Test Your Skills, Win Cash! PSA World Series of Sports Card Grading

SportsModerator2 · May 17, 2004 3:20AM

For sports card collectors, the "World Series" won't start in October. It will be held in July, and offer the eventual champion a year of bragging rights and a $2,500 cash prize.

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) will conduct the PSA World Series of Sports Card Grading©, a test of knowledge and skill about grading cards. Competition will be held at the PSA booth at National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, Thursday - Sunday, July 22 - 25, 2004.

"This is a winner-take-all competition to determine the top card grader at The National. The winner will receive $2,500 cash," said Joe Orlando, PSA President.

"Here's your chance to put your grading skills to the test and go up against the best among collectors and dealers. Who will be the top sports card grader? We'll find out."

Each contestant will have 15 minutes to examine 30 cards and determine their grades. The cards will be previously graded and encapsulated by PSA, and selected from the marketplace by Orlando and the grading staff. The test will cover cards from different eras and will range from pre-war era to modern issues.

The contestants will be scored on how many times their grades match those previously determined by PSA. In the event of a tie, there will be a tie-breaking round.

In the event that a contestant's grade does not match PSA's, the distance between the correct answer and the one entered by the contestant will count. For example, if the correct answer is, "Mint 9," but the contestant enters "Near Mint 7," a deduction of 2 points will be applied.

In addition, altered cards may be included on the test. An automatic deduction of 5 points will be applied if a contestant enters any grade for an altered card.

"Please keep in mind that the rules may change before the contest takes place. Check the PSA web site, psacard.com, for updates along the way," said Orlando.

Every contestant will receive a T-shirt commemorating the PSA World Series of Sports Card Grading.

The competition is open to anyone except current PSA employees. There is a $50 entry fee, and entrants must make a reservation to take the test at the National Sports Collectors Convention. Reservations will be accepted starting June 1, 2004 by contacting Evelyn Carrillo at PSA.

"I expect the reservation times will fill up very quickly. There will be only a limited number of time slots available on a first-come, first served basis. Anyone who wants to enter the competition should promptly make a reservation to avoid being shut out," advised Orlando.

Virtualizard · May 17, 2004 3:24AM

You had me up until the $50 entry fee.

JEB.

toppsgun · May 17, 2004 3:34AM

You had all the Cubs fans, Astros fans and Red Sox fans, until the words, "World Series" popped up.

But seriously, this is time for all the complainers to step up and put their money where their mouths are. If you don't put up the entry fee, you still have a right to complain, but the rest of us don't have to listen to you.

1954 · May 17, 2004 3:49AM

Awesome idea. I would think by showing the results of the competition after the Nationals here on the board would be a very good idea. That way we could stop hearing people complain about "how crappy their grades are", " the Darth Grader is still alive", and "this is my first and last submission." It would allow the board community to know who knows their stuff and who knows nothing!

Love the idea PSA. Keep it going

Shane Leonard

BugOnTheRug · May 17, 2004 3:57AM

1. I can't make the National, so can the PSA contest come to my house??
2. Do you offer an internet version of the contest (and subsequent diploma that I can put up in my office and show to friends and neighbors)?
3. Is the $50 fee to cover the legal costs of contestants who duke it out at the National?
4. Will you offer a K-card Kontest for all the K-card kooks? Most of these guys drive wittle wed wamblers with white woofs, so they'll stick out like an off-centered PSA 6.

BOTR

aro13 · May 17, 2004 4:13AM

Great idea! Basically, you will have 30 seconds to grade each card and if you miss an alteration you probably are eliminated.

34GoudeyCollector · May 17, 2004 4:24AM

And all that fun can be had for only $50 !!

Vargha · May 17, 2004 5:17AM

Am I to assume that the average PSA grader spends 30 seconds on a card on average?

Basilone · May 17, 2004 5:22AM

PSA should outsource to India. They can grade cards in 20 seconds for 1/2 the cost.

Edited: David...I see you are starting a '34 Goudey set. Best of Luck with your new project!

Vargha · May 17, 2004 5:26AM

Thanks John. BTW, my people in Pakistan can do it even faster and for less money.

murcerfan · May 17, 2004 5:45AM

I wonder if I can get sposored by DSL

or maybe even think big and go for Coca-Cola and Home Depot

murcerfan · May 17, 2004 5:47AM

Carol,
It will be half price for paying members ?.... right ???

tribeman · May 17, 2004 5:55AM

Does anyone think it is a little much that they are charging 50 bucks to enter this competition. I'm sure they could swing the $2500 for the winner, and you would think the contest would stir up some excitement for the psa brand and product and maybe create some good will, instead I get the feeling it is motivated by a chance to make a buck.

Tongue in cheek comment: Notice that the rules don't say you need to accurately grade the card, but rather need to guess the grade it was given at psa. Can they let us know who did the grading that day?

murcerfan · May 17, 2004 6:05AM

catch 22 indeed.

onegaucho · May 17, 2004 6:13AM

I can find better ways to use my $50, thanks.

Griffins · May 17, 2004 6:16AM

This must've come from the same marketing minds that brought us that great idea of spiderman logos on the bases.

1954 · May 17, 2004 6:28AM

No, I think it is a great thing to have a competition that requires money down to compete. It eliminates the scrubs and it places those that really think they can do PSA's job and puts them in their place. I can't wait to see the outcome and I truly hope that the results are posted. Not only for the embarrassment, but to really show how difficult it is to all agree on the grade.
I agree with PSA that the winner takes all, but what if we only have 15 people that are up to the test? What happens if there are 120 applicants? That would mean that PSA would collect $6K for the tournament and only pay out $2500. Let it truly be a winner takes all contest.

1954

Basilone · May 17, 2004 6:34AM

<< It eliminates the scrubs and it places those that really think they can do PSA's job and puts them in their place >>

That may be the thoughts of some collectors ... but I doubt that is PSA's motivation.

KING KELLOGG · May 17, 2004 6:44AM

The way I see it is...

A $50 entry is only one small step to walking away with $2500.00....

I'm giving it a shot! I think I can get close to the "big guys"....

Count me in...... (Can I drink beer during grading???????......No...I'm not kiddin'....)

KING GRADER
(hee..hee..my new handle...)

grilloj39 · May 17, 2004 7:35AM

It think the contest is a good idea...I would not enter only because I realize I am not the best grader in the world...I overlook things from time to time and my eyesight isn't the greatest in the world either (adding fuel to the fire).

DirtyHarry · May 17, 2004 8:21AM

I believe that more than 30 seconds per card is spent in determining the grade by PSA. According to customer service, each card goes through two graders and a final evaluator. So, this is like a "speed round" contest, and I don't think it prooves anything one way or another about member's perceptions of their grades. It's just a contest. IMO anyway, and I think it would have behooved PSA/Carol to make that point in the post about this.

GoSoxBoSox · May 17, 2004 8:29AM

All this so that you can tell us the original PSA grade which is inconsistent as hell anyway. And what do we win, $2,500? .... how 'bout a job for the accurate grader!!!

Sounds like this contest is funding PSA's staff trip to Cleveland.

I'll waste my $50 at the closest Cleveland strip joint.

Thegradinator · May 17, 2004 8:29AM

My grade for everyone's opinion would by 5 with a qualifier SWATEF. The opinions were somewhat excellent, but the qualifier, stop whining about the entry fee had to be applied. I wonder if a thread can ever go by with no complaints. For people who say they love PSA, you should put it down a lot. I have been disappointed by PSA, but I have had some nice surprises as well. PSA is like life. Take the good with the bad and keep loving PSA.

BugOnTheRug · May 17, 2004 9:16AM

<< stop whining about the entry fee >>

...........should be in quotations to emphasize the abbreviation.

<< with no complaints >>

............should read 'without any complaints'.

<< should put it down a lot. >>

...........should read 'sure put it down often'.

I'm done complaining now.

BOTR

marty · May 17, 2004 9:42AM

I hope that PSA will give each person a list with the grades that they guess, and then allow them the opportunity to relook at the cards when the contest is over. This will work for those that will be there Sunday also. I would want to know what I missed "IF" I tried and was not 100%.

. What will they do if there is a tie between two and one left on Friday and could not come back for Sunday, winner by default takes all? Maybe they will not allow anyone that will not be availible on Sunday to give them $50.00.

koby · May 17, 2004 9:46AM

<< 
I'll waste my $50 at the closest Cleveland strip joint. >>

Win the contest and you will have $2500 to spend at the strip joint.

SportsModerator2 · May 17, 2004 9:50AM

<< Carol,
It will be half price for paying members ?.... right ??? >>

ummm, no

But I will be there to cheer on all my message board peeps!

GoSoxBoSox · May 17, 2004 10:08AM

Carol,

Will you be running a kissing booth this year?

SportsModerator2 · May 17, 2004 10:10AM

Me? No. I thought you all were running one this year.

murcerfan · May 17, 2004 10:20AM

I pick 1954 to win the PSA kiss-up contest

Griffins · May 17, 2004 10:33AM

I've got money on Shane as well.

RobE · May 17, 2004 10:51AM

American card grading Idol.
You could put it on TV.
Have Judges
An 800 number for viewers to vote for their favorite grader.

Good promotion for the National PSA and the hobby.

There's one guy on here I'd expect to win if he entered.

murcerfan · May 17, 2004 11:48AM

If I lose ..........
........do I still get to shag Amber?

KalineFan · May 17, 2004 12:26PM

Hey folks, just to let you know (if you care! LOL), I actually took the PCGS World
Series of Coin Grading. It was actually fun, informative and let me know where
I stand! I didn't win, but then again, I did not miss any counterfeit coins that
were presented in the test as well. I did not score high, I was somewhere
over the "collector" numbers and just below the dealer "big boys" numbers.
I say, if I could be there, I would do it....HEY JOE! Can I take the challenge at
the Long Beach Coin Expo, right after I do the coin challenge? Come on, give
me a shot at it! HA! To all who take the test, I will only say, don't spend a
ton of time on one particular item. I found that as the coins progressed, I
realized I took too much time on the first half and had less time to spend on
the second half. GOOD LUCK TO ALL and lets see those results!

Tony

PS---OK who has some of those 1965 and 1969 OPC Baseball I am looking for?!?!?!

mikeschmidt · May 18, 2004 2:15AM

I think this is a GREAT idea - and I wish I were going to the Natinoal this year to participate.

My one question/reservation is as follows: Are the cards to be graded already encapsulated? I would imagine that they would have to be - in order to ensure that a) no one damages the cards and b) to ensure consistency in presentation from one contestant to the next.

However - I would also suggest that as someone who has looked at thousands of cards over time - I can much more easily determine an altered card when I have it outside of a holder, and can closely look at the edges, when I can smell the card (e.g. bleach), and even look for re-coloring under lighting, without the plastic holder in the way. I think this is a great idea - I just think it is often hard to accurately tell an altered card when it is already in the holder. How will this be addressed, if at all...?

aro13 · May 18, 2004 2:33AM

~"The cards will be previously graded and encapsulated by PSA, and selected from the marketplace by Orlando and the grading staff. The test will cover cards from different eras and will range from pre-war era to modern issues."~

This statement kind of implies that the cards will be already in their holders, although that would eliminate any altered or trimmed cards. Perhaps, all cards will be put in card saver I's and you have to grade them in those holders. How did they do the coin grading contests?

murcerfan · May 18, 2004 2:50AM

it certainly takes longer to grade a card in a PSA holder.
...............surface/gloss issues and bumps can be almost undetectable.

edited to add:
I'd love to see the top eight finishers go head to head against PSA's top eight graders in a final elimination round, maybe get Mr. Hall to stake the "keys to the mint" for the last grader standing....make it a real winner takes all.

theplasticman · May 19, 2004 1:19AM

<< The way I see it is...

A $50 entry is only one small step to walking away with $2500.00....

I'm giving it a shot! I think I can get close to the "big guys"....

Count me in...... (Can I drink beer during grading???????......No...I'm not kiddin'....)

KING GRADER
(hee..hee..my new handle...) >>

Im betting my chips on the King.

KING KELLOGG · May 19, 2004 5:56AM

theplasticman...

Thanks J......

(Don't bet too much though...

..)

Larry

HartlandMan · May 19, 2004 6:32AM

I'm going to enter this just so the rest of you don't have to worry about coming in last.

Buccaneer · May 19, 2004 10:08AM

<< it certainly takes longer to grade a card in a PSA holder.
...............surface/gloss issues and bumps can be almost undetectable.

edited to add:
I'd love to see the top eight finishers go head to head against PSA's top eight graders in a final elimination round, maybe get Mr. Hall to stake the "keys to the mint" for the last grader standing....make it a real winner takes all. >>

If such issues make them "almost undetectable" how would you know if they are there? Ok, that didn't make much sense but I still have this overall bias of knocking grades down for flaws seem only with an electron microscope. Now they are asking contestants to grade cards (without the aide of a microscope?) in an average of 30 secs?

RG58 · May 19, 2004 10:45AM

This is all wrong...

The competition should be for the PSA "professional" graders to see who keeps their job.

I would pay 50$ to watch the "professional" graders regrade previously encapsulated cards randomly chosen by collectors to see there level of precision. The ones with less than 75% precision should be fired on the spot by Orlando in front of the paying audience. (my guess- most of them would not be >75% consistent on vintage)

NOW that would be worth watching for 50$!!!!!!!!

crsportscards33 · May 20, 2004 5:12AM

Hey Carol, how much for just a t-shirt???

Test Your Skills, Win Cash! PSA World Series of Sports Card Grading

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