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Other Grading Companies
THEBULLPEN
Posts: 103
I'm a PSA user, they've been good to me, but curious what anyones experiences with other grading companies has been, particularly GAI and SGC? Would love any insight.
Thanks.
jph@theBullpen.com
Thanks.
jph@theBullpen.com
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I love GAI. I worship GAI. Whichever comes first, my next son, daughter, or pet I’m going to name them GAI. GAI is air, GAI is life, GAI is the answer to all the questions in the universe. I want my GAI.
<< <i>I'm a PSA user, they've been good to me, but curious what anyones experiences with other grading companies has been, particularly GAI and SGC? Would love any insight.
Thanks.
jph@theBullpen.com >>
I buy GAI, PSA, SCD (the real one), BVG and BGS slabs to cross over to SGC and I think they are all reasonable. My overall preference is SGC. My personal reasons include:
1. Half grades.
2. No qualifiers.
3. No membership fees.
4. Better customer service/more friendly.
5. Stronger knowledge of vintage cards.
6. More attractive holder.
7. More rigid holder.
8. More consistent.
9. Guarantee to give money back because of errors and overgrades.
10. Less concern over inflated grades to large dealers/submitters.
The most important one for me is the guarantee. Even if the slab is from prior management or the beginning of the company, they will correct any errors without hassle i.e. no standard answer that the slab has been compromised. If you buy vintage, this fact along is very reasuring. Add this fact with the others and it is a pretty overwhelming amount of positive information.
The only negative in many cases is that common players from post war sets simply do not fetch as much as PSA. There are many more PSA buyers and set registry participants fighting for PSA cards. Hence, they simply sell for more. SGC is in the middle of a set content where people can win $2,000/$1,000/$500 for the top 3 sets of each year. I assume the main intention of this was to get more set registry participants in order to increase the value and desire of graded commons. I would be interested to know if anyone on this board plans or is doing an SGC set for the contest?
Everyone has their own opionion and what is important varies with each invidividual. For me personally, there are way to many positives that outweight the fact that common cards will sell for less that PSA. That is why I choose SGC. Long term, I think the price difference for common cards will become negligible. When this happens, I think SGC will become the market leader for pre 1980 cards.
I do not buy graded cards. The only thing I may keep
is what is holdered in an SGC slab for my personal collection.
Everything else I sell.
They will however never be able to match PSA in popularity. Too much of a head start.
In regards to the SGC guarantee they state that "In the event the original submitter of an SGC card believes that the card has been overgraded with respect to such procedures, the original submitter may resubmit that card to SGC for a review of the assigned grade. THIS RESUBMISSION MUST BE REQUESTED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT FROM SGC." How does this guarantee help a collector who buys a card graded more than 30 days ago?
Also, in regard to the older holders with only the 1-100 system, if I have a trimmed or altered SGC 98 card are you telling me that SGC will re-imburse me the value of the card? I know SGC will not cross cards from the old holders to the new that they do not feel will cross - do they automatically compensate people the price difference?
Finally, what makes you think SGC wants to be the market leader for pre-1980 cards? Yes, they probably want to improve their market share but to drastically increase your position brings new problems and issues.
<< <i>
In regards to the SGC guarantee they state that "In the event the original submitter of an SGC card believes that the card has been overgraded with respect to such procedures, the original submitter may resubmit that card to SGC for a review of the assigned grade. THIS RESUBMISSION MUST BE REQUESTED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT FROM SGC." How does this guarantee help a collector who buys a card graded more than 30 days ago?
Also, in regard to the older holders with only the 1-100 system, if I have a trimmed or altered SGC 98 card are you telling me that SGC will re-imburse me the value of the card? I know SGC will not cross cards from the old holders to the new that they do not feel will cross - do they automatically compensate people the price difference?
Finally, what makes you think SGC wants to be the market leader for pre-1980 cards? Yes, they probably want to improve their market share but to drastically increase your position brings new problems and issues. >>
A. SGC is much more lenient in upholding their guarantee than what is actually in writing. Meaning it is much more powerfull than what is stated in black and white.
B. If you have a trimmed SGC 98 in an old holder, call Sean Skeffington at SGC and I am sure something can be worked out amicably. It is not 100% automatic, I have seen SGC contact people selling stuff on eBay to give a refund. I have seen SGC refund people with old holders that tried to cross to the new holders. They have also corrected problems that were brought to their attention on message boards etc.
C. I think everyone can agree or at least acknowledge that SGC is the pre-war leader. It is much easier to work top to bottom than in reverse. I have no knowledge personally, but it would make sense that post war is the next focus i.e. the set registry contest. Many of the post war collectors are the same that collect pre-war. So if I was in charge of SGC, I would focus on 1946-1980 as a market to increase due to the large sucess in 1869-1945.