MBA (Mike Baker Authenticated) Crossover Attempt - PSA Says Altered

gunboat82 · 08-13-2025, 05:38 PM

Just a word of caution to anyone hoping to cross an MBA card over to PSA. I purchased an MBA 3.5 Silver Diamond Mantle from Greg Morris Cards on eBay. I set the minimum grade requested as a "1."

PSA rendered its opinion and shipped the card back to me for $183.99, rejecting it as altered stock:

"Your order did not crossover because it did not meet your minimum grade requirement that you set, meaning our graders are of the opinion that your card did not meet the standards of that minimum grade or higher. They do not come to this conclusion lightly, and more than two expert PSA Graders inspect your item, and they both must come to the same conclusion. According to our graders, there were signs of alterations on this card, and the only way to have had this item encapsulated was to set your minimum grade to authentic."

I don't have any additional details because there are no grader notes. I just wanted to let people know that PSA and MBA are clearly using different criteria to identify alterations.

mjohnatgt · 08-13-2025, 06:08 PM

Altered stock is PSA's way of saying the card was pressed in a screwdown holder that made the card thinner than original. Happened a lot in the 80s. Some companies will grade those cards, but because pressing a card can remove wrinkles, PSA rightly considers it alteration.

Snowcat · 08-13-2025, 07:21 PM

It's wild that Baker is still riding his "hey, I was one of PSA's first graders" wagon up and around the hobby.

towerymt · 08-13-2025, 07:41 PM

Great info, thank you for sharing it.

It's not just MBA. SGC also has a different opinion as compared to PSA.

I've shared this example before. I bought this '55 Williams in a screwdown...

The bright white appearance on the surface right at the corner...that's light reflecting off where it's mashed flat.

ZERO chance PSA would have given that a number grade, so it went straight to SGC...

towerymt · 08-13-2025, 07:43 PM

Another one...I bought a SGC 2.5 with surface damage. Cracked it out, sent to PSA.

N5 ALTERED STOCK

I sent it back to SGC. It got a 3! I broke even after fees & grading, likely helped by the half-grade bump.

BoSoxFan1999 · 08-14-2025, 09:36 AM

It's interesting that for cards, "pressing" makes the card ungradable number-wise, but for comics pressing is not only not an issue, you have graders offering it as a service option!

auburn35 · 08-14-2025, 01:39 PM

Different standards aside, its not surprising to see altered cards in MBA slabs, especially when you factor in Brent Huigens (pwcc) has ownership in the company.

tconte · 08-14-2025, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auburn35

Different standards aside, its not surprising to see altered cards in MBA slabs, especially when you factor in Brent Huigens (pwcc) has ownership in the company.

I did not know this. Interesting!

Snowcat · 08-14-2025, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auburn35

Different standards aside, its not surprising to see altered cards in MBA slabs, especially when you factor in Brent Huigens (pwcc) has ownership in the company.

^this. Follow the money and the smell of sh*t

08-13-2025, 05:38 PM	#1
gunboat82 Member Join Date: Oct 2022 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 243 gunboat82	MBA (Mike Baker Authenticated) Crossover Attempt - PSA Says Altered Just a word of caution to anyone hoping to cross an MBA card over to PSA. I purchased an MBA 3.5 Silver Diamond Mantle from Greg Morris Cards on eBay. I set the minimum grade requested as a "1." PSA rendered its opinion and shipped the card back to me for $183.99, rejecting it as altered stock: "Your order did not crossover because it did not meet your minimum grade requirement that you set, meaning our graders are of the opinion that your card did not meet the standards of that minimum grade or higher. They do not come to this conclusion lightly, and more than two expert PSA Graders inspect your item, and they both must come to the same conclusion. According to our graders, there were signs of alterations on this card, and the only way to have had this item encapsulated was to set your minimum grade to authentic." I don't have any additional details because there are no grader notes. I just wanted to let people know that PSA and MBA are clearly using different criteria to identify alterations. Last edited by gunboat82; 08-13-2025 at 06:10 PM.

08-13-2025, 07:21 PM	#3
Snowcat Member Join Date: Jan 2024 Posts: 332 trailpeaks snowcat	It's wild that Baker is still riding his "hey, I was one of PSA's first graders" wagon up and around the hobby. __________________ Buying: •Paul Kariya serialized jersey number cards (#9) •Any Young Guns High Gloss or YG Printing Plate •Elvis Relic Cards

08-14-2025, 01:39 PM	#7
auburn35 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 4,392	Different standards aside, its not surprising to see altered cards in MBA slabs, especially when you factor in Brent Huigens (pwcc) has ownership in the company. __________________ Ashley Lelie Rookie Collector, always looking for more.

08-13-2025, 06:08 PM	#2
mjohnatgt Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Niceville, FL Posts: 14,734 mjohnatgt mjohnatgt	Altered stock is PSA's way of saying the card was pressed in a screwdown holder that made the card thinner than original. Happened a lot in the 80s. Some companies will grade those cards, but because pressing a card can remove wrinkles, PSA rightly considers it alteration.

08-13-2025, 07:41 PM	#4
towerymt Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: VA Posts: 8,830	Great info, thank you for sharing it. It's not just MBA. SGC also has a different opinion as compared to PSA. I've shared this example before. I bought this '55 Williams in a screwdown... The bright white appearance on the surface right at the corner...that's light reflecting off where it's mashed flat. ZERO chance PSA would have given that a number grade, so it went straight to SGC...

08-13-2025, 07:43 PM	#5
towerymt Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: VA Posts: 8,830	Another one...I bought a SGC 2.5 with surface damage. Cracked it out, sent to PSA. N5 ALTERED STOCK I sent it back to SGC. It got a 3! I broke even after fees & grading, likely helped by the half-grade bump.

08-14-2025, 09:36 AM	#6
BoSoxFan1999 Member Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,985 Bro19999	It's interesting that for cards, "pressing" makes the card ungradable number-wise, but for comics pressing is not only not an issue, you have graders offering it as a service option!