[rjcj2017]

It's almost as reliable as PSA

My one and only experience with PSA was on a raw, signed minor league card of Mike Trout I bought online during his rookie season.

I sent it in to get slabbed and authenticated, no grade requested.

I studied hundreds - no exaggeration - of certified Trout autos before I bought it, evaluating all the factors ... streaking, pen pressure, angle, everything - and decided to go for it at $60.

Then I waited and waited ... finally got it back from PSA, no slab, no authentication, with a sticker on the card saver that said "Authenticity ?"

Yet, there were also literally hundreds of obvious fakes slabbed by PSA for sale online ... like, not even close.

Not even "his signature changed from the year 20XX to 20XX" or whatever ... these were really, really bad.

So, I then sent the same card to BGS for grading and it sailed through with flying colors.

I mean, I get that no one can ever say for sure if someone signed something if they didn't see it with their own eyes ... but man, it was plain as day that mine was authentic.

Never again on PSA for me.

[Speak917]

Never again on PSA for me.

I've never had any bad experiences from the 40+ I've had graded.  The downside is the no sub grades or reason for the issued grades.  The price is what I like, $18/card over the $35/card w/ subgrades.  I will send a few into BGS, mostly the thicker RPA cards and may even crack my JK Dobbins that came back a 7 to see if I can get an 8+.  I think the grader was a UofM alum, who really dislikes anything OSU LOL.

[ZSDOne]

I got a PSA 10 Gem Mint card that has quite visible corner dings.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

[Speak917]

I got a PSA 10 Gem Mint card that has quite visible corner dings.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

Post a pic please.  I find that hard to believe.

[rjcj2017]

I've never had any bad experiences from the 40+ I've had graded.  The downside is the no sub grades or reason for the issued grades.  The price is what I like, $18/card over the $35/card w/ subgrades.  I will send a few into BGS, mostly the thicker RPA cards and may even crack my JK Dobbins that came back a 7 to see if I can get an 8+.  I think the grader was a UofM alum, who really dislikes anything OSU LOL.

Quite possible.

[yabbiballcards]

Post a pic please.  I find that hard to believe.

I have bought several off of ebay with corner issues. Some are so bad that you wonder if someone took out the 10 and replaced it. I have dropped a few psa graded cards and they can ding inside. Bgs too but they are more secure! I love bgs holders with old logos i dont like the new crap they came up with

[rjcj2017]

I'll just say this ... I see why people like graded cards.

It's just not my thing.

I don't trade or sell any cards in which I can see noticeable flaws, as evidenced by Speak getting a 10 on a raw card I recently traded to him.

When I buy a single, I study the photos carefully and make up my own mind on whether the condition is worth the cost.

If I can't tell, I usually move on, unless it's a cheap PC or vintage card that I just want for the collection.

I do have a 9.5 "Gem Mint" Kevin Durant 2016-17 Panini Instant card with a very noticeable white chip on a red border on the bottom right corner.

(I once won a $30 BGS grading certificate for Beckett Member Appreciation Month and didn't know what to do with it, so I got the Durant slabbed because the card stock was so flimsy.)

I would never sell it nor buy it given that it is obviously not "gem mint" - technically because of the subs it is, but I could foresee someone being unhappy with it and wanting their money back, so I just avoid the hassle.