PSA Grading Standards

GoingForTwo

PSA Grading

After looking at my cards and reading PSA Standards I feel like they graded my cards one grade lower. I looked at their PSA 1 card example and explanation. My Card looks way better then the given example. I looked at my other cards and read PSA's Standards again! And Again I felt their examples and descriptions are misleading. They grade tougher than described! I'm not an expert but it sure seems this way....

vladguerrero

lord...

jgrigali

It's like my dad used to tell me....if you don't like it, leave!

Topps29

I agree with GoingForTwo...

expertcollector

PSA seems like they have graders that grade cards with their eyes closed and sometimes they grade them with there eyes open

grote15

Probably the most difficult thing to learn/accept about grading your cards is to view them truly objectively. Virtually every collector who is new to grading is unable to do that until they gain more experience.

GoingForTwo

The grades they give don't match thier examples and discriptions! I don't need a loop to see that... They grade much tougher! That's my opinion!

Mapleleaf

I've had it go both ways in the same submission. Usually I find something that caused the lower grades.

itzagoner

my opinion is that if you're going to kvetch, learn how to shpell.

prthd

<< <i>The grades they give don't match thier examples and discriptions! I don't need a loop to see that... They grade much tougher! That's my opinion! >>




Opinions are like..........oh wait, well we all have one.

OcTrAdInG

<< <i>Probably the most difficult thing to learn/accept about grading your cards is to view them truly objectively. Virtually every collector who is new to grading is unable to do that until they gain more experience. >>



+ 1

If you honestly believe that your cards are worthy of higher grades (taking into account surface issues, centering, or other flaws which you may have overlooked), I'd crack and re-submit a few. On my last submission, I had what was a PSA 6 become a PSA 8. It is quite common to have grading variances, and bumps/downgrades happen all the time due to differences in opinions and experience.

MisterBungle

If you feel this way, there is an easy answer...

Just buy cards that are already graded by PSA
and you will always be happy with the grade.

Problem solved.

~

PasadenaMudSlide

Bingo.

PaulMaul

<< <i>If you feel this way, there is an easy answer...

Just buy cards that are already graded by PSA
and you will always be happy with the grade.

Problem solved.

~ >>



I'm WAY happier with the cards I've self-submitted. I already know I like them (I wouldn't submit them otherwise). On the other hand, I'm often unsatisfied with cards I buy graded (yes ,even PSA 9's). I guess this is just a natural results of people having different priorities.

PSARich

I have been sending in cards to PSA for over 15 years. In the beginning I was often confused and not particularly pleased with some of the grades I got. Experience is a great teacher. I, in fact, went to the PSA booth at the National one time and asked to see a grader to explain to me why some of my mint cards were getting 5s, 6s and 7s. I learned a lot and can tell you when a card appears high grade (8 or 9) and gets a 5 or 6 it is normally due to surface issues. PSA graders have the equipment to screen a card and see things that are easy to miss with the naked eye. (Actually, I believe they use the naked eye most of the time, due to their experience). Once educated, I began to pick up on slight wrinkles, creases and indentations that cause graders to downgrade cards. I still miss some but not anywhere close to what I did when I started sending cards in. Just educate yourself about grading as much as you can and if you stay at it long enough you will probably get more comfortable with the grades you receive.

GoingForTwo

I got the cards back today! I will post a few pics of cards I had issues with..

GoingForTwo

Itzagoner has jokes?

CubsKiller99

<< <i>Probably the most difficult thing to learn/accept about grading your cards is to view them truly objectively. Virtually every collector who is new to grading is unable to do that until they gain more experience. >>



Many are still unable to do it after years of experience. They see daily but they do not observe.

This is why I no longer buy raw cards at card shops -- due to their constant over-grading and refusal to learn how to do it.
One shop that I frequent has been in business since the early 90s and almost all his near-mint vintage cards (pre-75 in this case)
that I've inspected in recent years would get no more than an EX 5 grade.

The other one has been "in the biz" since about 1990. I've asked him why he doesn't deal in graded cards at all,
and the response was that "I don't know how to do it or make money doing it". It is daunting to him, but I suspect
that the revelation that he's not totally competent in evaluating the quality of his own material. Almost all his vintage
cards that I've personally inspected are overpriced due to over-grading. He doesn't want to know the truth cuz he
wouldn't be able to handle it.

My point here is that self-grading takes discipline and willingness to accept reality no matter how ugly.

My last PSA submission was 29 of 32 PSA 10 because I've learned to do this and it was not easy.
It can be done -- I've only been submitting to PSA for about a year.

ThoseBackPages

<< <i>Probably the most difficult thing to learn/accept about grading your cards is to view them truly objectively. Virtually every collector who is new to grading is unable to do that until they gain more experience. >>



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