PSA v SGC value

[rugbymarine]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Warning on this one. Cards from this set which used to be 9s regularly are getting PSA 7s now. They are hammering this set, per the registry set collectors on the CU board. So don't send them to PSA, or you're going to be paying hundreds to make your cards worth less than raw.

I agree with this general sentiment, though I'm using it as a buying opportunity. 71 Topps that used to get 7s are now 5-6s. Get the same nice card, for half price!

[jchcollins]

If you are a collector, go with the grader you prefer (or) find values as I do in raw cards. "Professional" graders aren't the only ones who can be taught how to grade properly. Grading has been around for years before PSA.

If you are selling realize that PSA is the market leader, and dubious thoughts on how they arrived at that position aside - that is not likely to change soon, overnight, or perhaps ever. PSA established this position early with the help of their registry and the notoriety of certain things they graded. Believe whatever you like, but popular sentiment would point to the fact that too many big wheel collectors and investors are in bed with PSA and PSA graded cards now to seriously threaten their position as market leader. If you ask me, they should be relegated to the minor leagues of graders given a largesse of customer service and quality issues over the years, but especially recently. But that changes nothing. Do I submit to PSA? No. Do I have PSA slabs in my collection? Yes, many. It is what it is.

[Kutcher55]

Yeah agree. I believe SGC grading standards are every bit as high as PSA's and so generally speaking you can get more quality from SGC on a $ for $ term. But you have to be careful with that concept because resale value isn't the same on average, and so in that light I would say you are better off as a collector focusing on SGC since you will generally pay less for the same card quality.

Has SGC always been as tough on grading as PSA? Not sure although the going sentiment seems to be that both have gotten tougher.

I collect both. And raw cards as well. And I flip. It does generally seem easier to flip PSA cards. While I was posting this I got curious and looked up my historic profit margin with each tpg and it is higher with SGC than PSA. But most of my volume is PSA and as I said they do generally seem to move easier. SGC cards have more of a select audience but that audience is maybe more loyal than PSA and they are willing to pay for quality, in some cases PSA average prices or higher. There is definitely a cross-section of collectors who will just focus on the card first. This can even extend to BVG cards which are a grade easier on vintage, but I have seen nice examples and people pay PSA prices for same grade, although that is a rarity.

[mq711]

Until their new tux slab came out, I always thought SGC grade a point above PSA; meaning a PSA 6 =‘SGC 7 and with that scale their prices were very similar .

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by mq711

Until their new tux slab came out, I always thought SGC grade a point above PSA; meaning a PSA 6 =‘SGC 7 and with that scale their prices were very similar .

If anything, SGC is slightly tougher on vintage now than PSA is. Certainly they are noticeably tougher on centering just in the last 2-3 years.

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Like many here, I've been collecting for about 40 yrs. I've been submitting cards for grading since 2000. Sent many to SGC, PSA, and Beckett. I've always liked SGC the best, both for the looks of the slab and the service.

Having said that, for cards that have a similar eye appeal and carry the same grade, PSA always sells higher. Low population or highly sought after cards will sell high, regardless of the slab. See the Kobe Bryant in its BGS holder that sold last week for $2M.