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SGC and PSA-- Who Are You Using Now?

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  • UlyssesExtravaganzaUlyssesExtravaganza Posts: 803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I can agree there have been improvements at PSA depending on the time you pick as a comp. I think at that time when you submitted your order and you waited a while and hear the store is closed and isnt opening back up for quite a while, a lot of folks would say now is better than then. At the same time if you had stacks of beautiful raw 50s Topps and Bowman cards just sitting around and you were waiting for the right moment to submit, now may be a worse time than then in terms of your customer experience. You may have wished you submitted back then and waited a year and a half and got back 7s and 8s instead of getting back 5s and 6s in 3 months submitting today. Its going to be different for everybody and probably largely due to what is being submitted and grades expected.

    I kind of collect everything. But dont think I will ever again purchase a raw card pre-80s with high hopes and submit it to PSA. Probably not 80s either. I have some 80s sitting around and I will submit and wince and wait. But that may be it unless the raw stuff I have sitting around goes up in value a lot. To be fair I dont plan to send stuff from those years to SGC either. If I want it I'll buy it graded.

    I have submitted a lot of TCG. I may continue depending on the situation. Was fun when my son was young and loved it and I grew to appreciate them. I was very content with the results from PSA and cant say I was ever very disappointed. Lots of great results. I would say with modern sports I have been very pleased too and most of the time results are as expected. Just rethinking how much to play that game. Its fun and hard to resist as you watch the games but can just easily get to a point where there is regret if you load up on a guy who cools off.

  • UlyssesExtravaganzaUlyssesExtravaganza Posts: 803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    :o I'm in Post-Grading at SGC. Will be checking every ten minutes and 30 seconds now. Day 26. I was thinking maybe we'd hit 40 so happy to see this.

    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

  • Geoff76Geoff76 Posts: 187 ✭✭✭

    Good to hear…I’m not sure it matters but how many cards were in your submission? I’m on Day 19 with a five-card sub.

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    :o I'm in Post-Grading at SGC. Will be checking every ten minutes and 30 seconds now. Day 26. I was thinking maybe we'd hit 40 so happy to see this.

    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

    Just got the notice on my dashboard today one of my recent subs is in Post-Grading.

    Took a full 31 calendar days after it was received and 38 after arriving. I assume I'll have it back this week.

    FYI.

  • UlyssesExtravaganzaUlyssesExtravaganza Posts: 803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Geoff76 said:
    Good to hear…I’m not sure it matters but how many cards were in your submission? I’m on Day 19 with a five-card sub.

    Mine was not that big. Mostly a crossover order where I had 12 of those and 5 raw cards.

  • rexvosrexvos Posts: 3,330 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @mintonlypls said:
    I prefer PSA, just a personal preference. I have bought SGC cards….but will cross to PSA down the road.

    this used to be me. I was 100% all-PSA but no more. I've come to like the SGC holders so much more with the vintage cards inside. Now I'll buy either company's holder.

    PSA may have officially lost me as a submitter after I got back my last sub. Not sure what I am going to do now. I collect primarily 80s and back and have 0 desire to grade with SGC.

    Price and the poor consistency has made me realize the game is rigged against me.

    Just I wish I had submitted more pre 2020.

    Looking for FB HOF Rookies
  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @rexvos said:

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @mintonlypls said:
    I prefer PSA, just a personal preference. I have bought SGC cards….but will cross to PSA down the road.

    this used to be me. I was 100% all-PSA but no more. I've come to like the SGC holders so much more with the vintage cards inside. Now I'll buy either company's holder.

    PSA may have officially lost me as a submitter after I got back my last sub. Not sure what I am going to do now. I collect primarily 80s and back and have 0 desire to grade with SGC.

    Price and the poor consistency has made me realize the game is rigged against me.

    Just I wish I had submitted more pre 2020.

    Yeah, that's all I collect too. Once I get these orders all done and slabbed then that's it for me.

    I used to be able to take a look at an SGC slab, tell whether it was undergraded, buy it, crack it, send it off to PSA and get at least that same grade back.

    All the sudden I'd think a card was an 8/9 and send it in for grade, but it would come back a 4. Just silly.

    I used to LOVE ripping but the inconsistency of all this has killed that for me. I had so much fun just ripping and hunting for slabs to crack/resend.

    I had a good run.

  • MondeloMondelo Posts: 34 ✭✭

    PSA has turned into a bigger joke than what they have been in the past. The shit 8’s in holders still exist while today the higher end cards are getting shittier grades. Fukin joke. Nothing has changed with psa other than the higher cost. The inconsistencies still exists from graders that grade by absolute science that doesn’t apply to older cards. And anyone debating this don’t waste your time.

  • olb31olb31 Posts: 3,692 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Mondelo - the cost of a flaw has certianly changed dramatically. I cut out a psa 7 and got an sgc 10. shouldn't be this much of a discrepency, either way.

    Work hard and you will succeed!!
  • rexvosrexvos Posts: 3,330 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @olb31 said:
    Mondelo - the cost of a flaw has certianly changed dramatically. I cut out a psa 7 and got an sgc 10. shouldn't be this much of a discrepency, either way.

    They have 0 accountability and people keep submitting. It stinks that I have to move away from it, they want the modern collector and the Pokémon people. I hate that I cannot finish a lot of my player runs by self subbing

    Looking for FB HOF Rookies
  • MondeloMondelo Posts: 34 ✭✭

    You guys are spot on! I appreciate the honesty. I am on the registry with some very high end sets top 10 or higher. I’ve been collecting seriously for 50 years. I’ve submitted plenty of cards to PSA since basically their start. So I’m not a novice at picking out cards that in the past have received some decent grades, I’ve missed on a few, but on the average I was able to swing 7-10’s of course always a some 6’s not always nailing it. But as of now I am completely done with PSA and I’m not the only “collector” or even some dealers I have discussed with, have had it.

    I sent in some beautiful 69 football and baseball I found in an estate sale still stored in an original 1969 baseball box. I’m telling you guys I looked at these thoroughly, loop light. They looked like they were opened from the packs and put directly back in the box. The football was just as nice. The find of my old age 😀. Received terrible grades. I looked at some of my 8’s in holders that didn’t look as good as these. This will be my last submission.

  • HOMETOWNSPORTSHOMETOWNSPORTS Posts: 152 ✭✭✭

    @Mondelo said:
    You guys are spot on! I appreciate the honesty. I am on the registry with some very high end sets top 10 or higher. I’ve been collecting seriously for 50 years. I’ve submitted plenty of cards to PSA since basically their start. So I’m not a novice at picking out cards that in the past have received some decent grades, I’ve missed on a few, but on the average I was able to swing 7-10’s of course always a some 6’s not always nailing it. But as of now I am completely done with PSA and I’m not the only “collector” or even some dealers I have discussed with, have had it.

    I sent in some beautiful 69 football and baseball I found in an estate sale still stored in an original 1969 baseball box. I’m telling you guys I looked at these thoroughly, loop light. They looked like they were opened from the packs and put directly back in the box. The football was just as nice. The find of my old age 😀. Received terrible grades. I looked at some of my 8’s in holders that didn’t look as good as these. This will be my last submission.

    Yes that is 95% probability what those cards were opened from packs and immediately stored untouched in the same box and should have received grades 8-10 barring centering and print marks...that was a "vintage mint find"...i'm guessing you received grades ranging mostly from 5-7 on them which is an ERROR in the grading process and not stricter standards as some would like to make you believe...this error in the process needs to be corrected as it could cause graded card prices to CRASH (Modern cards as well)

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Grading vintage cards these days is a fool's errand. I'll be completely done with all mine in a few weeks and that's it for me on subbing.

    It's such a bummer, because I just love doing it. Loved ripping. Loved finding cool old cards. And loved slabbing them.

    Oh well. :'(

  • SoxPatsFanSoxPatsFan Posts: 237 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 14, 2025 12:24PM

    Cracked out of PSA & sent to SGC. I knew this one was nearly flawless when I sent it raw to PSA.


    I always liked Maddux cards showing him batting. He took great pride in his ability to hit & bunt.

    Also crossed over a BGS.


    Dark border doesn't look as nice in an SGC holder, but I still prefer SGC to BGS, even for ultra modern. I also REALLY like how SGC puts serial numbers on their labels.

  • rexvosrexvos Posts: 3,330 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SoxPatsFan said:
    Cracked out of PSA & sent to SGC. I knew this one was nearly flawless when I sent it raw to PSA.


    I always liked Maddux cards showing him batting. He took great pride in his ability to hit & bunt.

    Also crossed over a BGS.


    Dark border doesn't look as nice in an SGC holder, but I still prefer SGC to BGS, even for ultra modern. I also REALLY like how SGC puts serial numbers on their labels.

    PSA should be ashamed of themselves

    What a joke

    Looking for FB HOF Rookies
  • sayheywyosayheywyo Posts: 587 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm in the tap out and done club with zero interest in SGC----- just have to remember to cancel at least a month before membership expires. It was fun while it lasted and a great ride since 1994 when I first started using PSA. Still love the hobby and will try to keep connected to a certain extent. Since the hobby is all about money, I feel content with mostly mid-grade vintage cards that were acquired through the finding, grading, selling---- rinse & repeat process to build a hobby paid for collection. The one thing that has remained constant with PSA through the years is: inconsistency.
    Happy collecting.......

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I fully believe the new, more strict standards being employed by PSA are an effort to get people to resub. Especially with more vintage cards. though there are billions of cards from the 50's-2000, there is a finite supply of gradable cards. once those cards have been graded, game over.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • 1982FBWaxMemories1982FBWaxMemories Posts: 1,922 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2025 6:28AM

    @craig44 said:
    I fully believe the new, more strict standards being employed by PSA are an effort to get people to resub. Especially with more vintage cards. though there are billions of cards from the 50's-2000, there is a finite supply of gradable cards. once those cards have been graded, game over.

    That would work very effectively if on the resub one gets higher grades. If they drop on a resub - which they can and will do - then anyone who resubs yet again is subject to "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me". Sadly no shortage of fools in the modern world, and you know what they say about a fool and their money...

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

  • HOMETOWNSPORTSHOMETOWNSPORTS Posts: 152 ✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:
    I fully believe the new, more strict standards being employed by PSA are an effort to get people to resub. Especially with more vintage cards. though there are billions of cards from the 50's-2000, there is a finite supply of gradable cards. once those cards have been graded, game over.

    To my knowledge, I don't think the WORD MINT has changed in meaning over the last 5 years....again throwing 8-10 grade cards into 5-7 grade holders is an ERROR in the grading process and people are quitting because of this ERROR in the process...I doubt people would be quitting if it was a correct grading process..."Stricter standards" is just a way to MAKE YOU BELIEVE there is no error...The standards for weights and measures will never change as a lb or kilogram is still a lb and Kilogram with EXACT properties...PSA needs to attempt to address this or they will most definitely crash the market...the people who have indicated the will not grade cards anymore is JUST THE BEGGINNING...How about I take all the PSA 9 cards graded last month and put them into 7 holders and say well standards are getting stricter...does that make sense?...CAPISH???

  • UlyssesExtravaganzaUlyssesExtravaganza Posts: 803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think the result of all this is folks say hey, its in a slab, I like that more than a top loader. I will admit I just feel more comfortable if a valuable card is in thick protective plastic and less vulnerable to damage. The slab also means the card was deemed authentic. After that, in 2025, not sure the slab means much more. You see that serial number that starts with 100 or 90 and has the right logo and you feel ooh I may get a bargain. Many of us feel like we can appropriately grade and say I see better than a 5 for that card that is in a 5 holder. Maybe a 7. Then four other folks get excited in the same way and a card that sold for 3,700 in that grade recently sells for 7,000. You see the 5 that has a serial # that starts with a 2 and has old logo maybe old font and its like that isn't the best 5, I still want it but I wont pay 3700. Then you put in a low bid and win.

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,430 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2025 12:27PM

    Miss the old days for sure. It is a modern game now.

  • Geoff76Geoff76 Posts: 187 ✭✭✭

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    :o I'm in Post-Grading at SGC. Will be checking every ten minutes and 30 seconds now. Day 26. I was thinking maybe we'd hit 40 so happy to see this.

    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

    Just got the notice on my dashboard today one of my recent subs is in Post-Grading.

    Took a full 31 calendar days after it was received and 38 after arriving. I assume I'll have it back this week.

    FYI.

    I think it's time for SGC to advertise 20-25 days (or more) instead of 15-20. I have a one-card crossover and a five-card sub that are nearing the end of Days 20 and 22, respectively. Not a huge sample but between yours, mine and some others who've weighed in nothing is getting processed within 20 days.

  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,815 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2025 2:09PM

    @Geoff76 said:

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    :o I'm in Post-Grading at SGC. Will be checking every ten minutes and 30 seconds now. Day 26. I was thinking maybe we'd hit 40 so happy to see this.

    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

    Just got the notice on my dashboard today one of my recent subs is in Post-Grading.

    Took a full 31 calendar days after it was received and 38 after arriving. I assume I'll have it back this week.

    FYI.

    I think it's time for SGC to advertise 20-25 days (or more) instead of 15-20. I have a one-card crossover and a five-card sub that are nearing the end of Days 20 and 22, respectively. Not a huge sample but between yours, mine and some others who've weighed in nothing is getting processed within 20 days.

    I have a 3 card order on day 24. Honestly I hate the SGC label! I wish they would spruce it up a little..

    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • Geoff76Geoff76 Posts: 187 ✭✭✭

    So frustrating. From a business standpoint, I don’t understand what’s so hard about delivering on what you offer/promise to do! It’s like we’ve become so accustomed to shitty service and timelines that we just shrug and say, oh well, “them’s the breaks.” It’s lunacy. I long for a day I could be given a deadline at work, blow it, and say “meh, things got busy this week. Sorry.”

  • olb31olb31 Posts: 3,692 ✭✭✭✭✭

    names and info a little to small on sgc. the grade looks fine.

    Work hard and you will succeed!!
  • MondeloMondelo Posts: 34 ✭✭

    @HOMETOWNSPORTS said:

    Yes that is 95% probability what those cards were opened from packs and immediately stored untouched in the same box and should have received grades 8-10 barring centering and print marks...that was a "vintage mint find"...i'm guessing you received grades ranging mostly from 5-7 on them which is an ERROR in the grading process and not stricter standards as some would like to make you believe...this error in the process needs to be corrected as it could cause graded card prices to CRASH (Modern cards as well)

    Exactly.. razor sharp corners centered, on both football and the baseball. No creases. Just ridiculous. Loop and black light. They have no clue anymore.

  • 1982FBWaxMemories1982FBWaxMemories Posts: 1,922 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ^ Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Census Median Maintenance

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

  • Geoff76Geoff76 Posts: 187 ✭✭✭

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

    Apparently not anymore - I noticed mine moved to post-grading yesterday morning (Day 23) around 8 am (or possibly the night before). Still nothing.

  • UlyssesExtravaganzaUlyssesExtravaganza Posts: 803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Think I get about a 30 hour grade pop after Post-Grading.

  • Geoff76Geoff76 Posts: 187 ✭✭✭

    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

  • estangestang Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭
    edited May 19, 2025 9:42AM

    If you think the owners or investors of CU (a PE-backed company) give a damn about anything more than returning profits from their investments, than you're sorely mistaken.

    Their relation to pro sports or the hobby are just a fun little bonus for their portfolio.

    For us, they will want to grade the same card as many times as possible to extract as much money from it.

    Take the Wilt Chamberlain card found in a family-owned general store in Crosby, Minnesota. Grade it in SGC 10 (via the local hobby shop) and then cross it over to PSA as a 10. Rinse and repeat.

    Change the holder for whatever reason & get folks to submit the same card to be re-holdered. Kill the SGC brand or not - it's up to them. Be super-stringent on vintage cards for a time period & then loosen it. Why? Submit the same card over and over again. Don't sell your SGC card in the split-grade green holder, get it re-holdered. It will sell for more!

    The biggest threat to Collectors Universe is M2M/AI and CU consumers demanding they move to it, sooner than later and hoping you didn't mis-time it.

    Make no mistake, they will acquire TAG or something similar that can automate the process with less human intervention (cost) and much greater consistency. When they sell CU (or take public again), you don't think the new investors are going to expect and demand that they've solved a Top 3 situation for this business model? Then once they've employed the "Next-Generation of card grading", you can re-submit your card (again).

    AI is looking to take over legal or medical jobs but not card grading - give me a break.

    These guys want to be the JP Morgan, Nelson Rockefeller or Cornelius Vanderbilt of their little corner of the business world and stay off the radar for as long as possible - at our expense, the consumer.

    Between TPG oligopoly and a monopoly of sports cards OEMs via league licenses - figuring out ways to integrate the two - well, it's a great, fun way for many to make money off us "rubes".

    Enjoy your collection!
    Erik
  • UlyssesExtravaganzaUlyssesExtravaganza Posts: 803 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Funny thing is I just bought some cards on eBay and seller turns out to be PSA. Okay fine. Have some issues with the concept but so be it. I'd like these 6 cards they are listing with a Best Offer option so sure, I'll offer 10% less on each, $3 cheaper. Accepted. Yay. But then they instantly go to individual sales and charge me 5.99 shipping for each card.

    So I said hey do you do Combined shipping and the response was yeah, but you had to order this way so kind of a yeah, but its your fault response. I'm saying look I made you the offer, how you dealt with it after that is on you. Other eBay sellers handle this issue this way. I even gave props to Probstein which kind of hurt. I'm thinking maybe I am just dealing with someone who is green and this is in their second job after working in the mall and they just dont get eBay. So tried to have a conversation.

    But they stuck to their position and it was a this is your problem not ours kind of take. I said okay, ship them out in one box and when you see it does not cost the $35 charged for shipping, refund me appropriately. No response. Checked the mail today and 6 different packages. Just shaking my head. Its like wow the "customer is usually not right, we are" culture permeates that part of the business too. Duly noted, may still buy but probably one at a time and will have to want it a lot.

  • 1982FBWaxMemories1982FBWaxMemories Posts: 1,922 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ^ I knew this nonsense would occur when eBay demanded all accepted make offers must be paid instantly

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

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ^^ That story makes it sound like the DMV is the one that created their processing policy.

  • Chicago1976Chicago1976 Posts: 642 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Geoff76 said:

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

    Apparently not anymore - I noticed mine moved to post-grading yesterday morning (Day 23) around 8 am (or possibly the night before). Still nothing.

    As a data point, my last order took about a day and a half to move from post-grading to shipped/grades posted. Overall process about a month (received 16 April, graded 14 May)

  • Chicago1976Chicago1976 Posts: 642 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Geoff76 said:
    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

    An SGC rep said the certification numbers are randomly generated by a computer.

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @Geoff76 said:
    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

    An SGC rep said the certification numbers are randomly generated by a computer.

    Interesting. Did they mention the logic behind that type numbering system?

  • gameusedhoopgameusedhoop Posts: 3,627 ✭✭✭✭

    I would guess that someone would not be able to see "runs" of certain grades from one order. Just a guess though.

  • Geoff76Geoff76 Posts: 187 ✭✭✭
    edited May 20, 2025 9:43AM

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @Geoff76 said:

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    Of course Post-Grading does not guarantee I'll see it in 24 hours. But used to work that way.

    Apparently not anymore - I noticed mine moved to post-grading yesterday morning (Day 23) around 8 am (or possibly the night before). Still nothing.

    As a data point, my last order took about a day and a half to move from post-grading to shipped/grades posted. Overall process about a month (received 16 April, graded 14 May)

    Thanks. My five-card order was received April 16, moved into post-grading the morning of Day 23 (May 16) and grades were revealed yesterday morning on the 24th day (April 16-May 19).

    I now have a separate one card crossover sub received on April 18 that is now on Day 23… :|

  • Chicago1976Chicago1976 Posts: 642 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @Geoff76 said:
    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

    An SGC rep said the certification numbers are randomly generated by a computer.

    Interesting. Did they mention the logic behind that type numbering system?

    I saw it mentioned on a Facebook post last year. Here it is:

    "I have wondered why SGC doesn't have cert #'s that run continuously upwards as submissions come in similar to PSA. Well, I finally reached out to SGC for the answer to the question.

    The answer that was provided by Brent Martin (SGC): The computer generates a cert # that assigns them at random. The logic behind it is added security to prevent forging new labels and copying."

  • 1982FBWaxMemories1982FBWaxMemories Posts: 1,922 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 20, 2025 2:17PM

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @Geoff76 said:
    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

    An SGC rep said the certification numbers are randomly generated by a computer.

    Interesting. Did they mention the logic behind that type numbering system?

    I saw it mentioned on a Facebook post last year. Here it is:

    "I have wondered why SGC doesn't have cert #'s that run continuously upwards as submissions come in similar to PSA. Well, I finally reached out to SGC for the answer to the question.

    The answer that was provided by Brent Martin (SGC): The computer generates a cert # that assigns them at random. The logic behind it is added security to prevent forging new labels and copying."

    It most certainly does improve security!

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

  • olb31olb31 Posts: 3,692 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @Geoff76 said:
    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

    An SGC rep said the certification numbers are randomly generated by a computer.

    Interesting. Did they mention the logic behind that type numbering system?

    I saw it mentioned on a Facebook post last year. Here it is:

    "I have wondered why SGC doesn't have cert #'s that run continuously upwards as submissions come in similar to PSA. Well, I finally reached out to SGC for the answer to the question.

    The answer that was provided by Brent Martin (SGC): The computer generates a cert # that assigns them at random. The logic behind it is added security to prevent forging new labels and copying."

    And I would think it would keep people from reviewing the #'s to see how many 10's in a row 4SC's gets.

    Work hard and you will succeed!!
  • ElMagoStrikeZoneElMagoStrikeZone Posts: 900 ✭✭✭✭

    @olb31 said:

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @BBBrkrr said:

    @Chicago1976 said:

    @Geoff76 said:
    Grades were finally released about an hour ago. Question as this is my first SGC submission - how do they determine certification numbers? I had a card from 1985 starting with 1, a 2021 modern card starting with 7, and three cards from the 70s starting with 5, 6 and 9.

    An SGC rep said the certification numbers are randomly generated by a computer.

    Interesting. Did they mention the logic behind that type numbering system?

    I saw it mentioned on a Facebook post last year. Here it is:

    "I have wondered why SGC doesn't have cert #'s that run continuously upwards as submissions come in similar to PSA. Well, I finally reached out to SGC for the answer to the question.

    The answer that was provided by Brent Martin (SGC): The computer generates a cert # that assigns them at random. The logic behind it is added security to prevent forging new labels and copying."

    And I would think it would keep people from reviewing the #'s to see how many 10's in a row 4SC's gets.

    Except......why would a high-stakes submitter even bother with SGC when they already have a sweetheart deal elsewhere. There's no need to secure data that probably doesn't exist. Just sayin'......

    Farewell Ozzy.

  • smallstockssmallstocks Posts: 1,678 ✭✭✭✭

    @UlyssesExtravaganza said:
    Funny thing is I just bought some cards on eBay and seller turns out to be PSA. Okay fine. Have some issues with the concept but so be it. I'd like these 6 cards they are listing with a Best Offer option so sure, I'll offer 10% less on each, $3 cheaper. Accepted. Yay. But then they instantly go to individual sales and charge me 5.99 shipping for each card.

    So I said hey do you do Combined shipping and the response was yeah, but you had to order this way so kind of a yeah, but its your fault response. I'm saying look I made you the offer, how you dealt with it after that is on you. Other eBay sellers handle this issue this way. I even gave props to Probstein which kind of hurt. I'm thinking maybe I am just dealing with someone who is green and this is in their second job after working in the mall and they just dont get eBay. So tried to have a conversation.

    But they stuck to their position and it was a this is your problem not ours kind of take. I said okay, ship them out in one box and when you see it does not cost the $35 charged for shipping, refund me appropriately. No response. Checked the mail today and 6 different packages. Just shaking my head. Its like wow the "customer is usually not right, we are" culture permeates that part of the business too. Duly noted, may still buy but probably one at a time and will have to want it a lot.

    When PSA is the seller, it is just someone selling a card directly from their vault. Guess they won't combine shipping because multiple items are coming from multiple sellers.


    Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
  • MondeloMondelo Posts: 34 ✭✭

    @estang said:
    If you think the owners or investors of CU (a PE-backed company) give a damn about anything more than returning profits from their investments, than you're sorely mistaken.

    Their relation to pro sports or the hobby are just a fun little bonus for their portfolio.

    For us, they will want to grade the same card as many times as possible to extract as much money from it.

    Take the Wilt Chamberlain card found in a family-owned general store in Crosby, Minnesota. Grade it in SGC 10 (via the local hobby shop) and then cross it over to PSA as a 10. Rinse and repeat.

    Change the holder for whatever reason & get folks to submit the same card to be re-holdered. Kill the SGC brand or not - it's up to them. Be super-stringent on vintage cards for a time period & then loosen it. Why? Submit the same card over and over again. Don't sell your SGC card in the split-grade green holder, get it re-holdered. It will sell for more!

    The biggest threat to Collectors Universe is M2M/AI and CU consumers demanding they move to it, sooner than later and hoping you didn't mis-time it.

    Make no mistake, they will acquire TAG or something similar that can automate the process with less human intervention (cost) and much greater consistency. When they sell CU (or take public again), you don't think the new investors are going to expect and demand that they've solved a Top 3 situation for this business model? Then once they've employed the "Next-Generation of card grading", you can re-submit your card (again).

    AI is looking to take over legal or medical jobs but not card grading - give me a break.

    These guys want to be the JP Morgan, Nelson Rockefeller or Cornelius Vanderbilt of their little corner of the business world and stay off the radar for as long as possible - at our expense, the consumer.

    Between TPG oligopoly and a monopoly of sports cards OEMs via league licenses - figuring out ways to integrate the two - well, it's a great, fun way for many to make money off us "rubes".

    Well said, well done!

  • MondeloMondelo Posts: 34 ✭✭

    I sent in 5/6 1968 topps hockey. I’ve never seen so many 7’ 8’s or even 9’s come back in 6 holders. Like I said I’ve received some of my grades, from my ‘69 baseball and football.. I have more to come. But I’m done with these A$$HOLES. When I get some of these in hand I’ll post them. To prove my point. I understand I’m not the only one bitching, but at this point I’m venting.

  • 1982FBWaxMemories1982FBWaxMemories Posts: 1,922 ✭✭✭✭✭

    See my sig.

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

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