How do you go about preparing submissions.
RobE
Posts: 1,160 ✭✭
How do you go about searching through your cards to find the right ones to send in?
This is what I've been doing lately with about 3000 cards:
I try to gather all the cards togethor in the boxes they came in and have an empty one and throw all the bad ones in to make the search for potential alittle easier.
Next, look a little closer at each card and have 2 more boxes to put them in.1 for possiblity and 2 for absolutely worth submitting.
Then, I'll take both boxes of cards and look under bright lights with magnification, narrow it down to the best possible cards and make a 3rd box for these until I'm ready to put them in card savers and soft sleeves for that ultimate step.Now I'll go back looking to see if cards any cards eliminated in the two boxes were dismissed too quickly.I'll compare them to cards inside holders like a couple MC's,a 5 ,a 7, 8's,2 9 O/C's (Top to bottom),9s & 10s to compare them to.
After I wind up comparing slabbed cards to submissions, I'll start pulling out cards I feel are not as good as I thought and then start the elimination process all over again.FUN FUN FUN!!!!!
The main focus always seems to be on corners which is the first thing I look at when a card looks really good to me in every other aspect.If the corners are no good then I'm reluctant to take the chance even if the rest of the card looks good and this is what slows my already haphazard method down.I'll look at some 8s and compare them to what I have to send in and some of them, espically in the corner aspect have some pretty sharp corners,so it seems that I'm real tough on my picks based on corners for the most part.As for centering, print defects, or stains,probably 90% of those cards have already been passed on but I'll keep some around that look good otherwise.
For my set - I need about 59 cards and It's done.However,not everything I have worth sending in are cards needed to complete,so the search continues and I'm putting the submission off in case I find upgrades for 8s and 8s or better for empty holes which are priority.
Any submission expert technique, opinions,input or advice would be appreciated since I'm pretty new at this.Hope it makes sense.
Thanks!
This is what I've been doing lately with about 3000 cards:
I try to gather all the cards togethor in the boxes they came in and have an empty one and throw all the bad ones in to make the search for potential alittle easier.
Next, look a little closer at each card and have 2 more boxes to put them in.1 for possiblity and 2 for absolutely worth submitting.
Then, I'll take both boxes of cards and look under bright lights with magnification, narrow it down to the best possible cards and make a 3rd box for these until I'm ready to put them in card savers and soft sleeves for that ultimate step.Now I'll go back looking to see if cards any cards eliminated in the two boxes were dismissed too quickly.I'll compare them to cards inside holders like a couple MC's,a 5 ,a 7, 8's,2 9 O/C's (Top to bottom),9s & 10s to compare them to.
After I wind up comparing slabbed cards to submissions, I'll start pulling out cards I feel are not as good as I thought and then start the elimination process all over again.FUN FUN FUN!!!!!
The main focus always seems to be on corners which is the first thing I look at when a card looks really good to me in every other aspect.If the corners are no good then I'm reluctant to take the chance even if the rest of the card looks good and this is what slows my already haphazard method down.I'll look at some 8s and compare them to what I have to send in and some of them, espically in the corner aspect have some pretty sharp corners,so it seems that I'm real tough on my picks based on corners for the most part.As for centering, print defects, or stains,probably 90% of those cards have already been passed on but I'll keep some around that look good otherwise.
For my set - I need about 59 cards and It's done.However,not everything I have worth sending in are cards needed to complete,so the search continues and I'm putting the submission off in case I find upgrades for 8s and 8s or better for empty holes which are priority.
Any submission expert technique, opinions,input or advice would be appreciated since I'm pretty new at this.Hope it makes sense.
Thanks!
0
Comments
1) Be brutally honest when you evaluate raw cards. Don't talk yourself into thinking a flaw is less significant than it really is. If you do, you'll end up submitting cards that you've convinced yourself are fine only to be disappointed with PSA's opinion.
2) Understand PSA's grading criteria for each grade.
3) Understand the issue you are collecting.
4) Be VERY picky about any raw/ungraded cards you buy. For me, the submission process begins when I'm sitting at a dealer's table or store. Since I plan to submit what I buy, I like to eliminate any unsubmittable cards BEFORE spending any money on them. Why buy a card you can't use? Of course this leads me to miss cards from time to time, but at the same time when I get the cards home I find a higher percentage are actually worth sending to PSA.
5) I feel a good halogen desk lamp and a loupe of at least 10x are mandatory items. I bought my desk lamp at Ikea and my loupe on eBay. Total for both - around $40.
6) Evaluating raw cards. . .some of this should have been done at #4, but. . .for me it should take only one major flaw for me to pass on a card. It should at least meet the criteria just looking through the naked eye. Normally, I will look at corners first. If they look good with the naked eye, I look at the centering, if that looks OK, then I look at surface (for wax and surface wrinkles) and the back. The first one of these items that aren't up to par causes me to pass. I find this helps me move through stacks of cards more efficiently.
7) When you get the cards home. . .under good light, use the loupe to look at corners. For PSA8s in 1975 Topps, a small amount of chipping is OK but the corner must be intact and pretty sharp at 5x or 10x magnification. If you're looking for PSA9s, the corners should be very sharp with almost no chipping. From there, look at centering. It won't take long for you to quickly tell whether a card is at least 65/35 or better. If you are looking for 9s, you may want to measure centering more closely. Then look at surface. This is where the lamp proves it's worth the investment. Look at the card under the lamp at several different angles. This will help you identify wax stains and suface wrinkles that aren't otherwise obvious.
THEN - The cards that pass #7 make my "first cut". These cards are then set aside where I will repeat the whole process a second time on a different day. This helps me make sure I didn't miss anything or have an overly optimistic first session. The cards that pass this second cut are what gets sent to PSA.
I hope this helps,
Mike
JEB.
Great post on the subject.I'm now going to be even more picky than before but it will hopefully work out in the end.
I have been very critical on my picks.Only think I'm missing is the 10X loupe.I use a hi powered outdoor halogen floodlight that is mounted over my fireplace and a Sherlock Holmes like magnifier with it's own built in light.Eventually the 10X would be a great thing but my tools espically the magnifier work pretty well.
My last submission I got a little help with it and managed to wind up with out of 62 cards 13 unexpected 9s ,1 - 7, 2 - MC and the rest 8s.What's different now compared to that submission is that all the 8s have great corners and decent centering for 8s.The 9s were not expected and just an added bonus.I'll be happy if the same results come from this next one where the majority are 8s at worst.
Virtual - save those 5 free grades until the final submission.I know how you feel as I'm anxious to use them myself intending for this to be the final.Sad part is you can't use them as 5 off your 100 card submission but you can send them in the same box but on a separate invoice.
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