As a collector (primarily), I use CGC nowadays. They have the best looking slabs at the best price. I used to use a combination of SGC and CGC depending on the card or situation and now I think I’m out on SGC. I don’t grade to sell at this point and the PSA slab has always been a dud to me
Never graded personally but just bought previously graded cards (PSA, SGC, BGS, and TAG). TAG is interesting as it seems to take out some of the subjectivity with AI and their detailed reports. Those slabs look nice too. I always don’t understand the subjectivity, pop control rumors, upcharges when you have a high value, etc with PSA so I haven’t ever tried to grade but like you said PSA is still king.
Sgc is just giving away good grades now their standards have plummeted but they had no choice but to change. You can't grade the hardest while having poor resale value on modern stuff.
@@PIP-zf9yb I just got an order back from SGC on acetate cards & a crossover from a 9 & they absolutely hammered me. I'm a rather firm believer that acetate & canvas cards should routinely grade the highest just based on the medium they're printed on. I understand acetate cards can have factory scuffs, etc but these were rather clean. Got 8's & 8.5's. I think SGC should be reserved for vintage. I hope CGC becomes more respected than they are b/c their slabs are the cleanest/clearest & they're also the most affordable & quickest. Anything PC I'm sending to CGC...but I still want it to retain value. I also agree with @jasonhipkins in that PSA's increase in membership pricing is a deal breaker for me.
Prefer SGC for grading. If they would happen to go under I would probably switch to CGC. Feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy by claiming they will go under so you no longer use them thus making them go under. IMO the only reason PSA holds value is because people have collections in PSA slabs. I got back into collecting when PSA had year long wait times like you did. If I got back in at a different time maybe I would be all in on PSA but that entire situation turned me off to them. I prefer to have my cards in the same slab so SGC it is for the time being.
I have experimented with grading. Currently have cards in 10 different companies slabs. PSA has some of the cheapest looking slabs. I don’t flip cards, I am a collector. I don’t grade my very best cards because you can’t see them as well once they are slabbed. I have PSA slabs and I will only get future cards graded in PSA if I have no intension to keep the cards. If I get a card slabbed, I want it to look good so I can’t display it. I also do want to feel it is graded fairly. For my PC, it is TAG for anything 1989 and newer because they look great and I know exactly why they got the grade they receive. My best graded newer cards are in TAG slabs. For older cards, it is CGC all the way. They look great and I have found CGC grades to be more reasonable, especially with a group of cards I sent to all of the big four. Sorry this got long, but you asked for reasons, so I gave them. Thanks for all of your videos!!!!!
I agree with you 1000% TAG is the way to go absolutely BEST LOOKING slabs in the game and their TRANSPARENCY with their grading process is next level something you NEVER get from PSA also their points system is bad ass an much better than PSA again and the absolute best part is if you try to crack a card that was serial numbered out of a TAG slab an re submit its gonna come back with the same grade cause the AI system remembers the cards !! And the system doesn't CONTROL POP COUNTS LIKE THE HUMANS AT PSA !!! 🤷🤷🤷
I agree about SGC there is no reason for me to send my cards to SGC after the buyout. I stopped sending my cards to SGC for my pc now am trying out CGC and RARE EDITION love their slabs and great service
Vintage baseball, especially pre-War, SGC is still king. You cannot beat the grading consistency, turnaround, price, and customer service. In terms of resale, SGC is competitive with PSA for vintage baseball. PSA is impossibly unreliable grade-wise with vintage baseball to the point where you can not accurately predict what to expect.
If you want to light money on fire that's your choice. I think psa sucks but I send to them because that's what the market wants. I like cgc but no one respects them in the hobby and I can't give away stabbed cards from cgc
I understand your points, but the hobby needs a legitimate and successful alternative to PSA (I am not a PSA hater and have many PSA slabs and grade with them as well). I enjoy getting some cards graded, but most of my collection consists of lower priced cards (let's say most are under $250). The annual membership to PSA doesn't make sense in certain situations, especially if you don't plan on having at least 10 cards to submit together at the same time. In that case, spending $24.99 to grade a card versus $15 doesn't always make sense, especially if comps between SGC and PSA for said card aren't too far off (obviously only relevant if you plan to sell the card). I do collect vintage and grade mostly with SGC, as I do find PSAs vintage grading to be much less consistent than SGC. With some vintage cards, SGC sale prices are competitive with PSA. While I don't believe we need 6 or 7 grading companies, 2 or 3 successful ones would give collectors/hobbyists/flippers a choice.
There are legitimate alternatives to PSA, it's just split out by card type rather than all being one company. SGC is the vintage alternative. CGC is the Pokemon/nonsport alternative. BGS is the modern alternative. Admittedly, BGS in in shambles right now and none of the alternatives sell for PSA prices. Personally, I would love to see CGC step into that modern niche.
You are welcome to light money on fire and that's what your doing. If it's for pc then not a problem. I hate psa but I only use them because I'm not an idiot and don't like wasting money. For pc I do some sgc and some cgc
You’re always mentioning how you got in early on Sengun and got some golds and low numbered stuff. I would love to see a video of you showing off all the best cards in your collection
There's one reason, and the most important reason. Your card looking it's absolute best in the slab. Psa is not even top 3. If you've never had a TAG slab in hand, there's nothing nicer.
Not only are they nice slabs their transparent and their AI system doesn't worry about pop counts an personal collections like the PSA graders do !!! Their lack of transparency and customer service is why id never grade with them again !! Plus I like the way TAG packages and sends the slabs in their own individual packs like you're opening up a pack of cards it's a lil more suspense when learning your grades lol !! TAG for the win !! I'll personally never buy a PSA slabs !! 😂😂 Only hype boys care about PSA !!! 🤣🤣🤣🤷🤷🤷
I’m with you, there is just no reason to grade with anyone besides PSA. Look at the innovations coming from PSA in the last year alone. They are crushing the competition on every level and turnaround isn’t bad. I find that even a card I think I’ll keep forever, I may want to sell down the road to consolidate and move up. Maximum value is a must. I’m actively selling or crossing all my Beckett slabs. I don’t even want to look at them any more.
Ever heard of General Motors. Chevy, GMC, Cadillac and more are all brands under the GM umbrella. So, PSA and SGC can co exist and target different collectors under the CU umbrella…
You’re comparing cars to grading companies??? Cmon bud that’s a stretch. I’m a bigger car guy than I am a sports card collector so im not the guy you wanna bring that to. Thats a terrible comparison.
@ Easy. 1 - have good customer service, 2 - return cards ahead of schedule, 3 - not up charge to milk more fees - - - keep going…. That’s what I am saying, if u like the tux and are into vintage, SGC is a play for you. If you are a TCG or registry guy, PSA can be your jam. Just like how old people dig buicks, rich people rock caddies, and Chevy is for Everyman…
If I have 3-5 cards a year I want to grade PSA wants me to pay a membership fee. So SGC for $15 a card is the way for me. I don’t submit a lot of new cards because of the over print of almost all cards except for low number and SP and SSP
Another one bends the knee. Too bad. No one has any intestinal fortitude any more, it's sad. And yes, I am a PSA hater for good reasons. Does anyone here actually think that if PSA started their business today, they would get any traction? No, they would be laughed out of business. CGC to me is the best hands down. I like TAG as well but they lost me when they went to a 2 tier grading system. Actually, I don't know if I will ever use a grading company again, now that I think about it. But if I did, it would be with CGC.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The opinion of the majority, is that PSA gives more “value” to most cards. You still have the ability to use any grader you want or leave your cards ungraded.
As a collector (primarily), I use CGC nowadays. They have the best looking slabs at the best price. I used to use a combination of SGC and CGC depending on the card or situation and now I think I’m out on SGC. I don’t grade to sell at this point and the PSA slab has always been a dud to me
Never graded personally but just bought previously graded cards (PSA, SGC, BGS, and TAG). TAG is interesting as it seems to take out some of the subjectivity with AI and their detailed reports. Those slabs look nice too. I always don’t understand the subjectivity, pop control rumors, upcharges when you have a high value, etc with PSA so I haven’t ever tried to grade but like you said PSA is still king.
TAG is an interesting one. I need to do more digging on them.
The membership with PSA is the killer for me. SGC is what I use
Sgc is just giving away good grades now their standards have plummeted but they had no choice but to change. You can't grade the hardest while having poor resale value on modern stuff.
@@PIP-zf9yb I just got an order back from SGC on acetate cards & a crossover from a 9 & they absolutely hammered me. I'm a rather firm believer that acetate & canvas cards should routinely grade the highest just based on the medium they're printed on. I understand acetate cards can have factory scuffs, etc but these were rather clean. Got 8's & 8.5's. I think SGC should be reserved for vintage. I hope CGC becomes more respected than they are b/c their slabs are the cleanest/clearest & they're also the most affordable & quickest. Anything PC I'm sending to CGC...but I still want it to retain value. I also agree with @jasonhipkins in that PSA's increase in membership pricing is a deal breaker for me.
Prefer SGC for grading. If they would happen to go under I would probably switch to CGC. Feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy by claiming they will go under so you no longer use them thus making them go under. IMO the only reason PSA holds value is because people have collections in PSA slabs. I got back into collecting when PSA had year long wait times like you did. If I got back in at a different time maybe I would be all in on PSA but that entire situation turned me off to them. I prefer to have my cards in the same slab so SGC it is for the time being.
I have experimented with grading. Currently have cards in 10 different companies slabs. PSA has some of the cheapest looking slabs. I don’t flip cards, I am a collector. I don’t grade my very best cards because you can’t see them as well once they are slabbed. I have PSA slabs and I will only get future cards graded in PSA if I have no intension to keep the cards. If I get a card slabbed, I want it to look good so I can’t display it. I also do want to feel it is graded fairly. For my PC, it is TAG for anything 1989 and newer because they look great and I know exactly why they got the grade they receive. My best graded newer cards are in TAG slabs. For older cards, it is CGC all the way. They look great and I have found CGC grades to be more reasonable, especially with a group of cards I sent to all of the big four.
Sorry this got long, but you asked for reasons, so I gave them.
Thanks for all of your videos!!!!!
Hey man. Great post Jeff. I completely get all your points and you seem to have a great system for how you interact with grading. Cheers to you sir! 👍
I agree with you 1000% TAG is the way to go absolutely BEST LOOKING slabs in the game and their TRANSPARENCY with their grading process is next level something you NEVER get from PSA also their points system is bad ass an much better than PSA again and the absolute best part is if you try to crack a card that was serial numbered out of a TAG slab an re submit its gonna come back with the same grade cause the AI system remembers the cards !! And the system doesn't CONTROL POP COUNTS LIKE THE HUMANS AT PSA !!! 🤷🤷🤷
I agree about SGC there is no reason for me to send my cards to SGC after the buyout. I stopped sending my cards to SGC for my pc now am trying out CGC and RARE EDITION love their slabs and great service
Great points and video bro! I agree 💯 with you on all you said. 🤘🏼
Vintage baseball, especially pre-War, SGC is still king. You cannot beat the grading consistency, turnaround, price, and customer service. In terms of resale, SGC is competitive with PSA for vintage baseball. PSA is impossibly unreliable grade-wise with vintage baseball to the point where you can not accurately predict what to expect.
Yeah see and vintage isn’t an aren I play in. My oldest card is a 1986 fleet Olajuwon.
I prefer vintage cards for SGC and newer card for CGC. Im sorry brother i don't trust PSA.
Don’t get me wrong my trust in them isn’t too high. But from time to time their inability to grade correctly works in my favor. lol
If you want to light money on fire that's your choice. I think psa sucks but I send to them because that's what the market wants. I like cgc but no one respects them in the hobby and I can't give away stabbed cards from cgc
I understand your points, but the hobby needs a legitimate and successful alternative to PSA (I am not a PSA hater and have many PSA slabs and grade with them as well). I enjoy getting some cards graded, but most of my collection consists of lower priced cards (let's say most are under $250). The annual membership to PSA doesn't make sense in certain situations, especially if you don't plan on having at least 10 cards to submit together at the same time. In that case, spending $24.99 to grade a card versus $15 doesn't always make sense, especially if comps between SGC and PSA for said card aren't too far off (obviously only relevant if you plan to sell the card). I do collect vintage and grade mostly with SGC, as I do find PSAs vintage grading to be much less consistent than SGC. With some vintage cards, SGC sale prices are competitive with PSA. While I don't believe we need 6 or 7 grading companies, 2 or 3 successful ones would give collectors/hobbyists/flippers a choice.
There are legitimate alternatives to PSA, it's just split out by card type rather than all being one company.
SGC is the vintage alternative.
CGC is the Pokemon/nonsport alternative.
BGS is the modern alternative.
Admittedly, BGS in in shambles right now and none of the alternatives sell for PSA prices. Personally, I would love to see CGC step into that modern niche.
TAG
Star Wars & Vintage for SGC for me. Also depends on their specials.
I will not grade with PSA. SGC is the only company I will use. PSA can suck it
You are welcome to light money on fire and that's what your doing. If it's for pc then not a problem. I hate psa but I only use them because I'm not an idiot and don't like wasting money. For pc I do some sgc and some cgc
You’re always mentioning how you got in early on Sengun and got some golds and low numbered stuff. I would love to see a video of you showing off all the best cards in your collection
I don’t trust PSA to grade my card correctly.
The only problem with PSA I have is prices. I only prefer CGC for slabs over PSA.
There's one reason, and the most important reason. Your card looking it's absolute best in the slab. Psa is not even top 3. If you've never had a TAG slab in hand, there's nothing nicer.
Not only are they nice slabs their transparent and their AI system doesn't worry about pop counts an personal collections like the PSA graders do !!! Their lack of transparency and customer service is why id never grade with them again !! Plus I like the way TAG packages and sends the slabs in their own individual packs like you're opening up a pack of cards it's a lil more suspense when learning your grades lol !! TAG for the win !! I'll personally never buy a PSA slabs !! 😂😂 Only hype boys care about PSA !!! 🤣🤣🤣🤷🤷🤷
@jahmanglass5 yeah I've always said you're screwed if the grader has the card you're getting graded. He's not lowering his own value.
I’m with you, there is just no reason to grade with anyone besides PSA. Look at the innovations coming from PSA in the last year alone. They are crushing the competition on every level and turnaround isn’t bad. I find that even a card I think I’ll keep forever, I may want to sell down the road to consolidate and move up. Maximum value is a must. I’m actively selling or crossing all my Beckett slabs. I don’t even want to look at them any more.
Ever heard of General Motors. Chevy, GMC, Cadillac and more are all brands under the GM umbrella. So, PSA and SGC can co exist and target different collectors under the CU umbrella…
You’re comparing cars to grading companies??? Cmon bud that’s a stretch. I’m a bigger car guy than I am a sports card collector so im not the guy you wanna bring that to. Thats a terrible comparison.
@ I’m comparing umbrella companies with subsidies. You as a corporate guy should understand…
Each sub company offers a different service or product that caters to a different market segment. It’s chess not checkers…
Name one thing that SGC can do that PSA can’t?
@ Easy. 1 - have good customer service, 2 - return cards ahead of schedule, 3 - not up charge to milk more fees - - - keep going…. That’s what I am saying, if u like the tux and are into vintage, SGC is a play for you. If you are a TCG or registry guy, PSA can be your jam. Just like how old people dig buicks, rich people rock caddies, and Chevy is for Everyman…
If I have 3-5 cards a year I want to grade PSA wants me to pay a membership fee. So SGC for $15 a card is the way for me. I don’t submit a lot of new cards because of the over print of almost all cards except for low number and SP and SSP
Who are you?
I know its a long shot but i'm still crossing my fingers that HGA makes a comeback
Another one bends the knee. Too bad. No one has any intestinal fortitude any more, it's sad. And yes, I am a PSA hater for good reasons. Does anyone here actually think that if PSA started their business today, they would get any traction? No, they would be laughed out of business. CGC to me is the best hands down. I like TAG as well but they lost me when they went to a 2 tier grading system. Actually, I don't know if I will ever use a grading company again, now that I think about it. But if I did, it would be with CGC.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The opinion of the majority, is that PSA gives more “value” to most cards. You still have the ability to use any grader you want or leave your cards ungraded.
Hga got their 15 ninutes of fame now they are irrelevant and fighting for scraps
HGA is out of business completely