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#1
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Matt R
The owner of my local card shop said they are a pretty respected name in the graded card market. On the PSA board, most of them insist they are a third rate company equivalent to GEM or PRO. I had always considered them one of the big 4 along with PSA, Beckett, and SGC. I've seen a few high end Mastro and Memory Lane auction items graded by GAI. Do they really make more mistakes than the other companies? Or are people still hostile over their recent relocation nightmare? I don't consider their screw up over the relocation as an indicator of the actual grades given to the cards. Sure it was poor from a public relations view, but does that really affect the quality of the work done by their graders? |
#2
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: rob
SGC hands down. |
#3
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Stan
The truth is, vintage goes SGC or PSA, then Beckett, then, if all of them reject it, try GAI as a last resort. |
#4
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: fkw
SGC by far! |
#5
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Bill
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#6
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Jim Dale
I don't dislike GAI, but if I were choosing they'd be 4th on my list with BVS being 3rd, PSA 2nd and SGC tops. |
#7
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Steve
5. Consistent in their grades (I buy blind graded SGC cards all the time b/c of this) |
#8
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: boxingcardman
I just crossed over a bunch of PSA and GAI cards to SGC. The PSA cards crossed basically even. The GAI cards either crossed at lower grades (in some cases two full grades) or were rejected for alterations. I would never, ever willingly give GAI further business. |
#9
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Josh
Whenever I am buying graded cards I skip right pass the GAI ones. Even if it's a card I want I tell myself it is a crapshoot. I lost 3k on a couple cards that were in GAI holders and I cracked them out to send in to PSA. No need to finish the story. |
#10
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Rhys
This board has always been an SGC love fest. I like SGC because you can buy cards that are legitimate 2's and 3's which are graded 1's and 1.5's all day long so they are great for buying. They know their vintage card issues but they needlessly hammer cards and your bottom line will probably suffer on resale, but they dont make as many mistakes as the others even though they have graded restored/trimmed cards in the past and have lost people's orders at their office but none of the grading companies are perfect. |
#11
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: James Feagin
I agree with Rhys. I will buy SGC for my collection, knowing half of them are undergraded. When the time comes to sell, I will crack and re-submit to PSA and get higher grades and more $$$. Tougher grading is not better grading. BTW, GAI's CS is nauseating. |
#12
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Brian
You want the truth? You can't handle the truth! |
#13
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: leon
Please email me before you post anymore....thanks much.... |
#14
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Frank Wakefield
Best option, quit collecting slabbed cards, break out the ones you already have that are graded. Collect cards, not slabs. Mr. McKee is right when he suggests that grading companies should only grade as to whether a card is authentic, or not.... |
#15
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Matt R
First, I would like to thank you for the autographed postcard you sent to me when I wrote to you 22 years ago. I still have it and it's a prized piece in my collection. I didn't even have to pay for it. That was very generous of you. |
#16
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: davidcycleback
Three same opinion posts on the PSA (or any) chat board doesn't make it a majority opinion. |
#17
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
Matt |
#18
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: B.C.Daniels
sold me a slabbed card! |
#19
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
"Besides, a large amount of cards currently in PSA holders were authenticated/examined by Mike Baker, so PSA collectors are putting down their own product when they put down Baker's abilities." |
#20
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: davidcycleback
My favorite was when Jethro told someone high-falutin' that he was training to be a brain surgeon. The man said, "Oh, that's interesting. What medical school are you attending?" "Granny's learnin' me in the kitchen," Jethro responded. |
#21
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
Now that's funny! |
#22
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Matt R
Mike, of course my statements about the PSA board members opinions are based on the flame fest that I received over my Ruth card. To come to a consensus we would have to take a poll of a random sample of members that have used both services. There certainly are several that were anti GAI. I know their fiasco when they relocated left a lot of people bitter. I don't understand why that would affect their grading skills and the resale value of their cards but that seems to be the situation on the market now. |
#23
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Joann
Mike R - GREAT post. hahaha. Shoot. I wanted you to finish the Beverly Hillbillies song. Nice. |
#24
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Steve Murray
Graded cards in my collection: |
#25
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: JimCrandell
Mike Rothstein!!! |
#26
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: jeff
For the record, SGC graders do not use hammers during the grading process, and "decent" is not a grade. |
#27
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Joann
Jeff, |
#28
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: dan mckee
Steve I must chime in, I too care little about centering in my topps and bowman sets. Corners and no creases are much more important to me. Dan. |
#29
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Scott Mt Joy
While I agree SGC has been viewed as a hard on grading many cards. My last three PSA subs have been hammered hard, on one of them a 33 card sub, I had nearly every card grading a grade higher. A lot of the recent subs have been a lot harder on the grades so maybe PSA is moving closer to SGC in how they grade. |
#30
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
Hi Jim |
#31
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
Joann |
#32
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
Matt |
#33
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Steve
Besides, a large amount of cards currently in PSA holders were authenticated/examined by Mike Baker, so PSA collectors are putting down their own product when they put down Baker's abilities. |
#34
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: leon
My guess is that Mike didn't do all, or most of, the grading after GAI got on their feet initially. I would be surprised if he did a lot of grading, actually. It was either 1 or 2 Nationals ago that I spoke with him at length about GAI, in person. It was my impression that he was going to get back into the actual grading of the cards as he reads different message boards and does know what goes on and what people are saying, which leads to business-good or bad. I don't know any of this to be absolute but I believe that is what he told me. It was in my questioning of him (in a friendly manner)about the seemingly lack of quality control in the grading dept that prompted his response. I think if you search long enough on this board you can probably see where I spoke about it right after our conversation. I am too lazy to search but what I believe I remember is above. GAI cards do tend to sell at a discount to the other top grading companies and that can't be good for them. While on the topic I think it would be great for the top 3-4 grading companies to get together and form a grading committee about what constitutes a certain grade and so forth. Maybe we could lead the charge in pushing for it? (that's a joke) ..regards |
#35
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
"While on the topic I think it would be great for the top 3-4 grading companies to get together and form a grading committee about what constitutes a certain grade and so forth." |
#36
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Jeff Lichtman
I think the real truth about GAI is that they will finally be open on Monday. |
#37
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: barrysloate
That's funny, I heard Tuesday. |
#38
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Jeff Lichtman
No, Barry, you heard wrong. It most definitely is Monday. Or Monday. Or Monday. |
#39
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: barrysloate
It's like waiting for Godot for them to open. |
#40
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Steve
I'd reply here but then I'd be accused of perpetuating this nonsense. |
#41
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Bob
I am really thrilled to read all the "I wouldn't touch a card in a GAI holder" crapola. If you guys are not being hypocritical then I guess I should be able to pick up some nice cards in GAI holders in the future... |
#42
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: mike rothstein
I think that's a bit of a generalization. |
#43
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Jeff Lichtman
Bob, it's a crapshoot with GAI however I agree that if you trust your eyes you can get a steal with buying GAI. Discounts of at least one grade are commonplace and most of their cards are fine. Of course, I'd feel safer with older GAI graded cards as the company seemed to be competently run a few years ago (certainly not anymore). In the past 6 months I sent my last 4 GAI cards in to SGC for cross (they were purchased in 04-05) and two crossed over with the same grade and the other two were reduced half a grade. Had I sold the cards in their GAI holders they'd be worth significantly less than what they are worth now, residing in SGC holders. Plus, if I have a problem with the holders I don't have to wait until Monday to get in touch with the company now. |
#44
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: barrysloate
There are plenty of nice GAI cards out there that are correctly graded. However, you have to look at them more closely, and you will find some obvious mistakes. |
#45
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Red
That's a big problem with GAI being able to make it. A lot of their cards are only being bought in order to cross over to SGC and PSA. When that happens if the cards don't cross consistently then people will be more conservative when buying GAI cards the next time. You can do quite well if you're good at grading and know why certain cards might be in their holders. Some cards are easy to grade and will consistently get similar grades from all three services. Cards with subjective issues, major or minor, usually wind up in the holder of the company that will give the card the highest grade. If you don't know much about grading or the card you're looking at and try crossing one of these to a tougher company you won't have much luck. People are willing to take chances in order to make or save a few bucks, but they've got to realize that the people they're buying these cards from might be aware of the same game. |
#46
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Brian
I have seen many cards that I need in GAI holders -- I have never bought a single one. No sense in rolling the dice. After the 1955 Bowman stories, I don't even look anymore. |
#47
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Jason Silvey
While I was browsing at a show today, I took a look at a 1915 CJ graded a GAI 8 of a Kansas City player. I'd don't even remember the player because I had no intention of buying the card. After a quick once over I noticed the card was missing half of the "K" in Kansas on the front due to paper loss. I could see this while it still in the dealer's case. I guess I shouldn't say I'd never own a GAI card, but it definitely not be one graded above a 2 or 3. |
#48
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Steve
but they've got to realize that the people they're buying these cards from might be aware of the same game. |
#49
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Bob
I crossed over a large number of GAI and PSA holdered cards to SGC recently. Of the GAI cards, a few went up, a larger number stayed the same, an equal number went down a half grade and a handful were not graded because they would have been lower than a half grade of difference. One T210 Old Mill which I bought from a board member on the BST over a year ago and looked very nice was not crossed over because "color added." |
#50
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Opinions about GAI
Posted By: Dan Koteles
they are fine and like all grading companies regardless, you should know what you are buying. If the card seems not good despite whatever grade , dont buy it. You have to be happy with it unless you are selling it. |
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