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Is GAI still in business? 10+ weeks and no communication from them

cjm13cjm13 Posts: 4
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Does anyone know what is occurring at GAI?

Back in June, I wanted to get a group of packs graded. I sent in some nice older ones to PSA and sent some 1970's packs to GAI too. I sent some to both as I was curious to see if the performance between the 2 companies had changed any. PSA graded and sent my stuff back by mid July. As for GAI - nothing but radio silence through today. No packs, no returned phone calls, and no responses to my emails.

I checked with the Bettendorf Iowa Better Business Bureau and there were 3 or 4 other complaints already filed in July & August listing similar situations to mine.

On the surface, this does not look real promising in terms of getting my packs back. I was wondering if anyone had any insight to share on the situation over there.

Thanks,
Chris

Comments

  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    Hello Chris,

    First off, welcome to the board. image

    I have not heard about any issues regarding the latest GAI and in fact was thinking of sending a couple of rack packs out to them to be graded as they are the only game in town for that. Thanks for the heads up. Hopefully, someone else has some news about GAI.
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,259 ✭✭✭✭
    I can't believe I'm even reading this. Is this serious?

    What year is it?

    I think it's 2011.

    "PLEASE READ THIS" You do not send anything...anything....anything.....anything....anything....anything.....anything....anything....anything.....anything....anything....anything....anything.... to GAI.

    They are crooks. What I've never understood and it still bothers me to this day is that the heads of GAI were the biggest graders at PSA. Mike Baker was recommended by like every PSA dealer around. Can anyone make any sense of the PSA/GAI/Mike Baker/Rocci thing. I realize this is a touchy thing; but what's up with that?
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Supposedly, they got the house in order after relocating and establishing a seprate entity for pack grading. Apparently, that is not or no longer the case. I know Anthony (Griffins) sent a bunch of vintage packs to them for holdering not too long ago as he prefers the design of their holder to PSA's. It's s shame because most of the GAI graded packs, especially those in the first generation holders, are legit, but it sounds like they just can't run the business correctly for whatever reasons. I wish PSA graded racks, but that won't happen anytime soon, and GAI is the only option for those.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • stuckinMAstuckinMA Posts: 95
    I sent some stuff to Global Authority awhile ago just to check them out. I had an issue but "Mike," don't know if it Mike Baker or not, would respond to my emails the next day. I ended up sending three total emails and they were all replied too. I also made two phone calls but those wear not returned. My issue was due to entering information incorrectly on the online submission form and because of that I was never updated about them receiving my cards, that is why I contacted them so much. I wanted to confirm that they received my stuff.

    Would I use them again, I feel the grades were accurate and other things that I have bought graded by "Global Authority" seem to have been graded accurately. Their customer service is fair-poor though.

  • StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Supposedly, they got the house in order after relocating and establishing a seprate entity for pack grading. Apparently, that is not or no longer the case. I know Anthony (Griffins) sent a bunch of vintage packs to them for holdering not too long ago as he prefers the design of their holder to PSA's. It's s shame because most of the GAI graded packs, especially those in the first generation holders, are legit, but it sounds like they just can't run the business correctly for whatever reasons. I wish PSA graded racks, but that won't happen anytime soon, and GAI is the only option for those. >>



    Did Griffins have any issues with his submission??
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No, as far as I know, Anthony received all the packs he submitted. This was a while ago, though.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • mknezmknez Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭
    they should have some answers on Monday.

    ------
    stupid print dots

  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭


    << <i>they should have some answers on Monday. >>



    Are they on a holiday schedule Mike? image
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Right after the launch of the pop report, I heard.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • Charlie9Charlie9 Posts: 526 ✭✭
    I received a package from them just today and all looked fine but the service leading up to their arrival was nonexistant. Would not answer emails and loggage took about 6 weeks and then the delivery took another 4 weeks. I am still waiting to hear about two other packages I sent them with cheap stuff and one was logged in mid July and no update and the other which was delivered to them just 2 days later still is not logged yet still no response to email inquiries. I suspect I'll eventually receive them but am prepared for a long wait and would think twice before sending them any more nice items.
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Supposedly, they got the house in order after relocating and establishing a seprate entity for pack grading. Apparently, that is not or no longer the case. I know Anthony (Griffins) sent a bunch of vintage packs to them for holdering not too long ago as he prefers the design of their holder to PSA's. It's s shame because most of the GAI graded packs, especially those in the first generation holders, are legit, but it sounds like they just can't run the business correctly for whatever reasons. I wish PSA graded racks, but that won't happen anytime soon, and GAI is the only option for those. >>



    I haven't sent anything to them in years. After their first bankruptcy I was done- would not trust them to get anything back to the submitter.
    My last submission to them was probably September '08 at the last Hollywood Park show.
    I do greatly prefer their holder to PSA's- it doesn't trash the pack and looks a lot better. If the pack looks good I'd still buy them, but I would never submit anything to them.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • MuggymanMuggyman Posts: 688
    If anyone has ever "found" my "missing" packs (at least 20) that GAI / Global Authority has "lost" over the years, please let me know.

    Below, Mickey71 wrote..."PLEASE READ THIS" You do not send anything...anything....anything.....anything....anything....anything.....anything....anything....anything.....anything....anything....anything....anything.... to GAI.

    And in response, Muggyman writes... "PLEASE READ THIS. LISTEN TO Mickey71."


  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    Muggy, don't lose hope- they found a friends order after 4 years!
    Another friend was having a hard time getting a card back from them. I was in the neighborhood (when they were still in CA) so I knocked on the door and said I was there to pick up the card- the guy who answered (who didn't know me, and I never gave my name) reached onto his desk and handed it to me. No questions, no id, no please sign for this. The card? a '33 Lajoie.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Anthony,

    Sorry for the mixup. I must have confused you with another unopened collector. I was recalling a thread a while back in which someone actually cracked out PSA graded packs and sent them in to GAI because of the holders.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    They're in bidness to show people how not to run a bidness.

    This hot bidness opinion brought to you by your American exceptionalist, Sports Burgundy
    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Anthony,

    Sorry for the mixup. I must have confused you with another unopened collector. I was recalling a thread a while back in which someone actually cracked out PSA graded packs and sent them in to GAI because of the holders. >>



    Tim, that could've been me. I had 4 packs graded by PSA when they first started doing them, in '06. Hated the holders and cracked them out and had them regraded by GAI. That was my last order with them, and it was supposed to be on an overnite turnaround at a show. Still took a week or two, IIRC.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • CollectorAtWorkCollectorAtWork Posts: 859 ✭✭✭
    I don't know if anything has changed or I just got lucky, but I emailed GAI at the end of June asking them if they were still in business, and Mike Baker from GAI emailed me back the same day, and said that they were. I want to send some wrappers for grading/protection from GAI, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
    Babe Ruth Master Set
    Lou Gehrig Master Set
    Non-Registry Collection
    Game Used Cards Collection
  • KbKardsKbKards Posts: 1,782 ✭✭✭
    image
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    I can't believe no one has mentioned 'Monday'


    Good for you.
  • KbKardsKbKards Posts: 1,782 ✭✭✭
    You obviously didn't read the entire thread. Monday was brought up on Tuesday.
  • cjm13cjm13 Posts: 4
    UPDATE***** UPDATE***** UPDATE

    Just wanted to let everyone know that I got my packs back today graded from GAI! I'm not real clear on what the issue was but I got a call from the owner who apologized for the lack of response to me. He seemed like a pretty decent guy.

    I appreciate all of the constructive feedback from all of you on this board regarding this issue.

    Thanks!
    Chris

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    Chris ... glad you received your packs! (Are you the same Chris ... I guess your dad was more active ... from the was pack forum on eBay from back in the day?)
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,259 ✭✭✭✭
    Great news. What's there address so I can hurry and send all of my Mantle's to them? Everyone please read my earlier reply.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    Chris, glad to hear that you had a happy ending. image

    Take care and hope to see you on the boards some more.

    Mike
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
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