Hga card grading

[Kaneen]

This is a small sample size, obviously, but I seem to notice things like this fairly often. These are from recent Heritage Auction that ended this past Sunday evening.

PSA vs SGC
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PSA vs Beckett:
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[pherbener]

Maybe it's just me as a photo guy but the pictures of the "reprints" just seem off.. looks fuzzy

[68Hawk]

Originally Posted by Kaneen

This is a small sample size, obviously, but I seem to notice things like this fairly often. These are from recent Heritage Auction that ended this past Sunday evening.

.....

That's about what I've seen also and has built steadily over the last 2 years.
PSA trading at anywhere from 20%-35% over BGS and SGC.
Less noticeable as you go down to cards under $400.
Veeeery noticeable at cards over $2k

You're losing considerable money on high end cards if you're outside of a PSA slab, and it has nothing to do with the optics of the paper within.

Still, I think that's where value lies in buying BGS and SGC.
Down the road I think a definitive best TPG will emerge that uses AI that is so clearly consistent and identifiable in it's estimation that most people will transition to whoever that is.
So ALL the cards, in the end, if you hold them long term, will be worth what they should be worth when measured fairly and equally against one another.

I'm gonna call 20 years time.

[Jobu]

The colors are deceiving here as the HGA card is a photo with a flash (look how bright the case is, especially the bottom) while the PSA card is a scan that is on the dull side. With that said, I definitely see what people are saying about the edges of the HGA card.

[Schlesinj]

Apparently HGA took a shot at PSA on their Facebook page that is causing a Twitter storm regarding prices and turnaround time. The gist of the post was PSA is not working hard enough so they raised prices to make more money. Hopefully my picture will link ok below for anyone interested.

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[steve B]

I'd have to see it either in a better scan, or in hand, but from what I can make out of the halftone pattern on both Rice cards, they are both real, but the HGA one is a bit underinked on black

I don't know if that's how their holders are supposed to fit, but if they're supposed to be snug, it's undersized. (The PSA card also seems undersized. )
By my "put the cursor over the border to see if they seem equal" method, the centering is pretty nice.
The left border seems like it has a lot of chipping.
And while it may be a product of the image as has been suggested, to me the edges, especially the left seem slightly faded towards bluish green from green.

Even if it's not trimmed, I'm not seeing a 9.

[Exhibitman]

Something that amazes me: how few people selling pricey cards have scanners. I would guess that 2/3 of the high end modern cards I see offered for sale do not have quality images provided. At best, someone sets up a stand and decent backdrop and goes for it with the camera phone. I figure if you are going to sell four-figure cards, invest in a decent flatbed scanner to image them.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Something that amazes me: how few people selling pricey cards have scanners. I would guess that 2/3 of the high end modern cards I see offered for sale do not have quality images provided. At best, someone sets up a stand and decent backdrop and goes for it with the camera phone. I figure if you are going to sell four-figure cards, invest in a decent flatbed scanner to image them.

Yup.

......and the other thing with camera phones and the editing software that comes with them. I've seen people mention they can just straighten, pivot and center camera phone shots with the software in the camera........easy peasy.

Problem with that, when you are editing in that manner, you are actually moving around and stretching pixels (an easy way to get wavy or uneven borders, and stretching of colors in spots)...........not just placing the image where you want. That's fine if you are listing some wall art, boxing posters, magazines and other manner of 3-Dimensional object. Not so much with cards, where collectors are much more exacting about condition details and authenticity.

With scanner software (if you're using the right software), if you are working with a Pre-scan, you are only shifting and tilting the "frame" before you take the actual scan......not already existing Pixels.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Something that amazes me: how few people selling pricey cards have scanners. I would guess that 2/3 of the high end modern cards I see offered for sale do not have quality images provided. At best, someone sets up a stand and decent backdrop and goes for it with the camera phone. I figure if you are going to sell four-figure cards, invest in a decent flatbed scanner to image them.

Totally agree with you Adam. I'm amazed at some of the images I see for cards on eBay. Also, I see sellers with four figure cards that have basically one or two sentences in the description. And one of those two sentences is that they combine shipping. Add something to the listing by putting in a good description on the heavy hitter cards.