SGC Update

[36GoudeyMan]

This is an interesting approach, and maybe it will work, but I think the skyrocketing demand for SGC grading should have been foreseen, and the fact that it wasn't is a concern.

First, the time frame of "months ago" coincides, maybe more or less, with the start of the serous fallout against PSA from the PWCC/Moser trimming scandal, which largely, not totally, excluded SGC (with certain glaring inclusions). I think SGC should have seen the obvious potential for a shift away from PSA, and towards SGC and Beckett. Ramping up as that scandal unfolded should have been started much, much sooner.

Second, and this is more subtle, there is a growing consensus that the new basketball card market explosion is due in large part to new players with free time and money speculating on cards of players with a much higher international profile than the other 3 major sports (you could argue about hockey, but they don't generally play hockey as broadly as they do basketball internationally). The first glimmers of the market speculation on a bulk level was also months ago, when the auction prices of Prizm (?) and other similar limited edition cards started going insane, an observable phenomenon. With that kind of sea change in card money movement, SGC should have also foreseen the immediate demand for new card grading.

SGC missed both of these in a more timely manner,and the result is playing huge catch up and defending huge delays. That is disappointing, but I do applaud their candor.

Also,let me be clear: I am one of those who have largely, not entirely, switched to SGC, for many reasons unaffected by these market-responsive changes. I prefer SGC grading, and appearance, and am slowly converting and submitting (I Can Wait) away from PSA until I see some sea changes at PSA as well (if ever). This is not SGC bashing - I like and prefer SGC, especially for my pre-war cards, but also overall. I am just disappointed that it has fallen so far behind a foreseeable shift in market dynamics, and now we all pay the price, literally and figuratively.

As Dennis Miller used to say, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[swarmee]

It's not that PSA is losing business, it's that they're even more backlogged. SGC is still third by a large margin. But that's some impressive scaling in short order that if PSA could have replicated, would have not led to any increase in SGC getting closer to BGS.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by 36GoudeyMan

This is an interesting approach, and maybe it will work, but I think the skyrocketing demand for SGC grading should have been foreseen, and the fact that it wasn't is a concern.

First, the time frame of "months ago" coincides, maybe more or less, with the start of the serous fallout against PSA from the PWCC/Moser trimming scandal, which largely, not totally, excluded SGC (with certain glaring inclusions). I think SGC should have seen the obvious potential for a shift away from PSA, and towards SGC and Beckett. Ramping up as that scandal unfolded should have been started much, much sooner.

Second, and this is more subtle, there is a growing consensus that the new basketball card market explosion is due in large part to new players with free time and money speculating on cards of players with a much higher international profile than the other 3 major sports (you could argue about hockey, but they don't generally play hockey as broadly as they do basketball internationally). The first glimmers of the market speculation on a bulk level was also months ago, when the auction prices of Prizm (?) and other similar limited edition cards started going insane, an observable phenomenon. With that kind of sea change in card money movement, SGC should have also foreseen the immediate demand for new card grading.

SGC missed both of these in a more timely manner,and the result is playing huge catch up and defending huge delays. That is disappointing, but I do applaud their candor.

Also,let me be clear: I am one of those who have largely, not entirely, switched to SGC, for many reasons unaffected by these market-responsive changes. I prefer SGC grading, and appearance, and am slowly converting and submitting (I Can Wait) away from PSA until I see some sea changes at PSA as well (if ever). This is not SGC bashing - I like and prefer SGC, especially for my pre-war cards, but also overall. I am just disappointed that it has fallen so far behind a foreseeable shift in market dynamics, and now we all pay the price, literally and figuratively.

As Dennis Miller used to say, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

I believe “months ago” is more referring to March when the hobby took off like a rocket. PSA got/is so slammed that newbies decided they’d rather have SGC slabs quickly than PSA slabs in 6 months. Given the market’s historically overwhelming preference for PSA, i thinks it’s fair that they caught a little off guard by that.

I don't collect graded cards at all, but I think the simplified tiers are great. This is capitalist America and the “if you want to cut the line, it’s gonna cost you” way of doing business is alive and well.

[vthobby]

I like this message. A bit overdue but honest. Without a doubt if you actually KNOW what you are doing in this hobby/business you then also KNOW that this company is consistent, accurate, and without a doubt underpriced in certain card areas. Compared to similar cards in other companies' slabs.

SGC has been solid ever since I started sending them cards.

In my earlier days, I sent a 1965 Namath RC to them raw and it came back an SGC 88. I was so cocky and proudly showed it off at my first Philly show more than 25 years ago. I also sold it for around $1500 at that same show.

I'm so smart............ughhhhhhhhhhhh

Peace, Mike

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

I like this message. A bit overdue but honest. Without a doubt if you actually KNOW what you are doing in this hobby/business you then also KNOW that this company is consistent, accurate, and without a doubt underpriced in certain card areas. Compared to similar cards in other companies' slabs.

SGC has been solid ever since I started sending them cards.

In my earlier days, I sent a 1965 Namath RC to them raw and it came back an SGC 88. I was so cocky and proudly showed it off at my first Philly show more than 25 years ago. I also sold it for around $1500 at that same show.

I'm so smart............ughhhhhhhhhhhh

Peace, Mike

We all have horror stories like that. I sold my PSA 7 for $2,000 and thought I was doing something!!! Oops!!!

[Donscards]

I am on day 56 on a 20 day service--SGC received them April 30--plus I have 2 other orders in. Hopefully soon.

[VintageBen]

I'm on day 37 of a 20 day submission... received on june 3. Looks like I'm halfway there to getting my cards back

[Dpeck100]

I got two cards done by SGC a few months ago at the 5 day service level at $35 a card.

They were on time, their website has improved a great deal, the holder looks good and I think their grades were very reasonable.

The card market is in a phase that is unprecedented. The market is in a bull move like never seen before and the only thing that remotely resembles it is when graded cards first got hot in the late 90’s.

The fact that all three third party graders basically have to turn business away is a testament to the avalanche of submissions that are under way.

The amount of money trying to be put to work in cards is incredible. When these events occur prices have no where to go but up. Hence the explosion across so many hobby segments.

[prestigecollectibles]

It also depends on the value of the card. Here is a card valued at $2000 with a fee of $85 for 40-45 business days or $100 for 3 business days. So it isn't just $10 or $100 based on time.

[unamuzd1]

Originally Posted by prestigecollectibles

It also depends on the value of the card. Here is a card valued at $2000 with a fee of $85 for 40-45 business days or $100 for 3 business days. So it isn't just $10 or $100 based on time.

I was just coming here to say this. I put together an 11-card submission with a total value estimate of $6150. The "I can wait" price is $305. The "Need them now" is $1100. So it looks like the $100 is firm, but I noticed that the wording in the message is that the "I can wait" prices *start* at $10. So I wasn't surprised to find out this wouldn't be a $110 submission, much as I might have liked it to be.