Is this Loupe credit a joke?
scotgreb
Posts: 809 ✭✭✭
I renew my PSA membership last week to sub a bunch of beautiful 1971 Topps coins. I was thinking that I could sub under the $19 bulk rate. That would be the most I ever paid but still a decent proposition based on the condition of the coins (assuming fair grades). Turns out that PSA is [essentially] no longer grading coins and pins -- the rate is $75! Holy SH!@#$
I'm a glass half-full guy -- so all is not lost. I still have my $100 Loupe credit. I go to their site and find that there is all of (28) graded baseball cards available on the site! Yes, (28) -- and all just straight crap IMO. I think I probably have (28) graded cards lost in my sofa 
What am I missing?
And PSA -- if you are listening -- please consider treating pins and coins as you have in the past -- and certainly a special would be nice -- but I believe most would be happy with treatment / pricing equal to cards.
Always plenty of PSA-graded cards in my ebay store -- https://ebay.com/str/thelumbercompanysportscards
Comments
I recently posted a about this. I asked readers to post alternatives for their PSA enrollment & renewal and got no comments,I was very surprised. They should consider some free submissions.
They should consider some free submissions.
100% what you said, and if they do offer free subs for memberships soon, I sure as poptart hope they retroactively give them out to long term members who renewed and got this Loupe credit, I'll gladly hand that over for free subs...
Not a joke, not meant as a joke, its strictly kick to the 'nads type stuff.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
The Loupe credit does nothing for me either. I would like some free submissions. My membership is currently expired, and I am in no rush to renew it with the current offerings.
Wow..didn't realize this. I was just looking to renew my membership and see they off NO grading vouchers like in the past. The Loupe credit sounds like a joke...not in a rush to renew at this point. The grading vouchers were a big plus when renewing membership.
Nice to see some February specials, but none of them interest me personally. Still holding off on renewing.
At least there's something for vintage collectors though. They seemed to get shut out with the previous specials.
Do you know if the credit is transferable? I don't collect new shiny cards and can't find where they sell anything else. If I could sell that credit for pennies on the dollar that might be better than just letting it expire.
The Loupe credit is not bad at all. If you are 100% locked on just finding a PSA card, yeah you might have a hard time finding something during a normal stream. There are events when slabs are auctioned or sold. Full disclosure here, yes, we sell on Loupe and will be on live most of the day today and tomorrow. Grab yourself a box of 2023 Topps Baseball Hobby. We will have them available under $100 with Free Shipping. Take a chance on a Patrick Mahomes rookie pack. There are other ways to use that $100 credit. Many PSA members that have chimed in during our streams had nothing but positive things to say.
opcbaseball
Tom, you know I like and respect you, but I think you’re missing the point. Loupe seems to be only for ultra modern stuff. For a vintage collector there is zero value.
Yaz Master Set
#1 Gino Cappelletti master set
#1 John Hannah master set
Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, Dwight Evans, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
Wow, doesn't even work in Canada....
I agree it is mostly modern. There are a couple of sellers that do events with the vintage. I guess if you are someone that just does vintage, then yes, the $100 Loupe credit wouldn't do much for you. I would say the promotion has worked very well though. This is the only spot where I have seen anything negative on it
It just seems like PSA is doing what they can to lose customers. Between Loupe, high grading prices chasing away set builders, stricter grading on vintage cards, they're making SGC attractive. The newest baseball card I have is a 1993 SP jeter, I have no interest at all in what I see for sale at Loupe. I couldn't spend 100 credit there.
But to take advantage of grading you have to fork over $100 to be amember but in the past you got grading vouchers with your membership purchase...now you get the Loupe credit which I personally wouldn't use.
True-ish..... You had to buy the platinum membership for $250 to get the grading vouchers, There was still a $99 option with no vouchers and where you didn't even get a Loupe credit like thing.
I saw a couple mid-80's cards I would use the credits on, but the price on those cards are nearly 2x the price I could find on ebay.
And they're cards I would settle for, not ones I'm really excited about or actively looking for.
The list of graded cards for sale on the Loupe app is gone.
I bookmarked the pages I looked at before, but now they all lead to the home page.
From there, the only links I see lead to various live streams that rip modern packs.
How am I supposed to use this $100 Loupe credit? I don't want modern.
If you go to the website and select 'shop', it takes you back to the home page. Nothing is listed for sale. Yikes! Why would PSA affiliate / promote them?
My cards on COMC
If PSA has a deal with them that PSA has to pay a percentage of credits used, and nobody uses the credit, that saves PSA a lot of money. Smart short term thinking!
Has anyone used the credit yet? When I login I just see $10. I wasn't sure if $100 USD = $10 Loupe, if it should say $100, or if I need to buy something and the credit will show then.
I have seen a couple notifications for auctions of slabbed or older cards but I didn't have the opportunity to watch the live stream.
Very good concept for the breaking/ripping crowd. I do find it entertaining to observe and would rather watch people get excited over ripping cards than watch ESPN.
You are responsible for the first $10 for the credit to kick in
Thank you. I was confused on the terms and saw something about spending $10. I'm sure there's something on there I would like or can find somebody who does.
So, is the only way to purchase something is to go into a 'break' stream and search 'sale items'? Each different stream has different items for sale?
My cards on COMC
Where did you see that?
Did you search or follow a shop?
Received a unexpected package in the mail from Collectors Universe for my PSA SIlver membership.
A hard cover coffee table book - "The Diamondbacks Collection: 50 of the Greatest Cards in Sports Collecting History"
Shows the finest PSA examples of some the most iconic cards.
Pretty cool.
I heard them advertise that book but wasn’t sure exactly what it was about. That does look pretty cool.
If it has no value or no interest to me then I feel like it is like a joke . That is why I feel there should choice. At least a couple of free card gradings.
I feel mislead by PSA. I checked out the Loupe app before signing up for PSA membership, and there was a store to buy PSA graded cards, so the $100 credit had at least some value. Now that the store is gone and it's just ripping modern, it has really no value to me now.
(And does every dealer on Loupe have the same personality? "Here we go boys!" "YO, 1 of 99" "Sick pull!" LOL)
Mislead....? So you telling me that you joined the collector's club for the Loupe credit and coffee table book rather than the access to bulk pricing and specials???
I didn't tell you that at all.
Too funny. The first stream I watched was a guy that said "Here we go boys" and I left. I know some people enjoy the environment and I'm glad they have a community for it.
Maybe PSA will take note of the feedback and offer an exchange for the credit to retain people. It sounds like a few people aren't renewing memberships this year until they see a better incentive.
It's possible the credit was more for steering card ripping fans to a PSA membership than it was for avid card collectors.
Choice is always a winner. If people had the choice for Loupe credit or vouchers then you can satisfy both crowds.
I would much prefer vouchers over the Loupe credit. PSA is not dealing with a massive backlog so free membership vouchers should be rolled out at this point. The bigger question is how many vouchers and service level.
How long does it actually take to get the Loupe credit? got my membership renewed a couple of weeks ago due to the pack grading special and I haven't seen anything about the Loupe credit.
Work in progress - Unopened Racks/Cello/Wax with star power for Baseball, Football and Basketball
Collecting unopened 80's boxes and graded packs
I may be hoarding too much 80's junk wax but I like it!
The Loupe credit came the day after I renewed the membership. It was in an e-mail from PSA saying your Loupe credit is here with a button to push to claim credit. I did not claim the credit, don't know if it expires and really could care less about it.
How many SchruteBucks is $100 Loupe credit?
For me, It took several days after signing up for membership. As the other poster said, you get an email, then you click on the button to claim. Maybe check your SPAM folder? The credit shows $10 on the Loupe app. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but I think you have to spend the first $10 out of pocket and the rest is applied to the credit. I haven't tried it yet.
Of all the things in the world to whine about... it sure ain't gonna be a free $100 credit. You can turn it into cash with a little effort. Buy a "ships sealed" box of modern Heritage or Topps (yes, they are available) and sell it on eBay... could definitely turn it into $60-$70. For me, I bought into a Triple Threads break run by Tom/Opcbaseball by buying the Cubs... I don't really collect modern, but hit a triple threads auto with Ryno/Dawson/Grace.
People with a difference of opinion should be allowed to voice it. Call it whining, but by doing so, you are turning the heat up a notch for some and if you haven't noticed, threads get closed and deleted for very little banter. If moderators paychecks depend on it then I can see how some may succumb to such level of censorship but most of us can police ourselves and handle our own business. Sure we want a professional and friendly board but it's like any family...there will be disagreements and arguments...it's life.
Sure makes me glad my dad is in depends with the iq of an infant so he doesn't see the keyboard warriors shutting down the 1st ammendment that so many people, like him, CHOSE to go into battle to protect and also liberate people from oppression such as not being allowed to express your opinion.
I won't touch on this subject anymore in the public sphere but I can guarantee you that my membership will not be renewed if the trend continues because I'm far beyond annoyed from incidents the past 2 weeks by moderation.
At the end of the day we are all human, with emotions, and some us are better at self control than others, but the hobby would be lame if everyone gave warm fuzziness to each other 100% of the time.
I don't care that you said whining but I wanted to let you know what seems acceptable and not acceptable on this board.
Make it a great day!
Oh and forgot to agree with your suggestion...spend and sell if you want some value for the credit. Good score on the triple Cubs auto.