Does PSA give favoritism to certain dealers/customers?

Lorewalker · #1 05-20-2025, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

In a word, YES. How about the other TPG�s?

Some members here like to pretend their grader of choice does not participate in favoritism but it is clear it happens at Beckett and SGC too. PSA is far and away the most obvious offender and been doing it longer than anyone despite multiple changes at the management level. So far, and to their credit, CGC appears to have not tossed their hat in that ring.

Peter_Spaeth · #2 05-20-2025, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

Some members here like to pretend their grader of choice does not participate in favoritism but it is clear it happens at Beckett and SGC too. PSA is far and away the most obvious offender and been doing it longer than anyone despite multiple changes at the management level. So far, and to their credit, CGC appears to have not tossed their hat in that ring.

Regarding Beckett, see the immortal "Eagle Eye" Joe thread on Blowout. That forum at its finest.

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1297069

Wanaselja · #3 05-20-2025, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Regarding Beckett, see the immortal "Eagle Eye" Joe thread on Blowout. That forum at its finest.

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1297069

An all-timer.

Johnny630 · #4 05-21-2025, 06:12 AM

How is one to know I would say it’s very anecdotal… I think it’s more of the roll of the dice. I often wondered if auction houses received lower rates for grading. I believe they probably do…

toledo_mudhen · #5 05-21-2025, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny630

How is one to know I would say it’s very anecdotal… I think it’s more of the roll of the dice. I often wondered if auction houses received lower rates for grading. I believe they probably do…

In a world where the only thing that matters is the number on the slab........ there are going to be lots of opportunities for certain individuals/entities to "coerce" a better number out of a grading company than the average schmoe could walk away with..............

This one has been hashed and rehashed only about a gazillion times over many years and yea there are just way to many examples of it happening for it to NOT be happening.

luciobar1980 · #6 05-21-2025, 11:00 AM

In theory, no. In practice, probably. Which is gross.

bnorth · #7 05-21-2025, 12:51 PM

Absolutely not in any way shape or form, just another urban myth. Seriously they are way too inconsistent to worry about favoritism. Who hasn't had cards that you complained about being under graded and cards seriously over graded that you sold because it deserved the grade? It is almost as silly as the raised the bar and they are now grading 2 grades below a couple years ago. LOL, I have been hearing that one for decades and if true a 3 would be the highest grade they gave out by now. I know I can easily cherry pick cards from any era that are over and under graded just like many others are doing.

perezfan · #8 05-21-2025, 01:10 PM

I'll relay a recent experience to this effect, and sorry up front for the lack of specifics, as I prefer not to identify the AH...

I recently broke a somewhat scarce card out of a PSA 5 Holder. I wanted it in the SGC "Tux" to display it and show it off better. So I submitted it to SGC, where it received a grade of "A". I knew this was BS, so I cracked it out and decided to try an experiment....

I sent the newly cracked raw card to a well-known auction who heavily features PSA-graded cards in every catalogue. I can't bring myself to send anything to PSA, so left it up to the Auction House to get it graded and put it in their auction.

Sure enough, it came back a "7" this time around. So it went from PSA "5" to SGC "A" to PSA "7" (when the prominent Auction House submitted it). This entire debacle aged me, but worked out okay financially (even though I'd rather have kept the card). Mostly though, it demonstrates the following....

Either the prominent AH gets preferential treatment from PSA

or

The issued grades are completely meaningless and random, depending on the grader of the day.

parkplace33 · #9 05-21-2025, 06:13 AM

100 percent. I know of guys who submitted through major auction houses. I have seen some gift grades in this process.

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