PSA Specials
handyman
Posts: 5,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
Honestly what are yalls thoughts with PSAs specials? I check every (month/I guess now years) hoping for a honest value to grade something like a PSA 8 1972 common. But 18.99 after I send in a large stack is just something not possible with the feeling I will only get 6-7s. It feels smart to just buy the card and not grade the card. But with that thought I do not want to buy it as much. Im growing more concerned as the specials are now grouping years like 2020-to now. Yippee. Or 1990- to now. Woo whoo. OR the always hey send in Pokemon cards for 13.99 this month or 14.99 next month and again 13.99 last month... Um no I like Pre 1979 and yeah I dont like to spend 18.99 to grade a 1972 Topps Hockey common. It really has made me like making Nm+ raw sets in binders. I used to have orders popping every week/month at PSA and now its a few times a year. I have been sending in cards for grading since 1996 and it is currently on a major decline.
My main question. Are prices here really just going to keep going up? And is modern the only thing that matters now? Add on SGC is now owned. Im going with the answer yes.
I used to enjoy getting cards graded here but its hard to do because I only care about pre 1979.
Sorry to make this post but I honestly had hopes for a decent Xmas vintage special. But this does take away the temptations to open vintage packs like I used to do.
Happy holidays
There is always next year 
Comments
There's absolutely nothing wrong with owning beautiful raw cards, free of holders and the opinions of strangers. That's how we got started. What goes around, comes around. Raw card popularity is busting people's brains, because graded holder insanity has grabbed them by the cajones and won't let go. Enjoy your cards.
Bundalay, sahvay.
2025 is right around the corner. If you think about it we really haven't had a special to specifically fit the cards you are talking about in 7-8 years I think ?? There was a 60's special in 2021; but that one took 18 months to complete and most people got horrible grades. In other words....it wasn't so special. I'm feeling like you could ask this same question for the next 4 years and all responses will basically be the same. The vintage hobby is exactly that...it's old and crusty. They want new money. I have basically given up all hope of grading commons at this point. Even if they offered $6 commons the grading has been too harsh. You can't win either way. It is a let down; but it's reality. Also the CEO talked of wanting to have all subs out the door in 30 days. My current sub almost took 30 days just to log in.
coughs up dust
When I was actively sending cards to PSA it was about $6 per card - with a turnaround of 45-60 days. And at that time, their graders generally adhered to the standards PSA published on their website.
Fast forward 20 years later, PSA is charging $18/card. . .orders take 6 months to pop. . .and the same standards from 20 years ago remain on PSA’s website, but are so far removed from what comes out of the grading room as to be meaningless.
So when I got back to the hobby this year and decided to build sets from 74-84, raw was the only way that made sense to me - knowing many HOFers I’d have to pick up graded.
I’ll go back to yelling at a cloud now.
We could definitely use some specials for cheap cards for the registry
I was getting everything graded.. I had subs for both PSA, and CSG and as probably sending a 10 in a month to each, then last year when my subs were up, I cancelled and just been buying raw.. I think I was overdoing it. Some of the cards I sent in had no reason to spend the extra to be graded.. I am thinking of resubbing to PSA again, but may be different in what I send in.
I am really loving on how some of the older cards looks in one touch holders.
Specials, lol.... yeah, I got one for half off the $24.99 minimum 8 cards to send. I've culled over my collection quite a few years ago, so I passed.
Ok Jan 2025 specials posted. But I’ll say it again maybe next year 2026. Now 18.00 plus sh both ways for post 1990. So close to being able to send in a boat load of 1988 donruss. Dang it.
SO far SGC has been as close to consistent as they can be. When I miss something, i will review the card and 4 out of 5 times I find the issue. about 4 weeks to send and get back, not bad. And the values aren't that far behind PSA. I have sold a couple for over the PSA sales.
It's not perfect but not all that bad.
Can they now maybe clone the sgc graders? Or turn them into a machine. That would be awesome. But I won’t be able to afford it.
And personally, for the stuff I collect (mid 70s thru early 80s) I almost always prefer the way cards look in SGC's holder.
@handyman I don't have a specific thought about PSA specials, but your post and the subsequent comments seem especially relevant to me right now, as someone who has never had cards graded but is thinking of doing so now. I have thousand cards from the '50s and '60s, as well as cards from later years, and I have realized that grading could become an expensive proposition. It is dismaying to hear about inconsistencies in PSA grading over the years. As a newbie to grading, PSA seems to be the gold standard, but maybe I should have another look at SGC.
That said, to me your post gets at how one wants to enjoy one's cards. If I put them all in penny sleeves and top loaders, then either they will sit in boxes or maybe I will display a few. They are already sitting in boxes and have gone sight unseen for years. :-) Despite that, I still like to acquire cards (and just acquired some good ungraded cards a few days ago). But what am I going to do with them? I don't know---I just like collecting cards. I will admit that there is an alure in knowing that you have a PSA [insert whatever grade impresses you for a particular card here]. lol
Now if only the rest of the planet thought the values of PSA vs SGC were the same.
Great for the true collector for their non-registry PC.
Not so much for someone "investing" in grading cards to help fund for cards that they truly want/need.
winner of the first card will never receive it. Simply look at the negative feedback.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Nice comments. For me I buy PSA cards and submit cards to PSA for one reason: When I decide to sell them or some of them I will get a higher dollar value. If you never plan on selling them you might as well keep them raw.
They got it. They left positive feedback for it.
A boatload of Probstein feedback is "curated". Look at how the same exact comment description appears over and over from a plethora of buyers all with different feedback counts. With all the buyer protection claims against him per month it would only be logical that ebay would do something but they never do...
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Instagram thoughtfully brought this to my attention today. I guess this is one thing to do with my cards.
I've noticed on occasion by following items due to my own interests, how a particular card will get "recycled" by being sold and resold multiple times until it lands safely in the hands of what is presumably an actual buyer.
Bundalay, sahvay.
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