[phillies816]

I usually don't do graded cards but a card I have been wanting for years popped up and of course it is graded. It is graded by PSA. Is there any real difference between PSA and BGS grading? Is one more strict than the other? Is one more preferred by collectors? Thanks for any info you can give. It's one area of the hobby I truly know nothing about.

[jonathani]

You buy whatever you want. I, personally, prefer BGS, but that does not mean it is any better. I even buy PSA cards from time to time if it's the only way I can get them. For example, if I find some old Ernie Banks card from the 1960s that I've been looking for, and it's PSA, and it's graded at a level I like, I'm buying it. It's just for me. I'm not reselling it. I just want to own it.

[Phillies_Joe]

Like jonathani stated..... your preference. My understanding is that PSA is used mainly for vintage, Beckett for modern. Beckett case is better than PSA's. PSA pricing will be higher than Beckett for vintage (just because collectors like their collections all with the same grader). Beckett grades harder (but I think that is mainly because of centering).

[BGS_Graded_Card_Guy]

As already stated, PSA is usually reserved for Vintage cards and Beckett for modern cards. Beckett's BGS cases are much better in quality and their pricing is less expensive than PSA. I have used both grading services in the past and I would say BGS is tougher than PSA on grading. By about half of a point. Not a huge difference but I have had cards swapped from BGS cases to PSA where there was a full point swing in grades.

If this is a card you have been looking for for years, buy it as it sounds like a rare card to find. You can simply break it out of a PSA case and just add it to your collection. Or keep it graded. Not going to hurt either way. If it is a card with some value to it, I would just leave it in the slab simply for protection purposes. Hope that helps you.

[phillies816]

Thanks for all the info guys. I wasn't sure if PSA was still a top grader or not and wanted to check before bidding. I am in on the bidding and if lucky enough to win it I don't see a situation where it leaves my PC.

[Rdaveigajr]

I prefer BGS for 2000 and Newer, PSA for 1990s and older

[y2hood]

If you do find yourself developing a preference for one company over another they both offer cross grading. There's also multiple youtube videos showing you how to break cards out of cases if grading isn't your thing at all.

My preference is BGS and I bust out any PSA card I buy and send it in to BGS for proper encasing. I am a BGS homer.