Modern July Sub Breakdown
ndleo
Posts: 4,192 ✭✭✭✭✭
I sent a 55-card sub in July. It was a mix of Pokemon, Modern card, and Modern Auto cards. It was finished a little early. Here is the grade breakdown:
Gem Rate is 64%. For the Sports cards, there were 6 that I was 50/50 on subbing for a PSA 10, those ended up as PSA 9. So for the cards I felt good about, 83% got a PSA 10.
These numbers have been pretty consistent over my 2024-2025 subs. My card selection process hasn't changed, I check with a 10X glass under a light and do a wipe down with a micro fiber.
I know a lot of the vintage guys are upset about the grading standards getting harder, but I haven't seen it in the modern space or I was already picky enough where my standards met the new PSA standards,
I also got PSA offers for about half the sub. For the most part, the offers were OK, but a few were over 90% current comps, so I sold 3 cards to PSA for $400. They actually had two strong offers for my son's Pokemon - $1200 and $450 - but he is just starting out and wants the cards, I would have sold them based on the offer. I couldn't see any rhyme or reason to the offers. They made offers on PSA 10's, PSA 9's, and the PSA 8. I am guessing some of these offers are automated buys for re-pack products based on the kinds of cards they made offers on. PSA did NOT make an offer for the 2002 Topps Barry Bond Gold Refractor PSA 10, which was the best card in the sub. I wonder if there is a cap for the automated offers since Barry Bonds gold refractors are pretty liquid in the hobby.
Overall a good experience with PSA. I like the changes they made to add value to the service. Based on my experience with the new services, it's just a matter of time before the other grading services are history. I do want competition but this most recent PSA experience shows me there is still a huge gap.
Comments
Nice grades. Congrats. I just did a 100% Pokemon sub and was very happy even without enormous success. I submitted 16 and received 6 10s. Still a success to me just not record-breaking best ever off the charts success.
The cool thing that kind of just blew me away is I went out and bought raw cards with the hope of grading and getting 10s. On the 2 that would have been most valuable as 10s, I whiffed. I received 8s. Historically that would been a grandiose failure. But I can turn around and sell the PSA 8s for the price I paid for the raw cards. So the misses were like breakevens and the wins were real nice wins cause some $45 raw cards sell for $400 as PSA 10s.
What is shocking to me and dont think I have ever seen this is in the trading card hobby is that a lot of Pokemon cards have gone up about 70% in value in the space of 2 months or sometimes a week. I've seen a lot of examples like this and fortunately a lot of the ones I bought raw 2 months ago to submit fell into that category.
I am happy for your son and it probably makes sense for him to hold and enjoy. The enthusiasm could fade at some point but dont think its anywhere on the horizon. The recent upswing in that space I thing accounts for your surprisingly generous offers. I was surprised too.
Which cards did your son get his PSA 10s on? I also did a modern sports card sub recently and similarly felt nice about the success rate. I just feel for now the Pokemon stuff is doing better and want to focus more attention on that. Still love sports cards but I have plenty lying around to appreciate.
Will try to add my pics but the downloading saving angle has changed a little. (Pics added)
Awesome.
It seems the expectation for modern is they should all be 9s/10s based on card stock, printing and cutting quality, right?
Here is the best Pokemon card in the sub. The boy pulled it from the last booster box on a dealer's shelf (Last Box Magic!).
PSA offered $1200 but he turned it down.
Almost all of the cards in the sub came from ripped boxes, mainly 2022 Leaf Valiant, 2024 Prizm Draft, 2024 Bowman Chrome University, 2024 Topps Chrome FB, and 2023-2024 Topps Chrome Soccer. These were the best cards from about 200 candidates. The best product was the 2024 Bowman Chrome University. All of the autographs I sent in pulled PSA 10s. The card quality overall in that product is strong. On the flip side, 2024 Topps Chrome FB had horrible quality, especially from a Chrome product that usually grades well.
I pulled this from a Target blaster. I stopped after one since I know it would never get better than this.
Besides the basic centering/corner check, I spend a lot of time checking the surface and edge cut. Surface scratches are the main difference between a PSA 10 and PSA 9/8, especially on refractors. That's why you see a lot of well-centered modern in PSA 9 holders. The toughest one to judge on chrome-like cards is the edge cut. If the natural cut starts showing lift, that can be deadly, however I think PSA does have some consideration for edges.
Modern can still be pretty off-center at times. Print lines can be a thing. Card stock I think can help a lot when you are looking at issues like Topps and Bowman Chrome, Panini Prizm. A Heritage can be more susceptible to a scuff, flaking, chipping, dings, maybe similar to 80s Fleer. But yeah, on average you are going to be doing a ton better with a modern pack fresh card than 80s or earlier.
(2) of my (4) small subs from June are still not done yet. They were slated for 9/24 completion.
This one just POPPED.
I think the complaints about grading standards are for pre-'80 cards.
Getting 10s for '80s-modern has not really been the issue. Except maybe for the high scrutiny cards.
I didn't get any offers with this sub, which I was a little surprised, but they are not serial numbered or auto'd so....
I didn't get any offers on my (4) 1990 Topps Coins oddball either, but I wasn't surprised about that.
There were complaints about PSA's offers causing additional delays with receiving orders.
There was still a delay of 24hrs on my sub even though I didn't receive any offers.
I think PSA just gives a 24hr window for customers regardless of receiving offers or not, to decide/change their mind about sending to the vault, sell on ebay, or having it shipped direct back to the customer.
Your son did well with that Lugia and think that is a keeper. Your stuff as well.
The Lugia was one I had an eye on as target. But the lesson I have learned recently is dont wait. Early August 900. Today one sold for 1300. The amusing part is POP 20,000. Which gives me pause a little in terms of running out and buying it today. But if I had it I would keep it. The demand side of it all seems mind-blowing.
How did that work when you accepted their offer? Do you have to set up an account to receive the money or can it flow right through Paypal? I considered it but too much time passed. I asked but you are the first person I have heard on these boards accepting.
I'll let you guys know how the accept offer goes. I did have to set-up a Stripe account but it was quick.
I accepted yesterday and they said payment is coming. I still haven't seen it yet but it shows in my PSA account as sold cards.
Appreciate the info. I read all the terms and conditions and for a moment was thinking wait is that a real offer, or a ballpark that will be confirmed after its sold, otherwise ??? So hope that goes smoothly and will be interested to hear.
Payment came today. It was one consolidated payment sent right after the rest of the order was sent back to me.
I will use this service again. I probably would have sent the Bond Gold Refractor to auction with PSA if I had this experience. You should check out each offer, some of them are actually very good. I was able to sell a PSA 9 card for a lot more than I could have gotten on ebay.
Awesome. Thanks for sharing your experience. I'll get a Stripe account set up.
BTW - The offer may change every time you click check offer. It changed a few bucks in either direction during the couple of days I thought about it.