Will I Ever See My Cello Pack Again?
ShoeboxTom
Posts: 104
I dropped off a 1977 cello pack for grading on August 15th at the White Plains, New York card show. It took PSA 12 days to log in the item (August 27th). It is now November 21st and almost 3 months since the pack was logged in by PSA. I have already emailed PSA and was given the standard line of the 45 business days being an estimate, but this just doesn't make any sense to me unless they have simply been inundated by baseball packs. Just needed to vent...
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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.
This is the single reason I do NOT submit anything to PSA. I let others suffer through the wait, get kicked in the nether regions and sell the cards online for less than the grading fee. I think the wait times are a legitimate complaint and one that is holding many many collectors back from submitting to PSA.
<< <i>I dont know of any other businesses that, when asked when will a customer's product be ready the answer given is..."oh about 45 days...but of course that is just an estimate....maybe sooner...maybe later....when we get to it".
This is the single reason I do NOT submit anything to PSA. I let others suffer through the wait, get kicked in the nether regions and sell the cards online for less than the grading fee. I think the wait times are a legitimate complaint and one that is holding many many collectors back from submitting to PSA. >>
It depends on what you're submitting though. If you're submitting a bunch of cards that once graded aren't worth anything, I'd agree with your point. But many people are submitting items that are worth quite a bit more than the cost of the grading fee once graded and that's where the money is to be made. If it takes 3 months it takes 3 months.
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.
<< <i>How long does it take to look at a pack and then pick a number between 1 and 10 which many of us unprofessionals can do as well? >>
"A" pack... seconds, but then again if there are 10,000 "A" packs ahead of your pack...
<< <i>How long does it take to look at a pack and then pick a number between 1 and 10 which many of us unprofessionals can do as well? >>
PSA doesn't authenticate the packs, Steve Hart does, so PSA has to ship the packs to Steve, Steve has to authenticate them (but not grade them) and then ship them back to PSA. Then PSA has to numerically grade the pack before shipping it back to you.
OTOH, you could always send your cello pack to GAI. I hear you might get it back in about 6-8 months if you get it back at all.
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.
<< <i>Steve has a couple guys that work with him. >>
On the BBCE business, yes, but according to Steve, he reviews and ok's each pack that is holdered/authenticated by PSA.
To answer the OP's question, I'm sure if Steve were to step down for some reason as the unopened authenticator that PSA would enlist
someone with sufficient knowledge about unopened product to succeed him.
It's not like PSA is getting innundated with hundreds of packs now per month, anyway. The unopened niche in their grading business is a fraction of what the
graded card side sees as far as submission volume. After all, the OP is talking about one lonely 77 cello in the first place.
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.
Curious if anyone who submitted at the National got their graded packs back yet?
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.
<< <i>
<< <i>How long does it take to look at a pack and then pick a number between 1 and 10 which many of us unprofessionals can do as well? >>
PSA doesn't authenticate the packs, Steve Hart does, so PSA has to ship the packs to Steve, Steve has to authenticate them (but not grade them) and then ship them back to PSA. Then PSA has to numerically grade the pack before shipping it back to you.
OTOH, you could always send your cello pack to GAI. I hear you might get it back in about 6-8 months if you get it back at all. >>
I would guess and only guess that Steve fly's out once or twice a month to authenticate what PSA has. I doubt they ship back and forth?
It seems like a lot of risk to do it that way but of course I could be wrong...
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
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.
Why do you use the word "were" ? Is there someone else now other than Steve?
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
<< <i>Really Grote15? You must be 13 years old (or have the mentality of one) to not have a clue who he is???! Mark and Paul (Wright) were the best vintage pack authenticators for decades. You may want to do a little research before mouthing off..... why do they let guys like you past your comments??? >>
Actually it's you who needs to do a little research before posting.
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.
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.
Oh, Happy Thanksgiving
<< <i>Ya know what, if you don't like it, bite the bullet, shut your mouth and send it to BGS or SGC. >>
Carlton, I totally agree with your comment if we were talking graded cards, but for graded packs PSA is the only game in town unless you wish to spin the wheel of fortune and send packs to GAI. This has been abnormally long for PSA, but I am very patient and am only getting packs graded for my personal collection.
BTW, I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving as well.
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.
<< <i>I disagree. But am open to hear what others think of Mark....other than Grote15. His biggest mistake in my opinion, was throwing those damn Christmas Racks into this hobby. But his expertise at weeding out bad vintage packs from the good is unmatched! >>
I actually have done a lot of research on the matter for almost 9 years with a couple of close friends
and have the clear results in my possesion, it will be shocking to many.
Steve has a business to run, and we've been frickin' busy. We make more money selling one card than Steve spending an entire day authenticating packs. Think about it- how much do you think he makes per pack if the submission fee is $10/pack? (yes, I know some pay more, but most don't.) I doubt some would work for such low wages.
Also, if Steve's customer service as BBCE is second to none, why would you think his approach to inspecting packs would be any different? I'm not kissing my boss's ass here, but some of the critics have no idea how hard he works. You've probably never even met him. Read some of these message boards and maybe you'll get some sense of the type of guy he is. IMO, he's way too nice to some of you who criticize him without knowing the whole story. And if you think you're in the know, man, you have no idea of how clueless you really are.
As for finding a non-dealer to be PSA's pack guy, good luck. Anyone who's had years of experience in unopened material is either a dealer or a serious collector. Think enough packs get submitted each year to make it worthwhile for Steve to shut down BBCE and just do packs? Guess who else out there has seen the most packs over the last several years after Steve? My guess would be Rick and myself, and we already work for Steve.
Criticize the turnaround time and express your frustrations, but lay off of Steve. He doesn't deserve this crap.
Reed Kasaoka
Buyer, Baseball Card Exchange
cell: (808) 372-1974
email: ReedBBCE@gmail.com
website: www.bbce.com
eBay stores: bbcexchange, bbcexchange2, bbcexchange3, bbcexchange4
This is the 1st time it has taken longer. Obviously there must have been a glut after the national. And remember that members of this board have sponsored a number of vintage group rips over the past several months. Many of those packs have made their way to PSA--MANY. They will pop soon I am sure.
Steve has no fault here -- and Reed's points are well taken. Really he is the employee and goes by the policies of his employer as to when he goes there or how ever they work it out. And let's not forget that in all probability Steve is LOSING money in the whole process. As Reed pointed out he can't be making too much on a pack that is costing $10 to be graded. Not much room for profit there. And time is money as we all know.
As to MArk Murphy--it is really pretty sad that the hobby lost his expertise. This from a guy who bought a '62 Christmas rack for $800 and paid $1,000 for a '57 rack based upon his reputation and him saying that they were legit and rare (I still have his ad somewhere). Was it a fire fire ? Who knows there was a lot of speculation. But the guy did (does) know his stuff. His unopened pack guide was the best and I still read it. And I bought many many vintage packs from him from the '50s to the '70s that now reside peacefully in PSA holders. Sure he screwed many collectors on that scam--but we all lost a guy with much knowledge.
Perhaps a free submission or 2 from PSA for orders that have been lagging for greater than 60 days would be a proper gesture.
<< <i>Mike, I've heard from some anonymous sources (possibly the voices in my head) that if you rip more vintage racks then your unopened material grades pop faster. There's only one way to find out!! >>
On a serious note, this is the only time since I've been submitting packs that it has taken substantially longer than 45 days to pop. I think between the National and the volume now being submitted based on the increased popularity of unopened has caused a backlog which is to be expected. I would much rather send my packs to PSA then roll the dice with GAI. And no doubt in my mind that Steve is working as hard as always to get our packs authenticated as quickly and accurately as possible. Something to look forward to.
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.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
<< <i>Maybe Steve could pioneer a way to 'authenticate' his packs when he ships them out. Then, whoever wanted to have them graded could use this authentication for PSA. >>
I think there is room for Steve to make some additional sales here. If a buyer of of Steve's packs intends to ship them to PSA anyway, Steve could charge an additional convenience fee by directly submitting for the buyer to PSA and avoiding the extra step. Steve could then just authenticate the packs and send them to PSA for encapsulating. Everyone wins with reduced submission time from PSA and Steve adds a bit more to his bottom line as a PSA submission center for packs and the collector gets his/her cards in a more timely manner.
Sounds logical to me.