SGC Holder...Do I Crack it or Send it to PSA to Crack it Open?

gemint

Is it better to crack it open myself or send the card and holder to PSA to crack open? I know they don't guarantee they won't damage the card but they've had more practice at it than I have. I've cracked PSA holders but never an SGC holder. I picked up an awesome 1969 Mike Shannon SGC 92 and want to get it crossed over. Corners are mint and it's centered 64-36, so I'm hoping for an 8.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

RayBShotz

Gemint - Only because I am a novice at cracking holders I would be inclined to send it to PSA as is. If the card is indeed PSA 8 quality and passes muster on the centering it should 8.
Others have cracked many SGC holders successfully and might choose to bust it loose as not to have PSA discriminate based on the grade on the SGC holder.
Ultimately your call.
Best of Luck; we all have been trying to get a nice one.
RayB69Topps

GATOR5

Gem,

I'd crack it yourself, PSA might descriminate. Like rayb said it's your call yet there not that hard to crack.

Matt

mcastaldi

SGC holders are extremely easy to break open. Along the edge of a slab is a seam where the top and bottom of the slab meet. If you take a jewelers screwdriver, it's real easy to pry them apart. Once you've got the top of the slab seperated from the bottom, just remove the black trim piece and there's your card.

Mike

qualitycards

GEM - Are you sure PSA gives the option of you sending another grading company's card and that PSA will pop it open?
I always thought you had to do the work, and submit the card raw like any other card...jay

LloydsBaseballCards

I think Jay is correct.

SKINSFAN

jay they will do it but DO NOT LIKE it. they dont let it be known so they do it so as not to get a ton of crossovers needing to be cracked ,you must send a letter along with invoice stating you will not hold psa liable for any damage to card. i would like to point out i have done it both ways with sgc cards when i cracked 88,s and 92,s and sent them in always got either psa 8 sometimes 9,s never less of course must take centering into considerration sgc not the same on centering as psa, but when i have send in still slabed my trck record if 50% 8,s and 7,s back from psa so what does that say LOOKING FOR PSA 9 1955 AND 1966 TOPPS FOTTBALL HAIL TO THE REDSKINS

69topps8

Thanks for all your feedback. I guess I'll crack it open myself. wish me luck!

Vargha

Good luck -- they're actually pretty easy. I usually break the seal on the edges with a utility knife razor blade first.

qualitycards

SKINSFAN - PSA doesn't even like receiving cards in top loaders or in screw downs, I can't believe they would take anybody elses slabbed cards, letter included or not...jay

bengineno9

I bought a SGC 96 card off Ebay. When i received it i could of pop the top edge off with my fingernails. Guess it wasn't sealed that good in beginning. Just like what everyone else is saying. Use a screwdriver and slowly pry it apart carefully. SGC holders are so easy to get apart. Have fun!

theBobs

SGC is very easy to open. Although, my only experience saw a SGC 92 go to a PSA 7.

Jay, I believe Wayne has sent in SGC holders to PSA and they have opened them.

qualitycards

Brian, I don't doubt they do that, several people have confimed this to me. I just can't believe that they would do it, considering all the time it would take...jay

gemint

Well, I've cracked the holder and it was a piece of cake. Thanks for all your advise.

thebobs - Was the centering poor on the card that went from SGC92 to PSA 7? I think SGC, overall, does an adequate job at grading cards other than being too lenient on centering.

theBobs

Centering was poor, but well within the 8 range (or so I thought). Based upon the PSA allowance, I thought it was a weak 9 in centering but likely an 8. Came back a 7. Sometimes you win, sometimes you get a 7.

mcastaldi

*shrugs* I just had two 75T on this recent order that started out as SGC96s and came back from PSA as 8s. I was somewhat surprised as I felt they met all the critera for 9s, but at the same token they weren't cards that screamed "I'm a nine!" at me either. On the same invoice, I had a BVG 8.5 that came back a PSA9.

It just depends on the card, not the holder it came out of. But I, too, have had an SGC92 come back a PSA7.

Mike

dom

I recently cracked a 1960 Fleer Ted Williams SG(C) 92 submitted it, and it came back PSA 9. This one did scream NINE. I was worried without cause that it might have been trimmed.

downgoesfrazier

I've had nothing but luck on my SGC-PSA crosses. Two of my 78 10's were SGC 96's and 3 of my 9's were SGC 92's. Although, it was painfully obvious that these were all at least MINT 9's and one of them I actually expected a 10. To date I've not had a card backup on me. If you hit on a grader that digs what your card is cookin' you get the #'s. Same card--different grader--different day--different result. Heck, I grade MY OWN cards different week to week...
For the record, I cracked mine out. Very easy. I swear it seems SGC's holder is just a pit-stop on the way to Newport Beach...

waitilltheytrytosell

That may be why they make the seals like that. Makes it a lot easier for the end user to remove the cards. Perhaps Beckett and PRO, in an effort to discourage crossovers, lock their cards up extra good and tight. You wonder what they are trying to protect more - the card from the owner, or the owner from the card.

Card Shucking - That might be a neat competition. I saw a show on the Food Channel that covered Oyster Shucking competitions. They had all these guys with different tools and gloves racing to shuck the most oysters, and present them in a quality fashion within a certain period of time. They were presented with various different kinds of oysters, requiring different opening techniques. There used to be card flipping contests at shows years ago. I can really see this Card Shucking competition taking off. As the supply of oysters decrease, there seems to be no limit to the number of different kinds of graded cards.

SKINSFAN

PROS MOTTO it may be trimed it may only REALLY be a vg in a nrmt/mt holder but gosh darn it our holders are made so know body can crack them and resend them to REAL grading company so you will never know just how BAD OUR GRADING IS

downgoesfrazier

Live tonight at 8 eastern, the 2002 card shucking championships on ESPN 2! Who am I kidding, I'd probably pop some corn and park my fanny in front of that. By the way, is USA's holder made of some space-age type hyper alloy combat suitable material? Our country should lock it's most important documents inside of that beast! My chainsaw cowers at the thought of it.

waitilltheytrytosell

The early favorites are the guys from Team Cramer.

wolfbear

Want in on the competition, but lets lay some ground rules.

1. Everyone at a standing positon, with weapon in one hand, and slabs in the other.

2. Gun is sounded.

3. Contestant's time is established when the cards are delivered to the judge in new penny sleeves, free of loose plastic particles.

4. To be established, certain amount of time deducted if cards are in "Card Saver 1"'s, ready for submission.

downgoesfrazier

I'm in. I'm assembling a squad as we speak. Some of the board's finest...