CGC grading experience

Fred · #1 11-26-2025, 09:00 PM

I submitted (24) cards to CGC to see if I'd like their "product".

Submission was delivered to CGC at a show on 05SEP25. The cards were delivered to me on 26NOV25 (81 days - no complaints).

CGC slabs for "regular" cards (1957T and later, and smaller cards, e.g. T206) are slightly smaller than PSA or SGC (about 1/8" shorter and about 1/4" more narrow).

CGC slabs for oversized (T202, for example) are 1/4" x about 1/2" larger than the SGC or PSA equivalents.

Overall, the grading was strict. Yes, we'd all like to have higher grades, but I'm not going to fault them for being "tough". It's better than having something slabbed a 3 that should have been a 1.

There were (18) OJs graded. Most were not in a card condom. The "longer" ones (there were 5) were in a different style holder that used the card condoms. The cards without the sleeves look really good in the holder. The sleeves are a little distracting, but nothing to complain about. A request was made to put the pose number on the flip and they obliged.

What is really cool is there is a small QRC code on the back of the flip that takes you to the CGC site and tells you the cert#, year, manufacturer, card number, player name, attributes (in the case of the OJs, the pose number), grade, and graders notes (if applicable). That is pretty nice! EDITED TO ADD - I scrolled down further and a picture of both front/back of the card is provided.

Overall, I thought they did a decent job. The turn-around time was a little longer than anticipated, but it was only about 3 weeks longer than the time frame provided on the CGC website.

Does anybody else have an experience with CGC?
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bk400 · #2 11-27-2025, 10:28 AM

I think CGC is great. I've graded a number of postwar cards with them -- cards that I don't want to sell in the near team, but ones that I want graded by a firm that will likely survive beyond my years (CGC is owned by the largest private equity firm in the world, which isn't going anywhere).

They are what you'd expect from a professionally owned and operated outfit -- consistent, predictable. Personally, I find them to be a sensible alternative to PSA, especially if you are grading for a PC and not for immediate resale.

Over time, there will be alternatives to PSA that resonate in the market, and I think CGC is the clear #2.

puckpaul · #3 11-27-2025, 10:35 AM

Great to hear. PSA customer service is so poor and their prices outrageous, we need a strong alternative. Might give it a shot.

ValKehl · #4 11-27-2025, 10:50 AM

Fred, I'm pleased to learn of your experience with CGC. SGC has always been my TPG of choice, not that I'm big on getting cards graded. I intended to give SGC 100+ cards, including about 70 N172s, at the spring Chantilly Show (I won't ship cards to a TPG unless I have no other choice), but I procrastinated and didn't get this done. No problem, I figured, I'll sub the cards to SGC at the summer Chantilly Show. Wrong! SGC had quit doing shows! Then, I contacted CGC and asked if they would put the N172 pose number on the labels. CGC said no, but they were thinking about doing this in the future. Now that you have mentioned that CGC is now doing this and with SGC's future highly uncertain, I think I will give CGC a try.

skelly · #5 11-27-2025, 12:15 PM

I’ll go TAG grading over CGC. Just personally prefer the holders. Not a big fan of CGC.

Fred · #6 11-27-2025, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ValKehl

Fred, I'm pleased to learn of your experience with CGC. SGC has always been my TPG of choice, not that I'm big on getting cards graded. I intended to give SGC 100+ cards, including about 70 N172s, at the spring Chantilly Show (I won't ship cards to a TPG unless I have no other choice), but I procrastinated and didn't get this done. No problem, I figured, I'll sub the cards to SGC at the summer Chantilly Show. Wrong! SGC had quit doing shows! Then, I contacted CGC and asked if they would put the N172 pose number on the labels. CGC said no, but they were thinking about doing this in the future. Now that you have mentioned that CGC is now doing this and with SGC's future highly uncertain, I think I will give CGC a try.

The future is here!

After seeing what the QR code supplies on my phone, I'm sold on CGC as a card grading company. I'l probably be a walking talking billboard for them.

The following are (3) screen shots from my phone show what the QR code provides. All I had to do was scroll down the th picture, select the picture I wanted to view and then there it was. Edited to add - I guess the pics aren't showing up. But you'd be impressed with them!

cgc1.jpg

cgc2.jpg

cgc3.jpg

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Lucas00 · #7 11-27-2025, 01:00 PM

I would really like to see cgcs ability on oversized stuff. Do they do larger postcard sizes, what about 4x5, 6x9 sizes, do they do premium sizes up to 8x10 issues.

There is way too much incompetence with psa and grading anything that is large and rare. SGC I don't know at this point, if they even have their own research dept or if psa took that over. But I believe they probably did.

I've recently provided PSA enough information to prove pigs can fly on an issue and they still come back with a reply so lazy it hurts. I know CGC actually does research with some competency and you don't have to be a quite literal registry millionaire to get an issue graded.

I personally would love a n54 grading slab on oversized issues 😆. Hope Doug doesn't see this one.

Exhibitman · #8 11-27-2025, 03:29 PM

I have a pair of 1965 Anteojito cards of Pele and Ali. An Argentinean publishing company issued cut-out cards in a few of its monthly issues. Several of the cards are athletes, mostly locals, but Pele and Ali were included as the global icons that they are. Anteojitos are known to both soccer and boxing fanatics but finding them is a real chore; it took me years of scouring obscure sources to get them. None of the slabbers have graded any cards from the issue. Normally, SGC is my go-to with rare and obscure boxing. After SGC punted on a couple of semi-obscure issues, and not wanting to spend the tremendous cognitive effort it takes to get PSA to move their asses on anything out of the mainstream, I decided to take the cards to the National and go outside the Evil Empire and see if CGC would grade my Anteojitos.

Something really helpful that CGC had at the National was a grader on duty who would consult on potential submissions. Little in grading is more irritating than sending in a card and having it rejected and returned as ungradable for a reason that can be readily addressed with a little research, so this was a nice way of bypassing that situation. The CGC grader on duty said that they had no problem with the issue per se but recommended that I gather up and send them the research on the issue to help them. He also told me that the Pele could get a numerical grade because the cut lines were there but that the Ali would be an “A” at best because it was raggedly cut; I knew that already and was fine with it, I just wanted the card in a holder.

I gave them the cards and when I got home, I sent in a customer service inquiry about where to send the data. Another thing positive to say for CGC is that I got a clear, accurate response within 24 hours and after I sent in the data, an acknowledgment that the information I sent in had been received and would be passed on to the graders. It is a nice touch in an increasingly unresponsive industry.

The cards were graded accurately and returned on time. They look great.

I didn't even notice the bleedin' QR code; gonna have to try that...

Lorewalker · #9 11-27-2025, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred

CGC slabs for oversized (T202, for example) are 1/4" x about 1/2" larger than the SGC or PSA equivalents.

I exchanged messages with a few people at CGC right before the National and they told me that they did not have a tallboy holder. Did they finally release that holder? I know they allow Hakes to submit cards that fit in the tallboy holder but did not know it was not available to the general public.

I was only aware of the holder for regular sized cards--nothing larger than 2 5/8 x 3 3/4 or this jumbo holder https://www.cgccards.com/news/article/13107/

TornadoJake · #10 11-28-2025, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelly

I’ll go TAG grading over CGC. Just personally prefer the holders. Not a big fan of CGC.

TAG does not grade anything before 1989.

Jay Wolt · #11 11-28-2025, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TornadoJake

TAG does not grade anything before 1989.

Really? That's an interesting cutoff

BoxOfOldCards · #12 11-28-2025, 11:19 AM

For whatever reason I dont like the look of their holders. I collect mostly tobacco cards and love how they look in SGC holders and have come to accept PSA as well. I grade for PC and so if I get hit by a bus my wife knows what is what.

for whatever reason I would have a hard time trusting a high value vintage card in a CGC holder? anyone else feel the same?

Lorewalker · #13 11-28-2025, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxOfOldCards

For whatever reason I dont like the look of their holders. I collect mostly tobacco cards and love how they look in SGC holders and have come to accept PSA as well. I grade for PC and so if I get hit by a bus my wife knows what is what.

for whatever reason I would have a hard time trusting a high value vintage card in a CGC holder? anyone else feel the same?

I think I would have far more of an issue with a high value card in an SGC holder at this point since it seems PSA is winding them down. I have also seen a lot more high value cards in PSA and SGC holders that at least appear altered. Population on CGC high value cards is lower but I actually like what I have seen.

4815162342 · #14 11-28-2025, 12:29 PM

Did we ever get an answer to this?

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=354090

HOF_Forever · #15 Yesterday, 01:33 PM

How does everyone feel about the pre-war expertise of the graders at CGC? I'm looking for an alternative to SGC for my few and far between submissions since SGC is toast. Do we know anything about the experience of CGC's employees?

Lorewalker · #16 Yesterday, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOF_Forever

How does everyone feel about the pre-war expertise of the graders at CGC? I'm looking for an alternative to SGC for my few and far between submissions since SGC is toast. Do we know anything about the experience of CGC's employees?

I do not know who is on the CGC grading team other than Andy Broome but I think that Andy is really one of the better graders in the hobby. He is certainly one who seems to not play the politics games that seem to have existed with some past graders and some present graders at PSA and SGC.

robw1959 · #17 Yesterday, 03:26 PM

I've had two pre-war crossover experiences with CGC. The first was very positive, as a 1933 Goudey #92 Lou Gehrig CGC 3 crossed over to an SGC 3. However, the second was negative, as a T206 Christy Mathewson White Cap CSG 2.5 card was rejected by SGC as trimmed.

hawaiian bam bam · #18 Yesterday, 08:25 PM

CGC seems really, really good so far. Im really impressed with them and I like how each slab has a unique QR code that you can scan and it tabes you right to their website and displays the authentication info. A complete game changer. As long as CGC doesn’t sell out to collectors universe like SGC did, they will be a solid #2 behind PSA and the sky is the limit for them. I venture to say that if they continue their upward momentum and continue building their following, they will give PSA a run for their money in the next few years.

Exhibitman · #19 Today, 06:41 AM

FWIW, which ain't much, the CGC cards I've sold have done well. I was an early submitter to CSG (the branding misstep) and liked the results there too:

icurnmedic · #20 Today, 12:32 PM

I finally found the pricing on the website, but can't seem to find any turnaround times for each level. Anyone have that information?

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