SGC is Riding the Wave

[Snowman]

SGC cards do not sell for the same price as PSA slabs in the same grade. Pretty much ever. The only exception to that is when the card inside has tremendous eye-appeal. But it is the card that makes up that delta, not the holder, when it happens. But if you take the same exact card and put it in a PSA holder and then put it in an SGC holder, with the same grade, it's always going to sell for more in the PSA holder (at least currently).

The primary reason we are seeing so many more cards now in SGC and CSG holders though is not just because of the turnaround times. PSA has recently moved the goalposts on us (again), and they are now grading vintage cards with completely laughable grades. EX-MT cards in 4 holders, EX cards in 3 holders. NM-MT cards in 5 holders. It's absolutely absurd. So people have just stopped sending them cards because they're going to get a higher grade at SGC now. I can't tell you how many cards I've submitted to PSA lately that I immediately crack out upon receiving them back and then just send them off to SGC where they get 1 to 2 full grade bumps. People overlook the fact that an SGC 6 is going to outsell a PSA 4 every time.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Snowman

SGC cards do not sell for the same price as PSA slabs in the same grade. Pretty much ever. The only exception to that is when the card inside has tremendous eye-appeal. But it is the card that makes up that delta, not the holder, when it happens. But if you take the same exact card and put it in a PSA holder and then put it in an SGC holder, with the same grade, it's always going to sell for more in the PSA holder (at least currently).

The primary reason we are seeing so many more cards now in SGC and CSG holders though is not just because of the turnaround times. PSA has recently moved the goalposts on us (again), and they are now grading vintage cards with completely laughable grades. EX-MT cards in 4 holders, EX cards in 3 holders. NM-MT cards in 5 holders. It's absolutely absurd. So people have just stopped sending them cards because they're going to get a higher grade at SGC now. I can't tell you how many cards I've submitted to PSA lately that I immediately crack out upon receiving them back and then just send them off to SGC where they get 1 to 2 full grade bumps. People overlook the fact that an SGC 6 is going to outsell a PSA 4 every time.

Agreed. Whatever happened to simple competency?

[ullmandds]

" I can't tell you how many cards I've submitted to PSA lately that I immediately crack out upon receiving them back and then just send them off to SGC where they get 1 to 2 full grade bumps. "

Sounds like NOT sending more cards to PSA would be the logical solution??

[jimmer77]

I have noticed the last 3 1971 topps baseball that I had graded by PSA, came back as 4's and I really thought they would be at minimum a 6. With SGC, I have never received less than a 5 with 71 topps.
This is where I have a conundrum, where I like both companies, so will just continue to use both.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by Snowman

SGC cards do not sell for the same price as PSA slabs in the same grade. Pretty much ever. The only exception to that is when the card inside has tremendous eye-appeal. But it is the card that makes up that delta, not the holder, when it happens. But if you take the same exact card and put it in a PSA holder and then put it in an SGC holder, with the same grade, it's always going to sell for more in the PSA holder (at least currently).

The primary reason we are seeing so many more cards now in SGC and CSG holders though is not just because of the turnaround times. PSA has recently moved the goalposts on us (again), and they are now grading vintage cards with completely laughable grades. EX-MT cards in 4 holders, EX cards in 3 holders. NM-MT cards in 5 holders. It's absolutely absurd. So people have just stopped sending them cards because they're going to get a higher grade at SGC now. I can't tell you how many cards I've submitted to PSA lately that I immediately crack out upon receiving them back and then just send them off to SGC where they get 1 to 2 full grade bumps. People overlook the fact that an SGC 6 is going to outsell a PSA 4 every time.

I guess this the piece I can't wrap my head around. If PSA moved the goalpots, why do people continue to submit to them? They graded more than 1 million cards in December, so they certainly aren't hurting for business.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

I guess this the piece I can't wrap my head around. If PSA moved the goalpots, why do people continue to submit to them? They graded more than 1 million cards in December, so they certainly aren't hurting for business.

If I remember the stats right, over 400k of those were for Pokemon (or similar) cards. And then a whole bunch for other sports. Less than 100k for baseball, if I remember correctly.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by raulus

If I remember the stats right, over 400k of those were for Pokemon (or similar) cards. And then a whole bunch for other sports. Less than 100k for baseball, if I remember correctly.

Just checked today for PSA:

Last 30 days
386k TCG
183k baseball

[raulus]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

Just checked today for PSA:

Last 30 days
386k TCG
183k baseball

Cool cool cool.

I wonder of that 183k, how many of those are for modern and/or ultra-modern. Obviously that market has dropped pretty dramatically of late, so volume is probably way down. But it's probably not nothing.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

I guess this the piece I can't wrap my head around. If PSA moved the goalpots, why do people continue to submit to them? They graded more than 1 million cards in December, so they certainly aren't hurting for business.

Drew, Here’s the bottom line…People hate on PSA all they want Until they Score on a great grade on a big card. Sure they’re gonna bitch and complain all the way but they’re still using them because they scored once before and they’re gonna score again.

This is the power of PSA.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

Drew, Here’s the bottom line…People hate on PSA all they want Until they Score on a great grade on a big card. Sure they’re gonna bitch and complain all the way but they’re still using them because they scored once before and they’re gonna score again.

This is the power of PSA.

Yep. It's the only reason they get any of my submissions at all. I crossed an undergraded SGC 3 Willie Mays RC to them and they gave it a 4. But I have a lot more crossovers bumped in the other direction.

[Snowman]

Good point about the registry. It's not just for set collectors. It's also for "set" collectors, as PSA creates random set lists that people enjoy chasing like the "Willie Mays Master Set" mentioned above, or the "HOF Rookie Set", etc.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

I guess this the piece I can't wrap my head around. If PSA moved the goalpots, why do people continue to submit to them? They graded more than 1 million cards in December, so they certainly aren't hurting for business.

Maybe to answer your question more specifically, while I can't speak to everyone else, for me personally, I use PSA to grade a few last pieces that help to complete some master player sets that I'm working on, like my Master Mays or Master McCovey sets, usually only for items that are virtually impossible to find on the market in graded form, so I often end up picking them up raw and then getting them graded.

I suppose the other reason why I use them is for some oddball sets where I picked up some raw pieces, and I've decided to start a set on it, like the 1973 Topps Comics, where I recently picked up 23 of 24, or for the 1969 Globe Imports Checkerboard Backs, where I'm just a few pieces short of having a complete set now.

In both cases, if a piece grades one or two slots lower than it should have, I'm not sure that it bothers me that much, simply because these pieces are only going into my PC, and because the items are so difficult to find in any grade that just having one graded is good enough for me. And for the most part, while we all love to complain about TPGs, if I'm being honest, I'm not convinced that the grades I've been getting are really all that low.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by raulus

Maybe to answer your question more specifically, while I can't speak to everyone else, for me personally, I use PSA to grade a few last pieces that help to complete some master player sets that I'm working on, like my Master Mays or Master McCovey sets, usually only for items that are virtually impossible to find on the market in graded form, so I often end up picking them up raw and then getting them graded.

I suppose the other reason why I use them is for some oddball sets where I picked up some raw pieces, and I've decided to start a set on it, like the 1973 Topps Comics, where I recently picked up 23 of 24, or for the 1969 Globe Imports Checkerboard Backs, where I'm just a few pieces short of having a complete set now.

In both cases, if a piece grades one or two slots lower than it should have, I'm not sure that it bothers me that much, simply because these pieces are only going into my PC, and because the items are so difficult to find in any grade that just having one graded is good enough for me. And for the most part, while we all love to complain about TPGs, if I'm being honest, I'm not convinced that the grades I've been getting are really all that low.

The Power of PSA Registry !!! Love it :-) SGC is so far in the dust, they’re never gonna get yours and tens of thousand of others to stop or cross. It’s competitive, enjoyable/fun, and has an awesome platform/website. So powerful!

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

I guess this the piece I can't wrap my head around. If PSA moved the goalpots, why do people continue to submit to them? They graded more than 1 million cards in December, so they certainly aren't hurting for business.

999k of those 1M are modern or ultra modern though. They just don't care enough about the vintage market to properly train these new graders. I hope that changes.

There are still some graders there who know what they're doing, but good luck getting one of them on your submission. It's currently Russian roulette at PSA.