Why is this considered altered?

[Snowman]

Regardless of what BODA would like you to believe, PSA does not consider tape removal to be an alteration, so it shouldn't have been because of that.

The truth is that most of the time the graders are guessing with respect to alterations (at every grading company and even with the most experienced senior graders). Yes, some are obvious, but most are not. This is why you can send the same card in 3 times and get a different opinion every time. It's also why you can send in pack pulled cards and have them returned with "evidence of trimming".

The reason PSA fails to provide an explanation for cards they slab as altered is evidence of their hubris. They know they have a strong hold over the market and they don't care about customer service. At all. I also think they don't want to put their opinions out there on record because then they could be held to account for it later on after someone resubmits the card and gets a different opinion the next time. They have to know that their consistency is all over the map these days. They just can't admit it publicly. They want to conceal this fact you whatever extent possible, and not giving you an explanation for your grades is likely a key component of that strategy.

[Hordfest]

Originally Posted by Snowman

The reason PSA fails to provide an explanation for cards they slab as altered is evidence of their hubris. They know they have a strong hold over the market and they don't care about customer service. At all. I also think they don't want to put their opinions out there on record because then they could be held to account for it later on after someone resubmits the card and gets a different opinion the next time. They have to know that their consistency is all over the map these days. They just can't admit it publicly. They want to conceal this fact you whatever extent possible, and not giving you an explanation for your grades is likely a key component of that strategy.

I think what frustrated me the most as I alluded to above is the fact that they graded my Joe DiMaggio and Bob Feller and did not find alterations.

All three cards have similar tape damage. All three cards came from the same collection owned by one owner. Doesn't PSA have specialist graders to handle sets like this? I would hope these were assigned to some old timer at PSA who really understands vintage oversized Goudeys and has graded many of them, and that these cards aren't going to random new junior graders who spend 95% of their time on modern cards. But based on the inconsistency i feel like these cards didn't go to the same couple of graders who know the set well.

[Vintagedeputy]

Reason # 4,774,321 why I will never give PSA a dime.

Those cards look amazing in SGC slabs.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Hordfest

I think what frustrated me the most as I alluded to above is the fact that they graded my Joe DiMaggio and Bob Feller and did not find alterations.

All three cards have similar tape damage. All three cards came from the same collection owned by one owner. Doesn't PSA have specialist graders to handle sets like this? I would hope these were assigned to some old timer at PSA who really understands vintage oversized Goudeys and has graded many of them, and that these cards aren't going to random new junior graders who spend 95% of their time on modern cards. But based on the inconsistency i feel like these cards didn't go to the same couple of graders who know the set well.

It’s extremely frustrating. I'm with you there. Three of my last five high-end submissions were handled by graders who simply could not have had any vintage grading experience whatsoever. Turned my SGC 3.5 with no creases or surface flaws into a PSA 1, and SGC 5s into PSA 3s. Just mind-numbing levels of incompetence. And it was every card in those orders too. Then, in my most recent submission I get fair and accurate grades and a $1000 upcharge. It's a complete crapshoot. I have lost all confidence in PSA. The only reason I send them cards at all is because the market is too stupid to figure out that they're actually the least competent graders of any of the big 4.

[Hordfest]

Originally Posted by Snowman

It’s extremely frustrating. I'm with you there. Three of my last five high-end submissions were handled by graders who simply could not have had any vintage grading experience whatsoever. Turned my SGC 3.5 with no creases or surface flaws into a PSA 1, and SGC 5s into PSA 3s. Just mind-numbing levels of incompetence. And it was every card in those orders too. Then, in my most recent submission I get fair and accurate grades and a $1000 upcharge. It's a complete crapshoot. I have lost all confidence in PSA. The only reason I send them cards at all is because the market is too stupid to figure out that they're actually the least competent graders of any of the big 4.

Good morning.

I would love nothing more than to see the hobby move on from PSA, but I'm just not sure how we can drive that change without accepting some monetary loss in the short term. The path dependency is strong and PSA is just so entrenched....