PSA vs SGC Grading

Retiredtelecom · February 23, 2011 8:43AM

I am fairly new to card buying/selling and I am interested in other collectors opinions concerning the pluses/minuses’ for grading by PSA versus SGC. I just received a 1934 card back from being graded by PSA and was disappointed with the PR 1 grade; especially since I have another 1940 card graded VG 3 by SGC. The only real difference in the cards was the 1934 card had a slightly frayed corner. Additionally, I went online and was able to examine several of the same 1934 cards that were also graded PR 1 that were in a lot WORSE condition. I have considered having it re-graded by SGC and would appreciate comments from other collectors.

Brick · February 23, 2011 9:17AM

Hi, hello, how are ya?

Both are quality companies in my opinion and the same card most times would receive similar grades from either one, within a grade or so. There are technicalities such as a pin hole which would make a card a PSA 1 no matter how nice it is otherwise. Post war PSA seems to sell the best. SGC has a fabuluos reputation for pre war cards. It may not hurt to get a second opinion but I would not expect a big swing in grades.

fkw · February 23, 2011 9:18AM

The problem with TPG is their scale leaves no room at the bottom.

when I first started collecting a "Poor" card was a card that was ripped in 1/2 and taped back together, or had hole punches, major writing, a dozen heavy spiderweb creases or extremely rounded corners (ie many Zeenut cards altered for flipping).

Now days a card can get a "1" grade for having a single closed pinhole in the top border, or for having 3-4 average creases, etc.

Poor should mean the worst of all, not something that looks VG/EX from 5' away...

PS IM a SGC fan, not a PSA fan at all.

judgebuck · February 23, 2011 11:15AM

I agree that both companies are the best. I favor PSA because it seems that cards in PSA holders sell for more than cards in SGC holders. That is the only reason I favor PSA. I also agree that the grading from the two companies should be close together.

Stone193 · February 23, 2011 11:21AM

Hi Rt

First - welcome!

Can you give us a good scan of the card? That would help.

It's hard to say much without that.

SGC is also a really good company - especially "for" vintage prewar. I would have a good scan before ya send it out to SGC.

I would sure like to see the card in a PSA holder and then what ya get at SGC.

Since you said you're new to all this - I just want to encourage you and not get down - TPGs are all the same in that grading is terribly subjective and one can see a 6 one day be an 8 the next on a resub.

Good luck and happy trails.

Retiredtelecom · February 23, 2011 11:57AM

Thanks for all the advice and, yes, I have a very good scans of both the front and the back in a PSA jacket but the .jpegs were 700K since they were scanned at 720dpi. I rescanned then, cut the size down and saved them at a lower resolution but they are still just less than 50K each

Retiredtelecom · February 23, 2011 12:27PM

One other question to all and thanks for the help. I am retired and just started going to estate auctions to buy and then resale items to earn a couple of extra bucks. The reason I started buying old baseball cards was they started popping up at several auctions that I attended. Very frankly, there was not much interest in the cards so I decided to jump in. The 1st card I bought was a Play Ball #27 Ted Williams card that was already graded VG 3 by SGC.

More likely than not, blind luck enabled me to double my money in a month so that really perked my interest in baseball cards. I also purchased the ungraded 1934 Goudy Lou Gehrig card at the same time and did my research and thought I had a card better than the other 1934 PR 1s I looked at. That is the reason I thought it would come in at a higher grade and the reason for my original question.

Now my question, what is the best source for accurate up-to-date price information on sports cards? I just took a subscription out to VintageCardPrices.com but don’t know if that site is good bad or ugly and wonder if there are any better magazines or online sites.

Thanks In Advance

hhmag70 · February 23, 2011 12:31PM

VCP is a good reflection of real prices, as is using the "completed" sales info on eBay.

Be careful when looking on eBay as some of the Buy it Now prices are inflated and the cards sit for extended periods of time.

judgebuck · February 23, 2011 12:33PM

I agree 100% with hhmag70.

Retiredtelecom · February 23, 2011 12:38PM

hhmag70, thaanks for the reply...I have been selling on Ebay since 2000 and NEVER look at the Buy it Now prices...I only use the advance search for completed SOLD listings. Is there another source for other than Ebay?

Piggs · February 23, 2011 12:39PM

I don't think you can compare other "1's" with this card. I actually think this is a very nice looking card and if you were to sell you would do much better than most PSA 1's out there. The picture of

Gehrig is outstanding with the front damage only being the corners and the back erased and marked area doesn't take that much away from it. One last thing, you always hear buy the card not the

holder (meaning the grade), and I believe true Gehrig collectors would go after this one no matter the grade. Nice card. Doug

ThoseBackPages · February 23, 2011 12:59PM

<< <i>Thanks for all the advice and, yes, I have a very good scans of both the front and the back in a PSA jacket but the .jpegs were 700K since they were scanned at 720dpi. I rescanned then, cut the size down and saved them at a lower resolution but they are still just less than 50K each >>

looks like someone "erased" (perhaps a name?) some writing on the back of the card

CollectorAtWork · February 23, 2011 3:44PM

I think you'd probably get a Poor (10/1) from SGC also because of the paper loss on back and frayed corner. At best, you could be upgraded to Fair (20/1.5). SGC is more lenient on the low end where even if the card has creases, if it still has decent eye appeal, they'll upgrade to Fair. I don't think I'd expect any more than that however, and even that is not a given.

RCSportsCards · February 23, 2011 11:24PM

I believe PSA is the oldest grading comp. Does this make them the best? I dont believe so, All these company's have vertually the same equipment and have to grade or should grade to the card and not the company thats paying. I would first find a grading company that does not sell their own graded cards, and also one that hasnt and will not be investigated by the feds for grading fakes as real cards for the "big boys".
Im a small boy and believe I have found a grading company that fits my needs and treats the small the same as those big boys.
But to each his own and to the research yourself even to the point of calling these companys and talking w the owners.

Dialj · February 24, 2011 1:47AM

Welcome to the Jungle. The guys here are great and have a world of knowledge. Look forward to seeing you on the boards.

divecchia · February 24, 2011 3:12AM

to the boards...

That is a pretty good looking Gehrig card, but technically gradewise I think it is properly graded. I agree with CollectorAtWork that SGC would grade it the same or maybe a 1.5, but I don't think it would grade much higher than that.

Good luck with your collecting and most important have fun with it.

Donato

Edited to add: PSA and SGC are both pretty reputable grading companies...

PSA vs SGC Grading

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