SGC versus PSA slabs

[irv]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

There was an ebay coupon code recently where a buyer would save up to $100 on a $500 purchase, so I decided the time was right to grab up a pretty nice Mantle. In the end, I was down to looking at 1964 cards graded 7 by both PSA and SGC.

If I recall correctly, the SGC was priced at about $470 and the lowest PSA one was $625, with most being at $675 and way above that. If you look at these two cards, they have very similar top-to-bottom centering and the corners of the SGC card are much sharper overall.

Attachment 313377

To me it was absolutely worth it going with SGC and paying a minimum of $150 less for the card. When the time comes to sell him in the future, though, I will have to figure things out to get a better return like you seemingly always get with PSA cards.

Although I have never sent a card in for grading, the research/learning I have done trying to educate myself has proven to me that SGC is, by far, way more consistent than PSA.

Also, and although I have only been on the boards/forums for a couple years, I don't recall ever reading/seeing scandals like I have with PSA.

Imo, with society seeming to get dumber every year, I don't think we'll ever see anyone take over the #1 ranking of PSA even though, imo, SGC should be #1 due to their consistency/accuracy when it comes to their grading.

Money rules, and PSA knows that so they also know they can afford to be less consistent knowing full well, people will continue to flock to them with their cards.

Hopefully someday honesty and consistency returns to the hobby, but I am not holding my breath.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by irv

Although I have never sent a card in for grading, the research/learning I have done trying to educate myself has proven to me that SGC is, by far, way more consistent than PSA.

Also, and although I have only been on the boards/forums for a couple years, I don't recall ever reading/seeing scandals like I have with PSA.

Imo, with society seeming to get dumber every year, I don't think we'll ever see anyone take over the #1 ranking of PSA even though, imo, SGC should be #1 due to their consistency/accuracy when it comes to their grading.

Money rules, and PSA knows that so they also know they can afford to be less consistent knowing full well, people will continue to flock to them with their cards.

Hopefully someday honesty and consistency returns to the hobby, but I am not holding my breath.

Honesty and consistency were both always and never in the hobby. I do think the number of obvious alterations on expensive cards has been reduced. The not so obvious ones have probably been given a boost.
There were always dishonest people in the hobby, just as there were and are some really great ones.

PSA was fairly early although not first, and they've had a decent registry as far back as I can recall. They were probably first with that.
And that registry competition drives prices, which in turn creates higher prices for everyone. That's both good and bad.
Those higher prices are tied to the registry, and even if SGC had a good one, they'd be behind because the "competitors" all began competing in the PSA registry.

Unless someone with insanely deep pockets was willing to spend like the AL did it's first few years, AND had a better product, that's a nearly unbreakable position. (Except it's sort of been tried, and the XFL and WLAF, and USFL... none did well at all. )

SGC has its share of messed up stuff, and with the recent move and redesign of the website and a couple other changes they didn't do themselves any favors. (And that's coming from someone who has only sent cards to them)