Posted By:
JKNeal,
The gretzky pedigree is slightly different, I agree. However, the Mr. X pedigree is exactly the same - its a collection from an alleged big name collector who wanted to remain anonymous. If he had put his actual name on the slab, there wouldnt be any difference at all.
Finally, you can argue that whoever Mr. X is, his name isnt as big as nagy, carter, etc. That is most likely true. However, the fact remains that Mastro could have had all of those collections pedigreed and graded by psa and chose to do so with sgc instead.
PSA has offered a pedigree service since at least 2004. This is from a Joe Orlando newsletter that I found on their website (dated 2004):
"PSA will also offer a new “Pedigree” service that will allow collectors to personalize their labels. For example, the John Doe Collection may appear on the PSA label. In order to qualify for this service, each card and/or set will be evaluated on a case by case basis. This service will be reserved for “special” cards which must meet certain high-end or rare criteria. Please call for details. These Pedigree submissions must be approved in advance so call customer service today for more details."
In other words, given the choice to have a psa pedigree or an sgc pedigree, mastro chose sgc for both the carter and nagy collections. Apparently mastro must feel that sgc holds its own with respect to prices realized.