PSA Grading of Unopened Packs from 1948 to 1970

[Griffins]

because PSA's holders don't properly protect the pack from movement, or from gum moving inside the pack.

[packs]

If life can protect a pack with broken gum from being ripped apart by the gum, so can any case you choose to put it in. I can see an argument for not grading packs with tears, but if a pack hasn't been torn from just being in the world, it's not going to tear if it's put into a holder either.

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by packs

If life can protect a pack with broken gum from being ripped apart by the gum, so can any case you choose to put it in. I can see an argument for not grading packs with tears, but if a pack hasn't been torn from just being in the world, it's not going to tear if it's put into a holder either.

Uh...my money's on Anthony with this one.

[swarmee]

No, that's the reason they used to not do it. I think they were making their pack slabs better in order to grade packs with broken/shifting gum, but am not sure if they are yet. Call them.

[botn]

Originally Posted by swarmee

No, that's the reason they used to not do it. I think they were making their pack slabs better in order to grade packs with broken/shifting gum, but am not sure if they are yet. Call them.

I spoke with Steve Hart about this not too long ago and packs with loose or broken gum are no longer a problem to grade.

[Steve_NY]

If Steve Hart has indicated that PSA will now grade packs with broken gum or moving gum, that is terrific news. I have some packs that look brand new that have broken gum. It would help if the PSA grading standards were revised to reflect this detail. Personally, I would prefer a pack with broken gum than a pack with holes in the corners. I would rather have a complete pack with no broken gum, but sometimes the availability is just not there, and you have to settle for second best. Sometimes you also settle for the pack with holes in the corner. Either way, as long as there is no evidence of resealing, than this would be the optimum situation.

Also, has PSA approved changes in their holders that do no damage to the packs themselves? My concern is that many graded packs that I have seen just don't really look like they belong in the grade they were assigned, which signals to me that the pack was damaged by PSA themselves, when they loaded them into the holder. Has this issue been dealt with properly?

[botn]

My guess is that you have seen packs that might appear to be over graded due to the fact the loose or broken gum slid around and damaged the wrappers. The reason that PSA is now willing to grade packs with loose or broken gum IS because that is no longer a factor which implies to me that they resolved the problem with packs or gum moving in the holder.