PSA and SGC cases cracked without virtually any damage!

[DanP]

I’m only posting to warn everyone to inspect every slab you buy!

I cracked an SGC with a small screwdriver with virtually no visible damage. I did this a few months ago and unfortunately don’t know if it was a new slab. The card was an SGC 8 Jerry Rice.

I just cracked a NEW LABEL PSA slab by just twisting it back and forth (no tools). and the damage was hardly noticeable.

I just received graded cards back from CSG and HGA and will try to crack a card from each. Just a quick inspection, I don’t see how either can be cracked without damage (same as BGS).

Full disclosure: I am a PSA guy. Only because of their resale value. I’m hoping that one of their “competitors” someday really compete with them.

Also, I’m not looking to get into an argument on who is best, just looking to warn the group to be careful! It is way to easy to place a lower grade card in their slabs and resell.

[mrreality68]

Wow thanks for the heads up

Looks a little to easy and a little to clean

[DanP]

One more thing, think of this scenario:

You buy an expensive card on eBay. Looking at scans of the front and the back of the card everything looked fine. You receive the card and notice small damage (see pics below) and suspect a lower graded card was inserted. Let's face it, it's difficult to tell the difference between an 8 and a 10 (at least it is for me). You try and send the card back and the seller claims YOU broke the card out and YOU inserted the lower graded card.

If I wasn't clear in the original post. There is damage on both slabs but very minor and only in one 1/2" - 3/4" location on the slab. The damage is more difficult to detect on the SGC slab.

[bnorth]

Cracking them without damage has always been very easy.

Now putting a card back in them and sealing them is a whole different story. Unless you have a sealer with the correct size mold it is extremely easy to see they have been cracked and resealed.

[DanP]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Cracking them without damage has always been very easy.

Now putting a card back in them and sealing them is a whole different story. Unless you have a sealer with the correct size mold it is extremely easy to see they have been cracked and resealed.

You couldn’t just carefully put super glue around the edges? Actually, when I get back tomorrow I’ll give that a try and send a picture.

[SteveS]

Do you think it would be feasible for the TPGs to take a high-res scan or photo of the card after it's slabbed, and post that in their verification registry? So when you look up the cert# you can see the actual card along with the information. I don't know whether this step would add significantly to cost or time, but it would help prevent certain fraudulent activity like the one described above.

[Oscar_Stanage]

what about this?
the first 3 are the upper left side. the 4th is straight on of the left side. 5 and 6 are of the opposite edge for comparison
5 and 6 are the right side. .

I bought this from Ebay and I did not notice the slab... but looking at the card itself, I thought 8.5 was a bit generous as there is some corner touches and a mark on top border. this seller just posted another 8.5 immediately after, which i thought strange because you just don't see many SGC OPC Gretzkys...

anyway, the frosting looks odd, but I looked at a few cards that I sent in, and this does appear on other cards that I have sent in. so I am wondering if maybe it is just how they seal the case?

[Seven]

It's a shame the amount of fraud that potentially goes on in our beloved Hobby. My father was duped by a slab cracker many years ago when he purchased a card for me during my childhood. He's none the wiser, and I don't have the heart to tell him either. It really goes to show you that you should only buy from who you trust. I'm very wary of purchasing outside this board or from a handful of collectors/dealers that I've befriended through Facebook.

[swarmee]

PSA scans all cards over certain dollar amounts, based on the service level. I think SGC started to scan all cards submitted. The level of slab damage and frosting on cards straight from grading companies is inconsistent, whether it be to damage during the slabbing process or shipping them back.

The "new" flip in the OP looks to be the previous generation of flips (gray bar, not lighthouse) which seem to still be used for large bulk submitters who get much cheaper prices, and maybe that's why the slab is not the "current" BGS-like slab which is supposed to not crack without significant evidence.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by DanP

You couldn’t just carefully put super glue around the edges? Actually, when I get back tomorrow I’ll give that a try and send a picture.

No that doesn't work. You can do a cool fingerprint experiment though. If you touch the inside of the slab and try to seal it with super glue your fingerprint will show up really well.

Originally Posted by swarmee

PSA scans all cards over certain dollar amounts, based on the service level. I think SGC started to scan all cards submitted. The level of slab damage and frosting on cards straight from grading companies is inconsistent, whether it be to damage during the slabbing process or shipping them back.

The "new" flip in the OP looks to be the previous generation of flips (gray bar, not lighthouse) which seem to still be used for large bulk submitters who get much cheaper prices, and maybe that's why the slab is not the "current" BGS-like slab which is supposed to not crack without significant evidence.

Sure looks like the new lighthouse flip to me. Either way I have cracked out a signed rookie Tony Oliva or Pete Rose, can't remember what one. In the new slab about a year ago with very little damage, it's not that hard.

For me it has gotten to the point as a collector to buy mainly raw cards. There are so many graded card scams going on you have to know as much if not more to safely buy graded. That is if you actually care about the card and not the flip.

[bobbyw8469]

The cases I see all show major frosting that would be a red flag. Anyone remember this beauty Mile High was auctioning off?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Sure looks like the new lighthouse flip to me.

Ah, maybe it is. The back of the label is right. Maybe it's just the angle of the shot.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by DanP

I’m only posting to warn everyone to inspect every slab you buy!

I cracked an SGC with a small screwdriver with virtually no visible damage. I did this a few months ago and unfortunately don’t know if it was a new slab. The card was an SGC 8 Jerry Rice.

Thanks, I will try this method the next time I free a card. I have been using a set of heavy duty wire cutters to snap off the tops of the cases and then prying them apart. It works, but I have to be careful. I like the twist option.

Cheers.

[DanP]

Originally Posted by bnorth

No that doesn't work. You can do a cool fingerprint experiment though. If you touch the inside of the slab and try to seal it with super glue your fingerprint will show up really well.



Sure looks like the new lighthouse flip to me. Either way I have cracked out a signed rookie Tony Oliva or Pete Rose, can't remember what one. In the new slab about a year ago with very little damage, it's not that hard.

For me it has gotten to the point as a collector to buy mainly raw cards. There are so many graded card scams going on you have to know as much if not more to safely buy graded. That is if you actually care about the card and not the flip.

See below. I can't see how anyone would know this slab was tampered with unless they knew to look closely at all of the edges. There are no fingerprints (no reason to touch inside the slab as you noted). I just put a very light amount of super glue to seal it. IMO it's unacceptable for PSA and SGC to not have tamper-resistant slabs like BGS, CSG and HGA. Yet, I pretty much only by PSA graded cards which I understand makes no sense. I check every slab I purchase carefully but also don't buy many cards over $1k.