Thanks, PSA for helping out the collectors with all these great specials
1954
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PSA
Please let your core collecting base know why month after month your Collectors Club participants have not had a card special in three months. While I appreciate the great values to grade Pictures, funko pops, magazines, Pokemon and Starting Lineups for three months consecutive, this does not help the collecting community.
Shane
Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
6
Comments
I stopped subbing over a year ago, but keep checking the monthly specials since I still have a few hundred I'd like slabbed. They certainly are not doing anything to entice me to get back in the pool.
The 'P' stands for Pokemon.
Does this mean they’ve been rotten to the core?
Thanks for starting this thread. I have about 50 that have been packed and in a box waiting to send. I don't like Beckett holders much, maybe I can sell them raw. So glad I didn't waste the money to renew my "membership"!
By the way, is there any value at all to a membership or are those days long gone? Used to be vouchers, SMR Magazine, and monthly specials. What is there now?
They still send the magazine but I quit reading that months ago. I don't even open it anymore. See above for the monthly specials. This was always the reason I paid.
The max insured value on the Trading Card Game Bulk is way too low. I'd submit cards otherwise. As it stands anything worth grading will automatically be over the line.
Been waiting on a reholder special. Have a bunch I want in new holders but prefer not to spend $13 each
PSA HOF Baseball Postwar Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 80.51% Complete)
PSA Pro Football HOF Rookie Players Set Registry- (Currently 19.80% Complete)
PSA Basketball HOF Players Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 6.02% Complete)
Same boat. I'm going to cancel at least a month before renewal since they charged me 2 weeks early this year.
They don't care about us anymore. Their revenue is coming from elsewhere. They just need to pray that newfound revenue doesn't dry up. I used to submit thousands of cards a year for grading. I've submitted about 550 cards since the pandemic and nothing since a small order last October. I have thousands of high grade raw cards I could submit but not at $20 per. I also don't read the magazine anymore since it's focused almost entirely on modern. I'll be cancelling my subscription when it's time to renew.
I wish PSA would have a reasonable price for their crossover service.
I have a bunch of low-grade T205s and T207s in SGC holders, that I want to cross to PSA; but I refuse to pay $40 each.
Steve
Edited:
I just looked, and it's now $45 each for crossover service. Who in their right mind is going to pay $45 to crossover a card that's worth barely $100? In total, I have 20 cards worth around $2,200; to cross them from SGC to PSA would cost over $900 (they're all SGC 10 - SGC 40).
The grading fee is roughly 41% of the cards total value.
I guess, in fairness, vintage sports collectors were not generating enough business to deserve their focus and the high end market doesn't care about the economics.
I suspect that anyone who thinks PSA or anyone else might be close to "AI Grading" is also getting most of their technology information from the "tech guy" on their local news. Which I mean to say is... ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!
I'd give it a shot anyway submitting at the lower rate. I just put a 61-card 18.99 a card TCG order together last night. Sure some could be $400 cards. If they want to charge me extra its hard to complain after a nice win. But honestly, I feel like I have had those grades pop where the recent sale price may exceed the Maximum insured by a little bit, 200 or 300 and they just ship it out and never reach out on the upcharge. I have never been charged an upcharge.
I think they are targeting the examples that are major offenders such as $200 max insured value but your card in your grade sells for $1400. At the end of the day you dont know what your card is worth until they grade it. If its all 700 1500 2500 dollar cards after the grades the fees are easier to live with.
I just submitted 16 cards at that $40 rate on ones that had a bit more upside and after the results felt it was worth it. Also knowing sooner and suffering less on waiting has a lot of value to me. My suggestion/recommendation is partially selfish though. I'd be interested in hearing how you did.
I throw mine directly in the trash when it comes. Doesn’t even make it in the house.
I was 6000-7000 a year, this year maybe 700-800
I agree
Plus the additional risk associated with human handling not to mention the near miracle if FedEx does not lose you parcel or one of their contractors does not steal it.
Agreed the juice isn't anywhere near worth the squeeze!
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me 2025
If I submit at TCG bulk and it gets bumped up, does it bump up to value bulk? Or does it go to the 28 dollar level? Is value bulk just for sports cards?
I quit submitting once the upcharging became more prevalent. I know there is a ton of debate on this subject. With the current pricing and upcharging, I personally found it to be not be worth it. I don't do much in high end anymore anyway so really, it's no big deal. I do have about 400 or so cards that I reduced to 50 if I ever do decide to submit again. Nothing earth shattering. Pretty much, PSA can thank themselves for me not enjoying the grading game anymore. I know, I know, no big loss LOL but I have a feeling there are many more out there like me.
My June Special sub has been in QA check for quite awhile.
Arrived: June 9
Est. completion: Oct 8
And my Value Sub arrived at PSA on Sept 16, and has not reached Order Prep yet.
Very frustrating.
My pack sub was due 9/30. 3.5 weeks now in "QA Checks". I was told it isn't late until after 25 business days past the estimated completion date. That would be Nov. 10. Ridiculous.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
There has been absolutely zero help for set builders for the specials.
PSA Canada office opens today. Sad usually a business will offer some kind of special when they open a new office
What do you want them to do for set builders?
What if they offered a cheap service where they just slabbed the card and gave it a cert number without grading? Then you could enter them into the registry. Is that even something they could do faster and cheaper?
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Prices similar to TCG. Same for player registry builders with 100+ or more items in their registry
Can they remember this group of collectors exist?
QA check is laughable when half the time there's either a mechanical error or the pack is destroyed by jamming it into the holder which is too small to accommodate the pack.
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.
Is that still an issue? I thought the new holder was supposed to resolve those issues.
They used to have a service where if you had a registry set, and you were submitting more cards from that set, enough to get you to maybe 75% or more, you'd get a "set builders" discount. Unfortunately, they eliminated the discount in 2020.
Steve
They haven't changed the holders. If you send in a pack that is loosely wrapped, you run the risk of the pack being smashed into the shell. Most times, you'll see bends in the wrapper (mostly on the back), as well as popped seals.
They do have an awesome slab for oversized packs. I bought an already graded oversized pack that was recently graded and slabbed in the oversized slab. The pack is in there securely and displays really nicely, with more than adequate room. I would pay more for them to use these slabs on all standard sized packs.
Yes, it's actually worse than before.
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.
In fact, this just reminded me that I wanted to ask if it was possible to request that they use the oversized slab. I just submitted a question to PSA on this and, if interested, I will report back what they say.
I was planning to submit some packs for grading. Just made the decision in the past few days. I am very familiar with the rules for how to package cards, what to use and not use. But for packs, I'm completely green and not sure on the best approach. Any tips of wisdom would be appreciated. Did a search and see card packing instructions but not packs. Mine would be TCG/Pokemon so a little different than the old wax packs, more modern foil packs with the extra material on the top and bottom. Feels like oversized would make a lot of sense there, cause I have heard some have been smashed. So will be interested to hear updates. Thanks.
I THINK they use a different shell for TCG that will fit longer packs - the shell is narrow to snugly fit the width of the pack, but long enought to accomodate the longer top and bottom. I'm not aware of any issues with TCG packs, but admittedly, I don't follow any channels to hear of commentary about problems with TCG packs.
My feeling, for packaging a TCG pack, would be to use a graded card sleeve/bag and Card Saver 1 as a backing. I think the CS1 is long enough to where you will have something rigid for the entire length of the pack to sit on. The graded card bag should be wide enough to tightly house the CS1, so it should keep the pack secure on all sides.
Thanks for the two cents. Will give that approach a shot.
Just to update, my June Special POPPED Oct 21
And the 16-card Value Oversized Sub reached Research & ID, slated for Dec 24 completion.
Just a little over 2 months, 45 business days from today.
Will it be a merry Christmas?
I'm shocked I got a response so quickly from PSA. Looks like you have no ability to request a particular slab:
Thank you for reaching out to PSA Customer Care. My name is Hailey and I'll be happy to help with this inquiry.
I understand you want to send in your packs and are concerned about how they are slabbed. Unfortunately, it's not a request that can be made; it is up to the team to slab them as they see fit. I also recommend submitting a Research Request to see if this accommodation can be made if it's a known issue.
A Research Request is a great tool to use since the images you'll be submitting go directly to our Research team. They can review the images and information and verify whether we can or cannot process an item. This will ensure that you get the answers you need directly from the source.
Let me know if humans become an option again if taking requests. Kindly please can even be the old grader of death just not the new corner dinger of death machine. Or just one and not both. Ok I put in my request. Thumbs crossed.
I think I dealt with same robot trying to get a bid canceled. Think it was within 5 minutes unfortunately no because of a and b...have a wonderful day. The robots do get back to you pretty quick.
Can you ask Hailey if Destanie still works there? I miss our talks. We had inside jokes.
She does but she's now a grader and regular people can't talk to her now.
This is awkward.
I was at the Philly Show in September and saw the latest pack holder. I thought it was terrible.
I couldn't see the top or bottom of the pack. They were so tight too!
The clock doesn't start on the Arrive date.
It starts on the Order Prep date.
Mine arrived Sept 15, but the Order Prep date is Oct 20 with a Dec 24 est completion date.
That's 45 business days.
Are there really that many cards out there that justify a $20+ submission fee? With shipping costs and selling costs, a card has to be worth $30 just to break even.
That fee certainly makes it tough on those trying to sell or flip. At these rates and tight grading you'd better be really good at sending the right cards or you should be ready to hold onto things for a while.
I'd like to see some specials condusive to traditional set and player registry building
Seems they've spent the entire year building the TCG / Pokeman side
Hoping that the next two months bring about some more traditional sports specials
I’m holding out for the pre 1979 vintage bottle caps special. I’m gona be so mad if it’s modern post 80s caps! And I could send in 12million Pokémon cards but the price is currently way to cheap. I’d pay $33.84 a card if they tried. Or maybe a good stamp special. I’ve got a good feeling about next months specials. This place is amazing. Did anyone happen to find a gray wallet per chance? I can’t find mine.
Psa don’t read this next part!
Btw I’m trying to trick psa and telling them really what I don’t want in hopes they do the opposite. We will see next month if it works. Please do the same guys!
seems to be LOTS of PSA negativity on all of the forums/social media i pay attention to. I think at some point, if this sentiment continues, it will start effecting PSA subs and bottom line.
I wonder at what point one of the other companies makes a major run in the industry. it seems the only ones where this is a possibility are CGS and BGS. I am kind of pulling for one or the other to get more market share. while PSA is not a monopoly by definition, they are pretty much one in practice. they are the 10,000 pound gorrilla!
strange times.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
If the sentiment is that of us old schoolers demanding better treatment over modern Pokemon shiny crusted border collectors, then they will chuckle while knowingly suggesting that most of the complainers are close to being totally inconsequential and soon to be dead.
Totally! I would pay more just to grade my Pokémon cards. Let’s go! Pokémon lives forever!