Is low grade unaltered the new king ?

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by JeremyW

Low grade cards are not exempt from the tampering, unfortunately.

good point! But I think the "game" is much more impactful to the higher end of the grading scale based on my observations of what one pays for a "6" vs. a "9" or "10".

Interestingly, if/when PSA pays out for any of these altered cards, you'll notice that PSA A's of some cards sell for prices akin to those in the PSA 5/6 range due to their perceived sharpness and superior condition compared to those with creases and punch-holes. I wonder if they'll point to those sales to figure out the amount owed (the price differential) due to their "guarantee".

Also, I wonder if PSA will just credit people's accounts for the amounts owed instead of paying in cash to limit the up-front damage. I'm regretting my decision years ago to do just that when I was given a larger amount of PSA "store credit" vs. taking the refund in cash when I had a counterfeit card that had been encapsulated by PSA and they took it back upon review. I still haven't used those funds. Yikes!