Well since this thread won't die, I might as well throw in my 2 cents.
Though not my preferred grading company, I don't really have issues with GAI. I don't know anyone at the company, I don't have any inside sources or was told any information by "someone who knows". All I am is an interested collector wanting to see what GAI has to offer. And fortunately I'm a half decent programmer who knows how sites are constructed and likes to snoop!
It appears they still have alot of work to do to get it fully functional, but it's a good start.
And for anyone out there that tells me this is an old site and not the real deal, then why have the pages been changing as I've watched it for two weeks?(Yes, I have been holding out on you! See the 2 sets listed with the name "test"? That's me!) This is a work in progress.
With that said, I'm finished. I'll be happy to check back in a couple months when all the bugs are worked out....Good Luck GAI, if you need an extra programmer who is good under pressure, I can take cards for compensation.
Looking for: 1953 Topps in PSA 8 1941 Playball in PSA 8. 1952-1955 Red Man cards in 7 and 8 1950 Bowman in PSA 8
Thanks for the info. I went in and added a set. It looks like they are going to give you 3 options (SGC,GAI,PSA) for grading companies . After you click which cards you have it takes you to another screen that allows you to select the grade of your card and then enter the serial number.
So it looks like they have nothing in place to verify the serial numbers , its an honor system you select the grade of your card . Am i correct on this ?
Danny did relay to me that they were going to keep it limited at first....strictly baseball to work out any "bugs" in the system. But it's a start. I don't have any baseball (other than a Roberto Clemente basic player set and a 1973 Kellogg's).
Edited to add: Yes it is an honor system, but random checks of serial numbers will occur.
I do not have cards graded by anyone other than PSA, but I still feel this is a good idea and helps to fill a need in the collectors market. It is good for the big grading companies to have a "shared registry" such as this.
Dave
Dave Johnson- Big Red Country-Nebraska Collector of Vintage Golf cards! Let me know what you might have.
I checked out the link and the registry is well-designed. I'm not a huge fan of GAI and I have had experience with them. I have had cards lost, cards not holdered after long stories on how they have all size holders and hugely inconsistent grading. Also, they were hard to reach, went way over the due date and didn't discuss the individual cards so I could learn their standards as promised. Last, one card we did discuss when I went to visit them was graded a half grade lower for no explicable reason. In fact, the four cards out of 300 that I really pressed for a re-examination were never looked at again. Surprisingly, all four graded up with PSA. And, we know PSA isn't super anxious to upgrade cards from GAI. Often, it is hard to get a GAI 4 crossed over to a PSA 4. However, hope springs eternal. I do have a bunch of half-grade cards that will see some benefit on this registry.
Also, I wouldn't worry about the honor system. There are too many astute collectors here that will police the site themselves. The jackdonkeys will be exposed and lose credibility. We all know the guys who play with a rigged deck. Here's another way to confirm you are a douche.
Last, I think it smart for GAI to accept the two other major graders. If they limited cards to GAI, the board would linger and die. There's no shame to be in the top three. It might actually be interesting and spur card sales across the board. I'll probably take a better look at Ebay GAI & SGC auctions now.
However, GAI has to get it together in regards to dealer submissions versus common guy submissions. Wayne Varner, who seems like one of the truly good guys, has made a concerted effort to grade with GAI. The GAI cards he gets back seem overgraded and we know the cost is nil. Whatever PSA did at the beginning appears to have stopped. I don't believe dealers are getting any preferential treatment at PSA.
Competition and options are always good in the marketplace. Maybe GAI has finally grown out of puberty and wants to act like an adult. If so, everyone, even PSA, will benefit.
<< <i>Also, I wouldn't worry about the honor system. There are too many astute collectors here that will police the site themselves. The jackdonkeys will be exposed and lose credibility. We all know the guys who play with a rigged deck. Here's another way to confirm you are a douche. >>
Scumbi...I completely agree. I also agree that improvements need to be made at GAI but not for the reasons some indicate on this board. I am a common collector, and I feel I am treated equally to others (including dealers). I think the problem lies with minor issues like implementation of the registry, and just being a little more organized in customer service and response. Don't get me wrong, they are friendly and helpful, but I feel they just need to be a little more organized. The pricing, submission process, grading, and holder are superior IMO, they are above and beyond in these areas imo---these are issues I do not want to see changed.
Do PSA and SGC cards recieve a higher wieghting ?? I ask because my experience has been that GAI clearly overgrades by at least 1/2 if not one full grade.
edited to add: I got yet more sad and undeniable proof in today's mailbag......when will I learn?
I think if you did design your own registry, you should be able to experiment with the PSA site and find their interfaces to validate a card being added to a set. Same goes for SGC. Since the PSA registry already has this functionality, it's just a matter of looking at the code and seeing what you can find. The only issue being, you may need to be logged into the PSA site, to run their queries. Which once again isn't a big deal...
Sounds like a fun project when EBAY is slow or funds are low.
Looking for: 1953 Topps in PSA 8 1941 Playball in PSA 8. 1952-1955 Red Man cards in 7 and 8 1950 Bowman in PSA 8
<< <i>Wayne Varner, who seems like one of the truly good guys, has made a concerted effort to grade with GAI. >>
and bid up.... or buy high graded Gai cards on ebay too...
aconte >>
I have noticed that WV bids on a lot of GAI cards. He doesn't win a lot of them though. I guess by creating this artificial market GAI dealers can make sure the value of their GAI inventories do not drop dramatically.
Comments
Though not my preferred grading company, I don't really have issues with GAI. I don't know anyone at the company, I don't have any inside sources or was told any information by "someone who knows". All I am is an interested collector wanting to see what GAI has to offer. And fortunately I'm a half decent programmer who knows how sites are constructed and likes to snoop!
So you wanna see the GAI registry? Here it is....
GAI Registry - The real deal?
It appears they still have alot of work to do to get it fully functional, but it's a good start.
And for anyone out there that tells me this is an old site and not the real deal, then why have the pages been changing as I've watched it for two weeks?(Yes, I have been holding out on you! See the 2 sets listed with the name "test"? That's me!) This is a work in progress.
With that said, I'm finished. I'll be happy to check back in a couple months when all the bugs are worked out....Good Luck GAI, if you need an extra programmer who is good under pressure, I can take cards for compensation.
1953 Topps in PSA 8
1941 Playball in PSA 8.
1952-1955 Red Man cards in 7 and 8
1950 Bowman in PSA 8
Thanks for the info. I went in and added a set. It looks like they are going to give you 3 options (SGC,GAI,PSA) for grading companies . After you click which cards you have it takes you to another screen that allows you to select the grade of your card and then enter the serial number.
So it looks like they have nothing in place to verify the serial numbers , its an honor system you select the grade of your card . Am i correct on this ?
Edited to add: Yes it is an honor system, but random checks of serial numbers will occur.
Grillo
Silver Coins
e-bay ID: grilloj39
e-mail: grilloj39@gmail.com
Dave
Collector of Vintage Golf cards! Let me know what you might have.
Also, I wouldn't worry about the honor system. There are too many astute collectors here that will police the site themselves. The jackdonkeys will be exposed and lose credibility. We all know the guys who play with a rigged deck. Here's another way to confirm you are a douche.
Last, I think it smart for GAI to accept the two other major graders. If they limited cards to GAI, the board would linger and die. There's no shame to be in the top three. It might actually be interesting and spur card sales across the board. I'll probably take a better look at Ebay GAI & SGC auctions now.
However, GAI has to get it together in regards to dealer submissions versus common guy submissions. Wayne Varner, who seems like one of the truly good guys, has made a concerted effort to grade with GAI. The GAI cards he gets back seem overgraded and we know the cost is nil. Whatever PSA did at the beginning appears to have stopped. I don't believe dealers are getting any preferential treatment at PSA.
Competition and options are always good in the marketplace. Maybe GAI has finally grown out of puberty and wants to act like an adult. If so, everyone, even PSA, will benefit.
S.
<< <i>Also, I wouldn't worry about the honor system. There are too many astute collectors here that will police the site themselves. The jackdonkeys will be exposed and lose credibility. We all know the guys who play with a rigged deck. Here's another way to confirm you are a douche. >>
Scumbi...I completely agree. I also agree that improvements need to be made at GAI but not for the reasons some indicate on this board. I am a common collector, and I feel I am treated equally to others (including dealers). I think the problem lies with minor issues like implementation of the registry, and just being a little more organized in customer service and response. Don't get me wrong, they are friendly and helpful, but I feel they just need to be a little more organized. The pricing, submission process, grading, and holder are superior IMO, they are above and beyond in these areas imo---these are issues I do not want to see changed.
Silver Coins
e-bay ID: grilloj39
e-mail: grilloj39@gmail.com
I ask because my experience has been that GAI clearly overgrades by at least 1/2 if not one full grade.
edited to add:
I got yet more sad and undeniable proof in today's mailbag......when will I learn?
<< <i>Wayne Varner, who seems like one of the truly good guys, has made a concerted effort to grade with GAI. >>
and bid up.... or buy high graded Gai cards on ebay too...
aconte
GAI portrays themselves through their web site and registry or lack thereof as a bunch of bumbling businessmen.
Go get someone to develop and manage your site that is competent. I'm sure it could be completed in a very short timeframe.
If you've contracted with someone that hasn't figured this out yet then fire 'em and cut your losses.
Get with the program!
Erik
I wonder when it will go "live". The link provided acess but I could not get to the registry by just going to the website
Reminds me of the early home grown page days.
I have been considering for some time putting my web talents to work designing an "Open Registry" site that
could be used to register all brands.
My biggest draw back was lack of authentication abilbity.
Loves me some shiny!
I think if you did design your own registry, you should be able to experiment with the PSA site and find their interfaces to validate a card being added to a set. Same goes for SGC. Since the PSA registry already has this functionality, it's just a matter of looking at the code and seeing what you can find. The only issue being, you may need to be logged into the PSA site, to run their queries. Which once again isn't a big deal...
Sounds like a fun project when EBAY is slow or funds are low.
1953 Topps in PSA 8
1941 Playball in PSA 8.
1952-1955 Red Man cards in 7 and 8
1950 Bowman in PSA 8
<< <i>
<< <i>Wayne Varner, who seems like one of the truly good guys, has made a concerted effort to grade with GAI. >>
and bid up.... or buy high graded Gai cards on ebay too...
aconte >>
I have noticed that WV bids on a lot of GAI cards. He doesn't win a lot of them though. I guess by creating this artificial market GAI dealers can make sure the value of their GAI inventories do not drop dramatically.