Why wont they grade these cards?
cbook4
Posts: 10 ✭
Can anyone shed some light on why PSA or SGC wouldn't grade cards from this set?
1985 SurfSpot Surf Cards
It's the first set of Surf trading cards ever produced. They were released in 1985 and initially placed in packages of Surf Wax. They were mentioned in the Jan. 1986 copy of Surfer magazine (See images). 
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Comments
In my best Jeff Spiccoli voiceover: Dude! Gnarly!!!
Those should be gradable if there's a holder to fit them.
Gobble.
The cards themselves are just your standard trading card size.
My guess is a lack of provenance, they would need checklist info and a way to make sure they are original and not reprints/fakes (I know, probably not a thing for these). Also, maybe a licensing issue, not in the sense of a league or players association, but the surfers themselves and the logos on the card (like body glove).
In speaking with the creator, The sponsor companies on the cards paid to be listed on the cards, they even paid for airfare to Pipeline when a specific card was redeemed with that companies logo. I know the owner and creator of the brand\cards and have offered to bring him in on any conversations via zoom call or even in person meetings but PSA declined. They listed not having a checklist for the cards when I pursued additional research. Surprising as they grade other cards with no published checklist I'm told. The owner has the original plates used to create the cards so we have all the cards that were created in the set as far as a list. The creator is a respected and world known Surfboard shaper still in business but not as retail Surf outlet, not "The Surf Spot" retail he originally opened here in So. Cal.. I presented everything you could imagine to PSA's research person assigned to the case, in written form but it didn't really seem like that person made any effort to research or ask for any info. and the request was quickly declined. Sad that The first set of sports cards ever created for this sport aren't recognized by the worlds leading grading company. As for the surfers featured in the cards, the creator hired photographers to shoot the images of the guys and all the surfers were ecstatic to be featured in the first set of cards, The creator still maintains relationships with those surfers today and any of them still alive would be happy to give any story needed to back up the creator.
It's worth trying to send them to SGC. When it comes to foreign and/or oddball, etc., SGC will grade tons and tons of different sets that PSA won't.
SGC declined without giving reason .. I have reached out to CGC to see if they will grade..
Can you or the creator make a checklist now, print it out, and then send it to PSA? If that is what PSA requires, could you simply give it to them?
In the past, I have had similar problems. Sending in a checklist may not solve your problem. PSA told me they don't approve these kinds of things themselves.
Dealing with this kind of an issue can be very frustrating.
The best thing you could do is find the set listed (or get it listed) in one of the hobby publications.
https://collectorsgrade.net/home
collectors grade is the way to go high quality holders, quick turn around time, low price too, obviously If I was sending in a
74 ryan near mint I would send to PSA but for custom cards CG is the way to go.
custom cards ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
CG does custom cards and real top notch high dollar sports cards too, CG is the only company I found to do custom cards and I am very impressed with their service I have over 100 custom cards done by CG grade,
Have you dealt with them before?
Can you explain this, from their website?
"Choose from Collector's Grade or PSA style holder"
Do they offer 2 different style holders? Seems odd.
I do have some cards that PSA no longer grade, but I've seen SGC have graded examples of them.
Just not sure if SGC would still grade now that PSA bought them, so looking at alternatives.
Problem is CG is only standard size cards and packs and that minimum $35 return shipping fee is a little rough.
I think the short answer is they dont feel its worth their time. Not good business in their mind to research and learn what they need to in order to grade them or authenticate properly for the dollar potential. If 75 of your friends said they each had 20 to grade, the story may change. Demand. Would think not enough customers to make it worthwhile for them. Until it is, they can let staff focus on the tens of thousands of Pokemon and Panini Prizm cards they see day to day.
I have sent in cards 3 times now to CG grade and every time I have been blown away by their customer service,
for 8$ per card at 50 card submission service they will grade and put in a holder which is basically Identical to psa in quality , they also will do horizontal if you prefer as they show on their website. they also do oversize cards and unopened packs, but then again I would rather send a 77 baseball cello pack to psa to get graded and encapsulated before I would send to CG, turnaround time is quick I send in my submission from California to Florida and within 30 days my cards are back and encapsulated. If you email them they will answer any question you have before sending in your cards or packs. , this is the best place in my opinion to get custom cards, common cards, and low dollar amount unopened packs graded.
They other thing is they don't know if they are original print run from way back when or if someone could have the plates (hint, hint) and make a new batch!
They other thing is they don't know if they are original print run from way back when or if someone could have the plates (hint, hint) and make a new batch!
I'm pretty certain with technology these days and spectral analyzers that can tell you the composition of a piece of metal, they can tell the type of card stock, the blade style used to cut cards almost 40 years old etc... When PSA returned my submission the didn't state they were counterfeit, they stated that there was no list of the cards to obtain spec info. .
Yes, that's the issue! You need SCD or Beckett to list the cards in order gor PSA to grade.
Even then. PSA might not grade them. They don't always follow their own rules.
Good luck whatever you do, I hope you enjoy those awesome cards. Always loved going thru these mag as a kid at my cousins house. Don’t remember the cards tho.
John
Not too sure about that in a card grading context.
Personally, in my pre-inspection of cards when considering whether or not to submit for grading, I see huge differences in almost every aspect the cards themselves. Vintage cards are much different on surfaces and how much the surface of the card is filled when printed, even edges where you can see the blade trails from the cuts, even slight separations of the surface from the underlying cardboard on even a gem type card. To me, the differences between newly created cards and vintage cards is quite obvious. If you are someone that pre inspects card as tediously as I do, you would have to agree. its obvious. I cant imagine that any of the grading companies would not have that same ability using even higher tech equipment than I do.
Upload a checklist online and then send a link. It’s a silly circular reference but shockingly prob more successful than having the owner of the company that produced the cards speak to someone at psa
That is a good start. I remember years ago a member finally got PSA to grade Star Basketball or something similar and it took him years and years before they gave in.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
Hah! The grading of Star Basketball is not even remotely related to the OP's issues!
Agreed that he has much, much more work to do and it's not apples and oranges.
It might not have been the Star basketball. I vaguely remember it being something obscure and I vaguely remember they basically had to lobby PSA for years before they relented. Possibly non sports cards.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
I remember the CU member who finally got PSA to grade the Star basketball issue after years and years of lobbying and submitting exhaustive research. He had so much quality checklist and accurate dating information that it was basically ridiculous. In the end, he was finally able to break through when he bought the company.
His name is Nat Turner.
😁😀😉
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
Not sure why they won't grade them, but I think those cards are pretty awesome!