[TXRunner]

Originally Posted by robdrobd77

Valid question. Answer is …Yep. I, like many, started sending some cards during the end of lockdown to mostly preserve my PC collection, but have been collecting since 1983. I started with two 20 cards subs. One I did through a popular online submission company, the other I did myself. My Gem rate was higher, so I stopped using them. Since then I have sent 478 cards to PSA, almost all from 1975-1990. I have also sent about 250 cards to SGC. My gem rate at PSA is about 43%. However, that is including a big 0% from this last order. I truly believe they have a very skewed approach when grading older cards now. “No way this can be a 10, it’s from 1986 Topps Football, and that’s nearly impossible with that set. Slap an “8” on it and move on.”

After a lot of reading I also think the evidence is overwhelming that they grade Star/HOF cards differently and with more scrutiny. My glaring example of this is 1984 Donruss. I sent the entire Yankees team set, from a mint, sealed brick set to PSA. Only ONE card wasn’t Mint or Higher..gotta a guess as to which one? I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t Roy Smalley [emoji23]

Now, here’s the flip side. My gem rate is terrible at SGC, but I think it’s because they actually grade the cards instead of just plowing through inventory to get to the next special. However, if you send a dozen pack fresh Roy Smalleys to SGC, none of them will come back as a “mystery” 3,4,or 5. Most, if not all, will be 9,9.5,10.

Soooo, after dozens of spreadsheets and tons of calculations, I’ve come to the conclusion that even though PSA values are higher, SGC might be the better option economically as well. Why? Quite simple really. If you’re card doesn’t Gem, it will most likely be mint or higher which in the card era I’m sending, gets your money back on resale or looks great in a PC. If you’re PSA card doesn’t Gem, it could get anywhere from a mind blowing “3” to a “9”. The 9s will break you even, but most cards lower than that are now expensive coasters in your Man Cave.

Sorry for the long response, but others sending “older” cards to PSA have to be seeing this, right?


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I have a stack of cards set aside to pre-screen and send to PSA. About half sports half Pokemon. I think I may switch the sports to SCG and just send the Pokemon. It seems like PSA will still gem Pokemon at a high rate, but sports is getting picked apart right now.

I do like SCG for vintage. That is all I have used them for so far. But I started picking up a bunch of Topps Chrome autos that I am going to send to them for their $9 deal. I think I would use them more for regular submissions if their cost came down. It's hard to spend $22+ a card knowing that PSA is a little cheaper and if somehow you actually get 9's or 10's the return is much better. I think if SGC was smart right now, they would take advantage of the sour taste that PSA is giving people. Lower your prices to just below PSA (in that $15-18 range). I think people would be tempted to use them for price and the quick turn around if they did that.

I also have a stack set aside for CGC. I have a membership that I have never used and it expires at the end of the year. Figured I would try them out and see how it goes with them. This stack is combo sports and Pokemon. I put in some of the same cards I have in the PSA stack. I want to do a comparison of time vs cost vs return. The similar cards from each stack I am going to try to sell just to compare. But I do like the CGC slabs, the $10 and change cost of grading, and the quick turnaround.