Rickey Henderson 1980

[Cigar]

Hi all. I'm just coming back to the hobby after having collected as a kid in the 80's. I realize that many people collected during the decade and that my cards are not worth much today. However, I have kept a Henderson rookie in perfect condition for 30 years. My questions for the forum are: 1) what is the best way to go about getting it graded by PSA? I realize that there is a very small chance that it will grade as a 10 but there's still a chance. 2) should I pay the $1200 to have the card graded based on what the value would be if it did grade as a 10? If I do, will I get a refund from PSA if it doesn't get a 10? As I'm sure you all know, there's such a big value discrepancy between a 8/9 and a 10 with that card that I'm a little unsure of what to do. Thank you very much in advance.

[ThoseBackPages]

Welcome back to the addiction!

Odds are your Henderson is not a 10, and that is perfectly OK

here is your best bet for having it graded

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1156441

[JammingJay]

Welcome back to the hobby, that 1980 Rickey is my absolute favorite card of mine growing up. If you're set on sending it to PSA, sending it 'regular' 10 Business Day service should be fine, as it covers any card $500 or under in value. (PSA 9s currently end between $300-$400).

No need to overpay upfront, or worry about what category you fit into unless you really do have one of the holy grails as there have been 17,033 submissions of Rickey Henderson Topps Rookies with 19 of them coming back as 10. Heck, even getting a 9 is pretty solid considering 1778 of the 17,033 are 9s with no qualifiers.

Alternatively, you can do local BGS raw card review at a local show/event near you if you feel strongly that you have a winner on your hands.

Either way, welcome back to the hobby and here's to hoping you hit the 10.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by JammingJay

Welcome back to the hobby, that 1980 Rickey is my absolute favorite card of mine growing up. If you're set on sending it to PSA, sending it 'regular' 10 Business Day service should be fine, as it covers any card $500 or under in value. (PSA 9s currently end between $300-$400).

No need to overpay upfront, or worry about what category you fit into unless you really do have one of the holy grails as there have been 17,033 submissions of Rickey Henderson Topps Rookies with 19 of them coming back as 10. Heck, even getting a 9 is pretty solid considering 1778 of the 17,033 are 9s with no qualifiers.

Alternatively, you can do local BGS raw card review at a local show/event near you if you feel strongly that you have a winner on your hands.

Either way, welcome back to the hobby and here's to hoping you hit the 10.

Exactly, more than likely yours in a PSA 8. Of course that is sight unseen, but everybody over grades their cards the first few times around. Hell, I still get caught doing it. Grade it under the normal levels and take a shot. You can always post a scan and get opinions. This may give you the ball park of what to expect. Keep in mind, all of what we have (as with PSA/BGS/SGC) are just opinions.

[Tgents]

How can it cost $1200 to grade one card? And if that’s the case why in the heck would anyone grade with PSA?

[djdevon]

Originally Posted by Tgents

How can it cost $1200 to grade one card? And if that’s the case why in the heck would anyone grade with PSA?

What do you think people would pay to own a PSA 10 Rickey Henderson card?

[rngrdanny22]

Originally Posted by Tgents

How can it cost $1200 to grade one card? And if that’s the case why in the heck would anyone grade with PSA?

Because that's their cost for cards valued greater than $25K.

https://www.psacard.com/fees/

[Chrisyork33]

Originally Posted by Tgents

How can it cost $1200 to grade one card? And if that’s the case why in the heck would anyone grade with PSA?

I'm wondering this myself.

[mosperus]

Im also wondering- If someone could explain this better..
So if you send in this Henderson... and it comes back 10 then you pay the $1200..
Because just a raw Henderson goes for $20.. wouldn't that be the "declared value"..

[rats60]

Submit at the cards raw value. The grading level is more what you want the card insured when they send it back to you. If it grades a 10, leave it up to PSA to charge or not charge you more. I have sent in cards in at the 500.00 level that have graded well and are now worth more than that. I have never been charged more. I have also never had a card go from under 500 to 25k and I know it does happen that they ask for more sometimes. Just don't try to grade a 1952 Topps Mantle at the standard level.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by mosperus

Im also wondering- If someone could explain this better..
So if you send in this Henderson... and it comes back 10 then you pay the $1200..
Because just a raw Henderson goes for $20.. wouldn't that be the "declared value"..

It is up to PSA to ask for more. You wouldn't pay 1200 for a PSA 10 Henderson? Although you could ask for the 800 level of 10k to 25k. I suppose you could refuse and they could just grade it a 9 and send it back to you.

In order to submit a grading order, you have to sign a statement agreeing to their terms. You really don't have the choice to say my card is a 10, so now I don't want to follow your terms that I agreed to, but I want you to slab my card in a PSA 10 holder.

[Davis]

If you post a pic of the Henderson(s) you have, the community here will give you honest feedback on whether it has a shot at a 9. 9’s are very tough....10’s you might as well play powerball.

[mosperus]

Thanks for the info guys... I grade occasionally but haven't with PSA... It does make sense to a degree- just had never heard that you could pay more on the back end..

[dmanrico]

My experience with PSA has been slightly different. I have never had PSA come back and say this was a higher dollar card and you need to pay more. I have, however, had a card damaged by PSA throughout the process. This is where the declared value comes into play. You are buying insurance with them with the higher grading fee. If you listed a higher declared value and paid the higher grading fee, than you have a claim against PSA for reimbursement for the card damage/loss up to that declared value. If you didn't list a higher declared value and pay the fee, then you are out of luck should the card get damaged. PSA won't come back to you at that point and say "would you like to increase the declared value and pay the higher fee?" So the risk is on the submitter. You have to decide whether you want to purchase the "insurance" with the higher grading fee to cover a possible damage/loss claim.

[Tgents]

Originally Posted by djdevon

What do you think people would pay to own a PSA 10 Rickey Henderson card?

What difference does it make what the card is worth to someone? All they are doing is grading it not wrapping it in gold!

[Tgents]

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

Because that's their cost for cards valued greater than $25K.

https://www.psacard.com/fees/

Are they grading it differently than a $1 card????????

[dmanrico]

Originally Posted by Tgents

Are they grading it differently than a $1 card????????

They grade it the same as a $1 card. However, the higher grading fee is to cover a damage/loss claim by the submitter should something happen. Now, I'm not saying the right answer is to pay the higher fee. I generally just go with the lowest/base declared value and grading fee with all my submittals. But I have had two cards damaged by PSA over time and of course in that instance I wish I had gone with the higher declared value/grading fee.

[unclemonkey]

Send it via USPS Registered Mail.

Little chance it will be lost.

You have struck gold if you've got an 8, 9, or 10

The fees are what they are...

Chump change vs what you would lose selling it raw.

[joejoemay]

Originally Posted by joejoemay

Take very close photos of the card...I don't trust PSA (or anyone in this hobby for that matter) that you will get the same card in return. Do this for any valuable card.

updated

[Chrisyork33]

Originally Posted by dmanrico

They grade it the same as a $1 card. However, the higher grading fee is to cover a damage/loss claim by the submitter should something happen. Now, I'm not saying the right answer is to pay the higher fee. I generally just go with the lowest/base declared value and grading fee with all my submittals. But I have had two cards damaged by PSA over time and of course in that instance I wish I had gone with the higher declared value/grading fee.

Wow, I've learned a lot here. I've only graded a handful of cards through BGS and they certainly weren't $25k, is their process similar? It feels like PSA is holding your card for ransom. I get that it's a small percentage of what you could sell it for, but what if it's for your PC and you don't plan to sell.

[dmanrico]

Originally Posted by Chrisyork33

Wow, I've learned a lot here. I've only graded a handful of cards through BGS and they certainly weren't $25k, is their process similar? It feels like PSA is holding your card for ransom. I get that it's a small percentage of what you could sell it for, but what if it's for your PC and you don't plan to sell.

I don't grade much with BGS so not positive on their requirements. IIRC they require that you submit for the faster service levels for the higher value cards.

Just to be clear, you can submit a high value card to PSA and pay the regular service fee and they will grade your cards and send back just like any normal process. Where this would be a problem is the following scenario:

You submit a raw 1980 Rickey Henderson at the lowest declared value (up to $500 declared value) and pay the regular service fee ($18 on the website - I know can be less with promotions, etc). You wait for the required time period and the grade finally pops and it happens to grade a PSA 10. You're ecstatic because this just became a $35,000 card. You tell all your friends and post the news on Blowout.

PSA mails the card back to you in the slab. Mail day arrives and you rip into the box to see your new beauty. To your shock and horror, upon examining the card, there is a noticeable ding in the corner. Don't even need a loop to see. It's there clear as day and there's no way any person would say this is a PSA 10.

Since the slab says PSA 10, it's clear what has happened. Card was in great shape when originally received by PSA and went to the grader who reviewed and assigned the grade of PSA 10. Card then went from the grader to production to be encapsulated. During the encapsulation process, the PSA 10 flip was correctly inserted, but the card was damaged. You know this because a) the card would have never been a PSA 10 if this was existing damage, but b) it did get the PSA 10 grade. So the only way this occurs is that the card was damaged in encapsulation.

Furious, you call PSA and tell them the facts above and that they clearly damaged your card. Your $35,000 beauty just became a $100 card because anyone who buys the card will quickly see the damage. PSA owes you the value loss because they clearly damaged the card.

Unfortunately, they look up your service order and see that you submitted under the regular service level with a declared value up to $500. You can fight all you want, but the most they will ever refund you is the max $500 declared value and point you to the clear policy language. Had you submitted under the Premium Plus service level for declared values over $25,000 and paid the $1,200 fee, you would be eligible for the full loss of value of the card.

Now, as I stated before, I am in no way advocating what approach to take with declared values and grading fees. I almost exclusively submit under the regular service level and take the risk. But there is some risk, albeit small. I've had two cards damaged during the grading process but have had a ton graded so this is a small percentage.