To break out of SGC case or not?
 

Hi,
I’m looking for ones opinions on what to do with my Kareem rc. As I’ve been contemplating on breaking it out of its case or not.
And if I send it in to PSA
Im also curious if buyers would sooner go after a PSA graded than a SGC.
I’m not sure what PSA would grade the card as either. Here are 2 pics

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2oqi7ZQ][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52783477786_6d0b2f1258_h.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2oqi7ZQ]20696ED5-36A9-42E0-B7E2-63B0ECFFFC07[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/189459666@N05/]Matt Zawadzki[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p8AtA7][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53250840294_00f300a726_k.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2p8AtA7]D00B4FEB-3147-4821-AEBC-02FE9BBFE65D[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/189459666@N05/]Matt Zawadzki[/url], on Flickr

I’d be curious in your thoughts,
thanks!

Leave it in SGC holder. Getting it graded by someone else doesn’t change the card.

If, as you suggest, the card's a [I]PC card[/I], then never more so has the following, saying, been apropos:

Buy the card, not the grade

There's no need to submit, elsewhere, as Tonic3 suggested; doing so, isn't going to change the card. And, once again; if it's a PC card,....shouldn't matter if it's a PSA 2, an SGC 2.5, or a PSA 3. It's a (relatively-speaking) beautiful example of one of the best players to ever lace 'em up!

Im in agreeance with those above. The Kareem looks great in the SGC case. No need to crack.

Really nice eye appeal for a 2.5

Know the history of the card, or bought it graded?

I cracked an expensive SGC 2.5 once, sent to PSA, got N5 Altered Stock (no grade, no holder, yes charged grading fee), sent it back to SGC (raw), and it got a 3. Sold it as SGC-3 and the half grade bump is probably the only reason I broke even.

That's the risk, N6 min size or N5 altered stock (often pressed corners from being in a screw down).

Here's a different card, one I bought raw in an old screw down. The bright white near the corner is light reflection off the smooth mashed corner surface. Zero chance PSA gives this a number grade. Would get N5. I sent it to SGC and it got an SGC-5.

[IMG]https://pbase.com/towerymt/image/172932177.jpg[/IMG]

If that's a crease going through CIN in Alcindor, then the max it would get at PSA is a 3.5. I think it would be worth more and sell faster in a PSA slab. Plus, with the elite centering, it would still sell close to a 5 price IMO even if it grades a 3.5 on technical merit. People love centering.

[QUOTE=mjohnatgt;19093645]If that's a crease going through CIN in Alcindor, then the max it would get at PSA is a 3.5. I think it would be worth more and sell faster in a PSA slab. Plus, with the elite centering, it would still sell close to a 5 price IMO even if it grades a 3.5 on technical merit. People love centering.[/QUOTE]
I think the crease extends to the left border. Probably in the 1.5-2.5 range depending on how heavy the crease is.

I refuse to have anything in an SGC case, so yes.

.....
 

[QUOTE=cms11;19093696]I refuse to have anything in an SGC case, so yes.[/QUOTE]

Worst advice ever. :doh::eek:

[QUOTE=mjohnatgt;19093645]If that's a crease going through CIN in Alcindor, then the max it would get at PSA is a 3.5. I think it would be worth more and sell faster in a PSA slab. Plus, with the elite centering, it would still sell close to a 5 price IMO even if it grades a 3.5 on technical merit. People love centering.[/QUOTE]

The front might look nicely centered but the back looks very OC. However, I'm unfamiliar with the specifics of 1969-70 Topps BKB cards (so unsure if that's how the backs are supposed to look).

[QUOTE=eastbayak;19093727]The front might look nicely centered but the back looks very OC. However, I'm unfamiliar with the specifics of 1969-70 Topps BKB cards (so unsure if that's how the backs are supposed to look).[/QUOTE]
The back shouldn't be off-center, but nobody displays the back of cards. The bragging rights are the eye appeal of the front.

Thanks for all of the advice. Much appreciated. I’ve broken cases in the past without any trouble. However never an SGC tall boys one. I’m not sure if I want to take the risk.

You don’t actually have to crack an SGC case. Just take a flathead to the side and pry it open.

Not even a flathead, butter knife usually does the trick.

[QUOTE=mjohnatgt;19093849]Not even a flathead, butter knife usually does the trick.[/QUOTE]
Even easier to reseal it yourself and be able to pass it off as untampered with.