SGC vs PSA

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Posted By: Marty

I was set up in Chicago last weekend. I have three T206 Green Cobbs, a SGC 10, SGC 40, and a PSA 3. The SGC40 and the PSA 3 were priced the same. I sold the PSA 3. I do not think that the holder is what sold that card. The SGC card has a longer more noticeable crease in it and presented better. I believe that the card sold more than the holder. I have been getting more of my inventory in SGC holders. From observation, I know that SGC and PSA will grade the same card differently. I send cards in to both services.

A few years ago on this board, several of the anti PSA members were trying to convince me that I was doing a disservice to the hobby by having most of my inventory in PSA holders. My feeling then is the same as it is now. My customers will decide what holders my inventory will be in. For the most part, my E cards will go to SGC while my T206 and T205 cards will go to PSA. Topps and Bowman go to PSA. Regionals are split.

There are collectors that will not even look at a card if it is not in the holder that they want. I have in the past, and will in the future cross cards from one service to the other for some of my customers. I will not try and cross over cards that are not cost effective to do like a T206 vg common.

Last year, I purchased 1200 graded cards. I went through them to see if I thought that I could bet some bumped up. Over all, there were very few; about 10 GAI cards, 10 PSA cards and 0 SGC cards. I do not think that the SGC cards were over graded, just that they were accurate. There were some GAI cards that I thought were over graded. For all I know, the person that I bought this lot from had already stripped the undergraded cards out.

Both SGC and PSA are viable grading services. My customers will decide which I use the most. There are aspects of both services that I have problems with, but the posting boards have not been a productive place to discuss the different services. They are too polarized.