How many grading companies are there, and why?

foleylion08 · 03-31-2023, 08:55 AM

It seems like every single day I see a card graded by another new company I've never heard of. At some point, aren't you just paying to have someone put your card in a neat little picture frame? The off-brand grading companies can't hold or add value to cards, right?

I'd like to get a running list:

1st Graded
AGS
Arena Club
BGS
BCCG (obsolete)
CardScore (appears to have gone out of business already)
CGA (Australia)
CSG
DCS
FCG
Game-On Grading
GMA
GSG
HGA
ISA
KSA (Canada)
MGCo
MGS (apparently out of business)
MNT
PGS (Germany)
PrimeGraders (fake company? website only a landing page)
Rare Edition
PSA
Ruffleton Grading (literally the worst)
SGC
SVGC
TAG
TCGC

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

discodanman45 · 03-31-2023, 09:16 AM

BCCG was BGS budget slab, so that is no longer active. I could over 10 more active grading companies not on your list. Rare Edition, Arena Club, GMA are a few. Southern Value card Grading may be my favorite. They used to have a confederate flag option for their slab, can't make this stuff up.

meandsharon11 · 03-31-2023, 09:20 AM

#1. A lot

#2. They’s expensive

TheFrenzy · 03-31-2023, 09:33 AM

Don't forget Ruffleton Grading.

longhornjunkie · 03-31-2023, 09:34 AM

DCS (Dallas Card Show) grading

foleylion08 · 03-31-2023, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

Don't forget Ruffleton Grading.

Poor Ruffy got banned it appears

splitrockgamer · 03-31-2023, 10:01 AM

1, it's PSA the rest are a waste of money

TheFrenzy · 03-31-2023, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foleylion08

Poor Ruffy got banned it appears

If our Reddit sources are correct, he's likely in Thailand right now "having fun."

This is actually not even a joke.

sic698 · 03-31-2023, 10:10 AM

Shouldn't this thread be in the grading forum and not the football forum?

foleylion08 · 03-31-2023, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sic698

Shouldn't this thread be in the grading forum and not the football forum?

To be 100% honest, I only ever go to the football forum and the marketplace, so I just posted it where I was at the time.

207consignments · 03-31-2023, 11:25 AM

PSI..also CGC unless keeping it just sports cards

foleylion08 · 03-31-2023, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 207consignments

PSI..also CGC unless keeping it just sports cards

Yeah if you open up to gaming cards and comics, there are just as many more of those as well.

bamafan3559 · 03-31-2023, 12:16 PM

FCG (Forensic Card Grading)

49erRCCollector · 03-31-2023, 12:43 PM

Lotsa people trying to make a buck.

jplarson · 03-31-2023, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

If our Reddit sources are correct, he's likely in Thailand right now "having fun."

This is actually not even a joke.

I wonder if he's buds with Kliff Kingsbury. The forums have been a little less magical these days and it's a shame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by foleylion08

To be 100% honest, I only ever go to the football forum and the marketplace, so I just posted it where I was at the time.

Pro move. Football forum is the only one that matters.

TheFrenzy · 03-31-2023, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplarson

Pro move. Football forum is the only one that matters.

longhornjunkie · 03-31-2023, 03:01 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggbNKKDTBNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw

foleylion08 · 03-31-2023, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longhornjunkie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggbNKKDTBNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0kc...nnel=PinkFloyd

TheFrenzy · 03-31-2023, 03:29 PM

foleylion08 · 03-31-2023, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

TEACH ME!....please?

mfw13 · 03-31-2023, 03:33 PM

Too many....

Why?

Because people decided to obsess over minute differences in card condition which generally aren't even visible to the naked eye.

The hobby was just fine pre-TPG, when you had 6-7 generally accepted grades, not 19....

asujbl · 03-31-2023, 03:37 PM

2

The rest are money grabs

They all probably are but there are 2 that will last

TheFrenzy · 03-31-2023, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foleylion08

TEACH ME!....please?

TheFrenzy · 03-31-2023, 03:48 PM

Baraka · 03-31-2023, 05:44 PM

PSA and BGS are the only ones that count to me

03-31-2023, 09:20 AM	#3
meandsharon11 Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 5,096	#1. A lot #2. They’s expensive __________________ https://www.flickr.com/photos/196644596@N08/albums

03-31-2023, 09:34 AM	#5
longhornjunkie Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Rowlett, TX Posts: 4,592 longhornjunkie	DCS (Dallas Card Show) grading __________________ Collecting Longhorns RCs 1999-2005 FB/BKB https://sites.google.com/view/longhornjunkie/home Running Card Show (Cards FS) - http://bit.ly/longhornjunkie

03-31-2023, 12:43 PM	#14
49erRCCollector Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,580	Lotsa people trying to make a buck. __________________ Will MASSIVELY overpay for: 2002 Fleer Authentix #180, 181 Derek Smith & Zack Bronson AND 2007 Upper Deck Target Exclusive Rookies Autographs #261 Joe Staley #'d to /5

03-31-2023, 03:01 PM	#17
longhornjunkie Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Rowlett, TX Posts: 4,592 longhornjunkie	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggbNKKDTBNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw __________________ Collecting Longhorns RCs 1999-2005 FB/BKB https://sites.google.com/view/longhornjunkie/home Running Card Show (Cards FS) - http://bit.ly/longhornjunkie

03-31-2023, 03:37 PM	#22
asujbl Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 63,018 ohiosundevils	2 The rest are money grabs They all probably are but there are 2 that will last __________________ https://ohiosundevils.smugmug.com/ Browns/Cavs/Tribe/Buckeyes/Jackets/Devils TheFrenzy - “Blowout ain't a place for normies”

03-31-2023, 08:55 AM	#1
foleylion08 Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,633 dynastysportscards17	How many grading companies are there, and why? It seems like every single day I see a card graded by another new company I've never heard of. At some point, aren't you just paying to have someone put your card in a neat little picture frame? The off-brand grading companies can't hold or add value to cards, right? I'd like to get a running list: 1st Graded AGS Arena Club BGS BCCG (obsolete) CardScore (appears to have gone out of business already) CGA (Australia) CSG DCS FCG Game-On Grading GMA GSG HGA ISA KSA (Canada) MGCo MGS (apparently out of business) MNT PGS (Germany) PrimeGraders (fake company? website only a landing page) Rare Edition PSA Ruffleton Grading (literally the worst) SGC SVGC TAG TCGC And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Last edited by foleylion08; 04-12-2023 at 09:59 AM. Reason: Adding companies.

03-31-2023, 09:16 AM	#2
discodanman45 Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: CA Posts: 9,737 danch27	BCCG was BGS budget slab, so that is no longer active. I could over 10 more active grading companies not on your list. Rare Edition, Arena Club, GMA are a few. Southern Value card Grading may be my favorite. They used to have a confederate flag option for their slab, can't make this stuff up. __________________ Updating my entire collection on Card Ladder. Lots to go... https://www.cardladder.com/showcase/IOBB7AY2qTVVKSgU9Aqj02kfF4I3

03-31-2023, 09:33 AM	#4
TheFrenzy Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Texan in AZ Posts: 44,115	Don't forget Ruffleton Grading.

03-31-2023, 10:01 AM	#7
splitrockgamer Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 2,646 splitrockgamer	1, it's PSA the rest are a waste of money

03-31-2023, 10:10 AM	#9
sic698 Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Posts: 84	Shouldn't this thread be in the grading forum and not the football forum?

03-31-2023, 11:25 AM	#11
207consignments Member Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Maine Posts: 41	PSI..also CGC unless keeping it just sports cards

03-31-2023, 12:16 PM	#13
bamafan3559 Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Soddy Daisy, TN Posts: 1,401 bamafan3559	FCG (Forensic Card Grading)

03-31-2023, 03:29 PM	#19
TheFrenzy Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Texan in AZ Posts: 44,115

03-31-2023, 03:33 PM	#21
mfw13 Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 17,423	Too many.... Why? Because people decided to obsess over minute differences in card condition which generally aren't even visible to the naked eye. The hobby was just fine pre-TPG, when you had 6-7 generally accepted grades, not 19....

03-31-2023, 03:48 PM	#24
TheFrenzy Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Texan in AZ Posts: 44,115

03-31-2023, 05:44 PM	#25
Baraka Member Join Date: Feb 2023 Location: LA Posts: 1,147	PSA and BGS are the only ones that count to me