Other Grading Service

etown99girl

What do you think about this company GEM?

Thanks,

Mary

Boopotts

<< <i>What do you think about this company GEM?

Thanks,

Mary >>



Hi Mary,

I'm going to assume your question is serious? No offense, but GEM has been the subject of many discussions on these boards. All you need to know about them is that on their website they flat out admit that they'lll grade anything that's within 3 millimeters of the factory size. In other words you can trim up to 1/8" off the card and they'll slab it.

Here are the grading companies you can 'trust' (to varying degrees, of course).

PSA, SGC, GAI, BGS, KSA (usually, although they do overgrade) and the old SCD (the ones with the red lettering on the holder. NOT the 'new' SCD with the blue lettering). Everything else exists for the sole purpose of giving card doctors the opportunity to get altered cards slabbed.

Hope this helps,

Guy

poppie

<< <i>What do you think about this company GEM? >>

Just Dont DO IT !!!

williplett

Every serious, and semi serious for that matter, collector will tell you the same thing about GEM. RUN, don't walk away from anything in their holder. As stated before, you can trust PSA, GAI, SGC, and BGS/BVG. I don't know about KSA although I will go with them being honest as well. All others are scams.

etown99girl

Oops... I guess I used a bad word.

Thanks for the information.



I was being serious.

A761506

99.9% of cards in GEM holders graded as 9 or 10 are trimmed, however, GEM doesn't assign grades lower than 9's, therefore, everything you'll find in a GEM holder is labeled as a 9 or 10 and has been trimmed, often on all 4 sides.

williplett

You did the smart thing by coming on here and asking the question. This board is filled with super knowledgeable people that are willing to help. If I have a hobby question and want good advice, I come here every time.

etown99girl

Thank you.

How can I tell if a card has been cut or trimmed?

williplett

It can be really tough to tell if a card has been trimmed. Some exhibit slight "hooks" at the corners. It all depends on the experience of the card doctor. It can be made tougher since not all cards of the same type and year are the exact same size. Some factory sets have slightly smaller cards. Other cards, especially the OPC brand, are rough cut. This causes the edges to have a slight fray to them. A person who didn't know any better might think that these cards were trimmed with a butter knife.

A reputable grading company knows what to look for. They have ways of measuring your cards and they view them under magnification.

Brian48

When I made my return to card collecting after over a decade of being away from the hobby, I was unfamiliar with all these grading companies myself. I made the mistake of buying several GEM graded cards simply because I didn't know any better. To make it short, NEVER AGAIN.

These are the results I got when attempting to cross them over to BGS.

'84 Pawtucket Clemens - GEM 10 > *fake*
'83 Topps Boggs - GEM 10 > trimmed (more like hacked)
'82 Pawtucket Boggs - GEM 10 > *fake*

and finally -

'85 Tiffany Clemens GEM 10 "Pristine" > BGS 8.5 (well, at least it didn't come back as trimmed or fake)

Another two to completely avoid are Graded Rookies Auth. (GRA) and Pro Grading.

Brian48

I should mention that another company may come up in conversation. That would be SCD (Sports Card Direct Grading) with the blue circle in the flip. This is not to be confused with the, generally well regarded, old SCD (Sport's Collectors Digest) with the red circle on the flip. Although some collectors find them suspect, several collectors have told me that they've had fantastic results crossing them over to PSA. Several recent PSA 10s (including a Boggs) in the '91 Desert Shield population came from the newer SCD holders. I would say that I've seen enough that I wouldn't hold them in the same distain as I would either GEM, Pro, or GRA, but I wouldn't be comfortable enough to view them on the same level as the "big four", PSA, BGS/BVG, SGC, and GAI.

cohocorp

i personally would value a raw card over a card graded by gem any day of the week. as soon as i see the gem name, i assume it has been doctored. just my 2cents.

cohocorp

my above statement applies to PRO also.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

GEM does not authenticate so....
They also hand out 10's like candy on Halloween. Many devious sellers go to them so they can re-sell the "10 Pristine" to unknowledgable collectors. GEM stands for GET EASY MONEY. They are sad. AGS overgrades as well in my opinion.

ToppsCo1lector

I only purchase cards graded by either SGC, BGS, or PSA.

MajorDanby

and stay away from dealers, ebay or otherwise, that sell GEM or PRO cards. They know what these cards are like and are just trying to take advantage of novice collectors. I almost bought a PRO 10 barry bonds 1986 Topps traded once in a show...the dealer kept telling me it's the best investment since it's barry bonds and it's graded. last time i checked, a card graded by PRO and any cards with a picture of Barry Bonds hasnt exactly increased in profit over the past year.

CARPENTERROB

Has anybody ever seen this sellers about me page. He talks about how good gem grading is. It will make you laugh.THIS IS FUNNY

DoubleD24

<<Has anybody ever seen this sellers about me page. He talks about how good gem grading is. It will make you laugh.THIS IS FUNNY>>

LMAO

EagleEyeKid

Poor Jason. He was once an excellent seller then turned sour. He was formerly wildpuck1 which sold BGS and PSA cards. His raw card ID was formerly wild-card1 which went bad as well. I guess after all his rejects that were turned down from trimming, he created this ID and sunk to a new low.

TZAHL

From the Gem Website.

GEM Grading Services Inc. grades the quality of actual sportscard paper stock.
Providing authentication is challenging and not guaranteed due to improved computerized printing techniques.
Size requirements for sportscards are the standard published size plus or minus 3 mm.


Huh??? They grade the 'paper stock'? It reads to me as 'we will grade fakes, also if the card has been trimmed that is okay too, as long as it isn't trimmed too much.'