Ebay experiment: PSA vs. SGC

[Leon]

Sgc one is quite off center...
.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Leon

Sgc one is quite off center...
.

ya...the difference in centering is pretty significant...and with a common registry set type card like this the difference will be more noticeable than say a goudey ruth...imo!

[JollyElm]

When I see anything graded a 4, my immediate thought is 'wrinkle or crease,' and when I see anything graded a 5, I have no such 'fears.' That (I assume common thought among collectors) probably plays a role.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

When I see anything graded a 4, my immediate thought is 'wrinkle or crease,' and when I see anything graded a 5, I have no such 'fears.' That (I assume common thought among collectors) probably plays a role.

And when I see a 4 now, my immediate thought is 6 or 7 but the submitter was some anonymous collector not a favorite with connections.

[ValKehl]

I suspect the main reason the PSA card sold for significantly more is because it's much better centered, as others have noted.

The PSA cards had 4 times as many views as the SGC card. This could be interpreted as collector bias toward PSA, which many/most of us already acknowledge, especially for post-War cards.

Also, there are collectors who are putting together 1957 Topps sets with all cards graded the same. A mid-grade set collector might well strive for a complete set graded 5-EX. But, I've never heard of a collector striving to complete a set graded 4.5. This could be one reason the PSA card generated more interest and the higher price.

[bobbyw8469]

I just checked out VCP averages for your experiment. You had an opening bid for the PSA 5 of $60 with a VCP average of $108. For your SGC 4.5, you had an opening bid of $60 with a VCP average of $68. Your experiment isn't as revealing to me as you think it is. Everything sold near their average. If anything, it gives me hope that the market is crashing in the face of this recession.

[darwinbulldog]

I'm currently running a pair of Walter Payton rookies, an SGC 7 and a PSA 7. Both look equally nice to me. Here's where they stand with a couple of days left.

1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton SGC 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$355.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
91
Views
39
Watchers
19
Bids


1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton PSA 7 Near Mint HOF RC Chicago Bears
$315.00 Current bid
+ Shipping (buyer pays $5.00)
137
Views
46
Watchers
40
Bids

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I just checked out VCP averages for your experiment. You had an opening bid for the PSA 5 of $60 with a VCP average of $108. For your SGC 4.5, you had an opening bid of $60 with a VCP average of $68. Your experiment isn't as revealing to me as you think it is. Everything sold near their average. If anything, it gives me hope that the market is crashing in the face of this recession.

What was surprising to me was the differential in # of views. Glenn's auction described 1 post above, is much closer.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

And when I see a 4 now, my immediate thought is 6 or 7 but the submitter was some anonymous collector not a favorite with connections.

This is becoming more and more true every day it seems. I don't believe for one second that all submitters just get graders assigned to their orders at random. I've had so many cards at PSA come back 2 full grades low in recent months. I won't even send them anything anymore. I just end up paying twice to grade it. Now I just send it straight to SGC where I get a fair and accurate grade every time.

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by Snowman

This is becoming more and more true every day it seems. I don't believe for one second that all submitters just get graders assigned to their orders at random. I've had so many cards at PSA come back 2 full grades low in recent months. I won't even send them anything anymore. I just end up paying twice to grade it. Now I just send it straight to SGC where I get a fair and accurate grade every time.

Ditto +1

[bobbyw8469]

My most recent $50 sub was a mix of T206's and 30s, 40s, and 50s cards. They HAMMERED the T206's (Sorry Sonny).....

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Snowman

This is becoming more and more true every day it seems. I don't believe for one second that all submitters just get graders assigned to their orders at random. I've had so many cards at PSA come back 2 full grades low in recent months. I won't even send them anything anymore. I just end up paying twice to grade it. Now I just send it straight to SGC where I get a fair and accurate grade every time.

I've said for years to anyone who would listen, all submitters are equal, some are more equal than others.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I've said for years to anyone who would listen, all submitters are equal, some are more equal than others.

Spaethism