Beckett (BVG) Holder Questions

[D.P.Johnson]

I know most folks aren't huge Beckett (BVG) fans, but I was wondering if any of their holders have ever been faked, or if anyone has ever found a fake card inside of a BVG holder. I recall this happening with PSA holders a few years back, but I don't recall ever reading about this type of thing happening with BVG (or SGC for that matter). Thanks in advance...

[Jdoggs]

BVG holders are tamper free. PSA and SGC holders can be tampered with.

[brewing]

I do not remember the exact issue, but I have heard of at least one fake pre war card in a BVG slab, put there by Beckett.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by brewing

I do not remember the exact issue, but I have heard of at least one fake pre war card in a BVG slab, put there by Beckett.

It still amazes me that Beckett was SUCH a leader in price evaluations in the 1980s.you would think they had a huge lead in credibility to be the THE third party grader.....somehow they let that slip by....

people in their 40s and older who just got back into the hobby..actually are shocked when learning BVG stands where they do...they always assume initially BVG is the leader....

[D.P.Johnson]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen; I appreciate it. It's my understanding that no one has discovered any faked BVG holders, but that there could be a fake card inside of one of the holders if one of the graders made a mistake. It's also my understanding (mainly from reading) that Beckett seems to be extremely popular with the newer card/autograph collectors, but not so popular with the vintage collectors...

[Exhibitman]

BVG has a better product, no doubt. It is more secure and better at preserving the contents. But PSA with the registry rules the high-numbered slab arena and SGC has a strong prewar following. Any time a BVG slab shows up with a marquee card in it people wonder why it isn't in PSA or SGC. I've thought about sending them stuff but I just can't see taking the potential financial hit if I ever go to sell.

[vthobby]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

It still amazes me that Beckett was SUCH a leader in price evaluations in the 1980s.you would think they had a huge lead in credibility to be the THE third party grader.....somehow they let that slip by....

people in their 40s and older who just got back into the hobby..actually are shocked when learning BVG stands where they do...they always assume initially BVG is the leader....

I must have missed that "official survey" done of over 40s that got back into the hobby. I'll have to look around for that.

IMO Beckett is a solid grading company. I have sent hundreds of cards to all 3 major companies and they all have pros and cons. Many of which can be found on Net54.

To say that "folks are shocked" is a bit of a stretch. Beckett is a solid grading company that has airtight and attractive holders in which cards do not move around in.

I still use all 3 TPGs as each has its own areas of expertise.

Peace, Mike

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

BVG has a better product, no doubt. It is more secure and better at preserving the contents. But PSA with the registry rules the high-numbered slab arena and SGC has a strong prewar following. Any time a BVG slab shows up with a marquee card in it people wonder why it isn't in PSA or SGC. I've thought about sending them stuff but I just can't see taking the potential financial hit if I ever go to sell.

Weren't Becket holders the only ones hat had UV protection also? I remembered reading that on here before, but don't know if that is completely true. I have cut open a number of Beckett holders to liberate cards and find them the hardest to open. I actually had to cut them with a chop saw. They were completely sonic welded around the entire card...almost impossible to open with any other means. There is no need to look for frosting in these holders, unlike PSA holders, as I doubt you could ever pry open a holder without damaging the cards.

I just happen to prefer ungraded cards....so opened the BvG holders.

Z Wheat

[K-Nole]

Buy the card, not the holder.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by K-Nole

Buy the card, not the holder.

Unless you are the one having the card put into a holder...

I am really considering having BVG slab my 'never gonna sell them' items as it seems to be the best way to preserve them.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Unless you are the one having the card put into a holder...

I am really considering having BVG slab my 'never gonna sell them' items as it seems to be the best way to preserve them.

Adam, I am glad you said that. I find myself looking at BVG more than I used to. I rarely send in anything for grading, but I might consider BVG if I did. Those holders are difficult to bust open. From time to time, I have seen what I believe to be good buys on cards residing in BVG holders.

[the 'stache]

Beckett slabs are built like Fort Knox. I've never seen a fake card in one of their slabs, but most of the cards I have seen in their slabs have been modern, I must confess, as I generally only look to Beckett graded cards for modern cards. For vintage or pre-war, I go with PSA or SGC. I just feel they are more accurate with their grading.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by vtgmsc

I must have missed that "official survey" done of over 40s that got back into the hobby. I'll have to look around for that.

IMO Beckett is a solid grading company. I have sent hundreds of cards to all 3 major companies and they all have pros and cons. Many of which can be found on Net54.

To say that "folks are shocked" is a bit of a stretch. Beckett is a solid grading company that has airtight and attractive holders in which cards do not move around in.

I still use all 3 TPGs as each has its own areas of expertise.

Peace, Mike

Yes you are right PSA had the same following as Beckett in the 1980ss..lots of high schooler in 1980s carried PSA and not Becket Guides

its obvious PSA should of dominated the grading market compared to beckett given how nobody knew anything about beckett in the 80s

You can use all 3 TPGs as much as you want...but look at VCP for psa versus beckett...I would be shocked if beckett outperformed PSA....people new to the hobby from the 80s are shocked ..people who know beckett and never heard of PSA... but you are right I 100% wrong cause no survey..

[Exhibitman]

Oh, I agree that you will leave money on the table with BVG vs. PSA or SGC in the issues where those TPGs are entrenched, but that's not really what we were kicking around. I am thinking of BVG for items I do not want to sell because the slab itself is so much better constructed and the cards are individually mylar bagged inside. The cards I've amassed of my cousin, for example, aren't going to be sold out of our family, so for their long term enjoyment the BVG slab would seem to be the right choice.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Oh, I agree that you will leave money on the table with BVG vs. PSA or SGC in the issues where those TPGs are entrenched, but that's not really what we were kicking around. I am thinking of BVG for items I do not want to sell because the slab itself is so much better constructed and the cards are individually mylar bagged inside. The cards I've amassed of my cousin, for example, aren't going to be sold out of our family, so for their long term enjoyment the BVG slab would seem to be the right choice.

I hear ya, Adam. I realize if I were actively buying and then selling cards often, I would lose money going the BVG route as opposed to PSA or SGC. However, I can live with getting less for a card in a BVG slab if I absolutely had to sell one. This doesn't happen to me much. I just tend to buy cards and keep them. Chances are any BVG card I did sell would be one that resided in the BVG holder to begin with (because I am not likely to submit cards for grading ). So, I would be ok with getting less than I might for an approximately equal PSA card because I gave less for it because it is in the BVG holder.

[Pilot172000]

Old thread, but it struck a chord with what I am about to do. I have moved a lot of my PSA cards and SGC cards. A lot of what I am left with are raw cards that I truly love and plan to send to my kids when the time is right so I'm gonna send about 15 raw cards to Beckett. I had only had one BVG and it was a frickin Tank. A few quick questions though.

1. How are the grading standards compared to SGC and PSA?
2. I have a few PSA cards with MK qualifiers, how bad are they with those?
3. Is their registry getting better?
4. How is their service?
5. Anything I should absolutely NOT send them?

[TheNightmanCometh]

For a second I thought, well I'll just collect all the cards I want in BVG slabs, I'm not going to resell them anyways, and I'd rather have them as secured as possible and less likely to be fakes, but then I realized that nobody goes to BVG so how am I gonna get all the cards I want?

[Pilot172000]

Does BVG crossover?

[swarmee]

Grading standards are similar; they're a little more forgiving on cards that would get qualifiers from PSA, I believe. I have never seen anyone talk about getting their cards on the Beckett registry. So I don't know how good it is. I know a lot of people use the pop reports there for modern (Bowman Chrome/Draft).

Send them what you want. They will definitely have a crossover option and not crack it if they don't think it will cross to whatever min grade you set. One of their best grading options is when you send in bulk orders, I think for $2/card, you can set a min grade (like 9 or 9.5) and they will only slab those cards that make the grade at the full price for a grading ($10-12 or whatever). The ones that don't make the grade will come back raw, but only be charged $2/card for the inspection.

[TheNightmanCometh]

It would go a long way, in the looks department, if they would redesign their info plate. It looks about as bland as bland can be. Spruce the dang thing up and make it look cool!

[steve B]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

Yes you are right PSA had the same following as Beckett in the 1980ss..lots of high schooler in 1980s carried PSA and not Becket Guides

its obvious PSA should of dominated the grading market compared to beckett given how nobody knew anything about beckett in the 80s

You can use all 3 TPGs as much as you want...but look at VCP for psa versus beckett...I would be shocked if beckett outperformed PSA....people new to the hobby from the 80s are shocked ..people who know beckett and never heard of PSA... but you are right I 100% wrong cause no survey..

That's very impressive for a company that opened in 1991........

Steve B

[Rich Klein]

Back in the day when I was still at Beckett, we had an article of how cards in BGS holders survived Hurricane Katrina.

I agree that putting your cards into those holders for protection purposes is a great idea.

Rich

[Pilot172000]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Grading standards are similar; they're a little more forgiving on cards that would get qualifiers from PSA, I believe. I have never seen anyone talk about getting their cards on the Beckett registry. So I don't know how good it is. I know a lot of people use the pop reports there for modern (Bowman Chrome/Draft).

Send them what you want. They will definitely have a crossover option and not crack it if they don't think it will cross to whatever min grade you set. One of their best grading options is when you send in bulk orders, I think for $2/card, you can set a min grade (like 9 or 9.5) and they will only slab those cards that make the grade at the full price for a grading ($10-12 or whatever). The ones that don't make the grade will come back raw, but only be charged $2/card for the inspection.

Genius!!

[Pilot172000]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Back in the day when I was still at Beckett, we had an article of how cards in BGS holders survived Hurricane Katrina.

I agree that putting your cards into those holders for protection purposes is a great idea.

Rich

When I started collecting, I had only SGC for my cards after a while I went to PSA because I liked the sleeker thinner card holders and the lack of Black border. I have noticed that I don't have much trouble selling my PSA cards, but fear that they are flimsy, especially considering I have three very curious boys ages 9 to 2. I had one BVG card and while I did not like the card or its grade, I found the holder flawless. I was very heavy, but indestructible. I sent 8 cards into Beckett on the 18th and am anxiously waiting to see the results. While I have no aversion to PSA or SGC, I buy the card, I think that I gonna grade my keepers in the BVG. After all I live in Louisiana and it is Hurricane Season!

On another note, I couldn't find where I could send in a large bulk amount of cards for like $2 on their site.

[swarmee]

Send a PM to NickM about the grading special and min grade mark. I think he does more grading of that sort with BGS. The "The Modern Baseball Card Investor" book by Hwang also goes into it. It's a good read.