PSA has stopped accepting submissions

[Rhotchkiss]

I think PSA saw my post bashing them on the BODA thread and decided to shut down.... man I am good!

SGC has a real shot. I am a fan of SGC and prefer them to everyone, but in my experience they seem to always find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

BTW- the Onion started in Madison, WI - Go Badgers!

[Peter_Spaeth]

How many graders/employees does SGC have?

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How many graders/employees does SGC have?

No clue, but I am sure it’s a significantly smaller outfit than PSA (and yet they do a much better job)

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

No clue, but I am sure it’s a significantly smaller outfit than PSA (and yet they do a much better job)

PSA has close to 800 employees, SGC can't be more than a small fraction of that I would think? I would be surprised if they had the physical capacity -- or frankly the desire -- to massively upgrade the size of their operation.

So if you're a younger collector/flipper now where do you go with all your Acunas and Sotos and first year prospects and Prizm commons?

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I would be surprised if they had the physical capacity -- or frankly the desire -- to massively upgrade the size of their operation.

So if you're a younger collector/flipper now where do you go with all your Acunas and Sotos and first year prospects and Prizm commons?

i tend to agree with this, Pete. I don't think the desire is there?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

i tend to agree with this, Pete. I don't think the desire is there?

I don't either.
Think about it though. Suppose this isn't just a short term move by Nat Turner but a long term plan to position PSA as more of a high end, high dollar grader than a low dollar mass grader. Maybe he sees more of an opportunity to flip the company, or do another IPO, in that posture. Maybe the economics are better who knows. Grading and mostly by PSA has become the norm for all sorts of cards that in the past we never would have dreamed of grading or buying graded. Do we go back to that or does someone else take up the slack.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I don't either.
Think about it though. Suppose this isn't just a short term move by Nat Turner but a long term plan to position PSA as more of a high end, high dollar grader than a low dollar mass grader. Maybe he sees more of an opportunity to flip the company, or do another IPO, in that posture. Maybe the economics are better who knows. Grading and mostly by PSA has become the norm for all sorts of cards that in the past we never would have dreamed of grading or buying graded. Do we go back to that or does someone else take up the slack.

certainly possible...the value of PSA slabs will go up with them harder to get. But I agree they could rebrand themselves and by doing so leave the past behind!!!!!!!

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

No clue, but I am sure it’s a significantly smaller outfit than PSA (and yet they do a much better job)

I agree they do a WAY better job from my personal experience.

They seem to be getting getting submissions back very fast right now. Anybody have any guesses on if it is because they are doing a great job or just getting WAY WAY less submissions than everyone else.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I agree they do a WAY better job from my personal experience.

They seem to be getting getting submissions back very fast right now. Anybody have any guesses on if it is because they are doing a great job or just getting WAY WAY less submissions than everyone else.

The overwhelming majority of PSA subs are modern stuff and mostly stuff not worth a hell of a lot. People are subbing to get 10s on cards that aren't worth shit raw. SGC isn't getting any of that.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

The overwhelming majority of PSA subs are modern stuff and mostly stuff not worth a hell of a lot. People are subbing to get 10s on cards that aren't worth shit raw. SGC isn't getting any of that.

+1

[Arazi4442]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

The overwhelming majority of PSA subs are modern stuff and mostly stuff not worth a hell of a lot. People are subbing to get 10s on cards that aren't worth shit raw. SGC isn't getting any of that.

PSA should just split into two branches. PSA Modern (anything less than 3 years old) and PSA Classic (everything else). I’ll bet the subs to PSA Modern would be 10 to 1 vs. Classic, then set prices and lead times accordingly.

Follow the genius brand marketing of 1980s Coca-Cola.

You could get your vintage graded quickly and the guys trying to flip PSA 10s of 2020 Anthony Rendon base cards would still have a wait.

[Touch'EmAll]

Any thoughts if the current crazy market prices might be pushed even higher for PSA stuff in general ? I'm gonna hesitantly say, yes.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Arazi4442

the guys trying to flip PSA 10s of 2020 Anthony Rendon base cards would still have a wait.

Who is "Anthony Rendon"?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by bnorth

They seem to be getting getting submissions back very fast right now. Anybody have any guesses on if it is because they are doing a great job or just getting WAY WAY less submissions than everyone else.

I believe they posted that they ramped their staff up from like 15 last year to like 70 right now.

[Jcosta19]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

I think PSA saw my post bashing them on the BODA thread and decided to shut down.... man I am good!

SGC has a real shot. I am a fan of SGC and prefer them to everyone, but in my experience they have seem to always find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

BTW- the Onion started in Madison, WI - Go Badgers!

I worry this is going to cause a severe increase in submissions to SGC causing a repeat of their excessive wait times.

I suspect that lots of modern submissions will still avoid them (at least I selfishly hope so, so it doesn't take me 4 months to get back my modest 2 to 7 card submissions).

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

BTW- the Onion started in Madison, WI - Go Badgers!

[conor912]

I just don’t understand how hard it is for SGC to put together a registry. Give the data to a few college kids and they’d build it in a week for beer money.

[Johnny630]

SGC May have to raise their pricing for a while to keep from becoming overwhelmed. Idk

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Couple thoughts.

1. What's the difference if your cards sit in your possession or PSA's? If a bulk submission was going to take 9 months anyway it doesn't disincentivize you to wait for PSA to get caught up in 4 months and then take another two to grade your bulk order, providing they get their ducks in a row for the slamming they are going to take if and when they accept bulk again.

2. This MIGHT hurt the raw card market on low value raw, high value PSA 10, cards. Jordan cards like 89 Fleer which were selling for nice money raw to people who intended to gamble with it may suffer as there is no way you're going to gamble $300 on grading that card.

3. It might well HELP the versions of those cards already graded because they are no longer infinite until PSA makes it affordable to grade them again. So cards like PSA 9 and 10 1989 UD Griffey might actually go up FURTHER because the supply isn't going to increase for a while and if the speculators are holding onto theirs it may make them appear more scarce than they actually are.

That's three thoughts actually but the last one hit me while I was typing the 2nd.

So if I were in this market personally, I'd likely look to buy raw and sell graded, not immediately, but I'd definitely be watching things closely.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Couple thoughts.

1. What's the difference if your cards sit in your possession or PSA's? If a bulk submission was going to take 9 months anyway it doesn't disincentivize you to wait for PSA to get caught up in 4 months and then take another two to grade your bulk order, providing they get their ducks in a row for the slamming they are going to take if and when they accept bulk again.

2. This MIGHT hurt the raw card market on low value raw, high value PSA 10, cards. Jordan cards like 89 Fleer which were selling for nice money raw to people who intended to gamble with it may suffer as there is no way you're going to gamble $300 on grading that card.

3. It might well HELP the versions of those cards already graded because they are no longer infinite until PSA makes it affordable to grade them again. So cards like PSA 9 and 10 1989 UD Griffey might actually go up FURTHER because the supply isn't going to increase for a while and if the speculators are holding onto theirs it may make them appear more scarce than they actually are.

That's three thoughts actually but the last one hit me while I was typing the 2nd.

So if I were in this market personally, I'd likely look to buy raw and sell graded, not immediately, but I'd definitely be watching things closely.

Isn't the part I made bold the whole idea anyway? There is no more money in selling PSA cards than SGC or Beckett if you bought them graded. Sure PSA might sell for more but that just means you paid more for it. I always though the real money was buying raw and selling PSA graded cards.

Then if you can do a few group subs so others are paying to get your cards graded you can make even more. At least that has always been my take on it.

[bobbyw8469]

Then if you can do a few group subs so others are paying to get your cards graded you can make even more. At least that has always been my take on it.

I must be doing something wrong then......

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I must be doing something wrong then......

Charge an extra $1 a card then. On a 500 card sub that should be several free cards for the work of doing the submission.

To be clear Bobby what you do for everyone on the forum is great, I have even got in on at least one before.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Ben, sure but I think the difference is going to be more extreme than in the past. Also right now speculators are hoarding the graded stuff. Cards you used to find 40 of on Ebay at any given time aren't there at all right now. I'm also not talking about doing it with the idea of grading the raw that you buy and flipping it. I'm specifically thinking because you will be UNABLE to do just that it may have interesting repercussions on the raw card world.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by conor912

I just don’t understand how hard it is for SGC to put together a registry. Give the data to a few college kids and they’d build it in a week for beer money.

Is it possible that the registry idea is proprietary to PSA (or their lawyers are at least pushing that narrative), and that is the reason none of the other TPG's have followed in those footsteps?

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Is it possible that the registry idea is proprietary to PSA (or their lawyers are at least pushing that narrative), and that is the reason none of the other TPG's have followed in those footsteps?

Also............don't understand why anybody would need anything more then a Pop report to get a feel for value, rarity, demand, etc......

Anything beyond that is just a d*ck measuring contest.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Is it possible that the registry idea is proprietary to PSA (or their lawyers are at least pushing that narrative), and that is the reason none of the other TPG's have followed in those footsteps?

I am asking because I got out of graded cards. Did SGC completely get rid of the crappy registry they used to have?

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I am asking because I got out of graded cards. Did SGC completely get rid of the crappy registry they used to have?

I don't know, LOL. I just (barely), got into graded.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I am asking because I got out of graded cards. Did SGC completely get rid of the crappy registry they used to have?

It was a hot mess that they were "updating" and going to release the new and better version of. As that statement got stale and old (that was the line for YEARS) they finally admitted defeat and pulled the plug on it a few months ago.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Is it possible that the registry idea is proprietary to PSA (or their lawyers are at least pushing that narrative), and that is the reason none of the other TPG's have followed in those footsteps?

SGC had one - it just wasn't very user friendly.

As discussed in another thread the time is ripe for a 3rd party registry that is inclusive of at least the big 3 grading companies (PSA, SGC and Beckett).

Re: what's the difference if you have inventory or PSA has it? Really? Imagine how an auction company would do with no consignments (their "inventory"). I'm more "okay" with PSA not taking subs than taking them and saying we have no idea when we will get these back to you. 3 of the 5 subs I have there were submitted while they still had turnaround estimates. 1 of them coming up on a year now. VERY different for a collector just looking to put a card away (in which case I agree with your assessment).

It is definitely going to be interesting to see how this move affects the market both short and long term. A number of different possible outcomes.