Did anyone read the email from Steve Sloan at PSA today???

[bobbyw8469]

..While the bulk specials have gotten more expensive and more "finite" in what you can send, has anyone noticed that the Quarterly Specials have actually gotten cheaper?? (Even though they are more finite as well).....anyone have any interest subbing 1959 and older????

PSA Collectors Club Member,

I hope you and your loved ones remain healthy and safe as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption to everyday life has been significant, and for its small part, I hope that trading card collecting has provided a welcomed escape during these difficult times.

After ceasing all authentication and grading operations on March 20, 2020, PSA and its parent company, Collectors Universe, slowly ramped up operations over the month of April. In order to provide the safest possible work environment, we have split shifts, spread out workstations, and taken other safety precautions that fundamentally change our workflow. As a result, we are now operational, but please keep in mind that it will take time to get back to our pre-COVID-19 capacity.

Today marks the return of our Bulk services, which we are renaming "Value" services in an effort to better communicate the benefits of the service. Fundamentally, this service is about receiving the best possible price from PSA, in exchange for limits on declared value, minimums on order size, and longer turnaround times.

As part of the re-launch, we now requiring that each Value submission only contain cards from one of these four categories:

1971 & earlier
1972 to 2016
2017 to Present
TCG cards (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, etc.)
This segmentation will allow PSA to process Value submissions more efficiently, with the ultimate goal of improving turnaround times for this service. Note that the minimum order size is 50 cards, but you can unlock the lowest possible rate by increasing your order size to over 100 cards (again, all cards must fall into one of the four described categories). You can read the full details on our new Value Services landing page.

Quarterly Grading Specials are also back. We have put together a wider arrangement of specials with the goal of injecting more life into these offers. Check them out on our Quarterly Grading Specials page and leave feedback in the survey included on the page.

Even amid a global crisis like this, it is healthy to look for silver linings and remain positive. As it relates to our shared hobby, I hope the time home has afforded you the opportunity to reconnect with your collection. To that end, I hope that these new offerings from PSA can help you build the best possible collection moving forward.

Stay healthy and enjoy collecting,


Steve Sloan
President

[bobbyw8469]

I'm down with the 1959 and older special if anyone else is!!!!

[cardsagain74]

I might be too.

Didn't get that e-mail; would you mind summarizing what the '59 and older special is?

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

I might be too.

Didn't get that e-mail; would you mind summarizing what the '59 and older special is?

$7.50 per card....1959 and older.

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

$7.50 per card....1959 and older.

Thanks. What about the % tiers as something gets more valuable?

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

Thanks. What about the % tiers as something gets more valuable?

I'm sure it's still $100 or less....They don't want to grade Hank Aaron rookies for $7.50.

[KaiserCurt]

Would the turnaround time be the same?

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I'm sure it's still $100 or less....They don't want to grade Hank Aaron rookies for $7.50.

I fully realize that. Just wondered how (or if) it'd been affected.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by KaiserCurt

Would the turnaround time be the same?

I'm sure the turnaround time will be horrific. Maybe not an entire year that Beckett is taking.....but I'm thinking 6 months easy.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by KaiserCurt

Would the turnaround time be the same?

The good news is, I'm thinking, by breaking down the cards into certain categories (for example vintage only), then maybe it will streamline the process a little. You will have graders that vintage is their thing and they will be the ones looking at those. There is another special for moderns, so I imagine they will have graders only looking at those. I think the streamlining of services can only help them, but I am 100% convinced that they are backed up beyond belief.

[swarmee]

Who? Why can't they grade cards for free with all the government cheese they just got?

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Who? Why can't they grade cards for free with all the government cheese they just got?

As backed up as they are, they would cover about 10% of the cards they have.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Who? Why can't they grade cards for free with all the government cheese they just got?

I wish I had bought their stock at $15....have you seen it lately?

[Touch'EmAll]

Dang nabbit! My son and I have collected many raw Steph Curry and Giannis cards. Was going to send in Bulk just before shut down. Now they have this new break point at 2016/prior & 2017/later. Well jeez, with these players, part of our cards are 2016/prior, part 2017/later - just called PSA - we lose, can't now send them in together. Giving y'all a heads up if you are thinking about submission.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

Dang nabbit! My son and I have collected many raw Steph Curry and Giannis cards. Was going to send in Bulk just before shut down. Now they have this new break point at 2016/prior & 2017/later. Well jeez, with these players, part of our cards are 2016/prior, part 2017/later - just called PSA - we lose, can't now send them in together. Giving y'all a heads up if you are thinking about submission.

Yea....the windows are definitely more finite now.

[Frank A]

And the suckers keep sending them cards. They must be laughing their ass off.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Frank A

And the suckers keep sending them cards. They must be laughing their ass off.

Graded cards sell....don't hate me. I don't cheat.

[Republicaninmass]

No good deed goes unpunished.


Thanks for posting this Bobby!



Sheltering in place, getting cards ready to submit

[ledsters]

Bobby, I’m in for 5-10 cards

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by ledsters

Bobby, I’m in for 5-10 cards

Cool deal....I'm rounding stuff up as we speak

[lowpopper]

Yes
Let's
Do
It.


POP POP POP

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I'm down with the 1959 and older special if anyone else is!!!!

Bobby - Is $7.50 a "special" deal? They show $9.00 for pre 1971 - 100+ cards.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by toledo_mudhen

Bobby - Is $7.50 a "special" deal? They show $9.00 for pre 1971 - 100+ cards.

Yes...I haven't seen that cheap in a while. $7.50 is low. It is $1.50 per card cheaper than the "value" special. Just sending 50 cards saves me around $75. With razor thin margins anyway, every little bit helps out.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

The good news is, I'm thinking, by breaking down the cards into certain categories (for example vintage only), then maybe it will streamline the process a little. You will have graders that vintage is their thing and they will be the ones looking at those. There is another special for moderns, so I imagine they will have graders only looking at those. I think the streamlining of services can only help them, but I am 100% convinced that they are backed up beyond belief.

I don't see how this helps. Assuming there are people who focus more on one area than others (do we know this to be the case?), the best would be for everyone to have items in their expertise spread out evenly throughout the year. The way it is now, each person will get a huge volume of items in their focus at once, and then much less volume until the next promotion (and another huge influx.)

I'm confused on why the grading companies would want things to be grouped by era (or other factor).

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

I don't see how this helps. Assuming there are people who focus more on one area than others (do we know this to be the case?), the best would be for everyone to have items in their expertise spread out evenly throughout the year. The way it is now, each person will get a huge volume of items in their focus at once, and then much less volume until the next promotion (and another huge influx.)

I'm confused on why the grading companies would want things to be grouped by era (or other factor).

I'm not sure. I know when I have subbed cards from EVERYWHERE, the subs have taken quite a long time to grade. The more eccentric they are, the longer it takes. I have also subbed cards from entirely one set (all Mars Attacks, all 1952 Topps, etc) and have noticed that the subs pop rather quickly with they are all the same. I don't have answers for it obviously....I am just noting the pattern.