Global...Friend or Foe?

EOMINT

I too just returned from the National...I would say the biggest surprise for me was the extent to which GAI vintage graded seems to be gaining in credibility. I can't decied whether this is a good or bad thing. Do people consider GAI a real threat to PSA long term? People seem to like the black holders and the 0.5 grading scale better. Thoughts?

EO

downgoesfrazier

A "threat"?...no. A viable option, of course. They are very solid and consistent. PSA will remain "King of Commons" for some time, however. GAI has been talking of a set registry for well over a year and to date I belive they still don't offer one. That would have helped them then...not so sure about now.
dgf

Buckwheat

i like their holders also. But I don't see them as much of a threat. They have been unable to get a registry going, and people collecting sets pretty much demand PSA. As far as the 1/2 point scale, it is very difficutlt to see where that fits in. As I mentioned in another post, I crossed a PSA 8 Maris to a GAI 8.5. I knew it wouldn't get a PSA 9, and hoped to increase it's value. I showed it to a few dealers, and asked them what it was worth. They all first asked what was the SMR for a PSA 8 or a PSA 9. They didn't really have a good measure for how to value an 8.5. It seems that mostly they just considered an 8.5 a high end PSA 8. It was obvious that PSA still set the standard, even with a dealer that sold a lot of GAI. I will have to go to their website to be sure, but I don't think that GAI puts out a price guide. So even the dealers seem to be at a loss about what to do with 1/2 grades. While I think that GAI does a good job grading, they have a very difficult time battling the huge head start taht PSA has in the market place. The set registry was a marketing coup, for sure. Does anyone think that Davallillo or Fogel would have ever graded out their huge collections if not for the registry?

murcerfan

Global still provides a very valuable resource during the national.........
a bunch of empty chairs for us weary travelers to sit down at and rest our feet.
as the PSA area was jammed and SGC was surprisingly active.
It was great that old friends like Danny and Mike had enough free time to chat for a good long while

sixdart

When talking to GAI, they mentioned that in 2 months they anticipate having their registry ready. It may be a master registry allowing for Beckett, PSA, SGC and GAI cards. I found that interesting.

mikeschmidt

It's been over a year and a half, and despite promises and other information, GAI still does not have a population report. Perhaps they do not want to reveal how thinly graded they are on many issues? Who knows -- but of the four "major" grading companies, GAI is the only one who still shies away from the population report.

And now that PSA will be grading larger cards, it seems that that will cut into GAI's niche -- as there are not too many people yet who are grading their T3's, etc.

Vargha

Competition is a good thing. In this case, it will serve to help keep PSA on its toes.

RedHeart54

eomint-

What was the presence of GAI graded wax packs at the National this year? A lot?

mikeschmidt

RedHeart:

Most vintage packs that I saw at the National were GAI graded. Not too many dealers carry the stuff -- but those that do tend to have them graded. (Dave and Adams had some nice 70s boxes). Even saw some 1960s non-sport packs/boxes GAI-graded.

In fact -- I recall seeing for the first time GAI grading the display boxes for vintage material, which seemed kind of cool. (e.g. a 1962 Topps Wax Box display box)