New PSA prices

[TobaccoKing4]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Doubtful. PSA's entire model is wishful thinking: almost anyone who submits a card, especially a pack-fresh modern card, is thinking of one thing only--freakish spontaneous wealth. If the TPGod labels my LeBron RC a 10 I make thousands of dollars, even after PSA reneges on my contract and holds it hostage for a higher fee than agreed. The few who aren't thinking of the money are thinking of their registry positions or their set compositions. Please sir, may I have a 10? Those people are the ones who will probably quit, but overall they are a pimple on the elephant's backside compared to the gamblers.


I've done it too, so I am not throwing rocks in glass houses. I paid an 'upcharge' a few years ago when my Russell RC came in a grade above what I thought it would. Happily, I might add, since the $25 fee increase bought me a $400 value increase.

This touches on something that I was wondering. What is the stated value supposed to represent? The value of the card raw, the value it would get with a reasonably predicted grade, etc?

[Kaneen]

Originally Posted by TobaccoKing4

This touches on something that I was wondering. What is the stated value supposed to represent? The value of the card raw, the value it would get with a reasonably predicted grade, etc?

I'm not 100% sure on the grading side of things (as I haven't submitted cards strictly for grading), but on the PSA/DNA side of the business with autograph authentication/grading, the "stated value" is supposed to be "what the item would sell for AFTER PSA has done it's work." And here's the real beauty of this ridiculous (subjective, speculative) pricing model...they sometimes have your item in backlog for months, so in this volatile market the "value" can change drastically from the time you submitted until the time their work is done. And if it does, they can hold your item and come back and upcharge you for the new current "value." It's good to be the King! lol

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by Kaneen

I'm not 100% sure on the grading side of things (as I haven't submitted cards strictly for grading), but on the PSA/DNA side of the business with autograph authentication/grading, the "stated value" is supposed to be "what the item would sell for AFTER PSA has done it's work." And here's the real beauty of this ridiculous (subjective, speculative) pricing model...they sometimes have your item in backlog for months, so in this volatile market the "value" can change drastically from the time you submitted until the time their work is done. And if it does, they can hold your item and come back and upcharge you for the new current "value." It's good to be the King! lol

If you submit a card and pay based on an expected grade of lets say a 6 - they will upcharge you if it happens to grade higher, but I have never heard of them reducing the charge if the grade came in lower - wouldn't that make the pricing model a whole lot more fair??!!

[rats60]

Originally Posted by hcv123

If you submit a card and pay based on an expected grade of lets say a 6 - they will upcharge you if it happens to grade higher, but I have never heard of them reducing the charge if the grade came in lower - wouldn't that make the pricing model a whole lot more fair??!!

I have had cards grade higher and not be up charged. For example, I sent in an OPC Lemieux RC and it came back a 9, no upcharge.

[TobaccoKing4]

Originally Posted by rats60

I have had cards grade higher and not be up charged. For example, I sent in an OPC Lemieux RC and it came back a 9, no upcharge.

How would you value a card with no sales history? I just purchased two rare cards (one uncatalogued) and have no idea what to input for the stated values.

[DanP]

Originally Posted by TobaccoKing4

How would you value a card with no sales history? I just purchased two rare cards (one uncatalogued) and have no idea what to input for the stated values.

I’m not sure this is the correct answer, but I would value them as what I would want to receive from an insurance claim if they were lost or damaged during the PSA submission process.