Issue with PSA

[cms11]

"IMO it's really BS how they try and charge more to the collector depending on what grade the card gets vs. the true raw cost, and also how they're going about it (relying on shilled auctions, for example)."

Facts.

[rohara99]

Took me a second to understand WTF I was reading hahahaha.

2019 was a much simpler time in everyone lives.

[CardEnthusiast]

aged like fine milk.

[al3xmac10]

Originally Posted by natsturner

Hi all -

As many know, I have over the years started to convert or send in much of my collection to PSA as I prefer the holder and such to BGS, but I've recently had some really frustrating experiences. For one, I just got my grades back on a bulk order and one of the cards I sent in was a 1998 Molten Metal Fusion /40 Tim Duncan. That card is certainly less than $2k raw, and the card got a 9 and they just came back and are trying to charge me $1k to keep it in the holder, lol! Feels like extortion honestly, they have my card and are dangling it in front of me to keep it in the grade it received. Granted I sent it in in the bulk service (as I didn't pay that much for it raw) at $8 each, and it probably should have been in the next level up ($20 for cards with Max Declared Value Per Item under $499) or at worst the $1999 and under $75 Max Declared Value Per Item level. It seems they've now made a habit of going through at least my orders and revising up cards they think are worth more and try to charge me more for those cards than the bulk rate.

On the Duncan specifically, the guy who emailed me from PSA referenced some obviously fake/shilled ebay auction from 2017 of a Duncan Fusion /40 at $19k which he found on Worthpoint I guess.

They also had some other ones wrong, like an Iverson 97-98 Autographics I sent in that they are trying to charge me $75 to grade (which would imply a Max Declared Value Per Item between $499 and $1999), as well as a 2003 LeBron Flair Final Edition Row 1 at $75. Both of which are under $499 raw I bet 95 out of 100 times on eBay.

Is it just me or this backwards? IMO it's really BS how they try and charge more to the collector depending on what grade the card gets vs. the true raw cost, and also how they're going about it (relying on shilled auctions, for example). I remember they first did this to me at the National a 5-6 years ago when I got my Kobe Green PMG graded. It got a 7. I originally paid $300 or $400 for the service which at the time was the appropriate level for the raw value at the time but then they came back to me and said "this card is now worth more in the PSA 7 holder, so you need to pay us $700 or we'll crack it out" (it may have been higher than $700 but that's how I remember it). I felt mad about that situation for months later, as the process isn't transparent and they just hold you up at the end.

On their website the service levels differ by "Max Declared Value Per Item", which to me means or should be defined as how much the card is worth raw before it's graded. Let's aside for a second the fact that their costs are the same for each card presumably, it's not like a $10k card costs more to grade than $100 card, it's the same service / holder / material / etc. Why are they trying to grab more money at the end before they ship cards to you depending on what grade they give the card?

I'm really struggling here as you can probably tell with this. It's not the money obviously, although anyone would be insane to pay those three prices for the three cards I mentioned above to have them in PSA holders. It's the process and integrity of the approach. I'm at the point where I'm not going to send in any more cards to them... . I want to like PSA as I like their product, I just don't like these recent examples. I certainly will pay more attention to making sure raw cards I include in bulk orders are under the Max Declared Value Per Item level for that level of service, but the vast majority of them I acquired years upon years ago. For example, that LeBron Final Edition Row 1, I looked it up and I paid $50 for it 10 years ago (it's not in great shape).

Anyone else feel this way / had similar experiences?

-Nat

currently, if you get a psa 10 for a very highend card and you are able to pick up the card personally at the PSA office, would they still upcharge you?

[thenwhatjk]

Haha nice

[GuacamoleCards]

This thread deserves to be bumped every day until Nat Turner responds, to be honest.

[Siberian13]

Originally Posted by GuacamoleCards

This thread deserves to be bumped every day until Nat Turner responds, to be honest.

Did he respond?

[jerryw]

Originally Posted by Siberian13

Did he respond?

he did what any reasonable person would do. bought it lol

[Bosoxfan5990]

This thread is blowing up on Twitter again due to Geoff's comments.

[Beavers98]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

This thread is blowing up on Twitter again due to Geoff's comments.

I'm not always up to date on these things, what did Geoff say?

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by Beavers98

I'm not always up to date on these things, what did Geoff say?

"You guys don't get it.

PSA didn't just grade my card. They added $50,000+ in value to it.

I'm happy to pay them a $4,000 commission (AKA upcharge) for doing this.

Think of it like betting $50,000 on a hand of blackjack, winning, and then tipping the dealer $4k

Everyone wins."

[Chrominator]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

"You guys don't get it.

PSA didn't just grade my card. They added $50,000+ in value to it.

I'm happy to pay them a $4,000 commission (AKA upcharge) for doing this.

Think of it like betting $50,000 on a hand of blackjack, winning, and then tipping the dealer $4k

Everyone wins."

#cesspool

[hermanotarjeta]

This grading industry is so corrupt.

[oldgoldy97]

Originally Posted by Chrominator

#cesspool

Think of the dealer palming an ace for a player. It’s more like that.

But in that case, the casino would find a nice patch of land for both of them. In our case, nobody does anything.

[asujbl]

Who is Geoff?

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

This thread is blowing up on Twitter again due to Geoff's comments.

what are his comments? he is mad about a 4k upcharge?

[Boo]

Originally Posted by boxbuster7

what are his comments? he is mad about a 4k upcharge?

No, he thinks that it's great...

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showth...1618789&page=2

[Beavers98]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

"You guys don't get it.

PSA didn't just grade my card. They added $50,000+ in value to it.

I'm happy to pay them a $4,000 commission (AKA upcharge) for doing this.

Think of it like betting $50,000 on a hand of blackjack, winning, and then tipping the dealer $4k

Everyone wins."

Thanks, smh. Yeah these guys are the ones that don't get it. Total BS business practice.

[MavsRChamps]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

"You guys don't get it.

PSA didn't just grade my card. They added $50,000+ in value to it.

I'm happy to pay them a $4,000 commission (AKA upcharge) for doing this.

Think of it like betting $50,000 on a hand of blackjack, winning, and then tipping the dealer $4k

Everyone wins."

The OBVIOUS issue with this, among many, is it's not even accurate. PSA doesn't upcharge on "added value", they upcharge on "value". Meaning if you have a raw card worth $6000 - you grade it, and it gets a PSA 7, and say a PSA 7 is worth $6000 also (or even less), they will upcharge you on the $6000 - "Added value" means nothing.

At the VERY LEAST, PSA should switch to "added value" in my opinion because though I disagree with that still, it at least in theory makes sense a little. Their current policy is just BS all around of charging more even if no value is added.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by MavsRChamps

The OBVIOUS issue with this, among many, is it's not even accurate. PSA doesn't upcharge on "added value", they upcharge on "value". Meaning if you have a raw card worth $6000 - you grade it, and it gets a PSA 7, and say a PSA 7 is worth $6000 also (or even less), they will upcharge you on the $6000 - "Added value" means nothing.

At the VERY LEAST, PSA should switch to "added value" in my opinion because though I disagree with that still, it at least in theory makes sense a little. Their current policy is just BS all around of charging more even if no value is added.

Do they give you a discount if your card gets a lower than expected grade?

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by Boo

No, he thinks that it's great...

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showth...1618789&page=2

Once again proving that he is one of the dumbest people in the industry - but kudos to him - he built a empire off being a fool

[kingofsnake]

PSA such a greedy and unscrupulous company.

Fanatics should somehow merge with PSA (Collectors Universe) and together they can suck up every red cent from collectors.

[MavsRChamps]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

"You guys don't get it.

PSA didn't just grade my card. They added $50,000+ in value to it.

I'm happy to pay them a $4,000 commission (AKA upcharge) for doing this.

Think of it like betting $50,000 on a hand of blackjack, winning, and then tipping the dealer $4k

Everyone wins."

A counter to even the Blackjack example is - The person winning $50K at Blackjack VERY LIKELY also lost that same amount of money at that same casino before or close to it (or even if he didn't, most everybody else did). But the casino didn't tip him or compensate him for his loss. So why should you compensate the casino when you win? The casino has no idea if the "profit" is just covering all the losses you have.

In the same analogy, PSA has made so many people lose money through grading as well. They don't compensate you when you get a harsh grader and lose money from their service. Or when your cards go down in value while being graded. But they expect you to compensate them when you gain value from their service.

Anyone backing PSA on this idea is just being contrary for the sake if it, works for PSA (or knows people that do), and/or has some illogical idea that just because you give $$ to a company means it's hypocritical to give valid constructive criticism to the same company (it's not - In fact it gives you more credibility and should give you MORE of a voice, not less. Customers feedback for a company hold more weight than someone who doesn't use service)

[Chrominator]

"You guys don't get it.

PSA didn't just grade my card. They added $50,000+ in value to it.

I'm happy to pay them a $4,000 commission (AKA upcharge) for doing this.

Think of it like betting $50,000 on a hand of blackjack, winning, and then tipping the dealer $4k.

Everyone wins."

Originally Posted by asujbl

Who is Geoff?

Geoff says, "Do better."

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Chrominator

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