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How to determine age of grade?

Saprky72Saprky72 Posts: 11 ✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I'm sure this question has been asked but I could not find it through a search. How can you tell when a card was graded? Also, is there a disparity in quality/condition between old and new grades (partuclarly in reference to '59 Topps)?



Thanks!


Currently working on 1953 & 1957 Topps Baseball Set

Comments

  • lsutigers1973lsutigers1973 Posts: 11,093 ✭
    Cards with older slabs were not judge quite as tough as they are now. No way to tell when the card was graded but you can tell by the font size on flip which ones are older.
  • EB22EB22 Posts: 541
    You can tell with the serial number on the label. The oldest card will be numbered 0000000001 image and the olderst would be something like 778,996,336.

    PSA use to grade easier but now a little tougher and BGS use to grade VERY TOUGH and now gives Gem Mint 9.5's to what use to be 8's....
  • otwcardsotwcards Posts: 5,291 ✭✭✭


    << <i>You can tell with the serial number on the label. The oldest card will be numbered 0000000001 image and the olderst would be something like 778,996,336.

    PSA use to grade easier but now a little tougher and BGS use to grade VERY TOUGH and now gives Gem Mint 9.5's to what use to be 8's.... >>



    The serial number has NOTHING to do with when the card was graded when compared to another set of serial numbers.

    The only way to approximate is to know the variations in the flips and the fonts used by PSA.
  • EB22EB22 Posts: 541


    << <i>

    << <i>You can tell with the serial number on the label. The oldest card will be numbered 0000000001 image and the olderst would be something like 778,996,336.

    PSA use to grade easier but now a little tougher and BGS use to grade VERY TOUGH and now gives Gem Mint 9.5's to what use to be 8's.... >>



    The serial number has NOTHING to do with when the card was graded when compared to another set of serial numbers.

    The only way to approximate is to know the variations in the flips and the fonts used by PSA. >>



    Wouldn't the serial number be in order? Does PSA skip serial numbers? I know thats how BGS does it, but dosen't every company do the same? A serial number must start low and go high, no?
  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,434 ✭✭✭
    The inside corners on the flips are rounded on older slabs, on newer ones they are square.



    image

  • otwcardsotwcards Posts: 5,291 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Wouldn't the serial number be in order? Does PSA skip serial numbers? I know thats how BGS does it, but dosen't every company do the same? A serial number must start low and go high, no? >>



    No. The serial number of PSA and SGC have nothing to do with when the cards were graded.

    Please, if you don't know something for certain, please don't pass it off as fact. It would be best to qualify with, "I believe..." or "I'm not certain, but I think..."

    There is plenty of information available on these boards and plenty of people that will share when someone else doesn't know. I have made it a habit to only answer questions that I know for certain. Unfortunately, there are many on these boards that insist that they know everything and they are beyond reproach. I am not suggesting that you are one of them, so please do not take offense as none is intended.
  • otwcardsotwcards Posts: 5,291 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Wouldn't the serial number be in order? Does PSA skip serial numbers? I know thats how BGS does it, but dosen't every company do the same? A serial number must start low and go high, no? >>



    And to be specific to your question, SGC's serial number is the invoice number and the card placement on the invoice. As an example, invoice #1253046 with 22 cards will produce cards with serial numbers 1253046-001 through 1253046-022. There is no real rhyme or reason to PSA's certification numbers other than their internal tracking and the fact that they will be sequential on a given invoice. An random example would be a 22 card invoice produce certification numbers 14147650 through 14147671. It is believed, but has never been confirmed, that part of the prefix (the first 2 or 3 numbers) identifies the grader. Again, this has never been confirmed.
  • EB22EB22 Posts: 541
    No offense taken! I didn't say I was positive how PSA does it, but I can only imagine its the same as BGS does. Its easy with BGS because you can look up the cert number and it will tell you the date it was graded, but you can also tell with the cert numbers because they go in order. I have seen some vintage BVG cert numbers something like this 0000008576 and they were graded a long time ago and then you have cards with cert numbers 0000078675 that were graded way later, so I can only guess that PSA would do the same. Do you know for a fact that PSA dosen't give cert numbers in order from lower # to bigger? How? Where did you get your info from? I got mine from many years of experoence with BGS/BVG graded cards, so I would think the same for every grading company.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Wouldn't the serial number be in order?



    No



    Steve
    Good for you.
  • 2dueces2dueces Posts: 6,559 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If i'm not mistaken, the first #'s on the flip are the graders ID.
    W.C.Fields
    "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
  • SportsModerator2SportsModerator2 Posts: 1,736 mod


    << <i>If i'm not mistaken, the first #'s on the flip are the graders ID. >>



    You are mistaken.

  • 123Slider123Slider Posts: 851 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>If i'm not mistaken, the first #'s on the flip are the graders ID. >>



    You are mistaken. >>



    On this episode of Mythbusters, Carol once again takes on the posters who think that the first numbers on the flip refer to the grader. image
    The best pitch to start a hitter off with is always strike one.
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