condition or possible alteration.

[Johnny630]

This is a hypothetical, knowing what we all know now….

If the 9.5 SGC Rosen 52 Mantle Rookie came to auction what would it sell for now in a SGC holder??

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

This is a hypothetical, knowing what we all know now….

If the 9.5 SGC Rosen 52 Mantle Rookie came to auction what would it sell for now in a SGC holder??

I'm guessing less than $12.6 million.