I switched to sgc this summer, and I have been very happy with approx 100 submissions. I am a small time collector who rarely sells, so I buy holders to enjoy aesthetically today, ensure that my ebay and card show purchases are authentic and unaltered, and facilitate a sale in the future.
The SGC grades have been averaging exactly where I anticipated. I feel the grades on 90% of my cards were within one point + or - of where my friend and I thought; we recorded the grades beforehand to test. The remaining cards came back with mostly lower grades, but I could see how I underestimated most of those cards' shortcomings. I had hopes that some were 8's, but I got only one. I just don't have a strong enough eye to find those gems in vintage. I have cracked three other TPG cards and submitted for a +2, +2.5, and same grade. Of course there is a selection problem in attributing that SGC was somehow "easier", for I had only cracked what I thought was undergraded elsewhere. I submitted two other cards for regrade, where one got a +.5 and the other held steady. The grader kindly noted the card's subtle flaw so I didn't feel burned.
Overall, as a small time hobby and nonexpert collector, I've been pleased with my SGC grades. I don't feel that they lower my grades because I am not submitting large numbers for grading.
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