SGC Going Away?

Lucas00 · #1 05-04-2025, 11:16 PM

I'm sure Travis has insider information like he does with other information from his billionaire friends.

Sarcasm aside, I don't like the idea. And if it ever was a thing (and I'm 99% sure it will never be) it probably wouldn't be in this decade lol.

Peter_Spaeth · #2 05-05-2025, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucas00

I'm sure Travis has insider information like he does with other information from his billionaire friends.

Sarcasm aside, I don't like the idea. And if it ever was a thing (and I'm 99% sure it will never be) it probably wouldn't be in this decade lol.

There are huge numbers of PSA loyalists who dominate the set registry, I'd be very surprised if PSA did this just to appease a relatively small segment of SGC collectors.

JollyElm · #3 05-08-2025, 05:54 PM

These were my notes regarding CSG from a show a while back...

6. Red Headed Step-Grader
I didn’t run into too many CSG holders, but when I did, their size disparity had them situated unceremoniously in the backs of the boxes of slabs, almost entirely ignored. (Warning! Not a scientific assessment...) You get the general feeling that buyers/sellers don’t yet hold the company in high esteem (meaning, of course, as moneymakers), and I didn’t notice anyone buying the slabs, especially since dealers usually had ‘PSA-worthy prices’ attached to them. That just won’t fly at this point in time.

OhioLawyerF5 · #4 05-09-2025, 07:10 AM

There was a time in the not-to-distant past when Beckett was the #1 overall grader, and PSA was #2. Thinks can change very quickly.

jayshum · #5 05-09-2025, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

There was a time in the not-to-distant past when Beckett was the #1 overall grader, and PSA was #2. Thinks can change very quickly.

I don't buy many graded cards but I see plenty of them at shows, and I don't really remember ever seeing that many cards graded by Beckett compared to PSA. When was Beckett the #1 overall grader?

sbfinley · #6 05-09-2025, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayshum

I don't buy many graded cards but I see plenty of them at shows, and I don't really remember ever seeing that many cards graded by Beckett compared to PSA. When was Beckett the #1 overall grader?

I can't think of a time where they completely overtook PSA in marketshare, but I would say that from around 2011-2019 they were arguably the most popular for Ultra-Modern baseball cards. Specifically this was there era where Bowman Chrome was considered the key release and BGS 9.5/10 was the key grade.

jayshum · #7 05-09-2025, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I can't think of a time where they completely overtook PSA in marketshare, but I would say that from around 2011-2019 they were arguably the most popular for Ultra-Modern baseball cards. Specifically this was there era where Bowman Chrome was considered the key release and BGS 9.5/10 was the key grade.

I was never interested in Ultra-Modern or Bowman Chrome so if that was where a lot of Beckett grading was happening it would explain why I never noticed any of it. Thanks.

Lorewalker · #8 05-09-2025, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayshum

I don't buy many graded cards but I see plenty of them at shows, and I don't really remember ever seeing that many cards graded by Beckett compared to PSA. When was Beckett the #1 overall grader?

I cannot think of a time when PSA was not number 1 and SGC was not number 2 in the grading space.

OhioLawyerF5 · #9 05-09-2025, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I can't think of a time where they completely overtook PSA in marketshare, but I would say that from around 2011-2019 they were arguably the most popular for Ultra-Modern baseball cards. Specifically this was there era where Bowman Chrome was considered the key release and BGS 9.5/10 was the key grade.

This is correct. BGS almost universally outsold PSA in the 2010s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

I cannot think of a time when PSA was not number 1 and SGC was not number 2 in the grading space.

SGC didn't become the #2 grader overall until the last couple of years. Maybe if you only look at pre-war, then sure, SGC has been #2 for about 20 years. That's because Beckett tried BVG and it flopped. But overall, when you include modern cards, SGC was never even close to BGS during the 2000s and 2010s. That includes both sale prices, and marketshare. It was post-covid when SGC finally overtook BGS in total cards graded per month.

Snowman · #10 05-05-2025, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucas00

I'm sure Travis has insider information like he does with other information from his billionaire friends.

Sarcasm aside, I don't like the idea. And if it ever was a thing (and I'm 99% sure it will never be) it probably wouldn't be in this decade lol.

Nat Turner said it himself. Multiple times. They're working on it, but it's not the top priority. No, we're not friends.

I've also seen evidence of that being true by witnessing changes to the backend data on how certain cards are being identified to align with how PSA identifies them. One example is the 1929 Churchman's Babe Ruth. SGC used to put Ruth's name on the flip. They no longer do.