PSA Question.......................................

[theseeker]

Once more I would like to call upon this knowledgable, generous group with a 1970 Kellogg's PSA graded set question. I have two cards in the set, graded PSA 8, both having two horizontal cracks running the width of the card. Could PSA have caused this damage while placing the curl-prone cards into the slab and simply shipped them back, as is?

Also, many of the slabs have cloudy, white (pressure?) marks on the faces of the slabs. Is this a telltale sign of tampering? None of my other PSA graded cards have this. I know PSA has an expensive machine for sealing slabs. I also have read the stories of slabs being opened by unethical sellers in order to replace the existing card with one of lesser value and sealing the slab back up with some very crude methods, including vises-- hence the marks?

And lastly, on the backs of eight of the PSA graded cards the background color is a very light shade of blue, with tiny white dots blended in, resembling denim. Before buying this set I've only seen the familiar solid, dark blue background. Simply a PSA variation or a sign of fraud?

[J.McMurry]

I'm certainly no expert relating to the ends n outs of graded cards,especially PSA,but this is not the first time I have heard of problems with the Kelloggs cards. I personally believe those cards are just prone to eventually crack with age whether encapsulated or not,so thats one set I wont touch,graded or raw.

as far as the other marks around the plastic, sounds like the normal sealing marks,but cant be sure without seeing an example.

I'm sure some others can be of more help on this subject.

[David W]

I've cracked Kelloggs cards putting them in hard holders, so I have no doubt they would crack in a slab.

I doubt however that anyone would try to remove PSA 8 1970 Kelloggs from a PSA holder and switch them, they just aren't valuable enough, I wouldn't think. PSA 8's from 1970 are all over EBAY for less than the grading fees.

[theseeker]

That makes perfect sense. Thanks to both of you. But, what about the light blue colored PSA back. Anybody know the origins of this variation.

[lsutigers1973]

Most Kelloggs cards are curled. When they are slabbed, they are obviously flattened out. Eventually many of them will crack.

I have subbed many of them to PSA and even a small crack knocks it down to a 6. Also have had quite a few that came back 9 or 10 that eventually cracked after slabbing.

[theseeker]

OK, OK I get the concept. Very prone to curling and eventual cracking. But, I really have a fondness for these cards, the only sustained '70's Topps alternative.

Beyond that, I've already invested in every Kellogg's set 1970 thru 1975. The '71 and '75 didn't come cheap. So please, any suggestions on the best methods of storage. What holder is best? Any ideal temperature? Is temperature fluxuation from summer to winter an issue? ect. Thanks

[David W]

I've got some Kelloggs sets in 9 pocket plastic pages in binders, they don't seem to crack in there.

They do curl up some, but that probably keeps them from cracking.

I've also got some in hard top loaders that have never cracked after years
in a top loader.

And as stated earlier I've cracked them putting them in top loaders.

Frankly, I like them best in pages in albums.

As for the 75's, it seems to me that they are overly succeptible to cracking, much more so than any other set.

[theseeker]

Sorry to hear about the '75's, the second scarcest of the K. issues, with the 3rd not even coming close. I have a NR-MT set, so I will give your suggestions a try. Thanks again.