Grading question

[sbfinley]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

If the card was fake, I am sure they will charge you. If not, everyone would send their questionable cards to Beckett.

It wouldn't pop as "service unavailable" if they deemed it a fake. The return note sheet has three or four different issues the card could have that prevented it's encapsulation or the reason the for an authentic designation. Off the top of my head I remember it having service unavailable, questionable authenticity, and altered. I think it has one more (might say "other"), but I don't have one near me at the moment.

If it was a fake card it would pop as questionable authenticity and would warrant a charge. From my experience and hearing from others, service unavailable refers to an issue that keeps a likely legitimate card from being slabbed. In my instance the card in question was a Topps released auto card they released in two versions (autographed and regular) without anything else different between the two version. It popped as "system unavailable" and beckett told me because of the way Topps released the cards there was no way to tell if it was packed pulled or IP. I wasn't charged, PSA said the same, and I eventually had the card slabbed PSA/DNA. I have also heard of Beckett using service unavailable when the card is marked with the player's name. This prevents people from confusing the card with an authenticated autographed example, something I wish PSA did because it's a simple scam people have been running for years now.