Compromised GAI holder?

digicat

Compromised GAI holder?

Hello all. I know that many of you have busted cards out of GAI holders to get them regarded by PSA. I recently won a GAI card, and I’m a bit weary of the potential that the holder has been compromised. Namely, an unusual bloom of micro-cracking around what I’m guessing is a “seal point” in the lower left corner of the holder. The cracking extends about 1 or 2 mm into the window part of both the top and bottom slab. Since this is the only GAI card I’ve ever owned, I don’t know for certain if this is typical for GAI or evidence of tampering.

So, the question is, what should I look for? Is this evidence enough? Where are the typical damage points when a GAI holder is opened?

onlyanumber

Scan if possible?

If it is on both top and bottom, I'm wondering if that is damage from shipping. when you purchased the card off feebay, was there a scan on the auction? Was it in the scan when you bid? Typically on the GAI slabs, it's relatively easy to crack the cards out, provided you spend the time in going around the entire seam. In all of my crackouts (even the early experimental cracks), I've never damaged the top or bottom slab. I also have never been able to get a card out of a GAI slab UNLESS I have the entire seam breached and the top and bottom slabs completely seperated.

digicat

I don't have a scanner that does slabs well, so I'll have to resort to digital camera.

First, here's the auction pic.


Here's the detail on the case with the card in-hand...
First the "micro-crack bloom", front and back.

Not much to look at on the edges, but there are some cracks that can be seen..

If you would like to see any other angles, let me know, I'll get them pic'ed and posted.

It looks like the ding on the holder was present in the picture. Amazing how nasty things look when you view them up close. I've gotten used to dings on PSA holders, but when I got the GAI holder, I didn't know what I was looking at, since I never owned a GAI graded card.

shagrotn77

It might be wise to take a look at the card too. It looks lime it might indeed be a 7, but the bigger question is - is it real?

digicat

I'm pretty sure it's a real card, so that's not the issue.

As far as it being trimmed, I'm not sure. The 58s that I have all have minor size variances. It's got the same dimensions as some of my other 58s, perhaps a little shorter than others. The top border has a slightly "cleaner" cut than the other three, but the slight wear on the top two corners is consistant, as in, it doesn't look like there's more wear going down the left and right sides of the upper corners than across the top edge of the corners..

chaz43

<< <i>Compromised GAI holder?

Hello all. I know that many of you have busted cards out of GAI holders to get them regarded by PSA. I recently won a GAI card, and I’m a bit weary of the potential that the holder has been compromised. Namely, an unusual bloom of micro-cracking around what I’m guessing is a “seal point” in the lower left corner of the holder. The cracking extends about 1 or 2 mm into the window part of both the top and bottom slab. Since this is the only GAI card I’ve ever owned, I don’t know for certain if this is typical for GAI or evidence of tampering.

So, the question is, what should I look for? Is this evidence enough? Where are the typical damage points when a GAI holder is opened? >>



The holder is fine. I've cracked enough to know. The whole side of a GAI holder snows up wherever it's cracked and it is more difficult to crack than a PSA holder. Plus there is a confidential tamper proof seal that you can ask GAI people about at the next show they do. Relax .................. chaz

phreakydancin

My experience is that GAI holders are the hardest to crack open. Like BGS holders, the top and bottom fit together like a box and lid so that when the slab is lying down the sealed edges are actuallly vertical. But they use a thinner plastic than BGS holders, so they are pretty much impossible to open without destroying at least part of the edge.

Brian48

I've a few GAI holders. The plastic used is very brittle. Yours look fine. The problem with the holder is that's very susceptable to edge cracks like that when not shipped properly.