New SGC Holder w/ 1-10 grading scale

sportscardstop

I came across this on twitter. I really hope this isn't the new SGC Label for the 1-10 grading scale.

https://twitter.com/SportsCollector/status/1024769767025135616

brad31

Love SGC cards. Those labels are difficult to read anything but the number if they are what they are going to. I like being able to read the old school grade like NM-MT, etc. Also changing will make it harder to find SGC cards on EBay. Search daily for SGC 92. Now have to add in SGC 8.5 will take twice as long.

craig44

Oh man, that is not an improvement. Ugh.

ahopkins

My first impression: generic-looking.

Huskies11

I had such high hopes. They needed a complete overhaul. This is certainly not that.

ldferg

I’m glad they went to a 1-10 scale, but I’m not too keen on the labeling.

tonylags

Yeah, not a great improvement if you ask me, maybe they should have done some collector surveys first. At first glance reminds me of BCCG

BLUEJAYWAY

I'd of rather the identification print be somewhat larger and the grade number smaller. More equal among the two. Some people may need use of a magnifier for a more clear reading of the description print.

Dpeck100

Those flips look awful. I have some SGC graded cards and they present well in their holders. Major step backwards with this presentation. Abort mission immediately and use the old flip with different font scale.

packCollector

I suspect like most things in life, no one will mind the look after a few months. Initial shock usual brings out the worst opinions then no one cares imo

HighGradeLegends

@tonylags said:
Yeah, not a great improvement if you ask me, maybe they should have done some collector surveys first. At first glance reminds me of BCCG

this

handyman

Hilarious

Jimmy_Commonpants

I had high hopes and these fall flat. I'm still more interested in the grader notes that will be available online. That was the part of the change that I thought was the best.

brad31

With a two letter grade abbreviation wonder how they will delineate NM and NM-MT on 7 and 8.

originalisbest

I agree, far too generic and resembles a fly-by-night effort out of a garage. No change is going to come without complaints, but speaking as a designer -- please, find a designer (a good one) to make your label/brand, not the one person in the office who's handy with Word.

miwlvrn

I prefer the green border SGC labels that have the 100-scale number in the upper right, with the grade letter abbreviation below it, and then the 10-scale number in the lower right. Not sure why they felt the need to steer away from that font size and layout, regardless of adding other security measures to the flip.

lawyer05

bccg

Huskies11

I think a successful SGC would be really good for grading and the hobby in general, but I think they are out of touch with what the hobby participants want in terms of slabs. Aesthetics play a huge part in peoples' decision on what cards to buy. This move seems to convey that they're not interested in gaining share in the modern card market.

MrHockey

It seems odd to have an ultra-modern label w/ their emphasis on pre-war as market niche.

StamkosFan

I think the fonts especially the numbers should be bigger.
Looks worse than most generic basement brands.

PopeyesSpinach

@StamkosFan said:
I think the fonts especially the numbers should be bigger.
Looks worse than most generic basement brands.

I agree. I have a blind friend and even he laughed at them.

ClockworkAngel

Wow. SGC really needed a game changer and this is not that. As Huskies mentioned, a
more competitive market would be really
Good for the hobby and it’s collectors.
I wanted this to get us going. We should all want to see PSA forced. To work towards improving things like quicker turnaround times, consistent grading standards, and competitive pricing.
The only advantage SGC had before was that most felt the holder and label were more attractive. Now, I’m not so sure.

Does anyone know if SGC will implement 9.5 as a grade? The Equivalent to the old 98 grade? There was an advantage of taking 9’s PSA just wouldn’t bump to SGC and aiming for the 98 grade, but if there is no 9.5, that’s gone too.

Cakes

@Jimmy_Commonpants said:
I had high hopes and these fall flat. I'm still more interested in the grader notes that will be available online. That was the part of the change that I thought was the best.

Grader notes would be awesome.

mintonlypls

I saw an SGC-9.5 (old sgc-98) at the show w/security guards watching the card. I assume sgc-10 equals old sgc-100.

lawyer05

i didnt see this hoopla when i graded my 1990 Carlos Maldonado Topps Debut

WalkinDude

I'm not the biggest fan of the new holder. Just came across this.

miwlvrn

Hmm, looks like their cert numbering system has changed as well.

miwlvrn

@MrHockey said:
It seems odd to have an ultra-modern label w/ their emphasis on pre-war as market niche.

Pre-war, not as in cards, but as in the birth year of the collector who owns the card, who may need the larger font grade number in order to be able to read the thing!

Stone193

There's something Gem Grading'ish about the appearance but the card is killer!

For me? The 9.5 is kind of a distraction instead of blending in with the flip IMO.

Allen

What a botched opportunity. With BGS and PSA so backed up they really had a chance to increase their market share. This is more like the last nail in the coffin. I don't understand how they thought this design was the direction to go in.

demondeacs

@Allen said:
What a botched opportunity. With BGS and PSA so backed up they really had a chance to increase their market share. This is more like the last nail in the coffin. I don't understand how they thought this design was the direction to go in.

I wonder if they'll admit their mistake and change the label. When you get down to it, we're only talking about a tiny label that fits inside a holder. Shouldn't be too much of an investment. It's not like they have to change the entire holder.

Stone193

I just think the PSA flip is so much more "professional" looking IMO.

mexpo75

Stone, You are right on. The SGC looks like something printed at home.

ahopkins

I just don't get the black trim around the label along with the black interior holder. It's so....dark. No character. I'll admit, I actually liked those green trim labels. It gave the aesthetics of the holder that little bit of eye appeal.

addicted2ebay

I like SGC... colorful older cards with white boarders just pop in their holders.

IMO they want a piece of the new card market so they are trying a “Beckett” like label.

I also agree it has a “GMA” look to it.

I always thought the perfect slab would be a secure slab like BGS with a black boarder like SGC and a red PSA flip on top.

akuracy503

I might be in the minority but these new SGC slabs looks great. They have slowly grown on me as I see more vintage in these cases. Seems there was an influx of crossover guys too.

MikeyP

I agree. Are the crossovers typically receiving the same grades?

KendallCat

Funny you say that because at first I did not like them but they are growing on me. Also, the case feels much better to hold than others which are not as thick.

KC

Air23GOAT

When I first saw them I thought they were some small independent brand or ripoff only to be seriously let down to find out these were the new SGC holders. I really like SGC. They're a very respectable grading company. We know PSA & BGS dominate this market but let's hope this move doesn't put SGC out of the race entirely. Remember GAI? They were another respectable tpg that went out of business.
I wish SGC well despite their terrible-looking new holders.

lawyer05

As my collection of Panama players gets into the more rares. I'm getting a lot of No Spec no Info returns on cards that i have been sending to PSA. SGC is willing to grade them.....so sometimes you have no choice. But PSA always has the best holder !!!

remedylane

I didn't mind the new flip from a design standpoint. What I have an issue with is that it's so vastly different from my old labels. It looks like 2 completely different grading companies. So my cards don't match. Even PSA has tweaked their label. But it still the same.. I even messaged sgc and suggested that the submitted should be able to choose the "vintage" label if they wanted. Oh well. It is what it is.

akuracy503

@MikeyP said:
I agree. Are the crossovers typically receiving the same grades?

From my understanding crossovers have been on par with PSA. It appears SGC made a bold move with the changes. Many have converted. It'll take a few years to see how the comparisons on market value plays out.

akuracy503

I do prefer modern cards in PSA. I'm still keeping an open mind on pre war vintage and SGC.

_EagleEyeKid_

I will only use sgc once they've considered using my Braille label idea.

MikeyP

Thanks, Akuracy.

1951WheatiesPremium

There’s room for all three. I am not a fan of the new SGC holders but some really seem to like them. I liked their old scale better. But I think the work they do is solid and have cracked and crossed a few with good results.

miwlvrn

I might be pretty oblivious I suppose but I only just noticed today that the new SGC holders include two varieties of a '10' grade. They have a 10 MT (Gem Mint) and also a 10 PRI (Pristine). The 10 PRI is basically equivalent to BGS's black label 10, but without subgrades on the label, I think there being two types of 10's is a confusing concept. It made a lot more sense to me back when they had a 98 that was equal to 10 Gem Mint, and 100 that was Pristine.

https://gosgc.com/card-grading/submissions

brad31

@miwlvrn said:
I might be pretty oblivious I suppose but I only just noticed today that the new SGC holders include two varieties of a '10' grade. They have a 10 MT (Gem Mint) and also a 10 PRI (Pristine). The 10 PRI is basically equivalent to BGS's black label 10, but without subgrades on the label, I think there being two types of 10's is a confusing concept. It made a lot more sense to me back when they had a 98 that was equal to 10 Gem Mint, and 100 that was Pristine.

https://gosgc.com/card-grading/submissions

Had not noticed that and agree it is confusing. I have never understood the need or desire for something higher than 10.

HighGradeLegends

Sgc turnaround times are commensurate with their advertised estimates. My only observation of interest for their operations.

KbKards

EagleEyeKid said:
I will only use sgc once they've considered using my Braille label idea.

That might be easier for even the sighted to read than the microprinted jumbled bleeding cert number, especially after they removed the barcode. I couldn't imagine the uproar from collectors needing to be able to read the cert number for inventorying or needing it for set registry purposes. I'm not sure what the purpose was to enlarge the grade to the point where it's discernible by the Hubble. With little to no apparent registry interest from collectors maybe they're trying to appeal more to number buyers than collectors.

Huskies11

The new holders were definitely an improvement but not a big enough improvement, IMO. I think SGC needed a better reboot of its brand to gain market share against PSA and BGS. I think vintage cards always really pop in their slabs but to me modern cards just look 'off' in the SGC holder.