Graded Rookies Authenticated (GRA) ... any thoughts?

Virtualizard

I recently received a 1975 Topps Mini from them and I actually thought it looked pretty good. I was skeptical, but for $4.09 including shipping, I thought it was worth a shot. I measured the card and checked it against my PSA 8 example and it actually looks ok - in fact, quite a bit better than my PSA 8. I sent it to PSA yesterday on my final 145 card submission under the Set Registry Special. I'll let everyone know how it does.

I was hoping to post that I had won another 1967 Topps GEM MINT Stargell, but someone outbid me on this one. I thought I'd win it just as a joke, but I guess someone else really wanted it. It would have been interesting to see how it measured up to my PSA 10 (or even my PSA 8)!

I just wondered if anyone else had ever taken a chance and bid on one of these auctions. I was really surprised with the condition of the '75 Mini. We'll see what PSA thinks.

JEB.

DCICEMAN

From what I've seen of this guy's auctions, it looks like a home business out of his basement, from which anything gets a 10, as long as the corners aren't rounded. I've seen cards they're trying to pawn off as 10's that wouldn't get a 7 from PSA. Be very careful when considering anything from this seller.

Dave Cassel
cassel2 on eBay

rbeaton

I recently picked up a 1967 WS Game (w/Palmer) in GEM 10 for practically nothing. Looks to me like it might make a PSA-7.

Robert

fab4

i picked up a 1984 usfl steve young rookie and a 1981 joe montana rookie both graded 10 by All star grading. i bought both for 90.00 plus shipping. i think it was 50 on montana and 40 on the young. i sent them to psa as crossovers and both came back psa 9's.

i also bought a collection that had 22 GEM graded cards. i sent them to GAI and steve didn't charge me for the ones that didn't cross. all were 10's and i had 8 as the min. grade. not a single one crossed. he even put post it notes on the slabs pointing out the problems. a few were nearly solid post its.

............fab4.............

estang

I took a chance with GRA on a 1974 Rod Carew Topps "Gem Mit 10". It is probably a ExMT+ or NM card. Bottom left corner has diagonal indentation that is easily apparent and the 2 of the other corners are touched. Looked good from the scan and I'm out about $10. Will be a good addition for my binder set. Didn't pay off.

cspeier1

I have a carzy one also. I purchased a PGA 10 (Professional Grading Authority) Tom Brady SP Authentic for my set thinking I would just cross it. I paid $127, this was before the superbowl. I received the card and admitingly was dissapointed. The bottom corner has ding hard. I honestly hoped before I seen it, it might cross to a 9.. After receiving it I sent it to PSA with a MG of a 8. IT DIDN'T CROSS!!! I got the card back and listed it back on Ebay, after the SB, and the card sold for $375. I felt terrible!! knowing it was basically a PSA 7... I guess people just love buying cards with a 10's on them..

Chad

onegaucho

Just curious if you mentioned in your ebay listing that it wouldn't cross over to a PSA 8 or higher?

cspeier1

I cannot tell a lie, No I didn't. The reason being is I done some research and the guy I purchased it from WAS a PSA dealer. I figured he knew, I didn't email busting his b@lls.. I know it's a tough deal, I'm not sure if given a chance I'd handle it the same way. I should've busted it out and sold it raw.. I guess I'm torn on what the correct way to handle a situation like this is..

Chad

purelyPSA

Based on an earlier post you started, asking about other lower rung grading companies who you can submit to to give your realized auction prices a bump, you're the type of seller who prefers the cash over the disclosure.

WinPitcher

Being new around here I will refrain from saying what I think about that!

Vargha

No need to hold back . . . just say it!

cspeier1

Disclosure you've got to be kidding me.. I own a used auto dealership and if you want to talk about disclosure your accusing the wrong person of trying to hide something.. The point of the post about lower grading company was for just that. Who do you "dealers" send there lower quality cards to for top resale value. I see no crime in that.. In fact, I sent 11 cards to PGS and have kept 5 for my personal collection. Money rules this hoppy, money rules almost everything. If someone thinks I hid something from someone because I didn't tell a potential buyer that a brand x card wouldn't cross to PSA, they shouldn't buy a brand x card.. Almost no card will cross, what's the difference. I knew when I purchased the card it wasn't a 10 or PSA or BGS or SGC would've graded it. So I say to you, disclosure that's a joke. I sure see a lot of dealers who sale on Ebay, that wasn't after top dollar, tell someone that a card he's selling as a 10 won't cross to a 7.. Get real..

Chad

purelyPSA

I'm glad you clarified your position. Now everyone on here knows how you feel and can draw their own conclusions about you. Just because everyone else chases the fast buck over the honest deal doesn't mean that it's OK.

For the record, not only would I have disclosed the ding, when I see these sorts of disclosures on other people's auctions, I a)bookmark their "sale" page, because I know that if they're going to disclose such flaws, the stuff that they say is good is indeed that, and b)I usually bid more for their stuff than I would normally because I'm confident of the quality.

But hey, to each his own.

**Edited to remove an unnecessary slam**

purelyPSA

Who do you "dealers" send there lower quality cards to for top resale value.

Since you missed the point, I'll answer it concisely...the point was, the reputable dealers just sell the cards raw and admit to the flaws, and don't mess with these crappy fly-by-night graders to make an extra buck, while hosing an unsuspecting collector. If you doubt what I say, just ask Jay at Qualitycards, Gaspipe, Norty, or any of the other dealers on here. In fact, you can probably ask every vintage collector on here what they do with flawed cards that won't grade well at all at PSA. By all means, ask them. However be warned that you won't like the responses you'll get, because they value their integrity in the eyes of their customers over a few extra dollars.

cspeier1

Being in the car business has NOTHING to do with this.. Listen guy, that little dig on my profession really pisses me off. I don't think you could look me in the eye and tell me I'm dishonest.. I do this as a hobby. I'm not a card dealer. I do know one thing, this is my last post.. You have some set of balls on you purelyPSA by saying that selling cars is par for the course.. Nice meeting all you "NICE" people who I've dealt with over my stay. Also, to whom ever cares. Look at my feedback on Ebay--cspeier1 and see how dishonest I am. And for purelyPSA thanks for insult and thanks for the friendly welcome!! Idiot!!

Chad Speier
(785) 623-4835 home
(785) 625-5300 work

purelyPSA

Fair enough...my dig on your job was over the line and I do apologize. Truly.

However, as far as the rest of my posts go, I was just putting in words what most of everyone else on here thought.

cspeier1

So what you are telling me is that I should've told people what it would've crossed to. I should sell all my cards raw that won't grade PSA. I'm after the money instead of disclosure. And everyone on this board would've done it different than me and you just posted what everyone was thinking. Is this a correct statement?? So by my previous posts, I'm basically a bad canidate for honest card selling.. Someone please speak up....

Chad

pandrews

i dont bother getting my low end stuff graded.. I do like PurelyPSA says and I just list them raw, and I try to accurately describe them.. see my auctions

but what do you do if you spend money on a card, send it in and PSA rejects it as "trimmed" or something? should you sell the card and describe it as trimmed and lose a buttload of money you dont have to lose? or should you let somebody else take the gamble?

cspeier1

Now from a money or "getting rid of the card standpoint". If you had a card graded GEM 10 and paid $130 for it. You sent it to PSA and it would only grade a PSA 7. Would you have it crossed? Would you tell people in your Ebay ad it would only be a PSA 7 and loose your butt? Or would you list the card, sell the card to the highest bidder, knowing the person has a choice on weather he buys it or not. Now, I see no harm or dishonesty in that..

Chad

purelyPSA

To close this thread, all I'll respond is that you should stick around for awhile. You'll see that the majority of the members of this board hold themselves to a higher standard. Yes, I would say that a trimmed card that came back "trimmed" was indeed sent to PSA and returned as such. To many people, stepping up, being honest, and eating the loss is better than passing it on to someone else, just because you yourself took it in the shorts. That's just baloney rationalization. In fact, I know of some dealers who have done just that - disclosed the issue, and let the next buyer buy with open eyes. This also includes things such as your Tom Brady.

Hey, I'm not your mom, and I probably should have just let you think everyone does it, so it's OK, and so on. Seems like that's pretty much what most of the board has done, not stepped up and told you otherwise. Maybe that was the way to handle this. However I am choosing to stand up and say it's not OK. I call them as I see them.

Xena6969

I would have to agree with purelypsa I am sure everyone on these boards have been taken before from an ebay auction or something similar. I am also sure a vast majority of these people would not have passed the buck on someone else. it is to bad you got a raw deal but how can we as a whole improve on the morals of collecting and promotion of the hobby if such acts as what you did continue. you lost out on 127 or atleast partial that. but the poor sap that paid you 375 dollars for it definately took it in the shorts and unless he does the same thing he will never even come close to getting what he paid for it. the least you could of done is had a buy it now price of 127. thats my thoughts anyways.

cspeier1

purelyPSA you must also be a wizard, you know like the one in Harry Potter. Sure seems your doing a lot of talking for everyone else. I've said this before, I'll say it again.. I"M A COLLECTOR- NOT A DEALER.. If this were my source of income the honesty issue would be important, for customer reasons.. I see no wrong in selling cards as they are. I THOUGHT YOU PURCHASED THE CARD NOT THE HOLDER. Do I need to send a list of what I know and what I don't with each card?? If that's the case we'd all be collectors because nobody would be anything.

Chad

Wabittwax

Looks like we've learned the lesson not to open up the wrong can of worms. I think Chad didn't expect the response he got from his post.

Chad, I think if you just admitted that you made a mistake in hindsight, all this would have went away. Defending your actions is what stirred up the crowd.

cspeier1

It's hard not to defend yourself when you feel you've done nothing wrong.. I'd love to read about how everybody uses disclosure, or even what they know about a card, when they sell it but so far nothing. I admidted I'd do it differently if given a chance. In fact is isn't my fault Brady is a two time SB MVP and his cards were demanding more, is it?? But some putz felt the need to insult me and tell me that everyone feels the way he does and so far I've seen nothing.. I guess I've learned one thing.. if I don't defend myself, who's going to? I want to see purelyPSA auctions so I can see how he discloses to potential buyers, what he knows about his cards.. I buy PSA cards because I want PSA slabs. Why do dealers sell on Ebay? Why do dealers send cards to be graded? Why do some uses PSA, BGS or even PGS.. SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!

Chad

purelyPSA

If you feel you've done nothing wrong then you have no idea what I'm referring to. So let's drop it. It's a free country, so run your auctions any way you see fit.

cspeier1

Drop What?? The fact you insulted me by referring to my profession. The fact you deleted it so you look better. Guy, I'm not dropping nothing.... Like I said, GOD, I'm glad you speak for everyone. This is a good subject seeing your so "high and mighty" keep posting, maybe you'll teach me what "I don't get"

purelyPSA

Fine then...nobody mentions things that are wrong with graded cards in their descriptions. Well, take a look at the thread regarding the new Superior auction - right there in their auctions, they mention that a Rose 9 has a ding, and a Drysdale 9 has print spots. But hey, no one does this sort of thing, at least that's what your claiming, because since they're both PSA 9s, shouldn't that be enough? Probably, these are things that wouldn't have shown up on a scan. You think that Superior should have just gone with the old "buyer beware" attitude and let whoever winds up with them get stuck? They didn't because they want to protect their reputation.

The other thing you said that made me laugh was "buy the card, not the holder". That cracked me up, because you then abdicated any responsibility for what was indeed IN the holder, and you left no indication that it was damaged. In essence, you let someone buy the holder and said, hey, it was graded a 10, not my fault that the card was damaged. Those are two completely opposite attitudes.

And as far as you calling me names, or bawling me out, I don't give a crap. To me you've proven to be nobody. And I'm through with this.

cspeier1

I said YOUR auctions. Your comparing ME to a Superior Auction, Now that's funny!! I'm over this also, it was good arguing with you, it keeps the blood pressure up.. TRUCE? Nobody said everyone thinks alike, I honestly "get" what your saying.. I just "feel" what happens is part of this hoppy.. That's all, I'm far from dishonest, and I'm far from perfect.. But I do appreciate people such as you. You've tought me something, and I honestly will apply it.. So, I'm sorry and lets be friends..

Chad

purelyPSA

Accepted. Stick around the boards, too. I'd hate to see this thread run anyone off.

Virtualizard

Thanks for hijacking my thread, guys!

I wasn't going to post again, but I think I will now that I've read the last two responses.

Chad,

I'd like to welcome you to the message boards and I hope you don't take this one series of events too seriously. I understand your side of the argument. We can always use more true collectors here on the message boards. Nice Dorsett Master set, by the way!



Steve,

I also understand your side of the argument and I agree with you. You have been here for awhile (actually longer than I have been posting). I believe, that in your time here on the message boards, you have learned the code of ethics involved in this hobby. You have chosen the honorable path, and that is admirable. Chad has only been posting for a month or so. As he becomes more familiar with the hobby, he may see things the same as you do. I think he's already admitted to "getting what you're saying".


I'm glad to see that this thread will end on a positive note.

JEB.

67standup

Mmmm...juicy thread. A seller is under no obligation to note the shortcomings of a lesser third party grader. If it's GEM 10, then it's GEM 10, not "it will probably cross to a PSA 7." HOWEVER, I bought a KSA 6 with a crease in the middle of the card. Although, the seller is under no obligation, I won't buy from him again. If the seller notated it, he would have received future business from me. Unfortunately, most sellers (businesses for that matter) are only concerned about the immediate sale, and not future ramifications or their reputation.

I have a current listing for a 1968 Topps 3D PSA 5, but clarified why it's a 5. That doesn't make me any better than any other seller, I just felt that it was the right thing to do. I don't believe the seller in question on this post did anything wrong, especially the way he explained his position.