Future of Grading - CSG and HGA

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

With PSA effectively shutting down earlier this year, I expected an uptick in cards being graded by other companies. Mostly SGC, but also newbies CSG and HGA.

The uptick in SGC cards happened, but I am not seeing an increase in CSG or HGA graded cards. Any ideas why? Still too new? Anyone use either company recently?

MY thoughts are because they are still to new, not enough exposure to the collectors, and the unknown on how buyers will accept their grading and the related value.

PSA and SGC truly dominate currently and even with PSA having Rep issues those graded cards have and retain their values

[Johnny630]

I think vintage cards in CGS holders look lousy. HGA I've never seen a vintage card graded in a HGA holder.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

I think vintage cards in CGS holders look lousy. HGA I've never seen a vintage card graded in a HGA holder.

CSG hires the top vintage grader then designs a slab exclusively for modern. Never made a lot of sense to me.

[53toppscollector]

CSG's flip is terrible, it distracts from the actual card so much. They are a reputable name in the collecting industry, so there is opportunity there, but they really need to fix their label/slab

HGA has had really poor quality control, numerous amateur errors, and their slabs have pretty poor resale value so far.

I think a lot of people are just waiting to see what happens with PSA and sitting on lots of raw cards for now.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

CGS hires the top vintage grader then designs a slab exclusively for modern. Never made a lot of sense to me.

Nailed it. These graders CAN NOT continue down this path. As far as I am concerned, they have priced themselves out of business. I'm gonna do my part to bring raw back in style.

[sportscardpete]

the CSG slab really hurts the cause. It is also tough for a new entrant to do well when there are not a lot of sales of its card. Many flippers will not use them because there is no "comp" for its grade, unlike PSA and even BGS/SGC.

I am really rooting for SGC because I love the slab, and have slowly gotten over its 2020 issues. I did my most recent submission at SGC, which included some modern cards, and was quite pleased.

[53toppscollector]

Originally Posted by sportscardpete

the CSG slab really hurts the cause. It is also tough for a new entrant to do well when there are not a lot of sales of its card. Many flippers will not use them because there is no "comp" for its grade, unlike PSA and even BGS/SGC.

I am really rooting for SGC because I love the slab, and have slowly gotten over its 2020 issues. I did my most recent submission at SGC, which included some modern cards, and was quite pleased.

I think SGC's slab looks amazing for cards with white borders, but it looks less amazing for borderless cards or cards without a white/light border.

T206 cards look incredible in SGC slabs, but like, 2018 Topps? Less amazing, imo

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

I think SGC's slab looks amazing for cards with white borders, but it looks less amazing for borderless cards or cards without a white/light border.

T206 cards look incredible in SGC slabs, but like, 2018 Topps? Less amazing, imo

Did they ever fix their issue with cards moving around in the slab? Seems like that gasket could really do a number on cards if they slid around.

[sportscardpete]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

I think SGC's slab looks amazing for cards with white borders, but it looks less amazing for borderless cards or cards without a white/light border.

T206 cards look incredible in SGC slabs, but like, 2018 Topps? Less amazing, imo

Totally agree. That being said, definitely better than CSG.

I guess that is why PSA does so well. Vintage and modern look OK in its slabs.

[Pre War Starter]

For Vintage and PreWar guys like me, it seems CSG, even thought they brag about stealing Andy Broome, they are TERRIBLE say grading vintage and pre war.

I recently saw a T206 in a slab with no gasket, just penny sleeve. Are you telling me that card won’t slide and be crooked in the slab in 5-6 years?

Wouldn’t you be able to know this if you had years and years and years of combined grading knowledge?

HGA, at least makes no bones about being a modern card grader.

Hell, HGA even has a Pop Report!!!
CSG doesn’t.

[D. Bergin]

CSG has like a 3 to 5 month backlog, so it seems like they are doing just fine. I think a lot of collectors who submitted to them are not immediately flipping them.

I did about a 19 card submission with them, and they seem to be really tough at the top of the grading scale to me. A 10 seems almost unheard of from what I’ve seen and experienced.

I also kind of like the look of the holders in hand. People were acting like they are these big unwieldy tombs, but they’re basically the same size as PSA slabs.