Grading Companies

[Irwin Fletcher]

I agree that sticking with SGC, PSA, and BVG is the way to go. I very much prefer SGC, but I have had generally good experiences buying PSA and BVG as well.

I once purchased two cards on eBay that were in holders from Mint Grading Service - I took a chance because they were very inexpensive and were cards that I was having trouble locating. Both were graded 6 by MGS and I dropped them off at SGC for crossover. One dropped one grade to an SGC 60 and the other dropped three full grades to an SGC 40.

As everyone has said, though, the most important thing is how the actual card looks, not the holder. If you can examine it up close and in person, then buying an "off-brand" holder isn't too much of risk since you know what you're buying. For internet purchases, though, I stick with SGC, PSA, or BVG.