What's the difference between BGS and PSA?

XanaduNow

Thought this was interesting. I know a lot of people on here frown on the modern stuff but I thought this was a telling -- or curious -- sign in regard to the differences of the two.

BGS:

2002 UD Prospect Premieres Jon Lester: Graded 9: 16 subs, Graded 9.5: 77 subs

PSA:

2002 UD Prospect Premieres Jon Lester: Graded 9: 59 subs, Graded 10: 23 subs

I find it hard to believe that those submitting to BGS have that much more of a sharper eye than those submitting to PSA, especially on such a recent issue where things like centering and surface or more difficult to discern.

Stone193

<< <i>Thought this was interesting. I know a lot of people on here frown on the modern stuff but I thought this was a telling -- or curious -- sign in regard to the differences of the two.

BGS:

2002 UD Prospect Premieres Jon Lester: Graded 9: 16 subs, Graded 9.5: 77 subs

PSA:

2002 UD Prospect Premieres Jon Lester: Graded 9: 59 subs, Graded 10: 23 subs

I find it hard to believe that those submitting to BGS have that much more of a sharper eye than those submitting to PSA, especially on such a recent issue where things like centering and surface or more difficult to discern. >>


XN

What was the total cards submitted to BGC and PSA individually?

How many 7 and 8s e.g.?

mike

XanaduNow

<< <i>What was the total cards submitted to BGC and PSA individually?

How many 7 and 8s e.g.?

mike >>



Totals:

BGS: 94 (Grades/Quantity): 9/16, 9.5/77, 10/1
PSA: 84 (Grades/Quantity): 8/2, 9/59, 10/23

RichG

I don't trust BGS all that much as I have seen some strong evidence of trimmed cards being slabbed.
Rich

DaBigHurt

The difference between PSA and BGS?

PSA is the only third party grading company that has TRAINED and CERTIFIED professionals graders.

BGS is well known for grading trimmed cards, cut sheets, fake autographs and other things you don't want to be associated with.

You can ask people around here. You won't find a more impartial person than Dabighurt.

Go with PSA. You won't regret it. You'll be able to sleep at night and you won't have to worry about BGS going out of business next month (a rumor I heard from a VERY reliable source).

baseballfanatic

There you have it. If DBH says PSA, than PSA it is!!!

Boopotts

The main difference between the two is actually in their grading philosophy. This sounds like a load of horse pucky, but if you look through their pop reports you'll notice that:

a) PSA is fairly generous (relative to BGS) with handing out the Mint 9 grade, but is very stingy about handing out the Gem Mint 10 grade
b) BGS is fairly stingy about handing out the Mint 9 grade, but once a card has been deemed 'mint +' they're fairly generous with the Gem Mint 9.5 grade

Look at popular '80's cards. You'll notice that a far greater % of the total cards submitted to PSA are in '9' holders than those submitted to BGS, but that the '9 to 10' ratio is much lower for BGS than PSA.

XanaduNow

My topic line was more rhetorical than anything else. I've never submitted anywhere else and I do not plan on it. That is, of course, unless I'm looking to immediately turn something around for a profit in which case I might consider sending to BGS to get one of those easier 9.5s since eBay folks ten to love 'em. If I'm keeping it or if I'm buying it I want PSA.

SDavid

A card like that could have been (and probably was) skewed by a large submitter who used beckett's raw card review at a show and only slabbed the 9.5's.

You could go back and forth all day with the pop reports. For instance, with 2001 UD Pujols there are 427 psa 10's out of 1633, whereas there are 450 bgs 9.5's out of 2471. The best way to compare grading companies would be to buy a ton of graded cards, crack them out, and resubmit them several times, but that could get painful.

My experience with bgs is that, at times, they're as strict as your single 55 year old 3rd grade teacher and other times they're actually too lenient. So I wouldn't say they're tougher or more lenient than psa - just all over the place.