BGS

jad22

Why are they so popular for recent cards? Sorry if this has been posted before.

mikeschmidt

<< <i>Why are they so popular for recent cards? Sorry if this has been posted before. >>



Some think their grading paradigm is preferable for modern cards [modern being after 1995, for the purposes of this discussion]

phreakydancin

They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better.

Boopotts

A couple things:

1) You don't have to pay them $100 for the priviledge of sending them more money later on.
2) They train their graders differently than PSA (I'm convinced of this, for reasons I'll explain in a minute), which results in a higher % of Gem Mint cards for modern stuff. If you look at the pop reports for PSA and BGS for modern cards one thing will jump out at you, and that is this: PSA (compared to BGS) isn't too shy about handing out 9's, but they ARE more reluctant to pass out 10's. In contrast, it's more difficult to get a card in a BGS 9 holder than a PSA 9 holder, but once a card is considered 'mint' BGS is much more likely to give it a Gem Mint grade than PSA. In other words, a higher % of the cards graded either 'mint' or 'gem mint' end up in gem mint slabs for BGS then PSA, but a higher percentage of total cards graded end up in a 'mint' or 'gem mint' slab for PSA than BGS. Thus, if you have a card that 'looks perfect', there's better chance that BGS will grade it gem mint than PSA, and since gem mint slabs are where the money is for modern stuf they obviously get more submissions.

MajorDanby

bgs is synonymous with modern cards. that's how they brand themselves. their publications, website, auctions...the focus is modern. their attempts to cash in via vintage cards has been met with considerable resistance. bvg is the red headed stepchild of sgc, psa and gai....it's OK in the sense of known company is grading the card...but, it's beckett, which is notoriously known for their modern and not vintage focus.

people on this board..and vintage collectors...barely recognize beckett as a force in the hobby. ask a different group of collectors...novice, modern, casual, sellers who go from show to show....and they'll say beckett is quality. beckett has their followers....and those followers are mostly modern collectors.

Wizardsguildcards

1) You don't have to pay them $100 for the priviledge of sending them more money later on.

That is the biggest thing I hate about PSA, for people like me who rarely send in cards it just usually is not worthwile to have PSA grade their cards. Even though I know you get your money back in free grades it is still a bad marketing idea on their part.

Beckett does not do this and also has great specials like the current 10-10-10 with free return shipping. This just makes them more accesible to the general collecting public.

DaBigHurt

<< <i>They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better. >>



Why are you attacking the Sports Market Report and PSA? I happen to think they're providing a wonderful service.

baseballfanatic

<< <i>

<< <i>They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better. >>



Why are you attacking the Sports Market Report and PSA? I happen to think they're providing a wonderful service. >>




(lol) The pom poms are coming loose.....

Boopotts

<< <i>They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better. >>




If Beckett is more accessible to the part time collector (no 'membership dues'), and if their slabs sell for as much if not more than PSA slabs for modern cards, then how can you say that a guy who pays Beckett to grade his four 1989 UD Griffey's doesn't know any better?

poppie

[

(lol) The pom poms are coming loose..... >>

FYS

<< <i>They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better. >>



I agree 100%!

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

<< <i>

<< <i>They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better. >>



Why are you attacking the Sports Market Report and PSA? I happen to think they're providing a wonderful service. >>




That was aimed at BGS/Beckett not PSA/SMR, I think as PSA was not yet mentioned.

phreakydancin

<< <i>

<< <i>They are a propaganda juggernaut, simultaneously able to promote modern cards and their own grading services in the same magazines. People reading that crap don't know any better. >>



Why are you attacking the Sports Market Report and PSA? I happen to think they're providing a wonderful service. >>

Wanna see my membership card?

storm888

I recently sent a batch of cards to BGS.
They are on their way back to me, now.

PSA had previously returned them to
me because they did not have holders
that would fit. (They gave me a voucher
that expired a few days after I got it.
No big deal, but acts that breed
hatred are often cumulative.)

BGS let me know when they got the cards
and they let me know when they sent them
back. Just like PSA.

It is not likely that I will send cards to BGS
in the future, but I might. PSA membership
is just a REALLY good deal, and I cannot
imagine being interested in PSA cards
without the SMR/POP and the magazine.
PLUS, they give you a free gift to set on
the shelf.

BTW, has anybody tried to sell their
Smithsonian book that PSA is giving
away this year? I was going to throw
mine up on eBay. Pretty pictures, but
there are too many words, and the type
is too tiny.

storm

montanafan

don't bother.. i tried that and couldn't get $15 for mine... haha

Wizardsguildcards

GAI will call you when they recieve the cards, when the grades are posted and when they ship. They have even called me a couple of weeks after to see if I was happy with the results.

PSA attitiude is you pay us 100.00 for the right to have us grade your cards. Come on any idiot can tell that is probaly the worst marketing plan you can have.

Don't get me wrong I prefer PSA graded cards, but IMHO that idea is just stupid.

CDsNuts

The original intent of the "membership" was so that dealers who were members could have their customers submit cards through them, leaving a little room for the dealer to make a few bucks. I just don't think they ever considered changing it.

Now, it makes fiscal sense to charge the $100 because the members are more likely to submit more cards to make sure they get their $100 worth. Example: If you buy a $100 blender, you're likely to make smoothies more often then if your sister gave you a blender for free. I'm not sure the $100 turns enough people off that they should get rid of it (from their standpoint of course). Also, they don't want the people that submit 5 or 10 cards at a time- they want people submitting 50 or more cards, and somebody submitting 50 or more at a time wouldn't care that much about $100. The cost of processing an order for 5 cards leaves little room for profit on their end.

Lee

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

Thats why I like GEM. No long lines,no membership fees,every card is a 10 and if your worried about trimming or the authenticity, no problem they dont check. Dont forget they also have a "elite" service. Sounds fancy.

phreakydancin

I find the bag they used to include with my membership is great for holding the Smithsonian book and all of the brochures and forms they include in the current membership package.

helionaut

When I first started with the Registry back in late 2001, IIRC PSA had done away with the membership fee. I think they charged a little more per card for "Silver Members" (non-cover-charge payers) but you could submit your cards. Then about mid-2002 they brought it back. So far, I haven't sent any of my cards in to PSA, mainly because of this fee, but also because I've had very little luck finding vintage cards worth grading, and BVG isn't as good as PSA for the sets I'm building (very little market support). For shiny modern cards that I resell to finance my "real" collection, I go with BGS. Whatever the reasons, BGS 9.5s typically do sell for more than PSA 9s or 10s. Maybe it's the gold labels.