And with that, I am out of the grading game.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by yanks87

I'm cheap, I said it. I got into grading for the protection and pedigree aspect. My collection has more "Authentic" and 1's than anything else, so the spike in grading fees has pinched me out of things as it is, but with PSA now saying that their economy grading at $30 a card, (20 card minimum), nothing older than 1996, I am officially out. I sent in an order 15 months ago, (in quality check 2 now, woohoo?!) at $20 a card, and hated myself in the morning for doing that. I also got talked into sending in an order at $50 a card, my wife hated me in the morning after that one, but with high dollar cards going in I could justify it, sorta?!

Grading cards is now an expensive game, more expensive that the cards in some cases which seems counterintuitive, and I feel like PSA is leading the charge for playing the "look how much better we make your card" game. They are leaning in hard on the perceived value of their service, and I think it catches up with them sooner rather than later with the emergence of other graders that are starting to get a footing in the market. In my mind, all the talk of expanding services, more graders, new facilities was a PR move. I know they are expanding, but it looks more like a move to appease shareholders than customers. If they would have expanded their system, made one office solely for modern, one for vintage and kept their prices less than $20, they would rule the world of grading. But it seems like everyone else in the realm, they have been drinking their own Kool-Aid and are consumed with the self importance of the service and a high demand (*cough cough* capitalism).

I had resigned to the fact that I would now not be grading any more of my kitschy cards with no one grading for less than $20 a card, and with this last announcement I am officially out. The cost of grading out paces values of a lot of my cards, so it is back to old school ways of protecting the cards. I wonder if the inevitable "bubble burst" that everyone is predicting hits the grading services first? When demand cools as bulk submissions go down, profits will dip, and by that time I would imagine that the "hair on fire" approach to getting all cards graded will also cool. Once again, it seems, at least in my cheap mind that big business has built a system to maximize money in the current climate, turning a blind eye to building a system that would set them up for now and the long haul. We will have to wait and see.

Very perceptive and thought-provoking post. PSA and SGC have become victims of their own success and, at the same time, become arrogant and indifferent to customer service. I applaud your decision.

[Exhibitman]

Prices will drop as they finish off the demand and have excess capacity. the NJ facility is coming online soon and that will increase capacity even more. They appear to be adopting demand-based pricing, like an airline or a LV casino hotel. TPGs are businesses; they aim to make money. You'd have to be an idiot to price your services at $10 when you can readily get $30. I am seriously contemplating paying $100 a card () to have a half dozen raw cards done at PSA. They've gone through the roof and I want to cash out; it just makes sense to spend $100 per to lock in the potential profit.

As for the nature of the game, expensive card collecting, like art collecting, is a wealthy person's hobby now. I am in on some of it only because I got the cards decades ago. I could not afford today to buy what I have, which is one reason I won't part with it easily. Also why I got into boxing and other sports and even non-sports about 20 years ago: priced out of the baseball cards I wanted to collect. Except for Pele cards and a few scattered cards in other sports (Jack Johnson boxing cards), that stuff is still very reasonable.

[parkplace33]

I truly believe this $30 for 1996 and newer is a test run to see how many cards they can get. If it works, keep it. If it doesn’t, expand the year range.

Psa wants no part of what happened two years ago (the great flood). They don’t want massive amounts of cards coming in. Hell, I don’t think they want low dollar cards coming in. It seems they are focusing on modern and will continue in the future.

[yanks87]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Very perceptive and thought-provoking post. PSA and SGC have become victims of their own success and, at the same time, become arrogant and indifferent to customer service. I applaud your decision.

Thanks John, we will see what happens. I have long felt that the first person to create a slab for the everyday collector could run the table now. Customizable labels, slabs set up for popular card sizes, smart design to allow for protection while easily cracked, so not graded, but protected. There you go gents, take the idea and run.

[steve B]

Already out there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234488789857?hash=item36989efb61:g90AAOSwiJJiRbG b

To me they're just very expensive toploaders or snap tites.

[yanks87]

Originally Posted by steve B

Already out there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234488789857?hash=item36989efb61:g90AAOSwiJJiRbG b

To me they're just very expensive toploaders or snap tites.

Yeah, that design could be refined, and the labels could be a little more aesthetically pleasing.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by steve B

Already out there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234488789857?hash=item36989efb61:g90AAOSwiJJiRbG b

To me they're just very expensive toploaders or snap tites.

Holders like that have been available since the 90s. This picture is from Hager’s 1993 guide.

[yanks87]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Holders like that have been available since the 90s. This picture is from Hager’s 1993 guide.

I apparently need to get my head out of the sand. I also came up with an idea for a wireless phone...some would call it mobile. Could be big.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by yanks87

I apparently need to get my head out of the sand. I also came up with an idea for a wireless phone...some would call it mobile. Could be big.

LOL. I often get the same feeling. It sometimes seems like all the original ideas have been taken...

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Eric72

LOL. I often get the same feeling. It sometimes seems like all the original ideas have been taken...

I often get the same feeling. It sometimes seems like all the original ideas have been taken...

[JMEnglish27]

Originally Posted by yanks87

Thanks John, we will see what happens. I have long felt that the first person to create a slab for the everyday collector could run the table now. Customizable labels, slabs set up for popular card sizes, smart design to allow for protection while easily cracked, so not graded, but protected. There you go gents, take the idea and run.

This is basically me. I always liked screwdowns and now I like slabs. I buy blanks, make labels, and slab cards I feel like slabbing. Value added without the grading? No. But that sentimental fair condition McGwire that's been in my binder since I was 10? Nice to have it in a format that displays well.