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what has happened to psa


latest;

Fortunate to purchase /subscribe to Beckett vintage graded cards price guide.

HIGHLY Reccommended.

Much more thorough than that stale guide that psa puts together.

If you think about it, how much does it change from month to month. The beckett guide is 100% more extensive with a ton more listings under each year, including many low pop commons.

Professional vs amaturish.

It seems to this collecter/investor that PSA has really fallen back on its laurels and taken the marketplace for granted.

They need to snap out of it and realize that the competition is getting closer.
They have gotten very smug with there supposed turnaround times, the .5 grade money making scheme, customer service issues and general attitude.

Remember PSA, dont take the attitude of other corporations where they think they are doing you a favor for allowing you to use your service.
With that attitude, you will find yourself closer to the ash heap of american corporations...
In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....
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Comments

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,432 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Fortunate to purchase /subscribe to Beckett vintage graded cards price guide >>

    Does the guide include the values of PSA, GAI and SGC graded cards?

    Keep in mind - PSA is a grading company who puts out a guide more as an afterthought IMO than it's primary mission.

    No guide is accurate IMO - I go by what ebay brings.

    mike
    Mike
  • you would agree that they could put more effort into the monthly SMR.... Its stale

    Right now, its basically a recopy of each month, not even updated to show prices OF CARDS THAT THEY GRADED.

    By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's.

    In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    SMR is VERY useful to me.

    It is meant to serve as a "guide;" not a bible.

    EBAY and VCP are, of course, closer to the instant market.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's."

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    They have corrected spelling errors in the past,
    when someone tells them about a problem.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,432 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>you would agree that they could put more effort into the monthly SMR.... Its stale

    Right now, its basically a recopy of each month, not even updated to show prices OF CARDS THAT THEY GRADED.

    By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's. >>

    I don't get the guide - not a member this year.

    BTW - you didn't answer my question - does the Beckett guide include other grading company values?

    mike
    Mike
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭
    Beckett Graded Card Investor is a GREAT magazine. I feel like it's more accurate than SMR and has elements of VCP in it. Highly recommended reading. And yes, it details PSA (primarily PSA actually - since, after all, most vintage cards are in PSA slabs), BGS, SGC and GAI. Also, it's quarterly so you aren't wasting a bunch of issues like SMR. I usually don't even look at my SMR anymore, GCI is definitely the way to go.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    What does GCI sell for?

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭
    Actually, I was mistaken, it's bi-monthly, the last issue was March/April. Cover price is $9.99. The tear out cards inside say a subscription is 29.99 for one year and 49.99 for 2. If you're interested I'll shoot you out my old copy from Jan/Feb. Has a nice article about 71 Topps in it. Wouldn't want you to go chasing a copy if you don't like it. PM me if you want it.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,432 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanx for the info.

    But, again - PSA "throws in" the SMR with the membership - so essentially it's a freebie.

    Beckett's primary mission is the business of doing statistics - I still think they pimped themselves out by disavowing something they preached in the late 80s: "we are a price guide - never will do anything else."

    mike
    Mike
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭
    I can see where you're coming from, but honestly, Price Guides are kind of useless for cards post 2000 anyway (with all the speculation and volatility), and most cards that are high grade and pre-1980 are in PSA holders. I really don't feel like GCI is a conflict of interest at all, if anything, SMR is far more of a conflict for PSA as they're (indirectly) influencing the resale values of their own product - a topic that has been touched upon may times here. I'm not bashing SMR, I like it too, but actually GCI is far more objective on vintage that you would think (because 95% of vintage is PSA/SCG). Seriously, check one out once or I'll shoot you an old copy so you don't think I'm crazy.
  • metalmikemetalmike Posts: 2,152 ✭✭
    ""By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's."

    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    They have corrected spelling errors in the past,
    when someone tells them about a problem. " " You'd think a company who asks you to trust them to grade your cards would hire a "final grader/proofreader"
    USN 1977-1987 * ALL cards are commons unless auto'd. Buying Britneycards. NWO for life.
  • dizzledizzle Posts: 1,051 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>you would agree that they could put more effort into the monthly SMR.... Its stale

    Right now, its basically a recopy of each month, not even updated to show prices OF CARDS THAT THEY GRADED.

    By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's. >>

    I don't get the guide - not a member this year.

    BTW - you didn't answer my question - does the Beckett guide include other grading company values?

    mike >>



    Mike, The copy of the gci I have clearly states most prices of vintage card sales are taken from sales of PSA/SGC graded sales as these are the most common...And yes at the end of the lists for sets It highlights PSA sales like crazy..Also in the first issue they did a interview with mr. joe orlando himself. I know you hate beckett but it really is a great magazine with some good info as well. You should give it a try you might like it.

    Dustin.


  • << <i>
    But, again - PSA "throws in" the SMR with the membership - so essentially it's a freebie.
    mike >>


    People STOP calling it a freebie, it isn't. Your paying for it in your "Membership Fee"
    if there was NO Membership fee, then it would be free.
  • TabeTabe Posts: 6,126 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>What does GCI sell for? >>


    Graded Card Investor

    Tabe
  • Beckett used to also say they would never allow outside advertisers to advertise in their guides.

    A price quide is just that a guide and most are 2 or 3 months behind the actual market in reflecting prices due to the printing process. I do like the articles in both SMR and GCI as well as the regular Becketts and other mags.
  • I like both, but the Beckett GCI is better to me because of the low pop commons. Everyone knows there are commons that are very hard to find in high grade. They list the prices for these. I also like at the end of each year they list the prices and sales dates for the big gun cards in each set.

  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    Why doesn't PSA just do away with the printed SMR, or at least reduce the number of issues, maybe 4 per year? The prices rarely move month-to-month, plus it would give them more time to actually research what cards are selling for, to be a little more accurate.

    torc - your continued rants about the PSA membership fee are getting boring.
  • BigDaddyBowmanBigDaddyBowman Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Why doesn't PSA just do away with the printed SMR, or at least reduce the number of issues, maybe 4 per year? The prices rarely move month-to-month, plus it would give them more time to actually research what cards are selling for, to be a little more accurate.

    torc - your continued rants about the PSA membership fee are getting boring. >>





    Why don't they do away with the SMR?

    Because they make a ton of money off of the advertisements in it...c'mon guys...it's all about the mighty dollar.
  • PSA charges a membership fee? Lets see I pay them 100 dollars they give me 105 dollars worth of grading services, the subscription to SMR, That handy bag and a few other things. It all balances out.
  • yes
    In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....
  • nothing is free
    In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....
  • I see a lot of trees being wasted! image

    Why don't you just follow the ebay prices, because after thats the main place really to sell cards, so you would have to go with the sale prices as stupid as that sounds, but thats just how it is.

    I could have never understood how people used to tell me to follow the ebay prices because I thought to myself, sometimes these prices might not be right for cards listed in the wrong category, not enough people seing that particular card and so on, but I guess thats the only way to follow prices, even if thats not a guarranty either.

    Save the trees image

    Giovanni
  • jimq112jimq112 Posts: 3,511 ✭✭✭





    << <i>By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's >>




    << <i>
    latest;
    Reccommended
    amaturish.
    collecter
    >>





    Incredible that you would catch all those spelling errors in the SMR, and not catch these simple errors in your own post.

    SMR and Beckett are both guides, there are too many cards made for anybody to update and list every card or every card set every month. Maybe PSA updates what they feel is most important and relevant to the largest audience.
    image
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭


    << <i>


    Incredible that you would catch all those spelling errors in the SMR, and not catch these simple errors in your own post.

    SMR and Beckett are both guides, there are too many cards made for anybody to update and list every card or every card set every month. Maybe PSA updates what they feel is most important and relevant to the largest audience. >>



    I'm sure they do. My original point in bringing up Graded Card investor vs. SMR is that I feel like it's a better magazine with more comprehensive pricing. From the looks of the posts above, I guess there are a few people out there who agreed with me.


  • just so you know, I am blind in one eye and have arthritis, which makes it difficult for me to type, etc.

    I do know how to spell what sounds like CORPORATE SYCOPHANT Though....
    In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....
  • just so you know, I am blind in one eye and have arthritis, which makes it difficult for me to type, etc.

    I do know how to spell what sounds like CORPORATE SYCOPHANT Though....

    -------------------------
    Unfortunately, being honest and not being in debt are sins in this country......... A Wise Old Sage
    In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....


  • << <i>just so you know, I am blind in one eye and have arthritis, which makes it difficult for me to type, etc.

    I do know how to spell what sounds like CORPORATE SYCOPHANT Though....

    -------------------------
    Unfortunately, being honest and not being in debt are sins in this country......... A Wise Old Sage >>



    Are you the new Governor of New York? I hope not image

    One got caught with a ................ and the other on the PSA boards image

    Giovanni
  • julen23julen23 Posts: 4,558 ✭✭
    i kind of agree w/ you, but i don't beckett has any legs up on psa,
    nor will they any time soon.

    j
    image
    RIP GURU
  • VitoCo1972VitoCo1972 Posts: 6,130 ✭✭✭


    << <i>i kind of agree w/ you, but i don't beckett has any legs up on psa,
    nor will they any time soon.

    j >>



    In terms of grading, no. In terms of GCI being superior to SMR, yes.
  • gumbyfangumbyfan Posts: 5,168 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Why doesn't PSA just do away with the printed SMR, or at least reduce the number of issues, maybe 4 per year? The prices rarely move month-to-month, plus it would give them more time to actually research what cards are selling for, to be a little more accurate.

    torc - your continued rants about the PSA membership fee are getting boring. >>



    Why would they reduce the number of issues? They don't care if the prices don't change. They probably make good money from the advertising dollars they get from each issue.

    Just my .02
  • jimq112jimq112 Posts: 3,511 ✭✭✭


    << <i>just so you know, I am blind in one eye and have arthritis, which makes it difficult for me to type, etc.

    I do know how to spell what sounds like CORPORATE SYCOPHANT Though.... >>



    But you knew how to see well enough to see the errors in the SMR? I have a lot of problems with small print like that.

    I'm not a PSA lover. I have more SGC cards than I do PSA. I was laughing at you for calling PSA bad spellers.

    Carry on...
    image
  • In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....
  • CORPORATE SYCOPHANT
    In the USA all men are created equal but some are more equal than others....


  • << <i>CORPORATE SYCOPHANT >>



    I AM SO CONFUSED....
  • aro13aro13 Posts: 1,961 ✭✭✭
    I like the articles in Beckett Graded Card Investor. They do a good job highlighting low pop common sales but on HOFers the prices are virtually the same as in SMR. GCI also tends to put way to high a price on modern cards and tends to let one sale affect the pricing trend. Check out the prices on their 86 Fleer Basketball and than check out VCP, there is a vast difference.

  • PSA is just like any other major business or corporation. Screw the customer. It's about the money.

    It's like gas. People have to use it. Let's raise the prices. Not a damn thing the consumer can do about it but pay it.
  • swartz1swartz1 Posts: 4,911 ✭✭✭
    there is a fine line though between - needs and wants...


    Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
    - uncut


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  • << <i>PSA is just like any other major business or corporation. Screw the customer. It's about the money.

    It's like gas. People have to use it. Let's raise the prices. Not a damn thing the consumer can do about it but pay it. >>



    Not true. PSA does pleanty to make customers happy, they don't saw screw the customer like some companies have done before.

    Thats why PSA is always having $5 specials? They have them because they say screw the customer, so lets charge an arm and a leg? NO! Thats why there always having deals, for the customers!

    I think people like the articles in the Beckett mags, and thats fine, so do I. I think if PSA started to make more interesting articles too, that would be cool, but screw the mags for pricing anyway, just use ebay. The articles are fun, but PSA is still king everywhere else image

    Giovanni
  • EchoCanyonEchoCanyon Posts: 2,288 ✭✭✭

    Why don't they do away with the SMR?

    Because they make a ton of money off of the advertisements in it...c'mon guys...it's all about the mighty dollar. >>




    The don't make THAT much on advertising. This isn't Sports Illustrated, you know.Text


  • << <i>Why don't they do away with the SMR?

    Because they make a ton of money off of the advertisements in it...c'mon guys...it's all about the mighty dollar. >>




    The don't make THAT much on advertising. This isn't Sports Illustrated, you know.Text >>



    Thats right!

    Lucky if they make back the money they use to make those mags.

    Giovanni
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "PSA charges a membership fee? Lets see I pay them 100 dollars they give me 105 dollars worth of grading services, the subscription to SMR, That handy bag and a few other things. It all balances out. "

    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    THAT is the bottom line.

    We also get the POP-Report and SMR-Online. VERY handy.

    PSA memberships are one of the FEW remaining bargains
    left in cardville.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • If you want "Nike" go the PSA, if you want "Payless" then go to any other grading company!

    Giovanni
  • DrJDrJ Posts: 2,213


    << <i>If you want "Nike" go the PSA, if you want "Payless" then go to any other grading company!

    Giovanni >>



    Gio,

    Another wonderful observation. (I usually wear New Balance though, what grading company should I use?)


  • << <i>

    << <i>If you want "Nike" go the PSA, if you want "Payless" then go to any other grading company!

    Giovanni >>



    Gio,

    Another wonderful observation. (I usually wear New Balance though, what grading company should I use?) >>



    image

    Whats up Justin? No, your good with New Balance, so its ok to go with PSA image

    Only talking about payless, lol.

    Giovanni

  • Second thought, you should use PRO grading! image

    Just kidding image

    Giovanni
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,432 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>you would agree that they could put more effort into the monthly SMR.... Its stale

    Right now, its basically a recopy of each month, not even updated to show prices OF CARDS THAT THEY GRADED.

    By the way, they have spelled Horace Clarke's(1971) name wrong for about 8 years now. as well as 1965 mel Stottlemyres's. >>

    I don't get the guide - not a member this year.

    BTW - you didn't answer my question - does the Beckett guide include other grading company values?

    mike >>



    Mike, The copy of the gci I have clearly states most prices of vintage card sales are taken from sales of PSA/SGC graded sales as these are the most common...And yes at the end of the lists for sets It highlights PSA sales like crazy..Also in the first issue they did a interview with mr. joe orlando himself. I know you hate beckett but it really is a great magazine with some good info as well. You should give it a try you might like it.

    Dustin. >>

    Dustin

    I would like to clarify my position.

    Hate? Not at all - this is a hobby - I don't have that kind of ire towards anything. I was a Beckett subscriber for years - I stopped only because I no longer needed it.

    Was I disappointed when they branched into areas they promised they wouldn't? Yes. But, I understood it was a business decision to stay viable and relevant in a rapidly changing hobby business.

    I buy very little cards anymore - I'm only doing 2 sets - graded. And I put together a Heritage set every year - since 2001 - and hardly need a guide for that.

    I do buy the 'big' guide every 2 or 3 yrs - not for pricing but as a reference of the entire baseball hobby. And I bought Tuff Stuff thru my office since it was only 12 bucks.

    Beckett provides a good service.

    mike

    Mike
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,432 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>
    But, again - PSA "throws in" the SMR with the membership - so essentially it's a freebie.
    mike >>


    People STOP calling it a freebie, it isn't. Your paying for it in your "Membership Fee"
    if there was NO Membership fee, then it would be free. >>

    Sorry to get you all upset.

    What I meant was - it's part of the "package" - and one is not paying directly - plus - to renew is 89 bucks - ya get 6 submissions - many years a really nice book of some kind thrown in and access to on-line grading and pop report.

    For anyone who feels that's not value? Fine.

    Personally? It's not a bad deal IMO.

    mike
    Mike
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>
    But, again - PSA "throws in" the SMR with the membership - so essentially it's a freebie.
    mike >>


    People STOP calling it a freebie, it isn't. Your paying for it in your "Membership Fee"
    if there was NO Membership fee, then it would be free. >>

    Sorry to get you all upset.

    What I meant was - it's part of the "package" - and one is not paying directly - plus - to renew is 89 bucks - ya get 6 submissions - many years a really nice book of some kind thrown in and access to on-line grading and pop report.

    For anyone who feels that's not value? Fine.

    Personally? It's not a bad deal IMO.

    mike >>



    Another point: The 'value' from a PSA membership basically comes from being given the opportunity to turn a $.15 card into a $150 card. If this doesn't interest you (not you, Mike, I'm just speaking in the general second person) then you probably shouldn't bother being a member.
  • BrickBrick Posts: 4,992 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just a thought. Any Company that has the attitude "screw the customer" and is not selling something that is absolutely a necessity will not be in business for long. (except escort services, of course)
    Also to cut copies of SMR may save a tree or two but if we really want to save trees just ban the production of sports cards.
    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph



  • << <i>Any company that has the attitude "screw the customer" and is not selling something that is absolutely a necessity will not be in business for long. >>



    Brick,

    That's anything but true. Rental car companies, insurance companies, airlines, phone companies, cable companies, car dealers (none of which sell essentials) and hundreds of other companies routinely try to screw over their customers and yet are still in business.

    Why?

    Because the regulatory environment is severely stacked against the consumer, making it very difficult and expensive for consumers to gain redress through the legal system as intended by the founding fathers.

    PSA will eventually suffer by losing the business of dissatisfied former customers like me if enough people decide that they are not providing good value for money, but that process will take a fair amount of time if indeed it ever happens. Free markets work very slowly....
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