Big Announcement, PSA to start grading magazines & comics - CGC Sports Illustrated

[@unc23sports]

Happy to hear PSA wanted your feedback at this meeting. This is going to be HUGE for this part of the HOBBY! Congrats to you and others for doing your BEST to showcase the importance of including magazines collecting in the hobby!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@unc23sports thank you! I agree, PSA coming into the market is nothing but positive

[@samifan24]

Great overview Jim. I’ll be trying PSA on day one too.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Thank you! I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t at least try PSA

[@gcxred4kat9]

I feel like a couple of rich sports memorabilia collectors should get together and start grading ALL size publications... LIFE, Sporting News, etc. Comics are so huge that someone should leave them to their own and concentrate on everything else. Irritating as hell that I have a 1st SI from 1936 and a near perfect 1941 Ted Williams LIFE e.g. that I can't get graded. It's not even so much the grade as I'd like to have them protected in a UV proof slab and be able to display them. Gretzky collects... imagine if he threw his weight behind such a thing! Him and Getty Lee from Rush, 2 Canadians, should do it!!!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

I just think there’s no enough potential business in oversized pieces just yet. Would be tough to make a business out of grading those

[@travismac1149]

Thanks for the update Jim. Did they have any opinion on pressing? They are very staunch on their opinions on cleaned cards - will be interesting to see how they justify a difference of opinion on mags, if they differ.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

They came out and said they’ll be offer pressing services. It’s a completely different piece of memorabilia, so I don’t see an issue with that. That would be like saying “well since I can’t clean my cards, I guess I also can’t wash my classic ‘57 corvette”. Different pieces with different rules

[@oregonfigs3314]

CGC did have the word Newsstand on some magazines they graded early on. I own a few and I like this added information. I have no idea why they stopped doing this. Not having UV protection is a serious miss and I don’t see why it was not added with the introduction of the new slabs. The inconsistent of added information on CGC labels is another miss. I have some very nice newsstand issues that I have holding until CGG starts adding autographs. Maybe I will hold and send to PSA now?

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@oregonfigs3314 correct on the newsstand. UV protection is expensive

[@ping1693]

This is exciting for signed mags

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@ping1693 yes, PSA with authenticate autos on mags day one!

[@sportsmags]

Great video, Jim. Appreciate the shoutout!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Your video on this was great!

[@JamesKmiec-m6n]

Great video Jim! Yes label notes matter...a lot!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@JamesKmiec-m6n thank you!

[@tonyfix8739]

Great vid James. I agree on most of your points. I do think the look of the label does matter though. Specifically the size of the grade number in the corner. If you have to get close and squint to see the grade, that's a negative for me. I would say that comic people send their cards into PSA to get graded simply because they're considered the experts at grading cards. The converse is true about publications. It would take a couple years for PSA to show that they are the best at publications. The most concerning thing I heard here though is the idea that PSA is going to be pushing 10s as a marketing tool. That doesn't come off as very authentic or responsible. They wouldn't be the first company to enter the publication grading space with more relaxed requirements for their grades, and all the previous ones have been mocked mercilessly for it . For high dollar books, I consider the grading system to be a sort of exchange rate, and when one currency artificially raises their value, the market can lose faith in that currency and it's devalued. Because of that I can't see myself sending any books in that I want to sell to PSA until I see for myself how the market treats those differences. If a cgc 9.6 is selling for more than a PSA 10. I will stick with cgc for certain, even with their labeling difficulties. The label is nice, but having a grade that is accurate is the true test of a grading company for any collectible, and should be how they are judged.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

All great points. However, I could argue that PSA is the expert in sports collectibles, regardless of the medium. I tend to look at it that way

[@victortoombs4754]

Great video Jim! I would suggest that the next batch that you send into CGC, you type up a letter and say, "I've repeatedly asked you to designate my magazines as FC or variant. Unfortunately, if you continue ignoring my requests going forward, you leave me no other alternative but to submit to PSA instead." LOL.😂😂😂

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@victortoombs4754 😂

[@victortoombs4754]

@cgcsportsillustrated5290 We're both laughing, but in all honesty, it's time to turn the tables on CGC. They need to know that we come first and if not we will take our business elsewhere. Enough is enough!

[@Hectekk]

Even way more than cards, aesthetics is very important to comic and magazine collectors so naturally how a label looks is very important for display purposes and overall look of slab. Very normal and understandable.

[@victortoombs4754]

That's totally stupid. You buy the card, not the slab.

[@Hectekk]

@@victortoombs4754 Nice wording. I guess there are hundreds of thousands of stupid people out there that avoided CBCS partly due to their ugly label in past.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Agreed it’s an issue for comics. Sports memorabilia collectors don’t seem to be so sensitive to labels. Time will tell

[@ASMRPeople]

It's certainly good for the hobby. I have a couple thoughts. First on labeling, I'm not saying they'll be perfect, but psa will not be the fiasco that cgc is. They'll break out the variants correctly. First covers on the label maybe not as perfect. Psa built there empire on pop reports & set registry. Second sure they're not grading life right away, but they'll be the first to do so at some point, because magazines won't be an afterthought. Third, you'll see a boom in game program grading, you know what goes great with my 57 world series game 7 graded ticket? A graded program.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

You won’t get an argument from me on any of these points! I completely agree with you about vintage game programs, I’m a big fan!

[@Hectekk]

Wish they did BGS standard. 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, and 10. PSA has ruled card market because people by nature want PSA10's and not 9.5 as gem mint. Silly to copy CGC standard.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

I think it makes sense as cards all go by .5 up to 10. And they aren’t using the CGC grading standard, but using they same grading scale

[@TooGood4Gamesv1]

@@cgcsportsillustrated5290 Isn't PSA grading basically only 9s or 10s hold value? And I think 8s are usually similar price to normal market card value? (probably depends on how old the product is but)

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@TooGood4Gamesv1 yes, totally dependent on the age of the item. For example, the highest graded copy of Joe Namath’s 1st cover is 8.5

[@cliffscollectibles1007]

I watched a video interview yesterday with Mark Wilson where he is stated as being the new head grader for PSA’s comic/magazine area. I will include the link if anyone wants to watch it. Interesting note as that they are looking at have two different cases, one is a premium case for high-end or rare issues that you could get on any issue for an additional fee. It’s kind of a long video which goes off topic, but interesting in the least. He has been in comics a long time, having help set up CGC, working at Heritage Auctions, and was a final grader at CBCS. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXW5fXyXrJ5sqc0si=sdDsJTm9-BeULuRR

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Excellent info, thank you for posting this link!

[@tomharrison6607]

psa starting to grade magazines adds to the potential of maybe bigger publications being graded

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Don’t get your hopes up. The equipment used to encapsulate slabs is very specific and expensive. I wouldn’t expect larger formats anytime soon

[@JohnnyJR118]

Im thinking about grading a few ... i got this kobe one called Playoff Dream looks like it could be higher than a 9.6

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@JohnnyJR118 anything Kobe is still very hot right now!

[@tomharrison6607]

i agree info on the label is more important than looks plus the look is not as bad as they say

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

I always liked the PSA label, very clean

[@tomharrison6607]

who knows but eventually some graded magazines may get a premium when we add the subtitle pressed by jim kehoe lol i know pwcc had a premium somewhat along those lines for sports cards

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

lol, I like the way you’re thinking Tom!

[@tomharrison6607]

@@cgcsportsillustrated5290 half joking but not half joking if i eventually sell some of my early magazines that were pressed by you i would ask the auction house to add those words

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@tomharrison6607if you do that, please let me know what they say!

[@true_rcs]

This is great news! Any talk on prices?

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

I’m told they will be competitive to CGC on pricing

[@portville1979]

Yeeha!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

It’s gonna be fun to watch this play out

[@Daltonnicolas13]

Couple questions, will they have a cross over service like the do with sportscards, will cgc 9.8s cross over to psa 10s (that would be massive) and also will you be sending any for a crossover if they offer that service?

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Crossover likely won’t work with comics and mags as you can’t evaluate the inside pages while it’s in the slab

[@Daltonnicolas13]

@@cgcsportsillustrated5290 that is a great point, thanks!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@Daltonnicolas13👍

[@timchaney3953]

Showing my ignorance here, but what is "Cross Over" and a "Cross Over Service"?

[@brifodes]

I guess the main question is how many “classic” newsstands will they get? Have to assume 90% have already been graded by CGC. I doubt many will crack, gamble, and resubmit. I know I’d be hesitant.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

That’s gonna take time to work itself out in the hobby. If people pay a 10-30% premium for a PSA slab like they do for cards, it will definitely happen.

[@brifodes]

@@cgcsportsillustrated5290 I hear you but the % cracking a 9.6 or 9.8 to send to PSA is playing with fire.

[@gcxred4kat9]

Did I hear you correctly that they're not gonna put newsstand or subscription on the label?

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@brifodescrack, press and grade is always a gamble!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@gcxred4kat9the opposite, they are gonna put one or the other on the label

[@gcxred4kat9]

So PSA is a sports card grading company that is going to get into magazine/comic grading but the only sports mag they're going to grade is Sports Illustrated? Are they going to grade all comics? Seems like they'd wanna dance with who brung them, sports, and grade all sports mags before they do comics (core competency). So sports mags are the step child again. I've got a ton of mags to grade but I'm sitting on the sidelines till this all shakes out better for sports mags. Beckett, where are you!

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

You have to have a lot of knowledge of publications to be able to grade them, spot missing inserts, know if they’ve been trimmed, know variants, etc. it’s not easy to start with a massive database of all that info

[@brifodes]

Are they getting CGC or CBCS graders to come over for more $$? This could really hurt CGC’s reputation if the leaving graders are their good ones. Also, CGC turnaround times will suffer. Expect that.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Yes, I know they’ve hired graders from CGC and/or CBCS

[@victortoombs4754]

I'd be willing to bet those two 9.9s that came out recently had something to do with CGC, knowing that PSA was going to enter the magazine grading market.

[@Hectekk]

If you knew market you would know that CGC has been ramping up 9.9's in last few months. Even doing 9.9 prescreens which they never did in past.

[@victortoombs4754]

​@Hectekk Yeah, because most likely, the word leaked out that PSA was coming for them.

[@Hectekk]

@@victortoombs4754 Nah, more likely they wanted all those 9.8 holders to resubmit them back to get more grading fees. CGC may lose some share to PSA but will still end up very dominant in comics due to long history and large investments by dealers. Sports magazines for sure will go to PSA since its a natural fit.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@Hectekkthat’s only with comics. The data shows that with magazines they’re actually giving fewer 9.8’s than ever.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@HectekkI think you’re probably right on both points!

[@Kinodynasty]

New to the graded magazine hobby, was thinking going cgc route should I wait for psa? Will psa hold more value?

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

@@Kinodynasty I have no idea, and nobody does. This is all new, and it will take the market years before you can make a firm conclusion

[@LetsStormTheTeaCupRide]

I have 300+ CGC Comics/Magazines graded and dislike the idea of Frankensteining my collection with other companies represented in my collection. That's just me.

[@tomharrison6607]

yes i get that it is nice to have everything the same company

[@brifodes]

And I could see PSA getting a lot of business if SI was like it was in the 70’s for example: weekly, great writers, great action/game photos etc. You get none of that now with bi-monthly issues. New SI’s will not be collectable at all. So what issues will PSA be getting? Seems like they may be late to the game.

[@tomharrison6607]

there are plenty of other magazines sport inside sport time people etc etc but yes i agree the last 5 to 10 years of sports illustrated has gone downhill ie left leaning journalism

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

Plenty of new SI issues are collectible. Wemenyama’s cover is a great example. Also, there are lots of other magazines that people grade, plus vintage issues. There’s no shortage of issues that collectors want graded

[@brifodes]

@@tomharrison6607 yes, but who knows when PSA will be grading other magazines? Could be a while.

[@brifodes]

@@cgcsportsillustrated5290 people now see SI’s as potential $$. Probably will be too many graded esp like Wemby. I had a nice Wemby but sold it raw. What value does it have if the 9.8 pop is huge? None.

[@tomharrison6607]

@@brifodes yes good point but eventually i think they will could be interesting to see this all play out

[@LetsStormTheTeaCupRide]

I have 300+ CGC Comics/Magazines graded and dislike the idea of Frankensteining my collection with other companies represented in my collection. That's just me.

[@cgcsportsillustrated5290]

I’m sure you’re not alone. But for sports magazines, I’ve got to believe that if PSA can deliver the goods, that would be the preference for most people