Grade Tech - WOW! More and more, I really like this company

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Posted By: Dan Mathewson

...But, personally, I opt for more information.

I see auctions all the time where people say "This is a 5 but it looks to me like it should have been a 6 or 7 at least..." And, I see people here that say that quite often.

Truth is, on a PSA, SGC or any other card, you have really no idea why the card is graded what it is. You get it back, and that's it. Anyone's guess why itis what it is. And, a seller can give you any reason he/she wants for the grade, because there is no real way to verify it.

With Grade-Tech's information (maybe too much information for some folks) at least you are told by them why they gave a card the grade they did. It's clear and up-front. And, if you disagree, you can come back to them and say "Hey, i don't agree that the surface should be graded this low, or this high, because..." With the other guys, you're S.O.L because you probably can't even get anyone to talk to you, let alone tell you why a grade reeived what it did. I have never been able to get PSA to tell me their reasoning for ANY grade that they have given to any card I have graded by them!

If you look at PSA's Population Report, I have both PSA-5 1951 Matty Connie Mack's All Stars. None are graded higher. However, one is clearly in better condition than the other, and I feel should at least be a grade 6. However, I cannot get them to tell me why. Never have been able to...

I prefer more information, I think a magnified corner scan is at least interesting if not very revealing. Will it spark debates? Sure, why shouldn't it? More information for the customer and potential buyer.

Over the years that I have been collecting and submitting cards to PSA and SGC for grading, they have not been consistent at all. Both now seem to be in a contest about who can be the more harsh grader. In the last couple years, I know I have submitted cards to them that 3 or 4 years ago would have gotten higher grades from them under the same standards. Their written standards haven't changed, their competitive attitude with one another has, and I believe that has affected their consistency.

And I completely do NOT agree that they treat the guy who submits a couple cards now and them with the same "eyeball and consistency" that they do with the bigger dealers and bigger dollar submitters. I know that for a fact because I know one dealer (on the Internet) who has told me about experiences he's had in the business where he now gets consistently better grades and faster service (even though he pays for the same turnarounds that he always did) with increased volume.

Obviously, some of us agree here and some don't. Still, I like what Grade Tech does and I feel like I can trust these guys. I know I can pick up the phone and talk to them during business hours and ask them questions about their grading without the sharp, holier-than-thou corporate retort you get when you question SGC or PSA. I've tried...and the "big-boys" care very little about the basic customer. I'm hoping Grade Tech will be a breath of fresh air in that regard.

-dan