PSA August Special - Is it Special?
 

I recently joined PSA's Collectors Club and just got my first batch of cards back (some good, some disappointed). I have another 50-100 cards that I might want to get graded down the line.

The August "Special" for PSA is:

- $8/card
- $100 max value
- 30 day turnaround

I lack the context to know if this is "special" or not. My gut says it is not very special and, as I am in no hurry to get things graded, to wait.

Thoughts? Is there a specific time of year that the pricing tends to be better?

Certainly not their most attractive offer ever. I'm guessing it's due to the fact that with the national they are swamped right now so they don't really need to offer a great deal at the moment. pretty much all spring they had $6 and $6.50 specials.

Jim,
Your question really depends on what you are grading. What I mean is, if you have 100 1990 Topps cards to grade, infrequently there are $6/card specials for those years (usually break at 1956 and above), at 50 business days. You can also submit with the "bulk service" at $7/ card for 50 days (for all years). If you are grading 100 T206 commons, finding specials for these years are tougher, sometimes $7/card, or use bulk. The only real benefit of the current $8/card special is:
1.If you only have 10 cards regular size and 10 tall boy size and you don't think you will get to a 25 or 50 card minimum that most specials need
2. You can't stand the 50 business day bulk or special and are willing to pay an extra $1-2 for a 30-day return.

Hope this clarifies the mud,
Dave

It's a repeat of last month. Not really "special" at all. Wait for greener pastures.

Trust your gut instinct here :)

August Specials are never going to be the best with the National Week kicking it off.

Who decides value? On the $100 max value deal, if you have a card you think you could sell for say $200, what if you "value" it at $100 to get the deal?

I joined for the first time several months ago. In addition to the 15 freebies I already had graded, I've got about 80 more cards I'd like to get graded. I'm waiting on the right time to jump on it. I've been keeping track of monthly specials since I joined. See below:

April - $5.75/card, 25 min, $100 max value, years 1960-2000...same deal for 1959 and earlier except $6.25/card. Also a $7/card no minimum, $150 max, all year special

May - $6/card, 25 min, $100 max value, 1956-present..same deal for 1955 and earlier except $6.50/card. Also had the same $7/card special as april.

June - Same first two specials as May ($6 for 1956-present, $6.50 for pre-'56) but the third special was $20/card all years, no minimum, $250 max value

July - $8/card no minimum, all years, $100 max value. Also a ticket grading special

August - same as July with the addition of the $20/card, $250 max value offered in June.


So my opinion is April has been the best special so far.

Also, in reply to the previous question about max values. My understanding of it is that you value your cards at what you think they're worth (use SMR, eBay sales, Beckett, whatever...). If they get lost or damaged, PSA's liability is capped at your declared value. So I wouldn't worry too much about submitting a card that you think would sell for $150 on the $100 max value special, but sending a $500 card might be pushing it. It's my understanding they'll grade everything you send on the specials but if anything's damaged or lost then you may have a problem.

There is more misinformation about this topic than, I think, any other with regards to grading.

There are tons of people who believe if you don't value a card high enough you won't get a good grade.

The value is strictly what you would like to receive to replace the card should it be lost or damaged. If you low-ball yourself you are playing with fire, but it has NO bearing on the grade.

I have been submitting to PSA for a LONG time and have never noticed any correlation between valuations and grades. My last submission I valued everything at or below $500 which was more than enough to protect my investment. I got back a 1965 Topps Mantle in 8 (will sell for somewhere around 3k) and a Seaver Rookie in 7 (will sell for around 1k) I always set my value at an amount I need to protect myself if the unthinkable happens, NOT at a value I hope they achieve.

I have even see many say put down the value of the card as you would expect to pay for it (or did pay for it) raw, as it's basically a replacement value.

I have heard that if you do something egregious, or the cards get grades that move them way out of the value cap, that PSA will upgrade those cards to the proper service level so that they get the right insurance amount when sent back to you. But they will email/call you before that.

I put it a solid raw replacement value on my cards, and I've never had a problem.

Thank you! As I prepare my first two submissions, I was wondering that very thing. If I hope a card is a 9, but know it could come back a 8 or even lower should I value it to my belief or if I value it as a 7, will it affect my grade with them thinking I don't believe in the card?

Based on your answer, I'm thinking too damned much! Which sadly is normal for me. I had even tried to find answers on the exact process to try and find out if the graders even know what valuation you gave. I couldn't find anything. But what you said makes sense. I know they have someone check in your cards, inventory them and enter them into the system. Don't they give them #'s so the graders don't even know whose cards they are grading?

I do have question about centering and the exact process. Does anyone know how they measure, what they use, etc? I've been using a rigid metal ruler with cork on the bottom and using mm and a spreadsheet to get the ratio. I've tried to guess in 1/4 mm increments if it wasn't exactly on the line. Am I on the right track? Anyone know that process?

The reason I check the centering is because I may not submit a card if it doesn't qualify. for example, a 1985 McGwire Olympic card. In a PSA 10, it's selling for good money. In a 9, not so much. I don't want to submit one that is automatically a 9 before it even gets to the grading.

Lastly, and maybe this deserves its own thread.... What are people's thoughts about choosing "no qualifier" and allowing them to do a straight grade? I have a few high end cards that to me are 8 or 9 quality, but the cut/centering is such by my measurements it could be no higher than a 7. It seems to me, that a really nice straight 7 would command more than an 8 or 9 (OC). I'm talking mostly 50's and 60's vintage and yes, max value is important to me as some of these may be sold. Thoughts?

If it qualifies as a 7 without a qualifier, they won't give it 8(OC). They would probably give it a 9(OC) unless you request no qualifiers, presuming the card is mint otherwise. I would rather get a 9(OC) than a 6 if they determine the centering deserves a 6. I'd rather have the highest registry score on my cards, and figure that resale value will fall in line.

I'm glad someone posted this because I have been weighing on offering up special PSA pricing to the board, but I didn't know what kind of demand there would be or what service levels/pricing you guys would prefer.

I know there are people who don't care when their stuff gets back and then there are some who are just living and dying by every second their card isn't in their hands.

I'd like some feedback on this so feel free to post further on here or PM me. I may end up starting my own thread on this as well.

Can you be more specific as to how you are "...weighing on offering up special PSA pricing to the board,....". Why and how can you do this? Sorry if I am missing something. Thanks.

I have heard on here, time and time again, don't get your hopes up.

Many have said, if you think your cards are 8's or 9's then they'll like come back 6's and 7's.

I have never sent any in but I have seen grades all over the map so it's best to set your expectations on the low side so your not as disappointed.

I noticed this card tonight, and although I know scans don't always tell the whole story, this one, like many others from PSA, left me again scratching my head? :confused:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-Topps-3...042?rmvSB=true

I have access and ability to submit on an account that has pricing that's much better than what is normally available to the general public and no minimum amount to submit for the pricing/turnaround times and the card value requirements aren't as low i.e. max of $100 card value for their "specials" doesn't apply to what I have.

I've extended special pricing for BGS/BVG to several members here recently with good success so I've been thinking about doing the same with PSA.

I'm open. PM me with options when you decide what you want to do.
Chris

Understood. I've tried like hell to temper my expectations and hope I am being overly critical in most cases. Most of my cards will fall in the 5-7 range I believe. The only way to learn is send them in and see what happens, but I do completely understand what you are saying.

The top and bottom borders are, 70-30, 80-20?? Hard to tell but the card looks to be cut on an angle. Looking at the card, the left border seems to taper a bit, from bottom to top. Well, over a decade ago, I submitted a 63 Fleer Koufax which I believed to be a 7 or 8. It came back a 5. I was shocked. I purchased a loupe and notice the imperfect corners and surface scratches that could not be seen with the naked eye. It was a fair grade, tough, but fair.

I would be interested with several hundred cards if available. PM Me

Like I mentioned, scans don't always tell the whole story, but I have seen, imo, numerous times, way to many inconsistencies.
The way I look at it, which could be off side thinking, is, if a card is such that you need a loupe to see defects, it should grade higher than cards that don't need a loupe.

These cards, for example, which are fairly recently graded, it is easy to see the inconsistencies but they graded higher than Sleater?