JUST ANNOUNCED: New PSA Holders

erikthredd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ_X7BLtE8w

erikthredd

Sidenote: I came across a Geoff Wilson reel on Instagram the other day where he was cracking a recently graded PSA slab and the card was in a second holder inside the slab, is this something new too? I didn't see it mentioned in the PSA video above and I tried looking for Wilson's reel again but couldn't find it.

bgr

I am still surprised that they didn't do anything to secure their labels.

I
Do
Not
Understand
You
PSA

erikthredd

https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/11060/meet-the-new-standard
May 13, 2024
Three years in the making, and a decade since its last major enhancement, PSA’s new holder for standard trading cards is making its debut.

Starting with sports card submissions this May with plans for a wider rollout, collectors can look forward to enhanced durability, look, and feel. Atmospheric elements and the hardest of convention floors have met their match.

Enhancements Overview

Collect all of the premium, practical properties of this best-in-class arrival:

Medical-grade plastic composition—an industry first.

20% heavier with identical exterior dimensions.

Ultra impermeable to heat, humidity, water, and UV light.

Extra protective against micro-scratches and surface scuffs.

No mylar, no movement, no unwanted Newton Ring illusions.

Making the Case

Encapsulating this all-around upgrade is a material transition to medical-grade plastic—an industry first and finest. Impermeability, transparency, durability: there are many reasons why this polymer is embraced as a benchmark blending form and function.

“This new polymer is more shatter-resistant, more resistant to UV damage from the sun, and even more scratch-resistant,” PSA Mechanical Engineering Manager Brian Alvey said. “The overall dimensions of these new holders will be identical to what PSA used before the update, but the in-hand feel is significantly more premium.”

Indeed, the new holder’s density makes a big first impression. 20% heavier, it has the effect of making the card inside feel that much more significant.

“A 20 percent increase in weight might seem like nothing,” PSA mechanical engineer Travis Tapay said, “but it’s everything. The in-hand quality from the weight alone is significant. You really have to feel it to believe it.”

And as the new polymer offers added resistance to micro-scratches and scuffs, the holders will retain a higher level of clarity over years of handling. Equally important is everything collectors won’t see: no Mylar, no sleeve, no movement, no optical illusions like Newton’s rings—just authenticity presented with long-lasting clarity.

Encapsulating Now

We put it to the test—now it’s time for standard sports card submissions to feel the weight of this announcement. Standard trading card size measures 2.5x3.5x0.04” (40pt max thickness).

mintonlypls

Just in time for 45 cards of mine which are in old holders w/o serial numbers on back…placed in up-to-date holders. I like it! And I have planned to do so before this news release.

Ridethelightning

Had to do something to compete with the greatness of the CGC holders. Now it's time for you all to pay for 'reholder submissions'

BBBrkrr

@Ridethelightning said:
Had to do something to compete with the greatness of the CGC holders. Now it's time for you all to pay for 'reholder submissions'

Hilarious, and probably full on true.

First, we get stories of folks only wanting recently graded cards because the new standard is so strict and now we need to reholder to get this fancy new plastic.

Funny enough, but I dropped an order of 60 in the mail this morning a couple hours before the announcement. Should I be giddy?

Stone193

Always nice to see improvement.

So.

If I sub 500 cards - the return would've been around 47 pounds.

Now?

56. I don't know. I could get a hernia tossin'm in the trunk. ☹️

brad31

I dream of the day that I am the last collector willing to pay full comp for great looking cards for the grade in old labels.

Bear48

yawn

BBBrkrr

@Stone193 said:
Always nice to see improvement.

So.

If I sub 500 cards - the return would've been around 47 pounds.

Now?

56. I don't know. I could get a hernia tossin'm in the trunk. ☹️

No pain no gain.

pdoidoi

I am glad to see the improvements but I hope that does not mean that prices will be going up.

BLUEJAYWAY

@pdoidoi said:
I am glad to see the improvements but I hope that does not mean that prices will be going up.

New and improved always seems to cost more,eventually, if not right away.

grote15

After hearing this news, I am hopeful that PSA will be able to redesign their pack holder next as wax packs are often getting damaged during the holdering process due to the well within the holder not being wide enough to accommodate the inherent size variances you encounter with wax packs which often "billow" out a bit.

lahmejoon

@grote15 said:
After hearing this news, I am hopeful that PSA will be able to redesign their pack holder next as wax packs are often getting damaged during the holdering process due to the well within the holder not being wide enough to accommodate the inherent size variances you encounter with wax packs which often "billow" out a bit.

One can hope, Tim. I'm finally ready to submit my packs, but refuse to until they fix this problem!

erikthredd

It will be interesting to see how smaller sized cards fit in these new holders. You could find numerous smaller cards from a particular set on ebay and they'll be slabbed with multiple different inserts & sleeves. Some may have zero room to move while others may end up tilted badly, it would be great if they're all permanently uniform now.

RonSportscards

@erikthredd said:
It will be interesting to see how smaller sized cards fit in these new holders. You could find numerous smaller cards from a particular set on ebay and they'll be slabbed with multiple different inserts & sleeves. Some may have zero room to move while others may end up tilted badly, it would be great if they're all permanently uniform now.

From what I can tell, the smaller cards will still get an insert, it just won't be made of mylar, creating those optical illusions.
Unless they increased the number of insert sizes available to accommodate every single variety of card size, there will still be some cards that won't fit exactly and could possibly tilt.

erikthredd

@RonSportscards said:

@erikthredd said:
It will be interesting to see how smaller sized cards fit in these new holders. You could find numerous smaller cards from a particular set on ebay and they'll be slabbed with multiple different inserts & sleeves. Some may have zero room to move while others may end up tilted badly, it would be great if they're all permanently uniform now.

From what I can tell, the smaller cards will still get an insert, it just won't be made of mylar, creating those optical illusions.
Unless they increased the number of insert sizes available to accommodate every single variety of card size, there will still be some cards that won't fit exactly and could possibly tilt.

I'd be happy if they looked snug like that one but we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out. We might see that insert used one day and a different one a couple months later for the same exact set.
It makes you wonder how they choose to use which inserts for certain sets. Does the guy that is sealing the slabs just eye it as he goes? I'm likely to say yes because there's been plenty of instances where the fit so to speak has been all over the place. That being said, I do like the look of these newer holders.

tigerdean

$50 to reholder a $40 card I'm sure

RonSportscards

@erikthredd said:

@RonSportscards said:

@erikthredd said:
It will be interesting to see how smaller sized cards fit in these new holders. You could find numerous smaller cards from a particular set on ebay and they'll be slabbed with multiple different inserts & sleeves. Some may have zero room to move while others may end up tilted badly, it would be great if they're all permanently uniform now.

From what I can tell, the smaller cards will still get an insert, it just won't be made of mylar, creating those optical illusions.
Unless they increased the number of insert sizes available to accommodate every single variety of card size, there will still be some cards that won't fit exactly and could possibly tilt.

I'd be happy if they looked snug like that one but we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out. We might see that insert used one day and a different one a couple months later for the same exact set.
It makes you wonder how they choose to use which inserts for certain sets. Does the guy that is sealing the slabs just eye it as he goes? I'm likely to say yes because there's been plenty of instances where the fit so to speak has been all over the place. That being said, I do like the look of these newer holders.

Of course the example PSA uses is going to look snug. LOL
I guess they've made the insert rails taller to prevent shifting.
My 83 Fleer sticker sub didn't use mylar, and it fit ok, not great, within the rails of the insert, but the stickers were thin and it shifted passed the rail. This is how I received it from PSA.

As for which holder is chosen, who knows.
I posted this before but someone decided to put my 84 Topps Rubdown in a Tall Boy holder with an insert.
Every other one I've seen have been put in a standard size holder.
Good thing I wasn't trying to put together a set trying to store these different holders.

Hand cut cards will be tricky.
Some cards are cut on the border while some will leave a 1/4" border, for example.
They can't have EVERY size insert for every situation, so some may not fit as well.
Moving away from mylar is good, but they still cheaped out keeping the paper label and not etching the grade right into the holder like TAG grading, to aid against counterfeiting.

Kepper19

@grote15 said:
After hearing this news, I am hopeful that PSA will be able to redesign their pack holder next as wax packs are often getting damaged during the holdering process due to the well within the holder not being wide enough to accommodate the inherent size variances you encounter with wax packs which often "billow" out a bit.

hear ye -- I had a number of 1977 Star Wars packs damaged when they "forced" them into the holders...was not a happy camper...you would think that the person putting them into the holder would stop and ask his mgsr and have them raise it up the pole that the packs do not fit nicely into the holders...after seeing the first one get ruined, one would think they would stop and see if something else could be done so the others do not get damaged as well

lahmejoon

@Kepper19 said:

@grote15 said:
After hearing this news, I am hopeful that PSA will be able to redesign their pack holder next as wax packs are often getting damaged during the holdering process due to the well within the holder not being wide enough to accommodate the inherent size variances you encounter with wax packs which often "billow" out a bit.

hear ye -- I had a number of 1977 Star Wars packs damaged when they "forced" them into the holders...was not a happy camper...you would think that the person putting them into the holder would stop and ask his mgsr and have them raise it up the pole that the packs do not fit nicely into the holders...after seeing the first one get ruined, one would think they would stop and see if something else could be done so the others do not get damaged as well

I'm certain the people higher up the pole have heard the complaints, but my guess is that this is a small niche of the business and they really don't care or is not top priority. Maybe they have an abundance of the shells that they intend to use up before they make an adjustment? Who knows.

There are guys who are affiliated with PSA on certain Facebook groups who will promote the business, but none of them respond when asked about what they're doing about the flaws in the design of the pack holder.

bgr

Wouldn't the Mylar sleeve be the right solution for packs? It doesn't seem like they need to do much to address it.

grote15

@bgr said:
Wouldn't the Mylar sleeve be the right solution for packs? It doesn't seem like they need to do much to address it.

That has worked in the past. I'm not sure why they moved away from that as it also helped alleviate the issue of gum pokes in the wrapper caused by loose gum, too.

But the width of the well is the bigger problem right now.

VintagemanEd

Not a single word about security. Not a single word!!! They are not even going to fake it and tell us how these are more tamper resistant than ever? Nothing? Zip? Zilch!?
Maybe they are less tamper resistant?!?

brad31

@VintagemanEd said:
Not a single word about security. Not a single word!!! They are not even going to fake it and tell us how these are more tamper resistant than ever? Nothing? Zip? Zilch!?
Maybe they are less tamper resistant?!?

They are 20% more expensive to fake the holder for counterfwiters. That added plastic cost will end fake slabs.

bgr

@brad31 said:

@VintagemanEd said:
Not a single word about security. Not a single word!!! They are not even going to fake it and tell us how these are more tamper resistant than ever? Nothing? Zip? Zilch!?
Maybe they are less tamper resistant?!?

They are 20% more expensive to fake the holder for counterfwiters. That added plastic cost will end fake slabs.

If you're being facetious... I agree.

ArtVandelay

I'm just looking forward to the people who will "advise" me on how the old PSA holders do not carry the same value as the new holders.

RonSportscards

PSA, if you're reading this thread...
Can we now get a Bulk Oversize special at reasonable prices? Like 50+ cards bulk. (And not $5 off, please. A more substantial discount for the Collector.)
This would get me to rejoin Collectors Club. Just throwing it out there.

olb31

@ArtVandelay said:
I'm just looking forward to the people who will "advise" me on how the old PSA holders do not carry the same value as the new holders.

The cards in the old holders are worthless. Please send in all your PSA cards to get new holders and your cards will become worth something. Fee per card $75.

vols1

I submitted 10 cards, and they used a penny sleeve inside the holder on half my order. How do you request the holder without the sleeves? The ones with sleeves look crooked inside the holder.

Cakes

@vols1 said:
I submitted 10 cards, and they used a penny sleeve inside the holder on half my order. How do you request the holder without the sleeves? The ones with sleeves look crooked inside the holder.

I am not sure but on their website for the Regular $74.99, Express $129.00, and above it says Graded card will be returned inside a fitted sleeve protector.

jackstraw

@vols1 said:
I submitted 10 cards, and they used a penny sleeve inside the holder on half my order. How do you request the holder without the sleeves? The ones with sleeves look crooked inside the holder.

PSA has struggled to get this right since 1991! I honestly have no idea what is so difficult for them to figure out and actually fix it? Their R&D dept. should be ashamed of themselves.. The last attempt was sad and comical at the same time!! I remember calling and saying can you fix this oil slick looking thing that is happening and they said it’s some sort of chemical reaction😂. Oh ok that sounds safe for my cards ……

80sOPC

Just saw a card with the new sleeve, looked rumpled on the back. Kind of sucks from an in hand and display perspective.

Estil

Ultimately though, PSA graded cards are like people, it's what's inside that counts!

82FootballWaxMemorys

@jackstraw said:

@vols1 said:
I submitted 10 cards, and they used a penny sleeve inside the holder on half my order. How do you request the holder without the sleeves? The ones with sleeves look crooked inside the holder.

PSA has struggled to get this right since 1991! I honestly have no idea what is so difficult for them to figure out and actually fix it? Their R&D dept. should be ashamed of themselves.. The last attempt was sad and comical at the same time!! I remember calling and saying can you fix this oil slick looking thing that is happening and they said it’s some sort of chemical reaction😂. Oh ok that sounds safe for my cards ……

No Chemical, it's strictly a light refraction thing

grote15

@80sOPC said:
Just saw a card with the new sleeve, looked rumpled on the back. Kind of sucks from an in hand and display perspective.

Ugh, I dont like the way that sounds. I hated the "baggy" look when they'd occasionally sleeve a card within the holder. A graded card should be crystal clear within the well without any extraneous plastic within the holder. That's just not necessary if the card is holdered correctly imo.

80sOPC

See the back of the mantle in this post:

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1104320/new-member-bought-my-first-decent-psa-card-mantle-look-forward-to-learning-from-you#latest

Doogster

@80sOPC said:
See the back of the mantle in this post:

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1104320/new-member-bought-my-first-decent-psa-card-mantle-look-forward-to-learning-from-you#latest

Yup, that’s my card. It’s unsightly what they’ve done and may get it re-holdered if I have confidence it’ll be fixed

jraytay

@jackstraw said:

@vols1 said:
I submitted 10 cards, and they used a penny sleeve inside the holder on half my order. How do you request the holder without the sleeves? The ones with sleeves look crooked inside the holder.

PSA has struggled to get this right since 1991! I honestly have no idea what is so difficult for them to figure out and actually fix it? Their R&D dept. should be ashamed of themselves.. The last attempt was sad and comical at the same time!! I remember calling and saying can you fix this oil slick looking thing that is happening and they said it’s some sort of chemical reaction😂. Oh ok that sounds safe for my cards ……

You got a bogus answer from that rep. I had the same thing on a slabbed PSA. They said it was something called Newtons Rings with no explanation on how it happens. They did however re-slab the card at no charge but I had to pay shipping.

olb31

Holders

1) SGC - the new style are by far the best.
2) Beckett

80sOPC

I can’t stand those BGS slabs, no interest in a brick sized holder. I’d like to see these things get slimmer.

olb31

Im not a big fan of the huge PSA holders. i graded 2 1982 Mattingly police cards. they are just a hair bigger than a regular card and they put both of them in those huge holders. Death nail for those two, no one wants them.