Thoughts on GAI grading?

[bbsports]

Most of you people don't remember that Mike Baker was a former grader at PSA before he was one of the few guys that formed GAI. I met Mike on many occasions and was a great help at card shows & was always honest with me when conversing by telephone. Some of you are putting him down, but I'd rather have Mike grading my cards at PSA right down than any other of the current graders at PSA.

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by bbsports

Most of you people don't remember that Mike Baker was a former grader at PSA before he was one of the few guys that formed GAI. I met Mike on many occasions and was a great help at card shows & was always honest with me when conversing by telephone. Some of you are putting him down, but I'd rather have Mike grading my cards at PSA right down than any other of the current graders at PSA.

I won't argue with that statement

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by bbsports

Most of you people don't remember that Mike Baker was a former grader at PSA before he was one of the few guys that formed GAI. I met Mike on many occasions and was a great help at card shows & was always honest with me when conversing by telephone. Some of you are putting him down, but I'd rather have Mike grading my cards at PSA right down than any other of the current graders at PSA.

I did know that. Do you know why he no longer worked for PSA?

[1880nonsports]

early on in the "Baker" years. Many of my 19th century cards got the "first graded" tag. Some years later I cracked out every one while at the airport on the way to the national. Placed them between two waiting area seats and and tugged. All were submitted to SGC at the national. ALL of them graded........
That said - it's a crapshoot.

[Peter_Spaeth]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1949-Bowman-...p2047675.l2557

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bbsports

Most of you people don't remember that Mike Baker was a former grader at PSA before he was one of the few guys that formed GAI. I met Mike on many occasions and was a great help at card shows & was always honest with me when conversing by telephone. Some of you are putting him down, but I'd rather have Mike grading my cards at PSA right down than any other of the current graders at PSA.

He was as good a grader as there was on the planet, but something went wrong at GAI.

[rdwyer]

After Steve Rocchie left, GAI went downhill.

[Brian]

IMO, one needs to take this case by case. Early on, I had most of my cards graded by Baker at GAI.
Several years ago, I took a bunch of GAI graded 1915 CJs over to SGC because I though they were harshly graded (by Baker himself). One did not cross over for the minimum requested grade, but three others crossed to the same grade and two received two whole grades above the GAI grade (they went from 4s to 6s). I think Baker was a strict grader, and at some point, I will cross the others over because of the stigma others allude to. But I may not; I know that they were graded fairly to harshly, not overly generously, and I personally think the card matters more than the holder.
Brian.