It's Getting Cold In Here!

HammeringHank

I'm not one to extoll the virtues of PSA...however after reading all of the bashing...which I myself have contributed in a slight way...I realize that there needs to be another side presented here...so for the other side of the coin...

I'm a rather new collector with regard to baseball cards...I did start 48 years ago collecting...however I have not been active the past 45...I've also made my share of mistakes with regard to collecting...bought a trimmed PRO card...over-payed for a graded card...etc...

I met Joe Orlando the first time at the National in Cleveland a few years ago...even though I'm not a high roller...at least at that time I was in the beginning stages of collecting...Joe spent a great deal of time helping me and explaining what PSA did...

Having said that...since that time...he and I have disagreed at times...yet he remains cordial and friendly at all times...and still takes an extra minute or two to be extremely helpful...considering all of the guff...not only that I give him but everyone else does...the one thing that I have to give him...is that he stands there and takes...he does not hid!!!!!

He'll return your phone calls and he'll do the best he can in explaining why this or that did or didn't happen...he admits to my chargin that PSA is not perfect...that it makes mistakes...and then I have nothing to say...because when someone admits that they erred...what else is there to say...unless you want to make an ass of yourself...and continue harping...there is not much to say....

I think what would be most helpful, after some reflection...it might not be a bad idea to come up with some positive ideas...after all this is not any longer the boyhood hobby that it use to be...it's big business now...and we need big business ideas...not throwing sand into everyones face...or pouting...

This is a subjective hobby...everyone is going to have their opinion...you and I are not always going to agree...nor is PSA going to see your or my submission always the way we'd like it...grading is not a science...it should be...we'd like it to be...but it's not...and because of this...there are going to be inconsistancy...I don't like it...neither do you...no one does...but ranting about it in this forum is not going to change anything...

What will change is if someone can come up with a concrete method to grade cards that is scientific and verifiable in all instances...come up with specifics...and then maybe we can impact the hobby in a positive way...

coach30

I agree with hammering hank on this one. I have had over 1000 cards graded by PSA and find each submission to be a bit of an adventure. I have found Joe to be easy to talk to and quick to return calls when I had concerns. Their are very few people in the position he holds that would respond to a relative low roller in the hobby like myself. You have to give him that!

grilloj39

As an occasional critic of PSA myself, I agree that Joe Orlando is a nice person to communicate with...although I have never spoke to him personally, just corresponded via e-mail, he does seem like a good guy.

We are all not perfect (and that includes Joe) and maybe we say things we do not mean, but I am concerned by the way PSA addresses the concerns of its customers.

Here's a quick list of issues I would like to see PSA address:

1) improve the security of the holder...I don't care about labels or looks...just security.
2) you shouldn't have to be a member to do business with them...I do not want monthly SMRs/pop reports/or even the set registry access (even though I have one PSA-only set I am working on)...I just would like to submit cards to them from time to time, pay a fair price, without any strings attached...is that too much to ask?
3) address WIWAG issue fully and completely...it's been so long now that I don't really care who's at fault, I just want some questions answered with corrective actions taken. Most of us are willing to let "bygones be bygones", if just a PSA would be a little more open on these issues. Same goes for the Rose card.
4) It seems only 1 grader is looking at a card so this results in some people getting their cards graded by different standards via different graders.
5) Simple submission form where tallboys, vintage commons, vintage stars, could be submitted on 1 order. BVG and GAI are good examples...