PSA OR SGC?????

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Posted By: Brian H

Apart from the escapades of the folks at AAA and NASA debating the grading companies is the most common recurrent topic on this board.
From these debates and my own observations I have come to the following conclusions:
1. The vocal majority (I don't know about the lurkers) is generally pro-SGC. But that must be qualified -- they are pro-SGC primarily with respect to Vintage (pre WWII and earlier) and as collectors more than investors. One of the primary reasons is that all of these cards are reviewed by Derek Grady. Derek Grady has been SGC primary vintage grader for some time (although not the whole time SGC was in operations). During that time PSA has apparently employed at least 3 different graders (hence less consistency many believe.)
PSA also has made more clear mistakes than SGC on Vintage cards. To some extent this results from the fact that they have graded many more cards. However, I think that they have also been rather careless compared to SGC.
2. #1 is not the same as saying that vintage SGC cards are necessarily worth more than PSA cards. The truth is that there are collectors (primarily PSA set builders) who prefer and only bid on PSA cards. Some of these folks put big dollars into PSA cards. On the whole I would say that PSA cards are still a bit ahead on price in the Vintage are -- but that is a very general conclusion and I think theat the gap is shrinking.
3. PSA is far more dominant in the 1948-1980 market and I think that PSA graded cards of this era are prefered by the market to those graded by its competitors. Also this part of the market is less comfortable with SGC's grading scale which incorporates centering into the overall grade rather than using qualifiers (OC etc.) (I also think that PSA is more strict on the centering of the backs of cards).
4. The market for cards since 1980 generally prices similarly graded cards by Beckett above both PSA and SGC. (SGC and GAI seem to trail PSA here).

Most Importantly as Leon said: "Buy the cards not the holders." If you decide to sell you can always have the card regraded if you think the holder will determine your profit.