Funny how this happens

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Posted By: Robert

Just what we need another PSA post but it is really funny how this happens. I bought 3 high quality sets from Mastro's in the auction before last. Each set had about 20 graded cards all 7's and 8's, I carefully scrutinized each ungraded card and compared them to the graded ones and submitted them to PSA. I just got them back and they are 4's. 5's and a few 6's. There is something seriously wrong with the system and I know that if the same cards where submitted by one of their dealers and not somebdy like me they would of come back with much higher grades.

I am not implying that Mastro's is at all to blame for the grades which I received and tried to deceive me oin any manner. I am still very happy with all of my purchases from them and not accusing them in any shape or form. I am just stating that when submitting for grades it is effected by who you are!!

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Posted By: barrysloate

It's also possible that the Mastro people simply chose a few of the highlights to be graded. It's a common marketing technique and your 4,5, and 6's may simply be just that. If I were choosing a few cards to be graded, I'd pull out the best ones too. They may just have a keener eye.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

My rule of thumb is this:

If Mastro can send in cards and get HIGHER grades on them than the average guy...

then he would NEVER sell any ungraded cards.

Thus, either he does NOT get special treatment... or you should know ahead-of-time that there is some reason why those cards were not sent in for grading.

After all, what consignor is going to say "NO" if someone offers to pay to have their cards slabbed "as high as possible" in order to increase the auction prices?

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Posted By: jackgoodman

Only based upon what I have seen and heard and no hard evidence to back it up (other than perception sometimes becomes reality):

It would seem that maybe the "bigger" clients get the benefit of the doubt when their cards are graded. If a card is borderline, their grade will round up while the average guy's is rounded down. Just my opinion.....

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Posted By: David Vargha

You can be pretty certain that certain cards were cherry picked ahead of time for submission. This happened on a lot that I won a few years back from Mastro. However, I figured that was what had been done and bid accordingly.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: craig

Don't want to sound like a parrot but agree with Hal and Vargha.
The cards that were graded were graded for a reason. Psa 4s don't sell a set.
If Mastro implied that the ungraded cards were equal to the graded your issue should be with them not psa.

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Posted By: Anonymous

I don't trust a lot in this hobby, but I do trust Mastro !!!

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Posted By: Texas Ted

I'm not sure how often the grading companies are accused of grading bias, but if they really cared about the appearance of impropriety, it would be a simple matter to remove it by inserting a control in their operational process. All they need do if have the folks that open the packages assign serial numbers to the cards and give them to the graders randomly and without identification as to ownership. I can hear the howls already from submitters who are used to talking directly to the grader. Could the protest be "proof" that they believe they are getting a break because of who they are?

I speak as one who has to this day, never sent a card to be slobbed, but who believes if the grading is to be impartial it needs to be done without knowledge of the owner.

Texas Ted
Starting my third attempt at a second childhood.

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Posted By: DJ

I think you should take those 7's and 8's you got and crack them open and re-submit them to PSA as a test to this board and all those 'I Love PSA'ers out there). Something tells me that the 7's become 6's and the 8's become 7's. Any wagers?

Didn't the Board think the Ruth rookie PSA4 was a tad 'generous'? $210K.

What would it have sold for if it was a PSA3?

DJ

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Posted By: David Vargha

Didn't the Board think the Ruth rookie PSA4 was a tad 'generous'? $210K.

What would it have sold for if it was a PSA3?


It probably would have struggled to top $190K.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: JimB

That Ruth would not have gone for a penny over 209k in a PSA 3 holder.
JimB

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Posted By: Richard Masson

3,4 what's the difference? The card is a nice VG.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

in PSA's special shattering case

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Posted By: JimB

Let's not get carried away now. Has anybody on this board seen a hard plastic PSA holder shatter (other than by hammer)?
JimB

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Posted By: Paul Arpasi

I am pretty sure that no grading company purposefuly screws over the little guy. Nonetheless I agree that the hobby should monitor quality of the major grading companies since we have become dependent on them for rating the quality of our cards. It would be very reasonable for a group of individuals with the time and inclination to have 10 or so cards in assorted condition from the same manufacturer graded and then regraded to evaluate precision within the individual companies. Then rotate the same cards through the major competitors to establish interobserver variability. (for instance are SGC and GAI really tougher graders than PSA?) The results would certainly be valuable to every collector. I, of course, request that someone else go to the trouble.

regards

paul

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I got one that shattered in the mail and one that fractured on the tile floor of my kitchen. When I drop a PSA holder I try to get my foot under it before it hits the floor because I don't like the odds of it not cracking.

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Posted By: Richard Masson

Do you say, "Kick save and a 'bute!" after you do so?

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

Any chance the Mastro cards were submitted but did not receive a high enough grade and were cracked out and sold as raw? Just a thought.

Lee