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To grade or not to grade?
6-2-05


It's been a wild ride seeing the card hobby change since PSA came to town. This is where going to shows helps gain perspective one would never gain just selling on eBay. (I highly, highly recommend going to a show sometime if there's one in your area, but that's a topic for another time.) I bring out a good deal of graded and ungraded cards when I go to shows. Between talking to collectors or just seeing their reaction as they pass by my tables has led me to believe they fit into one of five categories:

PSA = Broccoli: No PSA! Ever! In their opinion, not only does PSA control the hobby, but PSA has ruined the hobby. Grading only drives card prices up. And PSA is responsible for global warming.

PSA = Thai food: These people are uneasy about PSA cards. They understand PSA is out there, but don't necessarily want to add a graded card to their collection. Plus, whenever they say, "graded card," it is with a hint of emphasis and disgust. Many of these people are true collectors, maybe set builders, who just want a card regardless of grade. I actually understand these people. In a lot of ways, they have capture the true essence of the hobby. They either collect because they did when they were a kid, or because they like sports, or because they want to share with their kids, or any combination thereof. Many of these folks would only buy a graded card if its one of the last cards they need for a set and the dealer assures them that cards can be removed from their plastic prison cells.

PSA = Caviar: For these people, they feel buying a graded card is like uselessly paying extra when they could just as easily buy the same card ungraded (or "raw") for less. A lot of true collectors still fall into this category, but ones who also have an open eye to either the investment aspect of sportscards, condition of a card, or both.

Sometimes these people are a little less savvy than they think they are, and would rather buy a Ex card raw for the same price as a PSA 6 (Ex-Mt) sells for. Many dealers leave their mid-grade cards raw for just this reason.

The truth is, mid-range PSA cards (your 4s, 5s, 6s) by now have an established market value. Sure, there are high-end and low-end cards for each grade, but that's where seeing a card in person helps too. Ungraded cards leave more potential for fudge room and bigger profit margins for dealers. Think of grandpa trying to sell his collection. No dealer will try to tell him his cards are all VG and thus tough to sell when they're encapsulated in 5 and 6 holders now will they? And those same cards aren't magically going to become "near mint" when the dealer is selling them either.

As you can tell, I hate dishonest dealers and dishonest people in general. This is a fun hobby, and also a profession for many people including myself. But I would rather work hard than be compromising my morals and cheating people.
I digress....

PSA = Meat and Potatoes: Yum, the discriminating collector who more than likely knows VgEx from Ex from ExMt. This person realizes that a good deal of the nicer vintage cards are graded by now and doesn't mind picking up cards that are graded or ungraded. Personally, it has been fun seeing collectors transition from one of the above categories to this one. They are aware of the changing hobby around them and don't have reservations about changing with it. They still enjoy collecting for nostalgic or personal reasons and might be set builders. These people have come to grips with the fact that you have to pay higher prices for nicer cards.

PSA = Coffee: Pardon me for saying these are the lovable crazies of the hobby. They need to have high-grade cards to get them going. Plus, everything else is junk. 8s are to wipe with unless it is a tobacco, caramel, Goudey, or other pre-war card. These collectors inject rocket fuel into the top end of the hobby. Usually anyone in this category has a name that ends with "MD," "Attorney," "CEO," "Astronaut," "Mob boss," or "Arabian prince." If I had one or two cards to sell to these people, my house would be paid off. Everyone here is as nutty about cards as the people in the Broccoli group, but since this end is so affluent, I'll call them "eccentric."

So, I haven't been paid off by PSA or anything. I just use PSA in this column because they are pretty much the established king of grading. Whether you'd like them or not, here are my thoughts while we're having a word about grading. Especially to anyone who is new to grading, please read on. One thing to remember with any company is that they are human. Mistakes can be made, but some companies make bigger and more frequent (and sometimes more blatant) mistakes than others.

PSA is the oldest cat on the block. I like their grading and it still remains a standard in hobby. Not only that, but the SMR (Sports Market Report) is as good of a guide as you can find for pricing on graded cards.
They are still the only graders who use "qualifiers" like OC=off-center, ST=stain, etc. Some people don't like them, but I feel it gives extra insight into a card, especially if you aren't actually holding the card in person. Other companies just deduct for a certain flaw. Therefore you may have expected just worn corners but found a big stain on the card or a horrible cut instead.

SGC is a company that has always played second fiddle. Their numbering system (88=8, 96=9, 50=4) tends to curl people's lip funny and I wish they would just swallow their pride and go to a 10, 9, 8 like everyone else.
Some people love their holders. Personally, I don't like that the insert touches the card so much. But past all that, they do an excellent job of grading, and I don't have a problem saying that they are overall more strict than PSA. Their cards don't always bring the same money PSA cards do, and collectors should embrace those facts as a double bonus.

GAI. I can't figure out how much of the market share is owned by GAI. They were founded by PSA's president and top vintage grader when they jumped ship from sunny Newport Beach. Their vintage card grading seems to be solid and popular. They have a system that goes by steps of 0.5, and a 9.5 equals PSA's 10, which is all a little corny to me.

BGS is Beckett's entry into the grading world. Through my experiences, I feel they jumped into card grading with only profit in mind, and luckily had a big name with a lot of credibility to back them. They have subgrades for centering, surface, corners and edges that usually leave a lot of room for debate and just plain head scratching.
They also sprouted two other companies - BVG for grading vintage cards (pre-1981), and BCCG for, well, I don't know why. In BCCG grading, 10s = "Mint or better." I believe this was created so people could advertise 10s on TV and sell substandard cards. I'm not a fan of any of their services.

Any other companies, you'll just have to risk it. Staying with the big boys certainly won't hurt you in the long term.

If there's one group I would like this to reach, it is the grading naysayers. Hopefully the next time you're at a show, you will take a peek at a raw mid-grade card a dealer has and then compare it to a graded mid-grade card and see that the cards and prices aren't so different after all. Most times you get the quality that you pay for. Just don't be afraid to open your eyes to something new.

As always - Have fun!
-T




tony@monstercards.net