PSA should tell us why cards graded the way they did!
coachvinny
Posts: 634 ✭
then all these consistency vrs. non consistency,
grader of death, " i'm ticked off about my grades"
posts , etc. would go away!
the technology should exist to provide the cumtomers
w/ a simple computerized report card showing the card
flaws. wrinkle, toning, angle cut, surface blemish, back
centering, etc.
then submitters could check their cards and realize that,
in 95% of the cases, psa is right on and the whining
would stop.
but then , what would we talk about?
grader of death, " i'm ticked off about my grades"
posts , etc. would go away!
the technology should exist to provide the cumtomers
w/ a simple computerized report card showing the card
flaws. wrinkle, toning, angle cut, surface blemish, back
centering, etc.
then submitters could check their cards and realize that,
in 95% of the cases, psa is right on and the whining
would stop.
but then , what would we talk about?
i ain't often right
but I've never been wrong
it seldom turns out the way
it does in the song
once in a while
you get shown the light
in the strangest of places
if you look at it right
but I've never been wrong
it seldom turns out the way
it does in the song
once in a while
you get shown the light
in the strangest of places
if you look at it right
0
Comments
My 1952 Topps Baseball Set
If you were to get your cards graded at a show or take them to a show that PSA was at, they could then tell you what was wrong with them.
I have done this several times in the past.
Rob
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
For efficiency sake, they should provide explanations (SGC does) where the grade falls 2 levels below expectation, or those that receive a 5 and under for most years/issues.
Adding all that extra information sure isn't going to come out of PSA's pocket, which means that they would have to raise fees accross the board.
Scott Jeanblanc
jeanblanc@iconnect.net
Ebay UserId : sjeanblanc
--------------------------------------------
Collecting Nolan Ryan cards (68-94)
i would know better how to pre-grade my cards before i
send them to get low grades. i wouldn't be wasting $$$
on cards that wouldn't get the grade i need to make it
worthwhile.
i would like joe orlando's thoughts on this.
joe , feel free to chime in!
but I've never been wrong
it seldom turns out the way
it does in the song
once in a while
you get shown the light
in the strangest of places
if you look at it right
1) First and foremost is time. By the time the grader evaluates your card, how much extra time will it take him to put that card down, record his detailed evaluation, and pick up the next card? 1 minute? 2 minutes? Remember, the guy's a grader and not a typist. That may not sound like much, but let's assume for a minute that a grader currently takes 45 seconds per card to reach his grade. If he grades for 8 straight hours and maintains the 45 second per card pace, he grades 640 cards. Now, for arguement's sake let's say recording his findings takes another 45 seconds per card. I think in reality it will be a bit more than this, but we'll say it's an extra 45 seconds. That means the grader is now spending a total of 1.5 minutes per card - and in the same 8 hour block as above can only grade 320 cards. HALF of what he could do before. Now. . .how many posts/threads did we see where submitters were all upset at how slowly their $5 Registry Special submissions were being turned around? And this is assuming that only one grader looks at each card - and WE KNOW that TWO graders look at each and every card, don't we?
2) Focus. I'd really prefer my grader be able to focus on the merits of my cards, rather than be distracted by having to do a detailed report between each card. Maintaining consistency is hard enough without helping the grader's mind to wander.
3) Costs. If the grader now has to take twice as long on each card, the price will have to go up. How much would be hard to say, but I don't think anyone has to go out on a limb to say that the price would increase. I think the normal collector is already pretty price-sensitive on their submissions.
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Coachvinny> You say "i would know better how to pre-grade my cards before i send them to get low grades. i wouldn't be wasting $$$ on cards that wouldn't get the grade i need to make it worthwhile."
What if PSA implemented the following -
A Pre-Grading service.
* Minimum Quantity is 50 cards.
* You pay $4 per card up-front.
* PSA assigns a grade and notifies you of the results through their web site.
* On the PSA web site, you pick and choose which cards you want slabbed.
* You pay an additional $4 per card for anything you want slabbed. (Final total = $8 per card rather than $6)
* The cards you do not want slabbed are returned to you in the same card saver PSA received them in. No labels, no "pre-grade" stickers, etc. This way, dealers can't pay $4 per card and try to pass off the pre-graded raw card as if it were graded. I feel this cheapens the pre-grade service and the brand as a whole. If you later change your mind and want those cards slabbed, you would have to repeat the process or send the card for regular grading.
To me, this seems like a much more practical way of providing you with the "learning experience" you have said you're looking for.
Mike
You have to remember that nobody at PSA loses sleep over a totally subjective grade. These people are no different than you and I. They dream of getting drunk, running away from their desks & spouses and proper choices for funny hat day. They don't know you. They don't care if you have sat for a week straight with an electron microscope examining every inch of the card like it's a piece of the Shroud of Turin. They care about their lives. They care about their families and the condition of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's relationship.
Even if you could talk to the graders, what would the conversation sound like? It would sound like this:
YOU: What's the matter with this card?
Grader: I don't like the upper left corner.
YOU: What don't you like about it?
Grader: It doesn't look right to me.
YOU: Can you be more specific?
Grader: The corner just looks messed up.
YOU: I protest.
Grader. Protest noted.
YOU: Your momma works an eggroll cart in the bad part of Munich.
Grader: I know you are, but what am I?
You see? This system will not be satisfying to anyone. If you are frustrated, then don't put your hard-earned money into card grading. That's how you vote these days. Of course, those of us on the inside will finally have to accept lower grades because your cards won't be there to fill in the bell curve.
S.
<< <i>
YOU: Your momma works an eggroll cart in the bad part of Munich.
>>
C'mon. This is just a low blow.
There are no bad parts of Munich.
Silver Coins
e-bay ID: grilloj39
e-mail: grilloj39@gmail.com
To the dealers among us. Thanks for submitting cards and doin all that you do so we can add them to our sets.
To the investors among us. Thanks for buying up and making sure that their will always be hi grade examples of the cards we so much enjoy.
I leave anyone out? If so it was on purpose.
New PSA service: If you don't like the grade your card receives and want an explanation why a card graded the way it did, send it back and for an additional $10, they will either justify the grade to you or upgrade the card. Most people just take the grades given to them anyway, and PSA would spend loads of time putting in card flaws that customers either already know about or don't care about. This way all grading fees wouldn't have to increase, as the only time a grader would need to put in grade justification is if a customer requests it and pays for it.
Sound fair? If so, then PSA should implement a service like this and cut grade whining down to a minimum.
My 1952 Topps Baseball Set
The graders could wear boom-type microphones and use voice-recognition software. A few comments on each card could easily be added to the invoice (provided the graders speak English).
Or, Macros could be made for a word processing program like MS Word for all the common problems & added to the invoice.
Simple, quick & a monkey could do it.
I'd also like PSA to provide profiles of the graders - training, experience, background, etc. Probably wouldn't give out their address or phone # though!
Bill
The reply I received back was that this was under consideration, but there had not been enough requests or demand for such a service.
My guess is that they are not state of the art on the process technologically. Perhaps we will see differently based on the Joe Orlando post that a video of the process of grading will be linked to this website.
and under my 10x loupe I saw what is known as slight fraying. You can't see it with the naked eye so that is the reason you thought it was perfect. I also noticed that it had a severe scratch (again under intense lighting and my trusty old 10x loupe) so that was another reason I gave it a 7. I could have just looked at it the way u did and gave it a 6 but I wanted to make sure I examined it as well as the dentist examines your teeth.
me ok thanks!!
edited to add:
PSA by no means is state of the art. These are sports cards not diamond cutting.