Grading companies
BigSarge81
Posts: 5 ✭
I've been trying to search and find what the difference is in the grading companies. I know there are several out there but which one is the preferred choice. I still havent been able to find an article or youtube video which explains the difference between the grading companies are. Which is your preferred grading company?
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What are you looking to have graded? For mostly all, PSA will be preferred. You are on a PSA forum, so you know where we will steer you.
I just sold any BGS slabs I had while they still had a hint of value.
Nic
Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF
Save yourself a lot of headaches and go with PSA. A couple others are decent but PSA has the best track record and the most upside potential for better.
Welcome to the boards!
Short answer is PSA.
It would be nice if you gave us more information on the cards you are thinking about grading.
Go to ebay, Do an advanced search under sold listings. Search for any graded card. I think you will generally find that PSA graded cards will sell for more that their competitors.
HOWEVER, I think it's more difficult to get a high grade from PSA, so you might want to take that into consideration.
I collect older cards and the only other company I would consider is SGC.
On the modern stuff BVG (not even sure if I got the letters right) seems to be somewhat popular.
I don't have a card in mind. I have several raw cards in my collection I'm considering to get graded(vintage to ultra modern). Thanks for the differentiation. I have scoured ebay and saw a range of graders with PSA being the top one..I figured so.
Now, if I do decide to go with PSA and I really think they are above all the rest. What tools would be recommend? I know there is PSA Silver and the PWCC Marketplace. I'm getting back into the hobby. So, lot of these terms are a bit new to me.
Not sure if there is a litmus of tools to use. For grading, prices, and research. What should collectors use?
Sorry the industry has changed quite a bit since I last collected.
Tools for examining your cards?
I have a very bright light and a set of jewelers magnifying glasses. I have also found that scanning the card and looking at an enlarged image on my computer gives me a different perspective. Looking at a card in bright sunlight can expose defects other light sources might not illuminate.
Make sure you look for surface problems and print "dots". Corners and centering are pretty easy to see.
Another suggestion is to look at your cards to be graded and then (if looking for 10's) go back the next day and look at them again, then wait at least another day and look at them one more time.
If possible find someone else to look at them as well, often a different set of eyes will see something you missed.
For pricing, I just use ebay.
Yes, the industry has changed quite a bit if you have been away for while.
PSA is on the top. I also have some very nice SGC and BVG/BGS cards. They don't carry the price tag as similar PSA versions however also very attractive cards.
Scroll back thru the topics on the main post board. There's been many questions from new and former collectors. Many good responses and answers from board members.
As I always say...
Take your time and do your research. It's easy to get burned or scammed.
Pick a genre. The hobby is massive. I'm a baseball rookie collector. Vintage up to modern.
Most importantly, enjoy your hobby.
BTW. welcome!
Yes this is a PSA forum and despite that I still strongly recommend PSA. There may be 100's of other companies. Many come and gone. SGC is a well respected company that grades correctly. Older cards had grades that didn't go by the 1-10 scale. Often they would not devalue a card as much for centering as PSA does. Becket has a following for he new shinny stuff. PSA yields the most money in sales due to the respect of collectors. For many other companies the 1-10 scale is not equal to PSA.. for example an ex-my might be their 8. Many altered cards such as trimming find their way into non psa holders and advance collectors automatically think, "what's wrong here."
PSA is not perfect. I wouldn't own anything but......
1948-76 Topps FB Sets
FB & BB HOF Player sets
1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
You will be ok with any of the PSA, BGS or SGC. Each has their merits and sales advantages. STAY AWAY from BCCG and for God's sake, NEVER send your cards to GMA, have seen that crap explode recently and dont understand how people can be so stupid to send their cards there
As a former collector of BGS/BVG graded cards I can say that a PSA graded collection will be worth more, and if you are trying to sell a card it's much easier to sell one graded by PSA. Beginning just this June I bought my first PSA graded card and for me the registry alone is worth it. I'm in the process of replacing my BGS/BVG cards with PSA and I sent my first order in to PSA for grading, 20 cards that I busted from BGS/BVG holders, very much looking forward to comparing their final grades. Good luck with whatever you decide.
NFL HOF Set
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/398345
I for one would love to know your results.
I will post the results but it won't be for awhile with the current turnaround times.
NFL HOF Set
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/398345
Understandable and thank you.
My main reason is, I am kind of coming from the other direction on a couple of cards that PSA refuses to grade the way I think they should.
The card that really kills me is a 1962 Killebrew that should be a 9, except for a few almost un noticeable print spots. Card has come back a 7 twice now and looks MUCH better than any 8 from 1962 I have ever seen.
I simply refuse to sell this beauty for 7 money and am sick of paying to have it graded if all I am going to get is a 7 from PSA.
I will either keep it, or send it in to another company in the hope of an 8.5-9. Hoping that I will be able to get a fair price for the card i the end.
One other thing. If I send a card to be graded, I want a 9 to be caused by a tic on a corner rather than being slightly off-center.
Too bad you don't get to choose that.
True Joe banzai, but if I could....
buy bgs. crack and sub w psa.
Here's the PSA 7 Killebrew I was referring to.
Yes, I see the print dots. Look at other 1962 Topps Baseball PSA 8's on ebay right now and find a nicer one than this;
Hate so say it, but it could easily have a PD qualifier...Great card, I say be happy with the grade. JMHO...
Yes, I see the "dots". Take a look at 8's on ebay.
I would think printing dots would be common for that era. Everything else looks dead-on.
Pretty simple: PSA for the items PSA will grade. SGC for the ones that PSA won't grade (by won't, I mean to specify the ones from all the sets that PSA presently chooses not to grade; not the cards that PSA won't grade due to problems w/ miscut, authenticity, etc.).
Thanks, I agree, and those are not real jump out at you dots, although there's no denying there's three pretty big ones.
I figured an 8 would be the absolute bottom for the card, it seems pretty flawless where centering and corners are concerned. Edges and surface are perfect as well
It looks much better than the 8 in my set and I was thinking when I bought it raw it would be an upgrade.
Obviously PSA didn't agree, twice, so my next thought was to send it to a competitor and hope for a 9ish grade and (hopefully) recoup some of my investment.
Here is a good comparison of PSA 9 Luka Doncic and BGS 9.5 Luka Doncic. I submitted both to PWCC and was expecting the BGS 9.5 Luka to outperform the PSA 9 since it was slightly rare. Obviously the auction still has 7 days to go but if my expectations are wrong I will be disappointed that I didn't send in the BGS 9.5 Luka to PSA to hopefully cross as a PSA 9 or 10. Had it crossed to a PSA 10 I have probably left thousands of dollars on the table.
https://ebay.com/itm/2018-Donruss-Optic-Orange-Luka-Doncic-ROOKIE-RC-199-177-PSA-9-MINT/143885656582
https://ebay.com/itm/2018-Donruss-Optic-Lime-Green-Luka-Doncic-ROOKIE-RC-149-177-BGS-9-5-GEM-MINT/402605530039
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
Anyone have any experience with MNT Grading out of Canada ?
This is the strategy I will follow from now on.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.