Why won't PSA grade Star Basketball cards??

kingraider75

I have some team sets in the factory sealed polybags. Well I hope they are factory sealed. Anyways, how come PSA won't grade the cards? They were the licensed cards at the time right?? Both the NBAPA and the NBA, I think. I believe GAI will grade the team bags, but why buy a membership to them for only a few items? Any input is nice, since this became my rant.

rana

They are hard to authenticate because the factory plates used to print the originals were later used to print some reprints. There might only be a couple of people in the world capable of determining the originals from the later reproductions.

Stone193

That's my understanding from PSA's perspective.

Now, someone at GAI says they "can" tell the difference? I believe.

They're nice cards but the possibility that someone reprinted them a few years later may have killed the sets.

mike

Allen

Search the forum about Star cards if you really want to know about these. There are some good threads with great information.

Brian48

<< <i>That's my understanding from PSA's perspective.

Now, someone at GAI says they "can" tell the difference? I believe.

They're nice cards but the possibility that someone reprinted them a few years later may have killed the sets.

mike >>



I forgot the name, but evidently GAI hired a former employee of the company that produced the Star Co. cards. This guy is supposed to be as closed to an expert as possible in spotting the subtleties from the originals vs the fakes.

As far as PSA and BGS is concerned, they just don't want the headache and liability of putting these cards in their holders (and I don't blame them). It's a shame really. The Star Co. cards were of awesome quality, especially the Basketball series which were just beautiful.

kingraider75

I forgot about the printing plates being out there. Too bad, I like the team bag concept. Tuff Stuff still prices them, although I am not sure who reads Tuff Stuff. I sometimes buy it for the hell of it.

Now that TOPPS now puts printing press plates as inserts, isn't it possible that someone could buy them all up and start there own plant!!! I know it's pretty much impossible, but you never know. Guess, I watched too many X-Files reruns this weekend.