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PSA entering Comic and Magazine grading world in 2025

News is a few days old, but I stumbled on a YouTube video talking about it.

https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/11065/psa-expands-into-comic-book-and-magazine-grading

"...along with comic book and magazine pressing." (How come my screw down pressed sportscards get rejected?)

They seem to be spreading their resources pretty thin. Will they overtake CGC?

So who's building a pile of Fangoria and Cracked magazines as they read this?

Comments

  • GrooGroo Posts: 216 ✭✭✭
    edited July 22, 2024 4:27AM

    I for one welcome competition!

    CGC has no conerns with census arithmetic, however they have a litany and long history of various slab maladys that have not been addressed except with a metaphorical middle finger to the customer

    Will be interesting to see this play out.

  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,871 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Groo said:
    I for one welcome competition!

    CGC has no conerns with census arithmetic, however they have a litany and long history of various slab maladys that have not been addressed except with a metaphorical middle finger to the customer

    Will be interesting to see this play out.

    I can’t imagine PSA is going to have a better holder for comics than CGC, who has been working on that for 25 years. The image shown looks like a holder similar to the PSA card holder, which of course would be a disaster. I hope PSA knows what they’re getting themselves into.

  • bgrbgr Posts: 1,617 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What are the important aspects of the mold that CGC has had issues with? The shape and function or the performance of the materials? Maybe something with the process? What’s wrong with the PSA design if that’s anything more than a sample or example. Thanks

  • olb31olb31 Posts: 3,325 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Don't take this the wrong way, but grading comics, pics, cards, magazines, 100 year old stuff, 1 month old stuff, etc --- Sounds like just a gimmick. Let's grade something, holder it and charge a fee. How about getting knowledgeable about one or two lines of items, getting the stuff graded within 15 days and getting it back to you -- with consistent grades. Adding more items to grade with more people to train, sounds like it's just "an additional revenue source", not necessarily enhancing the industry.

    KISS -- Keep it simple stupid.

    Work hard and you will succeed!!
  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,871 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bgr said:
    What are the important aspects of the mold that CGC has had issues with? The shape and function or the performance of the materials? Maybe something with the process? What’s wrong with the PSA design if that’s anything more than a sample or example. Thanks

    A comic book is very different from a baseball card in terms of its tolerance for lateral impact. Comic book pages are very thin and are easily damaged by banging up against the edges of the inner well. Current CGC holders have an inner well that immobilizes the comic from moving.

    The pic below is of an older CGC holder that was a big improvement at the time. I liked it because the edge of the comic is not up against a rail. However this design can potentially cause the inner comic to separate from the cover under enough impact.

    The current CGC case seems to work pretty well. But it’s a much bigger challenge than a card case. Cards are relatively sturdy and protecting the corners is the only real issue.

  • jraytayjraytay Posts: 140 ✭✭✭

    @olb31 said:
    Don't take this the wrong way, but grading comics, pics, cards, magazines, 100 year old stuff, 1 month old stuff, etc --- Sounds like just a gimmick. Let's grade something, holder it and charge a fee. How about getting knowledgeable about one or two lines of items, getting the stuff graded within 15 days and getting it back to you -- with consistent grades. Adding more items to grade with more people to train, sounds like it's just "an additional revenue source", not necessarily enhancing the industry.

    KISS -- Keep it simple stupid.

    Companies are always pressured to come up with new avenues / revenues of business. This is just another example.

  • thedutymon11thedutymon11 Posts: 667 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 22, 2024 8:37AM

    @PaulMaul said:

    @bgr said:
    What are the important aspects of the mold that CGC has had issues with? The shape and function or the performance of the materials? Maybe something with the process? What’s wrong with the PSA design if that’s anything more than a sample or example. Thanks

    A comic book is very different from a baseball card in terms of its tolerance for lateral impact. Comic book pages are very thin and are easily damaged by banging up against the edges of the inner well. Current CGC holders have an inner well that immobilizes the comic from moving.

    The pic below is of an older CGC holder that was a big improvement at the time. I liked it because the edge of the comic is not up against a rail. However this design can potentially cause the inner comic to separate from the cover under enough impact.

    The current CGC case seems to work pretty well. But it’s a much bigger challenge than a card case. Cards are relatively sturdy and protecting the corners is the only real issue.


    Morning,

    I will have to respectfully Disagree with the sentiment of having No Well Wall is some sort of advantage. I had a couple in the past that slid all over the place, one caused Damage. The New Cases which I added pics of a few, but

    they are hard to see exactly what I am saying.

    Apparently they Currently are utilizing the Same Holder for Mags and Comics, and the Inner Well works Great for the Vamp & Eerie that are Magazine style and fit Perfectly between the edges of the Well Wall which makes it Real Stationary. I Believe they are using the Same Holder for Comics as well, and that's where we need to do a little R & D! I think they need to create a Different Inner Holder for Comics that secures them in place better and more tightly side to side. I have Comics In The New Holders, that Slide around.

    And somehow can they Keep the Strength of the CGC Holder but a bit Thinner. Crimeny, I only have about 120-130 CGC Slabbed Books, but they take up 1/3 of my Spare Room! :D

    In the pic of the Eerie #2 (Actually #1)if you look at the Top Left Corner above the A, you can see the cutout for the Well. What you Can't see is that the Book is tightly nestled Between the Side Walls of the Well. As Clearly can be seen in the Ghost Rider #75, the Book is loose in the Well because the Well is too big, and the Comic can and will slide around.

    Need to think about this PSA.

    Thanks

    YeeHaw!

    Neil

  • GrooGroo Posts: 216 ✭✭✭

    @PaulMaul said:

    @Groo said:
    I for one welcome competition!

    CGC has no conerns with census arithmetic, however they have a litany and long history of various slab maladys that have not been addressed except with a metaphorical middle finger to the customer

    Will be interesting to see this play out.

    I can’t imagine PSA is going to have a better holder for comics than CGC, who has been working on that for 25 years. The image shown looks like a holder similar to the PSA card holder, which of course would be a disaster. I hope PSA knows what they’re getting themselves into.

    CBCS does; no newtons ring, no inner well warping which lead to color breaking spine ticks, no shaken comic syndrome, and a nice thick case. However their grading standards are weaker and market perception is horrible

  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 938 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 22, 2024 10:19AM

    PSA's target audience would likely be more sports related, at first.
    Beckett magazines and Sports Illustrated.

    Curious about the pricing too.
    Don't know regular pricing for CGC, by they have a special now of vintage comics for $30.
    Meanwhile I can't get an oversized card graded by PSA for less than $39.99.
    Does CGC upcharge after grading?

  • thedutymon11thedutymon11 Posts: 667 ✭✭✭✭

    Afternoon,

    Curious about the pricing too. Currently they are charging $30 Post 1975, $40 Pre 1975 (Includes 1975) These Costs are rediculous IMHO, so I've taken the Track because Sales are down so much, I am just Letting Others Sub and then Buy for a steal because I am not Paying for the grading, somebody else is! I've bought over 120 CGC Books that I did not pay for the Grading, some as low as $9.99. And these are Mainstream Marvel, DC, and Warren Mag Books. When I got back into Comics I started doing the Self Sub, but after a couple subs did the math and it just didn't make sense, better somebody else spend the money!
    Don't know regular pricing for CGC, but they have a special now of vintage comics for $30. That's with a minimum of 15 Comics.

    Meanwhile I can't get an oversized card graded by PSA for less than $39.99.

    Does CGC upcharge after grading? Don't know this, but my second sub I had a home run and got a 9.2 on a early 70's Key DC Book. I sold it for $1100 and they never said a thing even though the Form says pay more.

    YeeHaw!

    Neil

  • 82FootballWaxMemorys82FootballWaxMemorys Posts: 1,514 ✭✭✭✭✭

    CGC up-charges when egregious.

    It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)

  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 8,962 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wonder if they will offer conservation options.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • One thing I am happy about what CGC did was they have once again allowed open submissions without a membership. That was such a turn off and pretty greedy on their end to make it difficult to pay so much on top of a submission price.

  • thedutymon11thedutymon11 Posts: 667 ✭✭✭✭

    @musicfan123 said:
    One thing I am happy about what CGC did was they have once again allowed open submissions without a membership. That was such a turn off and pretty greedy on their end to make it difficult to pay so much on top of a submission price.

    Yeah Too Bad that you couldn't do this with some other companies, no mentions of course! I keep looking at these $50 & $100 coupons from PSA I get once/twice a week, and think "Wow, that would be nice, but I'm not paying $100 or whatever it is now just for the Priviledge to Pay to Submit Cards, and then the Cost of the Grading: Naw Thanks

    YeeHaw!

    Neil

  • So my question and what I think would be a complete game changer in my mind is if they are opening the PSA Vault to comics.

  • hyperchipper09hyperchipper09 Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I buy CSG / CGC graded cards I'm sure I'll be buying a few PSA graded comics down the line , though 95% of my comic collection is ungraded. I like both companies. Kinda look forward to it. B)

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,873 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've got around 300 or so comics, Mad Magazines, etc, from the 1960's. I briefly checked out some of them on the internet around twenty years ago. Nothing of any worthwhile value it seemed.

    However some of them are in "very nice" condition whatever that means. Could be like cards, whereby a not so valuable card in say good condition, could be worth a small fortune in mint condition.

    Maybe i'll send a few of the better looking Superman, Batman, etc, in to PSA that may get a high grade, and see what happens? Not sure if they do Mad Magazines or not. I'll have to check it out.

  • 82FootballWaxMemorys82FootballWaxMemorys Posts: 1,514 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2024 10:15AM

    PSA may have a HUGE in! It is clearly apparent CGC slabs have been damaging the very books they are meant to protect:

    https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/535425-is-anyone-else-getting-books-back-with-warped-inner-wells

    CGC has deployed their normal playbook of Ignore, then Claim its Normal, then stick their middle finger up to the customer and state to bad for you we could not care less.

    PSA can capitalize by advertising that their slabs do not damage comics books. Is their a way to inform PSA mgmt type folks to look into this?

    It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)

  • Thanks for the suggestion.

    A good way to get info directly to PSA is by submitting a ticket here.
    https://www.psacard.com/support

    Type "other" in the topic drop down.

    Thanks

  • thedutymon11thedutymon11 Posts: 667 ✭✭✭✭

    Afternoon,

    I watched some Comic Collector on Youtube and he had a couple Test Holders (From PSA) with some manufactured Comic printed just for San Diego Comic Con. They were 1/1, 1/5,1/10,ect. And somehow Sealed in the holder. Didn't totally understand what he was saying but..........

    So do we have any updates as to where we at in the Subbing Comics timeline? I have Comics Chomping at the Bit!!!

    YeeHaw!

    Neil

  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 938 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Are they going to choose an iconic comic/magazine as first ever graded, like the T206 Honus Wagner for PSA cards cert #00000001?
    Any guesses?
    How about my PSA Grading Report #1? :grin:

  • bgrbgr Posts: 1,617 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thedutymon11 said:
    Afternoon,

    I watched some Comic Collector on Youtube and he had a couple Test Holders (From PSA) with some manufactured Comic printed just for San Diego Comic Con. They were 1/1, 1/5,1/10,ect. And somehow Sealed in the holder. Didn't totally understand what he was saying but..........

    So do we have any updates as to where we at in the Subbing Comics timeline? I have Comics Chomping at the Bit!!!

    YeeHaw!

    Neil

    I’ve been corrected myself so I offer this. “Champing” not “Chomping”.

    But now that the internet exists I found this information which indicates that enough people have been saying chomping for long enough that it’s now widely accepted. So now I don’t know what to say.

    https://grammarist.com/usage/champing-chomping-at-the-bit/

  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,871 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bgr said:

    @thedutymon11 said:
    Afternoon,

    I watched some Comic Collector on Youtube and he had a couple Test Holders (From PSA) with some manufactured Comic printed just for San Diego Comic Con. They were 1/1, 1/5,1/10,ect. And somehow Sealed in the holder. Didn't totally understand what he was saying but..........

    So do we have any updates as to where we at in the Subbing Comics timeline? I have Comics Chomping at the Bit!!!

    YeeHaw!

    Neil

    I’ve been corrected myself so I offer this. “Champing” not “Chomping”.

    But now that the internet exists I found this information which indicates that enough people have been saying chomping for long enough that it’s now widely accepted. So now I don’t know what to say.

    https://grammarist.com/usage/champing-chomping-at-the-bit/

    Same thing for “begs the question”….

  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,871 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 17, 2024 5:24AM
  • HOMETOWNSPORTSHOMETOWNSPORTS Posts: 132 ✭✭✭

    @RonSportscards said:
    Are they going to choose an iconic comic/magazine as first ever graded, like the T206 Honus Wagner for PSA cards cert #00000001?
    Any guesses?
    How about my PSA Grading Report #1? :grin:

    Wow...pretty awesome collectible...got to be rare similar to the 1984 1st Beckett monthly price guide that prolly was responsible for organizing most all of today's pricing...You have a #2 B)

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,873 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RonSportscards said:
    Are they going to choose an iconic comic/magazine as first ever graded, like the T206 Honus Wagner for PSA cards cert #00000001?
    Any guesses?
    How about my PSA Grading Report #1? :grin:

    Gee, a big mystery which one that would be? LOL

    Then again perhaps it could be some rarity from much earlier than Superman.

  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 938 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @HOMETOWNSPORTS said:

    @RonSportscards said:
    Are they going to choose an iconic comic/magazine as first ever graded, like the T206 Honus Wagner for PSA cards cert #00000001?
    Any guesses?
    How about my PSA Grading Report #1? :grin:

    Wow...pretty awesome collectible...got to be rare similar to the 1984 1st Beckett monthly price guide that prolly was responsible for organizing most all of today's pricing...You have a #2 B)

    Yes, I have #1-4, and I think (2) #1s.
    I posted about it a little while back with a couple other things I still had.

    https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1094516/psa-the-early-years

    I've haven't seen another over the years (not that I looked real hard) and they're in good shape but not perfect.
    I kinda wanted to grade/encapsulate them but it didn't seem right to have them in a CGS or Beckett holders.
    I would put them in PSAs holder but I'm not sure if the grading fee would make it cost prohibitive.
    Waiting to see how much for this new service.

  • RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 938 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:

    @RonSportscards said:
    Are they going to choose an iconic comic/magazine as first ever graded, like the T206 Honus Wagner for PSA cards cert #00000001?
    Any guesses?
    How about my PSA Grading Report #1? :grin:

    Gee, a big mystery which one that would be? LOL

    Then again perhaps it could be some rarity from much earlier than Superman.

    Mine wouldn't be in the running? LOL

    I would think they would have to crack out an Action Comic #1. Are there any raw copies?
    Maybe Mantle's or MJ's first Sports Illustrated cover?
    Marilyn Monroe's Playboy?
    Or something political or non sports? Star Wars? Pokemon?
    Can't be anything from Rolling Stone or Life, as they're too large for the holder, I think.
    Interesting what they decide.

  • HOMETOWNSPORTSHOMETOWNSPORTS Posts: 132 ✭✭✭

    @RonSportscards said:

    @HOMETOWNSPORTS said:

    @RonSportscards said:
    Are they going to choose an iconic comic/magazine as first ever graded, like the T206 Honus Wagner for PSA cards cert #00000001?
    Any guesses?
    How about my PSA Grading Report #1? :grin:

    Wow...pretty awesome collectible...got to be rare similar to the 1984 1st Beckett monthly price guide that prolly was responsible for organizing most all of today's pricing...You have a #2 B)

    Yes, I have #1-4, and I think (2) #1s.
    I posted about it a little while back with a couple other things I still had.

    https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1094516/psa-the-early-years

    I've haven't seen another over the years (not that I looked real hard) and they're in good shape but not perfect.
    I kinda wanted to grade/encapsulate them but it didn't seem right to have them in a CGS or Beckett holders.
    I would put them in PSAs holder but I'm not sure if the grading fee would make it cost prohibitive.
    Waiting to see how much for this new service.

    I think as time goes by they will only increase in value and demand....In my opinion they hold a special place in collecting cards and early graded card price guides are not likely to have survived in decent shape....I collect the early 1984-88 Beckett baseball magazines in high grade as well as the #1-5 of the other sports Basketball, football and Hockey...ALL Have the best players to have played their respective sports on their covers...Now that grading them is possible it will accelerate their value in my opinion...cool stuff...rock on!!!

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,873 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Be interesting to see how the comic books are graded. It's not like a card whereby you can view the entire item in a slab. Will PSA carefully thumb thru each page, or just mainly focus on the front and back covers?

    I mean when perusing thru some of my old comic books as mentioned, I had forgotten all about a few ink or pencil scribbles on some of the inside pages. I guess that may turn out to be some very costly scribbles.

  • They have to thumb through each page if they want to compete at all with CGC. There are completely different standards for grading a comic vs a card. It's also why the grading scale has more levels (10, 9.9, 9.8, 9.6, 9.4, 9.2, 9.0, 8.5, 8.0, 7.5...).

    It's also near impossible to get a 9.9 and a 10 on a comic.

  • For me they can compete and take over as the #2 grader over CBCS if:
    1. Consistent grading
    2. A nice slab
    And most importantly...
    3. PSA Vault becomes open to comics.

    That last one will revolutionize things imo.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,873 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    Be interesting to see how the comic books are graded. It's not like a card whereby you can view the entire item in a slab. Will PSA carefully thumb thru each page, or just mainly focus on the front and back covers?

    I mean when perusing thru some of my old comic books as mentioned, I had forgotten all about a few ink or pencil scribbles on some of the inside pages. I guess that may turn out to be some very costly scribbles.

    Follow-up on this. I'll have to check out what the Superman #1 comic is selling for, and what a Superman #1 comic basically in the same condition, but with ink or pencil marks on some of the pages is selling for.

    I guess a similar sort of price depreciation guideline could be used with any potentially valuable comic book.

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