KSA grading

craig44

I enjoy OPC baseball cards from the 60's through the 80's, and while browsing ebay, I see many listings for KSA slabs. does anyone have any information about their reputation? To this point, i have stuck with PSA, but was interested in some cards I saw in their slabs. Are they known to slab sheet cut cards? I think they bill themselves as the canadian alternative to PSA. somehow I doubt that.

Stingray

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/940693/ksa-graded-cards-crossover

miwlvrn

Not sure if they still do, but a while back they had different locations across Canada. Not easy to tell from just the cert, but one of the KSA "office" location was infamous for being more lenient on grading than their other counterparts. The grader in that location was let go, and he subsequently started up a low reputation lousy "fake" grading company that never took off. Items graded by him have nice numbers on their flips but will never cross. Items graded by the eastern office have a much better chance at doing so. I've had multiple items crack out of KSA and grade even w/ PSA but sometimes they will be lower by a grade. When buying, always assume that the grade will be 1 to 1.5 lower in PSA than KSA when determining your max bid, and be hyper-critical in examining high res scans before pulling the trigger, and you have a chance at it paying off. Much less buying competition when searching those items. You can lose out if you're not careful though.

AANV

Almost certainly not worth the risk.

They have no issues with encapsulating sheet cut cards. Anything that is a 9, 9.5 or 10 is certainly questionable as a pack pulled card.

Also, I've seen a KSA 10 with a crease before.

No respectable high-volume seller would ever sell a KSA graded card when that same card would grade out the equivalent as a PSA holdered specimen.

Desert_Ice_Sports

KSA crossover checklist:

1. Be wary of trimmed, altered, or sheet-cut cards
2. Measure the length and width of the card... If it's not precisely 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 (or whatever it's supposed to be), pass.
3. Buy the card NOT the label.
4. Act as if you're buying a raw card... Their grades are meaningless.
5. Regarding crossover ability... Assume nothing.

craig44

thanks for the input guys. guess i will forget KSA and stick with psa.

miwlvrn

I know one member here who had a nice Gretzky RC hit nearly the same grade with PSA (7.5) as it was with KSA (8). It can be done. You just can't expect it to work out, and be very very picky about which ones you try.

If you do it right, you might be able to buy some KSA 10's at PSA 7 prices, sub to PSA in hopes of hitting several 8's and be surprised with a couple 9's.

jmmiller777

The big fear is to crack out a KSA and to end up with an "A" rating on an expensive card. First of all I would never buy any graded card to only crack it open and have regarded by PSA. It would have to be one hell of a deal in order for me to do that. I think it's a crap shot, because you cannot tell if the size is correct or not. I have heard too many stories of this happening and for that reason, I'm out!

Dpeck100

Over the past two weeks a seller listed some KSA graded wrestling cards. All were over graded but this one takes the cake. I wouldn't even sub this card to PSA. I would grade this card EX-MT with four touched corners and off centered top to bottom. They awarded it a 9.5.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1982-Wrestling-All-Stars-21-The-Fabulous-Moolah-Series-A-KSA-9-5-NGM/293635354626?hash=item445e07f002:g:igwAAOSweH1e~p29

empigtv

I’ve cracked two KSA cards with ok results. 1980 Bird/Magic KSA 7 to PSA 7. 1976 OPC Nolan Ryan KSA 7 to PSA 5. I the card looks ok, and is not super high end, I would give it a shot.

JoeBanzai

I have run across a few KSA cards on ebay. They all appeared to be graded at least one grade higher than PSA, but the sellers were trying to get close to PSA prices.

I usually just ignore them.

2dueces

Before Beckett graded Star Basketball I sent my Star cards to CSA. Not sure if it’s the same company but they were quite tough on my Jordan’s. I believe the 3 I have if cracked would cross or grade better than expected. Not sure if it’s the same Canadian company or not?

AnkurJ

I bought this and it crossed as a PSA 1. It was also priced accordingly. Additionally I spoke to the KSA graders about the card and was given good background about it.

bobbyw8469

Nice Mantle