Lets settle this once and for all: SGC, PSA, or BVG?

[xanderthegreat35]

I know this topic has probably come up many times before, which grading company is the best? In determing the best company, I think these factors should come into play: Price, Look, Speed, Increase Value, Grading Standards, consistency, and many others.
As for my opinion, I do not have much experience with grading so from a amateurs point of view, I think SGC is the best for Pre-War cards, but it is a toss up between SGC and PSA for Pre-1980 vintage. SGC has the best look to the graded cards, it has a nice black border. As for price there all fairly similar but SGC has fast shipping compared to PSA and Beckett. Of course PSA increases the value the most by having it encapsulated in a PSA holder.
Now the big factor, grading standards, I know SGC and PSA always create nightmare stories, and are sometimes inconsistent, I honestly think Beckett has the best grading standards and is consistent with its grades.
Again, I do not have much experience with grading so my opinion may be completely wrong. I want to see what people think.

Alex

[vintagetoppsguy]

I like PSA. They make my SGC cards look even that much better

2 tack holes and a crease at the bottom


Paper loss on ear


Paper loss on back

[Leon]

Many on this board feel that different companies have different strengths.

[3-2-count]

I've really changed the way I collect the last couple of years and quite frankly could care less who's holder the card is in. I collect solely off of eye appeal alone so who's plastic it's in and what numerical # was assigned is meaningless to me. I'll be the judge of what the card is worth not off of what # some inconsistent third party grader places on the card. So many in the hobby have become brain washed in a sense on making it gospel when determining value based on what third party grading decides to place numerically on a card alone. Really silly if you think about it isn't it? That being said you should add a choice to the poll as "doesn't matter buy the card". That would be my choice!!

[Cardboard Junkie]

How about a column for "RAW" cards...that's why I checked other. dave.

[wolfdogg]

Originally Posted by Cardboard Junkie

How about a column for "RAW" cards...that's why I checked other. dave.

Same here.......

[novakjr]

I prefer raw, but graded cards are more than welcome in my collection. I threw my vote for SGC. Their slabs and the black insert seem to bring out the best in vintage cards. However SGC's slabs also happen to be the ones that piss me off the most. Because like I said earlier, I prefer raw, so all my boxes and everything are geared towards standard toploaders and such, and the SGC slabs are a little too wide, and always cause trouble. Unfortunately they always end up sideways..

For modern cards, I think BGS has the look that suits them best.

[bbcard1]

None of thee above. They are all less than ethical/competent. Another vote for raw.

[bunst]

I like SGC as a buyer because I feel they will be accurately or undergraded. However, I don't think I'll be submitting anymore to SGC as they have been coming back really undergraded in my opinion. Are they getting more strict recently?

[irishdenny]

My Autograph RC's go to Beckett.
My PreWar will Always go to SGC. They are far better imho...

[kmac32]

SGC holders are great for pre war cards especially the black and white cards of the 20's. The negative is that they are heavier holders and slightly larger limiting some display options. PSA holders are ugly in general but their size is more easily handled. Given all this, my collection is and will be SGC.

[skelly]

The one thing that drives me nuts about PSA is that the cards move around in the cases. I also can't stand that fact that odd sized cards always look so out of place in PSA holders. Just really like the black insert and the overall presentation for SGC so much more. From a value standpoint, I would certainly understand someone giving PSA the nod, as they seem to have a much bigger customer base. BVG often has some great looking cards that only get 5's & 6's due to centering. If you can get over off centered cards, you can find some great value in BVG holders.

[bobbyw8469]

For the person bashing PSA. SGC has more than their fair share of grading mistakes as well. Trust me.

[rainier2004]

I buy the card and love the crack...

PSA misses fatal flaws, ie see above, that make 4-6's really 1's, and really makes you wonder how much time your money is buying for theur service. But it isnt that hard to earn a sgc 1.5 compared to a psa 1.5...Becketts are the thickest and highest risk to bust open, but I do it anyway. I vote SGC.

[Jantz]

Echoing what Tony/3-2-Count said, I also collect on eye appeal only for my set.

Interesting thread and good timing too. Just last night I was going thru my T206 collection and pulling out some of my doubles to sell. With each card I asked my girlfriend for her opinion on which card she thought looked the best. I knew that I would get an unbiased answer from her since she knows nothing about third-party grading companies and the stories of their past.

About 50% of the time she chose the card with a lower numerical grade, stating that it had better image and color. To her, that was the most important factor and other flaws that a card could have such as off-centering, rounded corners and paper loss on the back didn't bother her. I found this interesting because I usually avoid cards that are off-center and have paper loss, but to her it was all about the image and it's colors.

So I didn't vote. I have cards in my collection graded by all companies mentioned in the poll, along with raw cards too and their numerical grade means nothing to me.


Jantz

[mjmj1966]

I agree with Dave. Need a column for "raw". The only way I'll buy them.

[xanderthegreat35]

Dont get me wrong, I love "raw" cards too, but if you were to get them graded which company would you send to? Ya, each company has its own special characteristics, but when you send into grading you have to choose one, you can't have the best from all the companies, so which one would you pick and why?

[insidethewrapper]

How could any grader looks at those above cards and give them that grade ? I'd be very embarrassed if I owned that company and cards with tack holes received those grades.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by mjmj1966

I agree with Dave. Need a column for "raw". The only way I'll buy them.

He's curious who we feel is the best grading company. 'Raw' isn't a grading company.

A slightly different way of phrasing the question, from someone who also prefers raw, but realizes that the grading companies aren't all going to disappear: if you prefer raw and could only have one grading company (a monopoly), and they would continue to perform exactly as they do now, who would it be? I'd take SGC, only because I think a card in an SGC slab is most likely to be original (unaltered, untrimmed), so when I crack it out it's what a raw card should be.

[mjmj1966]

Originally Posted by Runscott

He's curious who we feel is the best grading company. 'Raw' isn't a grading company.

A slightly different way of phrasing the question, from someone who also prefers raw, but realizes that the grading companies aren't all going to disappear: if you prefer raw and could only have one grading company (a monopoly), and they would continue to perform exactly as they do now, who would it be? I'd take SGC, only because I think a card in an SGC slab is most likely to be original (unaltered, untrimmed), so when I crack it out it's what a raw card should be.

If I had to chose then it would be SGC. They just look better IMO.

[HRBAKER]

I hope they all stay around. They give us a horse to beat to death several times a year.

[ruth-gehrig]

I'm still up in the air on this question. I've just recently started the T206 set that I originally wanted to display, once complete, raw. I am a complete amateur when it comes to graded cards. Having said that I've been buying a few PSA and SGC graded T206s to see which one I do prefer. I'm trying to get a feel not only for the holder itself but how each company grades their cards. For T206 I do like the black background SGC provides. Their holder appears strong and not cheaply made. I don't mind PSA's holder and I actually like how it is much thinner than SGC's. I'm still doing my homework by buying both but if I had to decide right now I would pick SGC.

[CMIZ5290]

Whatever the opinion is, psa graded t206s bring alot more money than sgc graded ones.

[marcdelpercio]

I would say that in general, PSA adds the most resale value, SGC looks the best in the holder, and BVG has the most consistently accurate grades. Of course there will be exceptions to all of those statements but I think it's really mostly a matter of which of these is your priority in determining which service is best for you.

[insidethewrapper]

I would like a grading company with no qualifiers ! If it is off-center to a certain degree than it can't be an 8 (OC) it should be ie) a 6. If it is 70/30 then it could only have a certain top grade and proceed down from there , based on the other card factors. If it has a crease then the top grade would be maybe a 4 etc.

I really would like to see a company set up a 1-100 system. Use today's technology to pinpoint centerness with a laser machine. Photo the corners and the computer gives a readout etc. Then a human would check eye appeal.

[CMIZ5290]

You have them! Beckett and sgc... Psa grades tell it simply like it is. If it is an 8 quality card that is off centered, it receives a grade of 8oc. Most collectors already realize that particular card has the true value of a straight psa 6. I own many psa 8oc and 9oc t206s that blow away cards that are straight grades with just a fraction of better centering. T206s are so miniscule anyway when it comes to centering. Give me the razor sharp 8oc over the straight 6 anyday. Another thing to realize with PSA, you can ask for a straight grade versus a higher grade with a qualifer. Keep in mind, I am a collector, not a retailer..... Thanks

[Fred]

I think that this bullboard isn't a fair forum to have this opinion poll. SGC is going to rule. Try placing this in the PSA web site forum, it wouldn't be so lopsided, they may get 50% of the vote that way....