PSA Stain Fail Rate: 75%

[G1911]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

At this point, the evidence is overwhelming that if you are not willing to accept subjectivity in "professional" grading, then you should probably quit giving your money to PSA. The great con has worked on a vast majority of collectors. Grading standards that are supposed to be precise and regimented are always at the end of the day open to interpretation. I have a small handful of valuable cards in my PC that I want in slabs for one reason or another. But make no mistake - grading is a game, and always has been. You either accept the way the game is played, or you don't.

I find it surprising just how many collectors seem to know this, that it's a game and that that game is somewhat rigged, but continue to play the game anyways. PSA has a stunningly loyal customer base, many of them aware of the shenanigans, frauds, and baloney, but still willing to pay top dollar so they can 'win' that game. I personally would think cognizance of the game would essentially make one have to conclude it's a silly game not worth playing.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by G1911

I find it surprising just how many collectors seem to know this, that it's a game and that that game is somewhat rigged, but continue to play the game anyways. PSA has a stunningly loyal customer base, many of them aware of the shenanigans, frauds, and baloney, but still willing to pay top dollar so they can 'win' that game. I personally would think cognizance of the game would essentially make one have to conclude it's a silly game not worth playing.

But it's the only game in town!

[JollyElm]

637. Opinionomics
The determination of a card’s value based not on inherent market factors such as the give and take of supply and demand, or the specific attributes of the individual card, but solely and blindly on the number assigned to it by a Third Party Grader.


The PSA 'loyalty' really has nothing to do with devotion per se. It is all about their slabs holding much greater sales value than the other grading operations (some exceptions may apply), so if you want to sell something now or way off in the future, it does you right to have them housed in PSA holders. A sad reality considering how they treat their customers.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by G1911

I find it surprising just how many collectors seem to know this, that it's a game and that that game is somewhat rigged, but continue to play the game anyways. PSA has a stunningly loyal customer base, many of them aware of the shenanigans, frauds, and baloney, but still willing to pay top dollar so they can 'win' that game. I personally would think cognizance of the game would essentially make one have to conclude it's a silly game not worth playing.

Be honest, does any of this really surprise you? We live in a world where NFT's are still a thing, and crypto bros continue to defend to the financial death, their low rent, highly laundered, completely unhinged currency schemes.

PSA is childs play compared to most of the con games trying to suck peoples wallets dry nowadays.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Be honest, does any of this really surprise you? We live in a world where NFT's are still a thing, and crypto bros continue to defend to the financial death, their low rent, highly laundered, completely unhinged currency schemes.

PSA is childs play compared to most of the con games trying to suck peoples wallets dry nowadays.

I think there is a massive difference. In the world of Crpyto Bros., the Crypto Bro's think that they know when the dump is on their pump and will win. The resulting action makes sense, given the foundational belief. I don't think that foundational belief is true. On the other hand, if I'd kept the bitcoins I got to play around with the tech (the underlying blockchain tech has numerous possible reasonable uses, not just silly BS like NFT's) when it started, I would be retired today at 31.

I totally get why the people with the connects love PSA and pump the graded card scheme. The oddity here is that so too do many people who appear to be cognizant it's also a facade. Many, members here and not, complaining about the grading scandals, subjectivity and corruption, keep buying graded and furthering that very scheme they are cognizant of.

That's the big difference. People buying into NFT's and crypto things its a game rigged for others, they think they are in on it and intend to make others the bag holders when it blows up. This is the element that surprises me, the numerous collectors who know the game, are not on the inside of the game, and still continue to play it anyways. It's very unusual.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by G1911

The oddity here is that so too do many people who appear to be cognizant it's also a facade. Many, members here and not, complaining about the grading scandals, subjectivity and corruption, keep buying graded and furthering that very scheme they are cognizant of.

Technically I could be considered a part of this group. The conundrum for me I suppose, is that I believe a majority of the scandals and schemes occur at the fringe high end of the spectrum where I basically am not involved. I collect mid-grade and lower postwar vintage, PSA 2 - 6 range mostly, and the vast majority of that (well) under $1,000 per card. I would guess in that range that 85-90% of slabbed PSA and SGC cards are reasonably if not properly graded, and sell for reasonable prices.

I do love a properly graded card in an attractive slab, but I also love a raw card that just has a quality that some of it's entombed relatives no longer have. It's the suspect trimmed PSA 9's of HOF'ers that seem to ruin it for everyone, and when I read stories like that or see what the Blowout folks have outed - it usually makes me consider busting every last slab I own. I don't of course - and therein lies the dilemma.

[Exhibitman]

Resubs to PSA are the Schrodinger's Cat of collecting: until the grade pops it is both a PSA 8 ST and a PSA 7. Like Shimmer, a dessert topping and a floor wax...

Or maybe, just maybe, no matter how you slice it, grading is baloney and you just got a different slice?