Do SGC & PSA Grade Differently? That Topic And More On MidLife's Midweek Q & A!!

[@mrmjmiller]

SGC is the eye appeal grader, and PSA grading is like a robot graded it. PSA hasn't been following their own grading standards for years IMHO.

[@KevinKauffman-fz8gd]

Hey Graig! Thanks for another amazing video! I have a question, maybe this one is for both you and Coach Miller :-) You and your dad have mentioned a future goal of downsizing your collection to 100 cards. Just curious where you both are in attaining this goal? Have you started the process, or maybe given thought on the steps needed to achieve this? At what age would you start the process? For me, I would someday like to whittle down to 100 of my favorite cards, however, it’s a bit overwhelming when I think about it. Trying to downsize from 50,000 cards to 100 cards is a mountain I am afraid to climb. I need help!

[@MidLifeCards]

GREAT question. I'm hoping to do a video with him later this week, so I'll bring this up with him soon!!

[@davidlapointe7446]

Thanks Graig for all u do in the vintage community. Great show. From the small sample size I've seen psa grades much tougher than sgc.

[@MidLifeCards]

I tend to agree with you!!

[@stork1122]

You nailed it. It’s just a ballpark. There’s no consistency even within the same grading company. We’ve all seen the videos of people cracking PSA 8 and they come back as PSA 9 or 10. I think it’s pretty ridiculous how a gem gets such a higher value in todays market than a 9. On any given day, that same 9 could be a 10 depending on the persons mood! I’m not a giant fan of grading for that reason.

[@marshallkahn3342]

You would think that with all the KZbinrs and all the content that is given that someone in their infinite wisdom would locate a grader and interview them.......I mean we landed a man on the moon. Can we just find a grader for one of these companies. Why is this shit so effin top secret

[@MidLifeCards]

It’s my understanding that they all sign non disclosure agreements. So they can’t.

[@southern7002x]

Great video as always Graig! Recently, I bought a 1969 Topps Hank Aaron in a PSA 5 because I felt it was undergraded. It is a well-centered high eye appeal card but it does have a very minor surface flaw on the front only noticeable when held at a certain angle under a light. This flaw doesn’t bother me at all. I cracked it and submitted it to SGC and it came back an 8! In my experience SGC grades more heavily based on overall eye appeal whereas PSA grades more heavily based on technical aspects of the card. I specifically look for undergraded PSA cards to purchase, crack, and submit to SGC. This practice has worked well with the limited budget I have available for purchasing cards. Some months I only send cards for grading and don’t purchase anything that month.

[@MidLifeCards]

Wow!! That's a massive value change for that card. Congrats!!

[@5714Collector]

Hi Graig. I always enjoy your Q & A video's. Do you have a favorite Topps or Bowman vintage set that you're trying to complete in the future. Keep up the great work.

[@MidLifeCards]

At this point in time, I'm not really a set builder for vintage baseball cards. But, you never know. I do really like the Chicle Diamond Stars cards in the early 1930s and the 33 goudey sets, though.

[@thehobbyist1]

It's funny that you answered a question about comparing PSA and SGC in today's video. I, too, released a video today comparing PSA to CGC grading on a Michael Jordan card I crossed over to CGC! #TheHobbyist

[@RL3sports]

Great video Graig. I was hoping for a little clarifiction. You answered a question about grail cards. I know you got your 3 " always wanted" cards". Yogi, Ernie and Brooks. Whats at the top of your "always wanted" list now? Is that a different answer? You said recently you want a Griffey. I think you should buy one to check it off the list. Whats been on the wish list for 30 years alongside Ernie Banks.

[@ACD1994]

Great question.

[@MidLifeCards]

Gotcha. I'll use this to follow up soon.

[@cryptonite8495]

More of an observation than a question: I could sell my 1952 Bowman Mantle PSA 6, 1953 Topps Mantle PSA 6, and 1956 Topps Mantle PSA 5, all beautiful cards, and I would be only halfway toward buying a trashed 1952 Topps Mantle PSA 1. It just boggles my mind.

[@MidLifeCards]

I agree.

[@marshallkahn3342]

They both grade the same...... inconsistent

[@Politano1955]

On the question of whether you should have your valuable cards insured. The best insurance you can get is a top of the line fire proof safe.

[@MidLifeCards]

Good point. That's what I use as well.

[@Jeremy-VintageCards]

Hi Graig! Hope you been good my friend👍 We all talk a lot about slabs and what brand looks better/sell for higher/and so on. I was all Beckett since early 2000’s then cards were hard to find and swapped to SGC’s, plus the look got me. Here my question… In twenty plus years what are the slabs going to look like? Are we going to touch the slab and information will appear at the top? Will we be able to black out light for storage, or the slab senses light and tints?. lol I know a little out there but fun to think about! Just keep them ungraded is probably the best answer😂 -Jeremy

[@ACD1994]

Interesting question.

[@MidLifeCards]

Fun question Jeremy. I'll use this one soon!!

[@ClementeCollector]

Fun Q & A Graig!!!

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks Theo. I appreciate that!!

[@jude999]

If you send a slabbed card for a re-grade without cracking the card open, they will give you a lower grade than what is on the slab. Its a pisssing contest. That might have changed now SGC is owned by PSA.

[@markstein1916]

Rubric-schmubric. Did they amend all of their “guidelines” when they started grading 2 points tougher a couple of years ago? They don’t have any consistency what-so-ever, let alone amongst their myriad of minimum wage graders. If one grader had a bad date the night before, his grades could be 2-3 full numbers lower than if he’d had the best night of his life. If another one of their minimum wage experts comes to work with a nasty hangover, he can’t focus in on the flaws and might easily miss a crease, paper loss or a surface wrinkle. We’ve seen it infinite times over the years. In the 20 seconds they devote to grading each card, there’s an immense margin for error. People think just because they see a professional looking bar-coded slab, that there’s some scientific and iron-clad meaning to the number on the flip. But in reality, it’s random and arbitrary, or as you stated, “just a guideline” (which is putting it very politely).

[@sisterraysbrother]

Hi Graig - 6 months back in the hobby now. You're practically a work buddy as your videos keep me company while doing my day job as an accountant. Something I have been curious about... Cracking slabs seems to be something that, I'm going to guess, at least a third of collectors have done (??) and I even saw a video recently where a KZbinr spoke about how he had submitted the same card to 3 different grading companies! My question is: when, for example, PSA receives an SGC slab for a crossover do they have any relationship with the other grading company to retire the cert number that is no longer in existence? In my time back in the hobby, I haven't found a lot of meaning or value in pop counts but I suppose they can and do mean something to some collectors. If you don't know if they do or don't, should they? What then would be your thoughts on collectors themselves possibly assisting the companies by sending in photos of their retired slab cert number to maintain more accurate populations? (sisterraysbrother -Brad) ty, Graig!

[@MidLifeCards]

I think this is a really good question. I'll use it soon.

[@juhosevic]

Insurance: some of the cheaper plans require you to show proof of finding a similar item. For a rare card in my collection, seems weird to try and find a comparison when I spent years looking for the one I lost. Just a suggestion/thought: appreciate your comments on why you never did a review of your top cards. Have you thought of doing a December end of year recap on the community’s top pick ups? Users could submit a pic of the card and a very brief sentence why it was their top pick up - ie, price, sentimentality, introduced them to another segment of cards etc. feel like this would incorporate some of the essence of a EOY recap but within the community

[@MidLifeCards]

I will be doing a year end community pickups video using the highlights from over the course of the year.

[@stevemutzel5546]

Thanks for the video. Would be interested in seeing your top 25 cards.

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks. I'll share them sometime in the next month or so.

[@brettsalamone1253]

Hi Graig, I'm curious how you handle hobby burn out if you ever have dealt with it. I find I tend not to get burnt out as much as my friends who are into newer releases but I do occasionally take a month or so off from time to time. It's usually at those points when I shift my focus and start to go after a different set or area of the hobby and get excited all over again. Is it similar with you or do you have any advice on how to avoid getting burnt out in the first place? Thanks for your time and everything you do for the hobby.

[@MidLifeCards]

Great question. I'll share my thoughts on this one soon!!

[@SouthernCollector14]

Great video my friend. My only question is how does a Rubric Cube help them grade a card? I never could solve those little multicolored devils in the 80’s! 😊😉

[@BringingTheHeat-VBC]

a man with your skills must have learned to take them apart and rebuild it. Your handy with tools.

[@SouthernCollector14]

@ oh, I did learn how to pop them apart and put them back together. That’s the only way I could make it happen. 😂

[@BringingTheHeat-VBC]

@@SouthernCollector14 I kinda figured

[@Hogfan6494]

Do you think that the sportscard market will be drastically changing with a new president/administration change? Love your channel!

[@MidLifeCards]

Interesting question. Tough question. I can try to take a stab at this one soon.

[@tothetop-omaid]

Is it better to grade directly with PSA/SGC or go through a bulk submitter?

[@MidLifeCards]

Great question!! I'll use this soon.

[@briankane759]

Graig, not sure if this is breaking news, but I just saw on the National Convention website that there will be 3 National sponsored trade nights this year, Thursday-Saturday. Tickets go on sale December 2nd. If it's big news, wanted you to get it first.

[@jamesmcferran4938]

What are trade nights? Sorry for my ignorance. Can I buy, sell or trade my cards to others? Thank you!

[@briankane759]

@@jamesmcferran4938 yes, basically a card show among attendees.

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks for sharing. They want to host the trade nights to keep people at the venue instead of going off to some of the satellite card shows that have been popping up.

[@ACD1994]

Howdy Graig. It's Wednesday. And you know what that means. So, here is my question. There's been a lot of discussion lately on ways, to improve, the hobby, however, what would be some changes you would make for professional sports, when it comes to the current product. Let's say, you were the commissioner of MLB, NBA, or the NFL. What would your message be as the commissioner, to the owners, players, and fans for making the sports, the best they can be. How about your plan for keeping the ratings, strong? I think when sports are doing really well, the interest in card collecting could come with it. Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks Graig.

[@MidLifeCards]

What a brutally tough question. I'm going to have to think on this one.

[@kevinmead1820]

What grader is the best to send cards from the early 80’s?

[@MidLifeCards]

Great question. I'll use this one soon.

[@chadholt1171]

I’ve been working on a SGC Billy Williams run to display with the autographed baseball I have. Most of them I submitted myself and were returned with grades close to what I expected. However the 65 Topps that I thought was a 6 came back much lower than I expected. I really don’t care about the grade, but I want to know what I missed. The cert # is 6095322. Thank you

[@MidLifeCards]

I don't see much, but my guess is there's a minor surface wrinkle or mark that we aren't seeing with the picture.

[@thehobbyist1]

Last year, I made a top 23 for 2023. This year, I plan on making a top 24 for 2024. Next year...you guessed it, top 25 for 2025! #TheHobbyist

[@wayneburbrink1215]

Look at cal ripken rc gem rate for sgc vrs psa less sgc 10’s % wise i believe

[@MidLifeCards]

That's interesting.

[@markstein1916]

Despite what the self-proclaimed experts claim, I have seen numerous PSA 5s with surface wrinkles. And even more altered cards in PSA numbered slabs. A deep analysis on this is as pointless as giving an IQ test to Lloyd Christmas.

[@wayneburbrink1215]

Psa 10’s in some cases are off center cant stand that

[@MidLifeCards]

I agree.