GRADE CREEP - the sliding scale! - Page 2

pachyderm · 03-18-2022, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grade

there is a popular new TPG company that is even more screwed up.

Graded easy at the beginning,
Graded crazy strict after a few months.
Currently grading te easiest ever with 10's pristine / perfect showing up all over the place.

Inconsistency is the worst thing for a TPG.

At least with PSA you can judge the grading according to the time it was graded. Certification numbers in the 60 mil. range tend to be graded the toughest, while the numbers under 10 mill. the weakest. KSA, the Canadian grading company, has been all over the place with its grading. At one time is was very easy with grades and now it is getting tough again with the general industry trend. However, their certification numbers are all random. I wouldn't mind buying the recent cards graded, but not the older ones.

Spfld Ponies · 03-18-2022, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lighthouse

I've kept track of 1968 Topps grades since August 2021. Here's a chart showing the percentage of all grades given out by PSA both prior to, and since 8/2021

People will draw their own conclusions about this data. Some will say it's because inferior cards are now being submitted more often. Others will say grading has gotten more strict. The truth is somewhere in between.

Excellent, thanks for bringing some data to the table to add to the discussion. "Somewhere in between"... I'd agree.

Spfld Ponies · 03-18-2022, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pachyderm

At least with PSA you can judge the grading according to the time it was graded. Certification numbers in the 60 mil. range tend to be graded the toughest, while the numbers under 10 mill. the weakest. KSA, the Canadian grading company, has been all over the place with its grading. At one time is was very easy with grades and now it is getting tough again with the general industry trend. However, their certification numbers are all random. I wouldn't mind buying the recent cards graded, but not the older ones.

I guess more than ever, its about the card and not the grade. I've gotten the nicest SGC 6's back in the past two months that I'm convinced would have been at least a 7, possibly 7.5/8 in the past. Likewise with a couple of PSAs. True, many new cards get 10's, but the prior 1990 cards just get hammered.

We've all said it for years... buy the card, not the slab! I fear new collectors only look at the slab.

Ianhatcher · 03-18-2022, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boostedwrx

Did you crack and resub or do a review?

Cracked and re-subbed.

hauntedcomputer · 03-19-2022, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianhatcher

All I say is what I experienced and my gem rate was around 80% in 2020 and it went down to 40% in 2021. I submit at least 1000 cards a year of modern, ultra modern. I got PSA 9s on 15 higher end card I had sent in at Economy or Regular level. Their prices had spiked quite a bit so I sent them back at Express, Super Express and Walkthrough and 12 of the 15 got 10s. One card I even sent to BGS that was a PSA 9 got a BGS 10. So from what I can tell I either got incredibly unlucky with harsh graders or PSA is grading more strict.

This could mean that the more you pay, the more leniently they grade, though. Their business model.

Cardwax · 03-20-2022, 09:38 AM

I think nothing has changed other than the people sending them are sending 8’s and 9’s expecting 10’s. My gem rate for both companies is sky high. Time to look in the mirror. Not to mention if you’re sending ultra modern, well, those cards are often damaged out of the pack because these companies give zero shits about QC.

Stackfan · 03-21-2022, 07:59 AM

I do think both PSA and BGS started grading harder over the past few years. BGS is probably more subtle/consistent than PSA. PSA had some really bad 10’s out there. At least BgS and sub grades you can see the flaw in most cases.

SGC has been consistently hard to get the 10. Their 9’s and 9.5’s seem quite under valued, considering a fair shot to at least cross to an equal grade, if not better.

Think people are slowly getting smarter on the trends and sub grades.

View Poll Results: Has grading become more strict in the last 3 years?
Yes, PSA and SGC are tougher than ever	52	71.23%
No, the same standards from 10 years ago apply	21	28.77%
Voters: 73. You may not vote on this poll

03-20-2022, 09:38 AM	#31
Cardwax Banned Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Chicago Posts: 273 indcolts18287-2	I think nothing has changed other than the people sending them are sending 8’s and 9’s expecting 10’s. My gem rate for both companies is sky high. Time to look in the mirror. Not to mention if you’re sending ultra modern, well, those cards are often damaged out of the pack because these companies give zero shits about QC.

03-21-2022, 07:59 AM	#32
Stackfan Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 3,506	I do think both PSA and BGS started grading harder over the past few years. BGS is probably more subtle/consistent than PSA. PSA had some really bad 10’s out there. At least BgS and sub grades you can see the flaw in most cases. SGC has been consistently hard to get the 10. Their 9’s and 9.5’s seem quite under valued, considering a fair shot to at least cross to an equal grade, if not better. Think people are slowly getting smarter on the trends and sub grades.