Collecting Cardboard is Just Weird

[@Johto_Justin]

I want someone to look at me the way Jake looks at Roboskillz 😅

[@JediMasterT]

Okay so, I do think grading is general is a scam. I have graded with the big 3, CGC, PSA, BGS and I have varying opinions of all of them and I think they all have their place in the hobby as options to collectors. that being said I think each company has it's own level of scammyness that goes on. This is kind of a rant but here goes... Explanation : PSA - After I got back into the hobby it's been about 3 years now and I personally feel that PSA is the least scamming company available to grade with. They in general of the maybe 200 cards I've submitted have been the most consistent of all and yes before people jump down my throat about them making mistakes...they have made mistakes on my orders too but OVERALL they have been the most consistent in pre-grading to actual grade received. HOWEVER, the scummy scam comes in when you grade a nearly perfect vintage holo that has high value and it gets a 9 when it clearly deserves a 10. I believe they try to find reason why not to give your 5k card a 10 because of their "grade guarantee" they so proudly boast. If they handed out 10s on these super high end cards like say, the crystal Charizard. It would then not only reduce the value of that card, but also they are actively leveraging their own insurance guarantee and risking their own funds. So yes I think they do mark down SUPER high end vintage because it's advantageous for them to do so. CGC - My biggest issue with CGC is all of the issues with the cases, being able to crack them and swap the cards or the labels. Plus their affiliation with the literal worst mystery box to hit the Pokémon market ever. Their willingness to poop on the smaller collectors to push through 1000 card orders from bigger streamers so they can flip their cards faster. It's just TLDR shitting on the collectors of the hobby and putting priority to the business which I think will backfire in the long run. This is why I've decided to stop supporting them. BGS - Okay, BGS has the same problem PSA has except instead of insurance they just have a "standard" of low percentage pristine 10 and black label 10s to uphold. This company is the worst with consistency and I am fairly convinced once your card reached the 9-10 range they will grade your card. Let's say your card is decided it's a 9...they will then play with your subgrades to ultimately give you a 9 but the subgrades have nothing to do with your grade. For instance, to give you a final score of 9, they may give your corners 8.5, ( to force you into a 9 grade ), then edges/surface/centering 9.5s so you think you have an amazing card just the corners are messed up or whatever, but then if you take a close look at the card. The centering is absolutely jacked up compared to your other card that got a centering of 8 or something stupid. It just feels bad when half the reason people go with BGS is because of the subgrades and the subgrades are messed with for whatever reason.

[@TheDoraLp]

I don‘t like 9 as a number. That‘s why it‘s either PSA 8 or 10 for me.

[@TwicebakedJake]

Now that's a hot take

[@cyrax83]

I pretty much only buy graded cards for my personal collection. For modern, PSA 10 only. For vintage PSA 8-9's are fine. 1. I know the quality of the card I'm getting, it's authenticated and not a fake and it's protected 2. There is a generally established price point 3. It will generally retain the value (although sometimes not) 4. Easier to display

[@nikeswoosh7575]

Exactly right 🎉

[@JH-cb2zf]

The greninja is the most mediocre looking, underwhelming most expensive modern card. The 7 dollar mew ex promo is a work of art compared to it. Crazy hobby...

[@professoroaksvintagecards4315]

The wildest thing is that the 9 vs 10 affects vintage too. You can get pretty much any vintage holo in a 9 for quite cheap now!

[@nikeswoosh7575]

Probably the most interesting discussion ive heard about Pokemon in a long time

[@Roboskillz]

Thanks! We appreciate that! 💪💪 we’ll try and do more!

[@Siigrit]

I’ve found PSA’s grading to be quite consistent. Out of the 25 cards I’ve submitted over the years, I’ve agreed with the grades on 22 of them. Their guidelines provide clear standards for assessing card conditions, which helps minimize errors in grading. Mistakes can still happen because, as you mentioned, the differences between a 9 and a 10, for example, are so minute that it’s understandable for one to occasionally be mistaken for the other. Overall, I enjoy getting my cards graded because it ensures authenticity, provides a durable case to preserve them, enhances their display quality, and just feels rewarding. In my opinion, the cost is well worth it-unless you are buying a pre-graded card, then it depends 😅

[@cbarxoo]

Grading itself is a scam. I have bought PSA 10, CGC Pristine 10, and BGS 10 with surface 10 and they have had printlines. If your going to say something is Gem Mint I dont think it should be able to pass with printlines. Its an eyesore. This is especially true for BGS as everyone says they are the toughest and they have the highly sought after Black label. Imagine spending 1000's on a black label to find out it has a printline but BGS says thats okay.

[@JUSTICE45]

Definitely the price differential between a psa 9 and psa 10 is ridiculous, worse is that psa 9 is sometimes less or equivalent to a raw….psa 9 in mind is worth more than raw. The risk of a raw having an imperfection and being OC is much higher than a raw making a 10 and justifying a slightly higher price. I collect 9s when an 10 is unaffordable and I’m fine with that

[@desm3225]

Grading. 100% a scam because it is supposed to represent a standard. If that standard is subject to basic human error, then we could simply "grade" the cards ourselves each time we handle them.

[@itsRayJah]

10000% agree with the variance between a PSA 9 and PSA 10 is too much

[@nikeswoosh7575]

Let me throw this out there. For me the reason I prefer a 10 over a 9 isn’t so much bc of the condition of the card….its more because I just like have a big round number on the case. If the highest grade a grading company gives is a 9. I probably wouldn’t care as much between an 8 or a 9 because neither are nice round numbers.

[@KevinP-p7x]

That's just OCD lol

[@StrawHatPele]

Grading is pretty easy tbf. Is it well centred, does it have any whitening or surface marks. To be a 10 there can only be 1 minor thing wrong. 9 is 2. 8 is 3. BGS is probably the only company closest to being a scam cause it changes its subgrades so people don't get a black label. They got to control the population to keep the value high so people send to them. Many people have sent the same card over n over n over again and they just give a different subgrade a 9.5 each time hahaha. People are clocking on to BGS tho tbf they are down 15 percent. They are a waste of time and money Regardless. Having a slab in your hand with your favourite card inside. It hits different

[@JediMasterT]

THISSSS I just did a huge post saying the same thing

[@Morales4life12]

Loved the video and Robos takes!

[@Quesly1]

if you cracked a 9 and a 10 of the same card and did a pepsi challenge kind of thing with it, most people could not tell the difference. Grading itself isn't a scam per se but its extremely silly so much value is placed on grading like do people actually care about the card or do they care more about the resell value of the card?

[@nikeswoosh7575]

This is not true. You can tell quite easily.

[@gnomefuel]

it’s a scam if the error is intentional and financially motivated

[@agbxlr447]

Grading is a scam for any set card, regardless of the grade. If you think you can effectively judge what you’re looking at, why would you pay someone who very well may know less than you do, just so they can throw it in a plastic case and assign an arbitrary number to it. Grading will always be important for the genuinely rare cards, like trophy/prize/exclusive promo cards since they can outright verify the card’s legitimacy or not, and with cards that are as rare as those only less and less will be available to market in years to come since you can’t just open up any booster box and find them.

[@coastcity7029]

If there are soooo many copies of a card, why would you invest in a graded 9? It's fine to buy if you're worried about card quality, but a terrible place to park your cash as a long-term investment

[@Trainerlui]

Refreshing video Jake, enjoyed this!

[@nikeswoosh7575]

I like displaying my cards and they don’t look good unless graded. With grading most of the time its fair. But you win some and lose some. Over the long run it levels out. Bulk service is most inconsistent bc the graders have less experience. Higher level services are more accurate. Its all logical and buyer beware if you go for the least expensive service.

[@newjones1754]

Yes Please Give me those 9 graded cards for cheap. I rather get 20 cheap 9's for a tousand bucks then 2-3 cards that are a 10.

[@keviaaar]

I collect 9's for more expensive cards, the markup for a 10 is not worth it and raw is more "risky"

[@Chartlaub5]

Cards are just a modern version of comparing Buck kills. Men like competition and comradery

[@LikeMaik69]

Great take 🔥

[@TwicebakedJake]

Yes a big part of it is simply bragging rights

[@Push_Esc]

I love buying graded 9 slabs‼️ They are way cheaper than 10s and often you can even buy them on a deal very close to raw ungraded price. I like that graded cards are safe and protected. Graded 9s are mint and pretty darn perfect.💯 If I was richy rich sure I'd get all 10s, but I'm not.

[@pokeflips_]

Awesome strategy to try get 9s at the same price as raw. You can even make a bit of money selling them a bit higher right away.💯

[@nikeswoosh7575]

Especially Scarlet and Violet

[@hammer3515]

Comparing doctors making a mistake when they do their jobs vs people in PSA was the wildest take in this whole video. Literally crazy take.

[@TwicebakedJake]

I think he just means you can get a second opinion

[@destinyvasquez6849]

it didnt make sense to me either in that take

[@djbullets5850]

Guy obviously is on another planet and hasnt a clue.

[@nikeswoosh7575]

It made perfect sense to me

[@MMCollect]

Thanks for the insight! Just pulled a tera Charizard alt art from Pal Fates. Been spending the last 2 days figuring out how to grade it haha. Looks like my best option in Florida is a local card shop. Good luck and a bunch of hits and 10s to us all!

[@gregg4218]

The problem is when a 6 suddenly grades an 8. It’s too big of an error. 9.5 to 10 or vice versa is just human error that we understand and expect

[@MrMasterSet]

Love this debate style video. Would love to see more like this.

[@CharKer709]

I enjoy these discussions. I am not a graded card person. Dont own a single graded card. Dont like the look of them. Dont like having to pay more to grade them. Or pay more for a graded card when I could just get it raw. Look way better displayed in a one touch.

[@SabelXDlol]

Thank you jake and rob

[@PokeDestelo]

great video guys! love the video

[@Carllizard]

Pull rates are rough and grade 10 quality on these pulls are rare. Be smart find a budget collector selling one that looks like it could get a 10 and buy it at raw price. It’s a gamble but with a good eye you stand a good chance

[@nikeswoosh7575]

Yes but getting harder to find these. Most cards listed for sale these days have poor centering

[@AlejandroNieto-bk3pi]

Rob is a cool guy bring him Back

[@wavret9654]

Keep on going brother, love your videos 🥳❤️

[@magnificcenTCG]

As technology gets better, I do agree the future of grading will be machines/AI, it will take the subjectivity out of it, and processing times will be faster. It will likely also point out the imperfections which most people these days want to know why they got the grade they got. I see a lot of comments of ppl who dont like graded cards, and people saying they will only buy graded cards, it's really a personal preference thing at the end of the day. If I can grade my cards and get 10s, I absolutely will and sell them as long as there's market willing to pay a premium, and right now that is still the case.

[@GigaChadow]

If PSA or whatever wrote a disclaimer on their website saying that not every grade is reliable, do you think that would fix the problem of the scam idea? And do you think people would still grade their cards? Good for thought, love the dialogue!

[@asianman2032]

What is your thought on murakami flowers cards ?

[@mlassing]

Grading isn't a scam, but it sucks that cards are graded on factors that are out of the consumer's control. Front & Back Centering, print lines come to mind. It's tough enough to pull a chase card in any given set, let alone one that could grade a PSA 10 depending on the mood of the grader making near minimum wage on any given day.

[@sonofamerc]

Sometimes when you deal with an item of high value, youd like that item appraised by a third party. Now the consistency of that 3rd party is an entirely different conversation

[@easyonddu]

I saw in June the Greninja Card in Japan for 7800 Yen about 55 Dollars and I didnt buy it :/

[@Mattached]

Ags is the only grade that isn't a scam imo.

[@chessfan10]

I bought a psa 9 Poliwhirl illustration from 151 bc the price was too much for a 10 imo. It’s my favorite card in the set.

[@GodOvGrind666]

Everything is Jam. Good talk.

[@HighScore-yh9vc]

I really enjoyed this video hope to see some more of this kind of video in the future.

[@DunkinDLam]

"Your card is only worth what you're claiming if you sell it. And how fast can you find a buyer? All i see is $0" -my wife

[@pancak355]

What does that even mean?

[@DunkinDLam]

@@pancak355 she really means nothing is worth shit in your display unless you sell it.

[@nahinmal]

you: send in alt art evolution line pissed of grader: digs their nail into one of you future 10's and drops it to a 5.5

[@SegaDisneyUniverse]

Man.... even grading cards in this hobby is such a huge gamble! I'd rather just keep my cards in a binder!😅

[@Pro_aldo]

Dont see why people would want to pay for inconsistency. It is a bit scammy that grading is prone to human error. Could be entirely done by a camera / reader / ai for any imperfections, removing the human element entirely and building confidence in the process.

[@Fouiny46]

I re-graded 5 cards from PSA: 8->10, 8->9, 9->10, 9->9 and 6->6... The 8->10 was the rainbow rare fat Pikachu from vivid voltage.

[@iMerkCODM]

I only buy 10s if I get lucky in auctions or if my offer is accepted. If you can control FOMO, this tactic can land you some deals on 10s. Also, I buy PSA 9s all day. Knowing it’s guaranteed mint gives me peace of mind over raw.

[@timbenzel1751]

Yes. Big time. Obviously.

[@noer.6954]

Yeah, people, of course, are opposed to AI grading cause the 10s will really be rare at that point.

[@jasonfuller2734]

Anyone that pays premiums for the number “10”, especially a trash PSA 10, deserves to lose their money. You aren’t collecting cardboard at that point, you are collecting labels with 10s on them. Your PSA 10 is probably a 9/9.5 anywhere else with them letting 60/40 OC on a gem.

[@abrahamcarrillo2688]

You guys said it right - people want perfect - perfect cards.

[@haljohnston7489]

Of course grading is a scam. The prices are artificial, grading companies do pop control, it’s honestly a plague in collecting in general. Collecting should consist of sealed collections and high rarity chase cards. Grading is literally just an outlet for the rich to get richer. It’s weird.

[@I.cant.wait.]

I love listening to you guys !

[@cathysams7932]

Great video today!!!😊

[@armastus1474]

Yup, grading is to a certain point, a complete scam. This is because of the inconsistency of grading with some companies, especially those that don't use technology to grade. Also, the flood of items being graded nowadays just to push a cards value up to flip for more profit is part of the scam; this applies more so to newer cards. Grading no longer is appealing to me personally but hey, if you like blowing money away, then more power to you.

[@freddymartinez2674]

I don’t think it’s a scam at all. In terms of buying graded cards, lots of people pay for that knowing the quality. But you brought up the point of sending a card to the grading company that you thought was a 10 but ended up being a 6 felt very much like a scam. Not saying this is true(just my head canon) but it always felt like they would deliberately do it on purpose mainly so there’s not many graded 10 cards(but would make their own cards a grade 10) but maybe as a way for people to waste more money to get a card regraded but that’s just me

[@vadiml0111]

Except if I get scammed at an auto shop and they don’t fix my problem, I’m not going to pay them. That’s a dumb analogy.

[@TwicebakedJake]

You can also not pay the grader. The grader would blacklist you. But yes, that option is available

[@djrohan_presents]

more of these please!

[@Roboskillz]

Yes! We’ll do our best! 🎉 more comin!

[@KAGE.321]

Great takes, any tips or prior experience doing a bulk submission of cards on how they are arranged to help maximize the chance of getting a higher grade? For instance separating duplicates or having Japanese separate. Thanks for your thoughts

[@TwicebakedJake]

You should look at your cards and make sure they're worth grading to start. For modern I wouldn't want anything below Gem Mint. Other than that some collectors put a premium on sequential grades where the grade numbers are in line.

[@Ari_Adventures]

Is that guy half giraffe? Holy shittt

[@GaddyWalls]

No more videos 😢

[@CEB24]

Hey Jake, nice video! Asking for a bit of advice please: I want to start collecting the S&V booster boxes, but can only grab one maybe every two or three months. My question is, which set would you begin with? Thanks!

[@jimmyhellman7375]

Get the latest set. Then buy one every new set which is every 3 months basically. Over time you will get a really cool booster box collection.

[@brettly3924]

Based on current availability and pricing, Twilight Masquerade, Paldea Evolved, Paradox Rift, Temporal Forces. Long term these boxes will match any SwSh box except Evolving Skies

[@tbell7067]

I graded 6 cards with CGC and they all came back 9s. I cracked the cases and sent them to BGS and they all came back BGS 10’s with 1 grade 9.5. I felt like I was scammed by CGC.

[@nikeswoosh7575]

CGC is a great grading company if you want to minimize the value of your cards.

[@dcsoda1]

Something being frustrating doesn’t mean it’s a scam. And the “AI” grading is a joke lol.

[@P4c0x24x]

Rarity and demand are what drive prices. Is the same with limited promos, like the world championship trophy cards, there a one of. Even brand-new printed cards. So rarity and demand drive the price.

[@jmc_-im6sd]

Dope King of the Dot shirt, Robo! 😎

[@duke5three89]

Interesting takes.

[@wados3579]

I feel like whats the point of having a graded card if it’s not perfect? I’d rather just have a raw card in a binder than a psa 9 or less

[@FatherandSonHaveFun]

A 9 is still pretty damn perfect to the naked eye and it keeps it that way…not to mention the authentication and ability to display

[@carlos52c]

Make more collaborations with him different points of view are good

[@RobertZ1991]

Here's my best example as to why AI grading will never over take the landscape. Why do all sporting events, especially baseball still have umpires/refs? If everytime, the pitcher threw a pitch and it was accurately called every single time, it would take the fun out of the game. It would take that human error out and then no one could complain about anything or speculate.

[@FatherandSonHaveFun]

Eh, not sure that’s really a good comparison tbh

[@RobertZ1991]

@@FatherandSonHaveFun it is lol. Then why doesnt baseball have the computer calling every single throw?? they have the technology. Just like card grading has the technology to confirm whether a card is perfect or not. But people dont prefer that.

[@FatherandSonHaveFun]

@@RobertZ1991 Baseball is a live game done with a live audience, and broadcast to millions. Grading is done in private with no audience. It’s just not a good comparison IMO.

[@RobertZ1991]

@@FatherandSonHaveFun People like the "subjectivity" of it. Thats the main point.

[@AceTrainerKev]

Grading is trash and will probably collapse someday.

[@RobertZ1991]

Scarlet and Violet era cards are way worse quality making it harder to get psa 10s

[@klone57]

You guys should do a podcast!

[@Squatle]

Jake's on. Time to turn off the other video

[@BrandonBurrough]

The Greninja sir is overrated,the bloodmoon ursaluna is better

[@carlos52c]

What card convention?

[@jrmart10]

Are you from vegas? I'm guess you're talking about front row card show?

[@TwicebakedJake]

Yes, it was a good show. Keeps getting bigger!

[@jrmart10]

@TwicebakedJake I'm from vegas but was in Michigan at the time of the show. I was bummed I missed it but next time I suppose.

[@MJRS23x]

Idk why we expect things to be perfect all the time. Then call things a scam. Yea we invest the money and want the proper value. But its not like computers are grading these cards. Nor do I want a machine grading my card. Human error is a natural thing. Jake how many mistakes have you made in life? Are you scamming family and friends? No. We just have to chill out. It is just cardboard after all. Feel cheated? Regrade your card. Simple

[@gdulheflljasduhdzccvm9926]

😂😂😂 least obvious psa ceo burner acc

[@Poketeatime]

Psa has a lot of human error I graded a sylveon that was perfect in every way centering, surface, corners etc. graded a psa 8, resubmitted and got a 10 crazy, I also sent a 151 charmander which was off centered with corners that were so sharp that you can slice a piece of paper and got a 10 smh 🤦‍♂️

[@haydenriles7848]

Hi Jake!!! Where are the stands / easels from that your graded cards are displayed on? I love the way that looks and would like to display mine the same. 🙂👌🏼

[@TwicebakedJake]

@@haydenriles7848 They're just generic plastic ones on Amazon, I think you can get 10 - 20 for $5

[@haydenriles7848]

@@TwicebakedJakeawesome!! Thank you SO much, Jake!!

[@kclink1579]

It is the worst thing to happened to TCG's in many years.

[@romeomontana238]

Psa graded my rayquaza alt art a 5 with no visible damage folds or whitening 🤔 will not be grading with psa again

[@nikeswoosh7575]

I bet I could find the reason for the grade

[@RobL-817]

What about the iono sar from the Japanese set. Raw card for the first month was over a grand lol

[@brenintate1686]

Wrong again quality on these suck and they’re hard to grade

[@noobXd3stroyer]

I’ve never liked grading because I feel like theyre only allowed to give out a certain amount of 10s, like a quota they can meet. I’ve seen WAY too many cases of people sending perfect cards coming back as an 8-9 with a mysterious new ding in the corner or seemingly nothing wrong with the card. For how expensive and risky it is to grade, just not worth it. Penny sleeve and card saver or hard magnetic case is all you need to preserve the card pack fresh, no risk

[@dcsoda1]

95% of people do not look come close to looking hard enough at their “perfect” cards.

[@robotZER0]

In terms of grading, I think you both missed the mark. Here's my hot take on grading: A grade is the grader's opinion. It is up to *you* to evaluate the graded card, in hand, with your own eyes and decide whether or not you agree with the grade or you don't. When you go to card shows or shop on eBay, you should do your due diligence and examine the graded card as best you can based on handling in real life or with the highest resolution photos at multiple angles if you can't evaluate it in hand. If I'm at a card show, I'll ask if I can evaluate the graded card. It doesn't matter if the grade is a 10 from any of the companies. I will take the time to evaluate it and determine whether I agree with their grade (re: opinion) or not. If I don't agree with it, I will simply pass and move on.

[@ShaneGillis432HZ]

Smart take!

[@Carllizard]

If they use technology like ace grading then there is much less human judgment in the grading process

[@turbo0589]

​@@Carllizard in theory yes, but their computers pick up on details naked to the human eye while being very lenient on visible defects like centering/ rotation

[@jeremyfournier8185]

Yes, but if the the grade is just the grader’s opinion that you then have to evaluate, then why would you pay for a PSA 10 graded card which price is 2-3-4-5 times higher than a raw card that ironically could be in a better condition. IMO grading is such a scam on PSA’s part and an excuse for the seller to artificially increase a card’s price.

[@robotZER0]

Reminder that grading isn't just paying for a score. It also includes authentication and slabbing. PSA offers their authentication guarantee. If a graded card is found to be counterfeit, PSA will pay you market price of a real graded card.

[@JimDen-m8f]

at the end of the day, it just an opinion, and you don't need to degree or education to be a grader. it only good for that day! the reason it a scam is because you're buying into something that hold no truth to it and they can't be held accountable in the court of law on their opinion. as if a doctor or a mechanic does something, wrong they can be sued plus you need to have a degree or a certificate to work those jobs and grading doesn't. people will defend it because of the amount of money they have dump it into. I like that fact you can have 2 different kinds 10's such a joke. when you buy your product, it should already be a 9 or 10 and if comes damage you can return them to get new ones from that company. plus, people can buy their grades which makes it even more of scam. But your free to do as you want with your money! plus, they will keep giving tens so you will keep spending your money with them. those are not good examples trying to say it not a scam. just didn't kind of Ponzi scam. if you are planning on grading cards then it should be at the point you sell them if not it just a waste of money, that how I would befit from their scam.

[@lukef7406]

Jake is so cute I can’t handle it 😫

[@ShiningBlastoise]

Yes

[@toyguardian9152]

🔥❤️

[@mattv2834]

sthuff

[@sambanks1425]

Greninja is valued that high because it is hard to pull what are you guys not understanding!!!!! It is priced right ✅

[@s0ur_dee]

And a tapu koko sir is hard to pull doesn’t mean it’s worth 250..stop ittt 😂

[@ricewithsomemorerice]

please stop collabing with this guy 😭😭😭

[@bc3102]

So apparently nothing is a scam to this guy lol.

[@Ouro3299]

Grading is a huge scam. People trust about non professionnal grading society that do mistake

[@Gengar558]

Greninja is basically at the cost of two booster boxes. Most people can open two booster boxes and likely not get one.

[@nikeswoosh7575]

Its not nearly that simple

[@Jste75]

it's 2024 jake, where's the 4k video

[@Rickmanou81293]

Why do we need 4k video worth of server space of 2 dudes talking