PSA Specials.
handyman
Posts: 5,367 ✭✭✭✭✭
Honestly what are yalls thoughts with PSAs specials? I check every (month/I guess now years) hoping for a honest value to grade something like a PSA 8 1972 common. But 18.99 after I send in a large stack is just something not possible with the feeling I will only get 6-7s. It feels smart to just buy the card and not grade the card. But with that thought I do not want to buy it as much. Im growing more concerned as the specials are now grouping years like 2020-to now. Yippee. Or 1990- to now. Woo whoo. OR the always hey send in Pokemon cards for 13.99 this month or 14.99 next month and again 13.99 last month... Um no I like Pre 1979 and yeah I dont like to spend 18.99 to grade a 1972 Topps Hockey common. It really has made me like making Nm+ raw sets in binders. I used to have orders popping every week/month at PSA and now its a few times a year. I have been sending in cards for grading since 1996 and it is currently on a major decline.
My main question. Are prices here really just going to keep going up? And is modern the only thing that matters now? Add on SGC is now owned. Im going with the answer yes.
I used to enjoy getting cards graded here but its hard to do because I only care about pre 1979.
Sorry to make this post but I honestly had hopes for a decent Xmas vintage special. But this does take away the temptations to open vintage packs like I used to do.
Happy holidays
There is always next year 
Comments
There's absolutely nothing wrong with owning beautiful raw cards, free of holders and the opinions of strangers. That's how we got started. What goes around, comes around. Raw card popularity is busting people's brains, because graded holder insanity has grabbed them by the cajones and won't let go. Enjoy your cards.
Enjoy the go.
2025 is right around the corner. If you think about it we really haven't had a special to specifically fit the cards you are talking about in 7-8 years I think ?? There was a 60's special in 2021; but that one took 18 months to complete and most people got horrible grades. In other words....it wasn't so special. I'm feeling like you could ask this same question for the next 4 years and all responses will basically be the same. The vintage hobby is exactly that...it's old and crusty. They want new money. I have basically given up all hope of grading commons at this point. Even if they offered $6 commons the grading has been too harsh. You can't win either way. It is a let down; but it's reality. Also the CEO talked of wanting to have all subs out the door in 30 days. My current sub almost took 30 days just to log in.
coughs up dust
When I was actively sending cards to PSA it was about $6 per card - with a turnaround of 45-60 days. And at that time, their graders generally adhered to the standards PSA published on their website.
Fast forward 20 years later, PSA is charging $18/card. . .orders take 6 months to pop. . .and the same standards from 20 years ago remain on PSA’s website, but are so far removed from what comes out of the grading room as to be meaningless.
So when I got back to the hobby this year and decided to build sets from 74-84, raw was the only way that made sense to me - knowing many HOFers I’d have to pick up graded.
I’ll go back to yelling at a cloud now.
We could definitely use some specials for cheap cards for the registry