PSA Card Grading Process Revealed

[ScottFandango]

old news...nothing new to report here

[lharri3600]

Oh Ok,
Now I understand why a card that comes back to me as trimmed, then is resubmitted and gets a number grade. Thanks so much for clearing things up for me.

[RobertGT]

I am not a PSA apologist, but the process he explained makes sense from a common sense standpoint. You do not need tons of tools (loupes, rulers) etc. to grade ALL cards, but you need them to grade SOME.

A ruler will not tell you if a card has been trimmed. I have seen several cards that measure perfectly to card specs but are obviously trimmed.

[Ejm1]

I have two eyeballs that are in working order so that means I'm qualified. What the are we paying these guys to do?

[tbob]

All I know is that I am still waiting on my graded 1962 Topps sealed pack to come back from PSA which I gave them at the National. Going on two months in a few days....

[Paulanthony]

Originally Posted by RobertGT

I am not a PSA apologist, but the process he explained makes sense from a common sense standpoint. You do not need tons of tools (loupes, rulers) etc. to grade ALL cards, but you need them to grade SOME.

A ruler will not tell you if a card has been trimmed. I have seen several cards that measure perfectly to card specs but are obviously trimmed.

The grading service is being conducted using no tools or a mathamatical formula which gives the graders the open discretion to be subjective.
The grader is determining the condition of the card using Subjective opinions, based on his experience. He then determines the grade based on his interpretations. This is a double standard. PSA's concept of third-party grading. ensures the accuracy of the grade assigned based on a 10 point grading scale. If a grade is being assigned and the process does not consist using basic tools, ruler, magnifing glass or a mathamatical formula then how can anyone make an assessment and claim a 10 point grading scale was used.
This is a ( catch 22) a problematic situation and a contradicition of grading policy that effects the opposite of what was intended

[RobertGT]

Originally Posted by Paulanthony

The grading service is being conducted using no tools or a mathamatical formula which gives the graders the open discretion to be subjective.
The grader is determining the condition of the card using Subjective opinions, based on his experience. He then determines the grade based on his interpretations. This is a double standard. PSA's concept of third-party grading. ensures the accuracy of the grade assigned based on a 10 point grading scale. If a grade is being assigned and the process does not consist using basic tools, ruler, magnifing glass or a mathamatical formula then how can anyone make an assessment and claim a 10 point grading scale was used.
This is a ( catch 22) a problematic situation and a contradicition of grading policy that effects the opposite of what was intended

So you are saying- without a set of algebraic equations and stainless steel calipers - you cannot determine whether a raw card right in front of you is a 5 or an 8?

[t206fix]

the graders don't need a ruler or magnifying glass to see the $50 bill taped to the back of the previously graded PSA 7 card I just submitted in order to bump it to a PSA 9.

Great news!

[Fred]

Bottom line - Grading is still SUBJECTIVE....

How the heck can anyone expect to see consistency in grading if people are to rely on the "naked eye". We've seen enough examples of paper loss being missed and other issues not caught during grading.

I've seen enough PSA graded cards graded with an OC qualifier that had better centering than cards without the OC qualifier. Oh, that's right, it's the "naked eye" thing.

The numerical grading system is bull $hit. I still think it's funny that there are people that care more about a numerical grade assigned to a card than they actually care about the card.

I see a good purpose for TPG companies but assigning numerical grades shouldn't be a part of it. The label should indicate AUTH (authentic) and if the card was altered then place that information (ALT) on the label and let the purchaser figure out the rest. If the TPG companies did this then nobody would be bashing them for the mistakes they're being paid not to make.