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Posted By: JimB

I just wanted to relate a story about Joe Orlando and PSA. I will preface this with saying that I think PSA generally does a fine job of grading with a few exceptions and I am really not a fan of all the PSA bashing that goes on here. But this experience really pissed me off. I called Friday morning asking to speak with Joe Orlando. I was put through to his voicemail and left a message. I called a couple hours later after not hearing from him and again was put through to his voicemail. I called back and asked if he was in the office because I just kept getting his voice mail (I had called his extension several other times and just hung up when I got his voicemail.). They told me he was in, but he might be on the phone. Finally after several more attempts over the course of about three hours of trying his extension and just getting a voicemail, I called the operator again and explained the situation and asked if there was any way I could speak with him. This time I was put through to his secretary who said he was on the phone. I said I would be happy to wait and she responded that she could not put me on hold. She asked what I wanted to speak with him about. I was a little surprised that his calls needed to be screaned, but I told her that I wanted to discuss grading possibilities with him regarding a very valuable, one of a kind card. She said she would convey the message and get back to me. She called back about 5 minutes later and said I would have to send the card in, that they could not answer over the phone. I told her that he may be able to answer over the phone if she would let me talk to him so that I could explain what the card was. She asked what it was. I described it briefly, but did not giver her enough information to generate a quality answer. I did not think she was going to take the information and presume to ask the question for me. I thought I would be conveying enough information that he would at least take my call. She came back and said they would not grade it. The card is ALREADY in a PSA Authentic holder and has been for more than five years. My question, which never got conveyed, was whether their policies may have since changed with regards to this card and others like it such that they would now give it a numerical grade. I never got an answer to that question since I never got the opportunity to ask it. I was appalled by the arrogance and shabby treatment. Does Joe Orlando think he is so important that he needs handlers to deal with the public for him? My question for him would have taken three minutes of his time.

In contrast, when I called SGC about the issue and asked to speak with Dave Foreman, I was told he was with somebody and asked if I could call back in ten minutes or if I would prefer, he would call me back right away. I called back ten minutes later and was put right through. Dave was courteous, listened to my description of the card and question and gave a thorough explanation of how they deal with such circumstances.

I just thought I would relay this bit of my personal experience.
JimB


edited for spelling