Home Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

ISA Grading

I see ISA graded cards priced very cheap. Anyone have any experience buying ISA cards?

Comments

  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When examining a card in a holder from ISA and considering it for purchase, be sure to ask yourself why it is in the ISA holder instead of one of the big 3 (or in a KSA holder if the seller is in Canada). I just looked up that they charge $6 per card for 10-day service, so it is not that they are winning over the other companies with super low discount rates (regardless of turn around time difference).

    It is probably likely that some good cards are in ISA holders, but it is also my assumption that it is in there because it couldn't get holdered by the big companies due to any one of a reasons for rejection: trimmed? miscut? undersized? sheet-cut? counterfeit? I'm willing to bet most if not close to all of the modern shiny cards graded by them are fine, since quality control from the manufacturers is better for these in general. I'd be a bit more cautious with vintage though.

    ISA might be better than a lot of the small-time grading company startups, don't know. I'm guessing very high risk / possible high reward on ISA cards if you are buying with intent to crossover. Haven't personally purchased any.


  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭


    << <i>When examining a card in a holder from ISA and considering it for purchase, be sure to ask yourself why it is in the ISA holder instead of one of the big 3 (or in a KSA holder if the seller is in Canada). I just looked up that they charge $6 per card for 10-day service, so it is not that they are winning over the other companies with super low discount rates (regardless of turn around time difference).

    It is probably likely that some good cards are in ISA holders, but it is also my assumption that it is in there because it couldn't get holdered by the big companies due to any one of a reasons for rejection: trimmed? miscut? undersized? sheet-cut? counterfeit? I'm willing to bet most if not close to all of the modern shiny cards graded by them are fine, since quality control from the manufacturers is better for these in general. I'd be a bit more cautious with vintage though.

    ISA might be better than a lot of the small-time grading company startups, don't know. I'm guessing very high risk / possible high reward on ISA cards if you are buying with intent to crossover. Haven't personally purchased any. >>



    +1. They sell at a discount for a reason. Think GAI, maybe slightly better.
  • Haven't bought an ISA graded card and I will not. Sounds like they grade trimmed cards and give them numerical grades.
  • Read some shady stuff about the owner Jason Koonce. There's a logical reason why ISA graded cards are priced at such a huge discount.
  • StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    It does appear that he was trying his hand at Poker back in 04' and 09'. Must not have panned out?
  • MrNearMintMrNearMint Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭
    I've bought (low dollar under $20) cards from some small grading companies before and been disappointed in condition when I recieved it. One card I bought from a card show, took home and cracked out only to find a huge vertical print line on the card.

    I wont buy a card that's graded by a company other than the big 3.


  • << <i>It does appear that he was trying his hand at Poker back in 04' and 09'. Must not have panned out? >>


    +1
  • PMKAYPMKAY Posts: 1,372 ✭✭


    << <i>When examining a card in a holder from ISA and considering it for purchase, be sure to ask yourself why it is in the ISA holder instead of one of the big 3 (or in a KSA holder if the seller is in Canada). I just looked up that they charge $6 per card for 10-day service, so it is not that they are winning over the other companies with super low discount rates (regardless of turn around time difference).

    It is probably likely that some good cards are in ISA holders, but it is also my assumption that it is in there because it couldn't get holdered by the big companies due to any one of a reasons for rejection: trimmed? miscut? undersized? sheet-cut? counterfeit? I'm willing to bet most if not close to all of the modern shiny cards graded by them are fine, since quality control from the manufacturers is better for these in general. I'd be a bit more cautious with vintage though.

    ISA might be better than a lot of the small-time grading company startups, don't know. I'm guessing very high risk / possible high reward on ISA cards if you are buying with intent to crossover. Haven't personally purchased any. >>



    I know some people have had success with KSA but I wouldn't bother with them either. Occasionally I'll get some KSA graded cards as part of a collection I buy and the last few have had mid 70s Topps football cards over graded by at least two grades. The cases (at least these) are easy to crack open though as they popped using nothing but my bare hands.
  • ClockworkAngelClockworkAngel Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭
    If I see a card from the 1948-1980 era for sale in any holder but PSA, I always assume that a crossover has been attempted. I think most everyone understands that selling it in a PSA holder increases value tremendously. Deals could be had on other holders 3-5 years ago, but I think just about everyone is wise to the money PSA holders bring now.

    So, yeah, as others have mentioned, if someone is selling it in an ISA holder, it's best to assume a crossover has already been attempted.

    Then again, I'm a bit grouchy about crossovers since I'm like 0-20 in my attempts to crossover to PSA from any holder, SGC included...
    The Clockwork Angel Collection...brought to you by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Chase
    TheClockworkAngelCollection
  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭


    << <i>If I see a card from the 1948-1980 era for sale in any holder but PSA, I always assume that a crossover has been attempted. I think most everyone understands that selling it in a PSA holder increases value tremendously. Deals could be had on other holders 3-5 years ago, but I think just about everyone is wise to the money PSA holders bring now.

    So, yeah, as others have mentioned, if someone is selling it in an ISA holder, it's best to assume a crossover has already been attempted.

    Then again, I'm a bit grouchy about crossovers since I'm like 0-20 in my attempts to crossover to PSA from any holder, SGC included... >>



    Don't feel as though you are the lone ranger in the crossover attempts!!! I could have a dead nut ringer, and I don't think it would cross!


  • << <i> I could have a dead nut ringer >>



    You'd better get to a doctor about that one....
  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i> I could have a dead nut ringer >>



    You'd better get to a doctor about that one.... >>



    Why are you still around?? Don't you have something better to do? Go throw some gutter balls or something!
  • olb31olb31 Posts: 2,898 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i> I could have a dead nut ringer >>



    You'd better get to a doctor about that one.... >>



    Why are you still around?? Don't you have something better to do? Go throw some gutter balls or something! >>



    Can't we all just get along?
    Work hard and you will succeed!!
Sign In or Register to comment.