PSA is out of control

SLGSports · 01-13-2025, 03:08 AM

It's been really sad to see PSA grading accuracy declining as of late. A great example is a Connor McDavid Young Guns currently selling on Goldin. This is easily the worst quality copy I've seen of this card. All the corners show damage and the centering is so bad it's clearly a result of a serious manufacturing mistake. The "Young Guns" foil is so high, it's almost entirely covering McDavid's name. Also edge issues and centering issues on the back... but the card got a PSA 10 (recent grade).

So what's going on at PSA? I have a hard time believing that any grader (no matter how much they're paid, or how much experience they have) would give this card a 10. My experience, like most, is a single slightly dinged corner gets you a 9. Based on all the corner damage alone, it would be a 7 by most graders. I can only conclude that (1) they have data entry issues (which PSA tooling should never allow), or (2) there's an overreliance on AI assistance that's failing to detect egregious outliers like this card (which would be under-represented in training data) -- then a lazy grader fails to apply common sense, perhaps being in too much of a hurry. Then, of course, it's also a failure in QC... if this step is even happening right now.

In any case, PSA needs to up its game. Raw, this card is worth about $400 in this condition. As a PSA 10, it's worth $2500. Imagine submitting this card to PSA then seeing you got a 10! No wonder they sent it off to Goldin where they can sell it anonymously. It'll be interesting to see whether Goldin customers will "buy card, not the grade" or "buy the grade, not the card". Current bid, with 3 days left, is $1950 (including buyer's premium) -- so I guess that answers the question.

PSA, if you're listening, please address this. I'm sure for every non-deserving card that gets knighted a 10, there's many other gem-mint cards that are getting some other random grade (like Geoff Wilson's gem-mint card that was graded Authentic). We're paying far too much for this service, and waiting far too long for the grades, to be a random number generator in some cases.

rohara99 · 01-13-2025, 12:49 PM

Damn. That is BAD, hah.

discodanman45 · 01-13-2025, 01:10 PM

Will we see this cert # deactivated?

PSA obviously has a few employees tracking this forum.

THE(NEXT)LEVEL · 01-13-2025, 01:29 PM

While the common submitter sends in almost perfect chrome cards and gets 6's, 7's, and 8's.......

Cards and 401K · 01-13-2025, 02:28 PM

Dupe

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Cards and 401K · 01-13-2025, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cards and 401K

PSA lost my business over2 years ago for this same issue. Plus horrible customer service. How close to the wild fires

is the PSA HQ situated?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cards and 401K · 01-13-2025, 02:29 PM

Sent from my iPhone dupe

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seanbros55 · 01-13-2025, 08:46 PM

That’s disgusting.

DaveedTO · 01-14-2025, 09:44 AM

Another overgraded OPC Gretzky RC.

https://www.psacard.com/cert/102228649

SLGSports · 01-14-2025, 03:04 PM

Wow, that'd be a fair grade if it weren't for the blob of toothpaste or part of the card missing on the left side

discodanman45 · 01-14-2025, 03:52 PM

Looks like a print defect, which PSA doesn't have rules for and can be interpreted however the grader wants. By the shine it is not paper loss, have lots of similar vintage cards with similar print defects that got 6/7. Not the worse thing I have seen from PSA.

DaveedTO · 01-14-2025, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discodanman45

Looks like a print defect, which PSA doesn't have rules for and can be interpreted however the grader wants. By the shine it is not paper loss, have lots of similar vintage cards with similar print defects that got 6/7. Not the worse thing I have seen from PSA.

(x8649 PSA7) 1979 OPC Gretzky (misgrade?) & (x8647 PSA3) 1979 OPC Gretzky (misgrade/wrong label?), caught my eye.

The PSA submission (CERT #102228644-102228651) contained (eight) 1979 OPC Gretzky RCs.

IMO, the two best looking Gretzky RCs are (x8646 PSA7) & (x8647 PSA3).

https://www.psacard.com/cert/102228647 (GRETZKY PSA3)
https://www.psacard.com/cert/102228646 (GRETZKY PSA7)

discodanman45 · 01-14-2025, 05:46 PM

The 3 could have a serious crease on the card. Using a 2D image to try to guess a grade or say it is misgraded is impossible. The grade is a technical representation of a card that uses a rubric. Eye appeal is not used much for PSA's calculation of a grade. That 7 could have a really nice surface and the print defect dropped the grade. As a buyer, I can tell you hate that print defect. That makes it an easy decision to pass up that card.

SLGSports · 01-14-2025, 07:36 PM

I guess their new Gretzky rookie expert hasn't been trained on registration yet. The two 7s are easily the worst of the bunch... pictures are way out of focus.

discodanman45 · 01-14-2025, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLGSports

I guess their new Gretzky rookie expert hasn't been trained on registration yet. The two 7s are easily the worst of the bunch... pictures are way out of focus.

Registration should be a separate subgrade and have more verbiage in the description of each grade. They have an "OF" qualifier, but it is rarely used and I don't think I have seen one on a recently graded card.

rnocards · 01-15-2025, 12:33 AM

Do you think the white spot on the game-worn batting glove on this card is the main reason why PSA gave it a 5 grade?

If yes, then wouldn't it be normal for a game worn relic to sometimes have stains like that? Why would PSA penalize that? The stain is on the relic, not on the card.

metsandweezer · 01-15-2025, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnocards

Do you think the white spot on the game-worn batting glove on this card is the main reason why PSA gave it a 5 grade?

If yes, then wouldn't it be normal for a game worn relic to sometimes have stains like that? Why would PSA penalize that? The stain is on the relic, not on the card.

The back corners are destroyed.

rnocards · 01-15-2025, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metsandweezer

The back corners are destroyed.

Ok, yeah, that would then be the main reason, and not because of the stain on the front relic, right?

DaveedTO · 01-15-2025, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metsandweezer

The back corners are destroyed.

+1

oddstuff · 01-15-2025, 12:12 PM

Thick relic cards usually have some sort of corner damage unfortunately and will not grade well. All 4 back corners of the above card show significant damage and the edges show quite a bit of chipping also.

rnocards · 01-15-2025, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oddstuff

Thick relic cards usually have some sort of corner damage unfortunately and will not grade well. All 4 back corners of the above card show significant damage and the edges show quite a bit of chipping also.

Yes, but what about the white stain on the batting glove relic on the front of the card? Is that relevant at all to the grade? Or is it all due to the corners and edges?

discodanman45 · 01-15-2025, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnocards

Yes, but what about the white stain on the batting glove relic on the front of the card? Is that relevant at all to the grade? Or is it all due to the corners and edges?

It is just the corner wear the gave that card the grade. Those corners are close to being rounded for a modern card.

rnocards · 01-15-2025, 12:26 PM

Ok, thanks.

SLGSports · 01-16-2025, 10:24 PM

Hideous McDavid Young Guns sold now for $2440 on Goldin. Meanwhile legit PSA 10s are selling for $2200 on eBay each day. I don't get this hobby sometimes...

bear0555 · 01-17-2025, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnocards

Yes, but what about the white stain on the batting glove relic on the front of the card? Is that relevant at all to the grade? Or is it all due to the corners and edges?

It's not a stain. It's an airhole from the glove.

01-13-2025, 01:10 PM	#3
discodanman45 Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: CA Posts: 9,810 danch27	Will we see this cert # deactivated? PSA obviously has a few employees tracking this forum. __________________ Always looking for rarer Rik Smits cards and cards from the 2014-15 Spectra Global Icons set. Send me a message!

01-13-2025, 02:28 PM	#5
Cards and 401K Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 3,567	PSA is out of control Dupe Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01-14-2025, 03:52 PM	#11
discodanman45 Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: CA Posts: 9,810 danch27	Looks like a print defect, which PSA doesn't have rules for and can be interpreted however the grader wants. By the shine it is not paper loss, have lots of similar vintage cards with similar print defects that got 6/7. Not the worse thing I have seen from PSA. __________________ Always looking for rarer Rik Smits cards and cards from the 2014-15 Spectra Global Icons set. Send me a message!

01-14-2025, 05:46 PM	#13
discodanman45 Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: CA Posts: 9,810 danch27	The 3 could have a serious crease on the card. Using a 2D image to try to guess a grade or say it is misgraded is impossible. The grade is a technical representation of a card that uses a rubric. Eye appeal is not used much for PSA's calculation of a grade. That 7 could have a really nice surface and the print defect dropped the grade. As a buyer, I can tell you hate that print defect. That makes it an easy decision to pass up that card. __________________ Always looking for rarer Rik Smits cards and cards from the 2014-15 Spectra Global Icons set. Send me a message!

01-15-2025, 12:33 AM	#16
rnocards Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Posts: 542	Do you think the white spot on the game-worn batting glove on this card is the main reason why PSA gave it a 5 grade? If yes, then wouldn't it be normal for a game worn relic to sometimes have stains like that? Why would PSA penalize that? The stain is on the relic, not on the card. Attached Thumbnails

01-13-2025, 03:08 AM	#1
SLGSports Member Join Date: Mar 2023 Posts: 144	PSA is out of control It's been really sad to see PSA grading accuracy declining as of late. A great example is a Connor McDavid Young Guns currently selling on Goldin. This is easily the worst quality copy I've seen of this card. All the corners show damage and the centering is so bad it's clearly a result of a serious manufacturing mistake. The "Young Guns" foil is so high, it's almost entirely covering McDavid's name. Also edge issues and centering issues on the back... but the card got a PSA 10 (recent grade). So what's going on at PSA? I have a hard time believing that any grader (no matter how much they're paid, or how much experience they have) would give this card a 10. My experience, like most, is a single slightly dinged corner gets you a 9. Based on all the corner damage alone, it would be a 7 by most graders. I can only conclude that (1) they have data entry issues (which PSA tooling should never allow), or (2) there's an overreliance on AI assistance that's failing to detect egregious outliers like this card (which would be under-represented in training data) -- then a lazy grader fails to apply common sense, perhaps being in too much of a hurry. Then, of course, it's also a failure in QC... if this step is even happening right now. In any case, PSA needs to up its game. Raw, this card is worth about $400 in this condition. As a PSA 10, it's worth $2500. Imagine submitting this card to PSA then seeing you got a 10! No wonder they sent it off to Goldin where they can sell it anonymously. It'll be interesting to see whether Goldin customers will "buy card, not the grade" or "buy the grade, not the card". Current bid, with 3 days left, is $1950 (including buyer's premium) -- so I guess that answers the question. PSA, if you're listening, please address this. I'm sure for every non-deserving card that gets knighted a 10, there's many other gem-mint cards that are getting some other random grade (like Geoff Wilson's gem-mint card that was graded Authentic). We're paying far too much for this service, and waiting far too long for the grades, to be a random number generator in some cases. Attached Thumbnails

01-13-2025, 12:49 PM	#2
rohara99 Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Canada, eh! Posts: 986	Damn. That is BAD, hah.

01-13-2025, 01:29 PM	#4
THE(NEXT)LEVEL Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South Jersey Posts: 4,713	While the common submitter sends in almost perfect chrome cards and gets 6's, 7's, and 8's.......

01-13-2025, 02:29 PM	#7
Cards and 401K Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 3,567	Sent from my iPhone dupe Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01-13-2025, 08:46 PM	#8
seanbros55 Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: From the 508 to the 707 Posts: 5,393	That’s disgusting.

01-14-2025, 09:44 AM	#9
DaveedTO Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 329	Another overgraded OPC Gretzky RC. https://www.psacard.com/cert/102228649

01-14-2025, 03:04 PM	#10
SLGSports Member Join Date: Mar 2023 Posts: 144	Wow, that'd be a fair grade if it weren't for the blob of toothpaste or part of the card missing on the left side

01-14-2025, 07:36 PM	#14
SLGSports Member Join Date: Mar 2023 Posts: 144	I guess their new Gretzky rookie expert hasn't been trained on registration yet. The two 7s are easily the worst of the bunch... pictures are way out of focus.

01-15-2025, 12:12 PM	#20
oddstuff Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: CA Posts: 5,181	Thick relic cards usually have some sort of corner damage unfortunately and will not grade well. All 4 back corners of the above card show significant damage and the edges show quite a bit of chipping also.

01-15-2025, 12:26 PM	#23
rnocards Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Posts: 542	Ok, thanks.

01-16-2025, 10:24 PM	#24
SLGSports Member Join Date: Mar 2023 Posts: 144	Hideous McDavid Young Guns sold now for $2440 on Goldin. Meanwhile legit PSA 10s are selling for $2200 on eBay each day. I don't get this hobby sometimes...