Noob Question(s) About PSA
no1cp
Posts: 76
There's a handful of cards I have in my collection I'd wish to send in and get graded. Is having the PSA's Collectors Club membership thing worth it? Or, would it just be a waste of $100 bucks? I also noticed on the forms you have to fill out, it asks the value of the card? Without doing too much research (sorry for my laziness), how do I figure this out? Do I go by their own website's value of worth? Or, is it some guesstimate?
As always, thanks for helping me out everyone. If you have any other tips/pointers for a first-time submitter, it'd be much appreciated.
As always, thanks for helping me out everyone. If you have any other tips/pointers for a first-time submitter, it'd be much appreciated.
0
Comments
As for the value goes, you can do a few things. You can look at the Beckett raw card value and use that or you can estimate what you think the card would grade and put the value of the graded card down, or you can be honest and just put the price you paid for the card as that was the value when you bought it.
Just a few suggestions.
The general turn around time on the voucher is 7 business days and allows for cards up to a $500 value.
For example if you have a card that has a Beckett high book value of $250 in NM-MT condition but sells for $600 if graded a PSA 8 it can still be sent in and graded. The value you put down is for insurance purposes.
I personally use a value that is closer to the expected graded value in the event the cards are lost becuase if so you would take a much larger loss if you just use the raw value. So in the example above I might use $425 and split the difference. Quite frankly it just depends on what you have in the card and what you would be willing to take for it should it get lost.
I think the sign up fee is a bargain personally as I enjoy recieving the SMR and the ability to submit cards throughout the year. If you compare the turn around times and the maxmimum value range to the actuall submission fees the membership practically pays for itself.
In terms of how to determine value I would suggest going to EBAY and viewing completed auctions. That is the best real time gauge of value you can find.
If you have enough cards I would go for the $189 membership so you can get 15 vouchers and send them all in at the same time.
I personally place all cards that could even be considered for grading in them and so I always have them on hand but many do not and you don't need to go buy a 100 count pack to get started.
Good luck which ever route you choose.
Sometimes, depending on the card, it might not be worth the price of submission unless it has some sort of sentimental value to you.
<< <i>I also noticed on the forms you have to fill out, it asks the value of the card? Without doing too much research (sorry for my laziness), how do I figure this out? Do I go by their own website's value of worth? Or, is it some guesstimate?
As always, thanks for helping me out everyone. If you have any other tips/pointers for a first-time submitter, it'd be much appreciated. >>
Great question and one I've wondered about as I am getting ready to submit some cards for the first time.
Dpeck, do you use Card Saver Is or IIs?
The only card shop that is still open near Orlando sells the 100 pack count made by Ultra Pro.
They look like this.
Ultra Pro
<< <i>They provide Card Saver I's I believe.
The only card shop that is still open near Orlando sells the 100 pack count made by Ultra Pro.
They look like this.
Ultra Pro >>
Great! Thanks!
When I first started getting cards graded it was only Wrestling All Stars and they are to large for a standard penny sleeve.
http://www.psacard.com/Submissions/ShipGuide
On a separate note, I strongly recommend following step 6 to a tee. I did on my first sub; it cost me quite a bit more as I had to ship two seperate boxes but both my subs popped well within the
committed time frame.
<< <i>Another question from someone who has never submitted - is the general consensus to avoid using penny sleeves in conjunction with the CS I? >>
I use penny sleeves with the cards I sub, typically 70s baseball. It's another layer of protection and fwiw, I have found my grades to be a bit higher on average using them as opposed to not, when I stopped using them for a while. Certainly can't hurt.
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.
You could never open the box of one of my submissions without noticing. I use a stupid amount of clear tape on every inch of the box.
If you are sending in a stack of card savers I would also cut card board and create a sandwich and then wrap it heavily in bubble wrap. Limit each stack to 30 cards or so.
I take every precaution possible to ensure the cards are safe.
ALL MY PSA SETS
<< <i>What's the reasoning behind this in Step 5 "Do not use clear, vinyl tape if shipping USPS."? Is this to prevent tampering? >>
I was told not to use the clear, vinyl tape a few years back by a postal worker. At that time, the reasoning had something to do with their stamps (fragile, registered, priority, whatever it was) and the ink would just rub right off the clear tape.
shawn
<< <i>I don't use penny sleeves. Perhaps you should but I have never had a problem. >>
For modern cards I use penny sleeves because it seems to help protect the gloss, but with older cards it's almost better not to use them. Sometimes they can cause chipping on the bottom of the card if you don't put them in carefully.
<< <i>
<< <i>I don't use penny sleeves. Perhaps you should but I have never had a problem. >>
For modern cards I use penny sleeves because it seems to help protect the gloss, but with older cards it's almost better not to use them. Sometimes they can cause chipping on the bottom of the card if you don't put them in carefully. >>
That's the problem I worry about. I have not submitted anything yet, but when I do, catching a corner on the sleeve scares me. I think someone on here said that they slice a tiny piece off one of the corners of the sleeves before loading the card.
<< <i>What's the reasoning behind this in Step 5 "Do not use clear, vinyl tape if shipping USPS."? Is this to prevent tampering? >>
Yes, and it is also a USPS requirement for registered mail for the same reason. I don't know if PSA still suggests using registered mail or not (they used to) but since PSA stopped using registered for most of their return shipping (except on large $$ subs) I don't use it anymore to ship to them either. I've used clear tape for the last couple years with no issues from PSA or the USPS.
Scott