PSA Grading of Unopened Packs from 1948 to 1970

[packs]

That seems like a weird reason not to grade. If a pack from 1960 has broken gum and no tears in the pack, why would it then tear in the future after being held stationary inside of a slab? Makes no sense. It's already had 50 years to tear.

[Griffins]

because PSA's holders don't properly protect the pack from movement, or from gum moving inside the pack.

[packs]

If life can protect a pack with broken gum from being ripped apart by the gum, so can any case you choose to put it in. I can see an argument for not grading packs with tears, but if a pack hasn't been torn from just being in the world, it's not going to tear if it's put into a holder either.

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by packs

If life can protect a pack with broken gum from being ripped apart by the gum, so can any case you choose to put it in. I can see an argument for not grading packs with tears, but if a pack hasn't been torn from just being in the world, it's not going to tear if it's put into a holder either.

Uh...my money's on Anthony with this one.

[swarmee]

No, that's the reason they used to not do it. I think they were making their pack slabs better in order to grade packs with broken/shifting gum, but am not sure if they are yet. Call them.

[botn]

Originally Posted by swarmee

No, that's the reason they used to not do it. I think they were making their pack slabs better in order to grade packs with broken/shifting gum, but am not sure if they are yet. Call them.

I spoke with Steve Hart about this not too long ago and packs with loose or broken gum are no longer a problem to grade.

[Steve_NY]

If Steve Hart has indicated that PSA will now grade packs with broken gum or moving gum, that is terrific news. I have some packs that look brand new that have broken gum. It would help if the PSA grading standards were revised to reflect this detail. Personally, I would prefer a pack with broken gum than a pack with holes in the corners. I would rather have a complete pack with no broken gum, but sometimes the availability is just not there, and you have to settle for second best. Sometimes you also settle for the pack with holes in the corner. Either way, as long as there is no evidence of resealing, than this would be the optimum situation.

Also, has PSA approved changes in their holders that do no damage to the packs themselves? My concern is that many graded packs that I have seen just don't really look like they belong in the grade they were assigned, which signals to me that the pack was damaged by PSA themselves, when they loaded them into the holder. Has this issue been dealt with properly?