blowoutcards
01-28-2008, 07:43 AM
(PSA HALF POINTS A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER?)
Following in the footsteps of it's chief rival in the card grading business, PSA is going to half point grades. The company, which has only down full point grading to this juncture decided there are too many disparities to keep it's grading at 1 through 10 and would offer half grades instead with the highest half grade at 8.5. This would be followed by 9 & 10. There would be no 9.5.
(PSA 10 versus Beckett !0, Beckett Always to get more money.)
"As the card market advances we felt it was imperative to enhance our grading standards so the grade can more accurately reflect the quality and value of the card," said Joe Orlando, President of PSA which is a division of Collector's Universe. "With the ever increasing price gaps and disparities between grades as well as the popularity of the PSA set registry the time is right to modify the system and provide more assurity to hobbyist's."
Basically Orlando explained the different between a vintage PSA 7 card and the same card in PSA 8 form varies so widely the gap was just too big. Many collectors do complain about the the grade they get and putting in the half grade means a bit of a change. However, there is no 9.5 grade as Beckett has.
"I'm certain they didn't want to screw the guys who paid all this money for grading and got PSA 9 grades because that would really lower the value of the Mint 9 cards," said one dealer asking not to be identified. "A 9.5 would also put them on a par with Beckett and I'm sure they didn't want to be in that category when it came to marketing the product."
Orlando pointed out if a customer sent in a card to be re-graded it would not be dropped below the last grade it held.
(PSA President Joe Orlando.)
PSA was really the only major grading company a few years ago when Beckett decided to get into the business. PSA was sucking a lot of money out of the hobby as dealers got phenomenal prices for graded cards. Today there are only four legitimately recognized grading firms. Including PSA they are Beckett, GAI and SGC. TBR had what it felt was the best grading system and holder but the company never could gain a foothold against the more financially secure companies.
-The Brill Report
Following in the footsteps of it's chief rival in the card grading business, PSA is going to half point grades. The company, which has only down full point grading to this juncture decided there are too many disparities to keep it's grading at 1 through 10 and would offer half grades instead with the highest half grade at 8.5. This would be followed by 9 & 10. There would be no 9.5.
(PSA 10 versus Beckett !0, Beckett Always to get more money.)
"As the card market advances we felt it was imperative to enhance our grading standards so the grade can more accurately reflect the quality and value of the card," said Joe Orlando, President of PSA which is a division of Collector's Universe. "With the ever increasing price gaps and disparities between grades as well as the popularity of the PSA set registry the time is right to modify the system and provide more assurity to hobbyist's."
Basically Orlando explained the different between a vintage PSA 7 card and the same card in PSA 8 form varies so widely the gap was just too big. Many collectors do complain about the the grade they get and putting in the half grade means a bit of a change. However, there is no 9.5 grade as Beckett has.
"I'm certain they didn't want to screw the guys who paid all this money for grading and got PSA 9 grades because that would really lower the value of the Mint 9 cards," said one dealer asking not to be identified. "A 9.5 would also put them on a par with Beckett and I'm sure they didn't want to be in that category when it came to marketing the product."
Orlando pointed out if a customer sent in a card to be re-graded it would not be dropped below the last grade it held.
(PSA President Joe Orlando.)
PSA was really the only major grading company a few years ago when Beckett decided to get into the business. PSA was sucking a lot of money out of the hobby as dealers got phenomenal prices for graded cards. Today there are only four legitimately recognized grading firms. Including PSA they are Beckett, GAI and SGC. TBR had what it felt was the best grading system and holder but the company never could gain a foothold against the more financially secure companies.
-The Brill Report