Memory Lane

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Tony, the PSA Registry started in 2001. The decline in SGC prices is much more recent than that.

And I would add, I don't think most guys spending big bucks these days are set builders or registry folks.

That may be true, but they realize that they may some day sell the cards to a registry collector so they might as well opt for the registry friendly TPG.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

That may be true, but they realize that they may some day sell the cards to a registry collector so they might as well opt for the registry friendly TPG.

I really don't think that has much to do with the prices we're seeing on the elite and centered cards. I think those values are independent of the registry.

No question the registry was a key part of building the brand, but I think it's only one of many factors now at play.

[Orioles1954]

Only people I know actively collecting or submitting to SGC are pre-war collectors. Very small niche of the hobby.

[CMIZ5290]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

Only people I know actively collecting or submitting to SGC are pre-war collectors. Very small niche of the hobby.

And having said that, here's the irony about that....You can buy T206 SGC 84's for $350-375 range....PSA 7's are more like $525-675....I think that says it all....

[Bram99]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

And having said that, here's the irony about that....You can buy T206 SGC 84's for $350-375 range....PSA 7's are more like $525-675....I think that says it all....

I think we have turned this into a PSA vs. SGC thread and I didn't mean to. I do like to root for the underdog and would love there to be more than one reliable authority to compete for the grading business on vintage cards. I am rooting for an upstart if SGC can't recover.

[CMIZ5290]

Originally Posted by Bram99

I think we have turned this into a PSA vs. SGC thread and I didn't mean to. I do like to root for the underdog and would love there to be more than one reliable authority to compete for the grading business on vintage cards. I am rooting for an upstart if SGC can't recover.

Tony, I hear you.....But, if SGC doesn't rebound, the odds of another grading company are pretty slim. I'm not sure that all of SGC's recent multiple holder and grading changes was the best thing....Joe Orlando I'm sure is loving all of this....

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

Tony, I hear you.....But, if SGC doesn't rebound, the odds of another grading company are pretty slim. I'm not sure that all of SGC's recent multiple holder and grading changes was the best thing....Joe Orlando I'm sure is loving all of this....

From what I understand SGC is now also a very small operation basically running on a skeleton crew. BGS is giving PSA a good run for modern cards...especially with their "black label" concept which rolled out in 2015.

[T206Collector]

If PSA is the only company doing business, you can expect their quality to decline like any monopoly with significant barriers to entry.