PSA Graded Packs. Why not?

robstar

Does anyone else find it odd that PSA has not ventured into this area of authentication.? You see GAI unopened material selling every day for many multiples of what ungraded material sells for. I for one would probably consider purchasing more unopened material if it was authenticated by PSA. Also, I would bet that we would see a dramatic increase of unopened in holders if PSA undertook this as I'm sure that many dealers and collectors of PSA products are not yet entirely sold on the whole GAI thing. This is not to say that GAI products are not on the level, it is just a matter of business relationships. Most collectors would probably prefer to have to deal with one grading and authentication company for all of their material.
This seems to me like a natural progression for the company. First and foremost it would provide a new revenue stream as well it would be a fabulous addition to the PSA registry. Could the reason they are not involved in this area be for the fact that they we're not first on the block and would be viewed as copycats? I hope that this is not the case. I would bet that if they started pack grading and authentication that it wouldn't take to long before we saw threads being posted titled, " Do you think this GAI 8 would cross to a PSA 8 " It would be a new type of PACK WARS.

What do you guy's think.


Rob..

Griffins

This was brought up at the registry luncheon, and Joe O. rejected it flat out. His point was that most people collect 1 pack of each year, and it wasn't economically feasible to do it now. I see the point to a certain extent, but in the last year I've seen an increasing amount of packs in major catalog auctions, and you never want to give your competition a foot in the door. It would seem to be a much bigger market than tickets.

As far as this statement-


<< <i> I'm sure that many dealers and collectors of PSA products are not yet entirely sold on the whole GAI thing >>



Have you been to any shows lately? The dealers are certainly sold on it, if not collectors. Half point grades are one of the best ways to increase profits for dealers, since ebay has taken out a lot of their wholesale buying.

ROCKDJRW

I also would like to see PSA get into this area of grading! I also would love for one of the big 4 grading companies to develop a holder to slab and authenticate 8x10 autographed photos. If Pro can make an 8x10 photo slab it can't be that hard.

CDsNuts

Unfortunately for PSA, it seems that GAI has already procured the leading authenticators of unopened material (Mark Murphy and co.). It's impossible to authenticate unopened material accurately unless one has a history of dealing with unopened product from all years, and there's only a handful of folks in the country who know what a pack, box, and case of 1952 Topps should look like. The packaging of vintage unopened material used to change from year to year, and company to company, and only someone who has seen just about everything is capable of saying with relative certainty whether something is authentic. Would you feel comfortable sending your single cards in for grading if you knew the grader doesn't know what a GEM MINT 10 should look like? Still, I wouldn't be too surprised if a reseal gets by GAI every now and then.

Lee

calleocho

I dont really get what PSA thought when they started grading tickets instead of packs.

Collectors universe CU, should drop its stamp grading arm and the music records arm as well, maybe go into comic books, right now there is only one major player in that area.

They should also look at emerging hobbies like casino chips and other small, easy to slab things out there.

Axtell

To be honest, I've never seen the draw in collecting 'graded' packs.

Graded tickets, on the other hands, seems to hold a great deal more appeal (at least to me), and Joe O has stated that the ticket grading has seen dramatic increases in the number being graded.

I think with a ticket you have a historical perspective on an event, even more so if you attended it, with a pack it's like 'oh hey a pack of cards'. Graded packs of cards just seem very, very boring.

rana

I would love to see more competition for GAI in the wax/box grading area from PSA. There are certainly more resealed packs out there compared to counterfeit tickets, which makes the service more valuable to me.

I'm sure PSA would have to do some market research to determine if it is worth it, and I'm sure the staff are difficult to train compared to grading cards, but I'd still love to see it.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I love collecting packs and don't care about tickets. What's in them is part of the mystery, but the rarity of the older stuff and the more limited releases such as basketball and hockey also make it exciting and fun to collect for me.

(I don't think Mark Murphy works for GAI anymore, since many peple thought it was a conflict of interest.)

Brian48

<< <i>Unfortunately for PSA, it seems that GAI has already procured the leading authenticators of unopened material (Mark Murphy and co.). It's impossible to authenticate unopened material accurately unless one has a history of dealing with unopened product from all years, and there's only a handful of folks in the country who know what a pack, box, and case of 1952 Topps should look like. The packaging of vintage unopened material used to change from year to year, and company to company, and only someone who has seen just about everything is capable of saying with relative certainty whether something is authentic. Would you feel comfortable sending your single cards in for grading if you knew the grader doesn't know what a GEM MINT 10 should look like? Still, I wouldn't be too surprised if a reseal gets by GAI every now and then.

Lee >>



I think, in addition to what you've mentioned above, there is also the issue of liability. Even if PSA did not guarentee the grade and/or authencity, the safety net is just not big enough for them to warrant the risk of error. Just like the Star Co. Basketball issues, unopened packs are probably just not worth with the headache to them.

calleocho

Axtell,

i dont care much for grading the packs as i would for authenticating them.

i never understood that well how the grading criteria was applied to packs anyways

Griffins

I've got about 60-70 graded packs, and I can't figure the grading either- a combo of condition, centering, eye appeal. I've passed on GAI 8's for GAI 6.5's because it just looked better. Authentic is all I'm really after as well- I can judge how good it looks myself.

TheCARDKid

It'd be great if PSA started grading packs and Star basketball cards again.

But, the market is too small and the potential liability is too large. Other companies can take a chance and make a niche out of it.