Scott Here is the CSA Website. I believe, back in the 90's Alan Hagar of ASA sold his (at the time) patented holders/10 pt. grading system to people who started their own companies. Can't remember how many actually purchased the model from him - I recollect he advertised the purchase rights in SCD. He even included training as part of the purchase. CSA was originally in Ohio is memory serves me correct.
If I remember right from the csa graded cards I had their grading was a little bit on the liberal side, but that was just on 4 or 5 cards, so don't quoate me on it.
<< <i>legit ? i mean i would'nt pay psa $ but if the price was right.............. whats you thinks ? >>
Scott I think the top tier companies would be a better place to invest your hard earned money for holdering cards even if not for investment/resell. If for resell - what cards are we talking about? From my limited experience, CSA overgrades. A cut above Gem and Pro IMO. your friend Mike
Several years back, before I became sophisticated, intelligent, and handsome....I sent in about 15 cards to CSA who was located in Ohio at the time.
Overall their evaluations seemed decent, perhaps a slight bit liberal. An 82 Fleer Ripken RC was retuned ungraded due to evidence of possible trimming although the card seemed similar to many other 82 Fleers. Later on I crossed over six cards to PSA , after cracking the holders, and got three the same and three one point less.
They appear to be ( or have been ) a probably honest outfit with fairly reasonable standards. I would not put them on a level with some of the fly-by-nite charlatans out there. Perhaps nearly similar to SGC and BVG in my humble opinion.
This aint no party,... this aint no disco,.. this aint no fooling around.
I had three 1933 National Chicle Sky Birds that had been graded by CSA (in the old holders with the blue plastic inserts, similar to SGC's). I crossed them over to PSA last year, where they got identical grades.
<< <i>(in the old holders with the blue plastic inserts, similar to SGC's). I crossed them over to PSA last year, where they got identical grades. >>
Steve I can see that - when they first got the "franchise", I think they were doing a good job to attempt to compete with PSA but as time went by, I saw where they were potentially doing 'sweetheart' grading deals in large lots. That's when they started to look more like ASA. I saw a card graded 8 that had a slight corner crease and many cards that appeared to be overgraded by one unit. In no way am I saying they are crooked like Pro but just a potential risk at this point. Now here is one on ebay right now in the old holder that doesn't look that bad.
I had two CSA C55 hockey cards (Dunderdale and MacDonald) graded as 4's and crossed them over to PSA where they also got 4's. The old holders are not as nice as PSA but I hadn't seen the new ones until this thread. I would buy CSA cards again if they looked good - I'd still cross them over though.
C56, V252, V128-1 sets Hall of Famers from all 4 sports
Yes, Hager sold them the holders, rights etc. for grading cards fairly early on in the grading game. I did not have good success in my crossovers from CSA to PSA, and in some cases did not even get the cards holdered.
You have to look at the weaker grading companies this way. They want people to keep submitting, so being a little bit liberal in their grading may make the collector that thought it was an 8 to begin with happy. The only time I hear bad things about CSA ASA KSA CIA KGB and FBI is when they do a crossover and the card comes back lower. Very few people seem to come on here when their grade is equal to PSA or when PSA grades it higher.
I just cracked out a csa 10 56 topps card that was given to me in a psa deal. no way is the card going to be a psa 10 but if it's not trimmed, it has a good shot at a 9.
I had quite a few cards graded by CSA after they dropped their grading prices lower than PSA.
Much later, I had them crossed back into PSA holders. Almost each card came back at least a grade higher....true. In my opinion they were pretty tough. If it wasn't for those ugly blue holders with a lack of card info, they might have given PSA a run for their money.
Comments
Here is the CSA Website. I believe, back in the 90's Alan Hagar of ASA sold his (at the time) patented holders/10 pt. grading system to people who started their own companies. Can't remember how many actually purchased the model from him - I recollect he advertised the purchase rights in SCD. He even included training as part of the purchase. CSA was originally in Ohio is memory serves me correct.
Mike
scott
<< <i>legit ? i mean i would'nt pay psa $ but if the price was right.............. whats you thinks ? >>
Scott
I think the top tier companies would be a better place to invest your hard earned money for holdering cards even if not for investment/resell. If for resell - what cards are we talking about?
From my limited experience, CSA overgrades. A cut above Gem and Pro IMO.
your friend
Mike
thanks thats what i was looking for.
sent a pm.
regards,
scott
Overall their evaluations seemed decent, perhaps a slight bit liberal. An 82 Fleer Ripken RC was retuned ungraded due to evidence of possible trimming although the card seemed similar to many other 82 Fleers. Later on I crossed over six cards to PSA , after cracking the holders, and got three the same and three one point less.
They appear to be ( or have been ) a probably honest outfit with fairly reasonable standards. I would not put them on a level with some of the fly-by-nite charlatans out there. Perhaps nearly similar to SGC and BVG in my humble opinion.
Steve
<< <i>(in the old holders with the blue plastic inserts, similar to SGC's). I crossed them over to PSA last year, where they got identical grades. >>
Steve
I can see that - when they first got the "franchise", I think they were doing a good job to attempt to compete with PSA but as time went by, I saw where they were potentially doing 'sweetheart' grading deals in large lots. That's when they started to look more like ASA. I saw a card graded 8 that had a slight corner crease and many cards that appeared to be overgraded by one unit.
In no way am I saying they are crooked like Pro but just a potential risk at this point.
Now here is one on ebay right now in the old holder that doesn't look that bad.
your friend
Mike
Hall of Famers from all 4 sports
Much later, I had them crossed back into PSA holders. Almost each card came back at least a grade higher....true. In my opinion they were pretty tough. If it wasn't for those ugly blue holders with a lack of card info, they might have given PSA a run for their money.
Kevin
lsuconnman@yahoo.com