When Grades And Prices Don't Make Sense!! How Grading Changes Are Affecting Card Prices!!

Sometimes people buy the card and not the grade. Other times, people buy the grade and not the card. As grading standards seem to be getting tougher, it's having an effect on card prices as well. Whether you collect cards graded by PSA or SGC or both, there are times when the looks of a card doesn't seem to line up with the price that cards end up selling for. In this episode, I take a look at a few cards that have been graded, then we look at the grades they received and the prices they sold for in ebay auctions. Sometimes it lines up with what we expect, but quite often...it doesn't. I have two friends who join me as we look at some vintage baseball cards, then we discuss what's happening in the card market. ‪@billyballgamesportscards‬ and ‪@vintagesanctuary‬ are both great guys with great KZbin channels, and we have a really fun conversation around these topics. Let us know what you think of the cards, grades, prices, and your thoughts with what's happening in the vintage card market.
If you're interested in submitting your favorite pickups from the month of May, to be included in the upcoming MidLife Community Show and Tell video, please use this link: forms.gle/SCR1fAq6UqNkoqJr5
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All statements and opinions shared in this video (and all of my videos) are for entertainment purposes only, and are not investment advice. I consider Sports Cards to be a hobby, and not an investment. If you're interested in investment advice, I recommend connecting with a certified financial planner.

[@mrmjmiller]

To me, its indisputable from this exercise that they are grading much harder than they did in the past. It also is clear to me than this trio is better at grading than the people who are actually grading cards.

[@MidLifeCards]

LOL. I completely agree!!

[@markstein1916]

Agree… they are far better… as is the majority of people watching this!

[@DoubleDvintagebaseballcards]

So far Adam is crushing it and spot on with his analysis between the 2 cards. Its all about technical grades for PSA and SGC grades much more on eye appeal thats why in my opinion people think SGC is more consistent, but to me PSA is more consistent because they stick to there technical rules no matter what the eye appeal is. Loving this so far

[@MidLifeCards]

Adam has a great eye.

[@DoubleDvintagebaseballcards]

Im excited to give this a listen. 👊

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks man!!

[@ClementeCollector]

Great video guys! Very thought provoking! Billy and Adam are both friends and great guys! Thanks for doing this!

[@MidLifeCards]

They're great guys, indeed!!

[@rayfromphilly6969]

great show guys. I watched this whole thing today at work. well I listened while i worked for most of it but i did watch alot of it. great episode! i always go buy the card not the grade as well

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks Ray!! We had a lot of fun hanging out and talking cards.

[@Andys_Attic]

Like #18, Andy Van Slyke! I am not surprised at many of these grades, I also feel PSA is not as consistent as they should be with their grading. I am on ebay daily looking for specific cards to add to my collection and I see 8's that look like 6's and 5's that look like 7's and so on. I am pretty picky myself, not so much on perfect centering if it's not drastically off center. The thing that deters me the most lately on slabs is scratches or marks on the slab itself. I will over pay for eye appeal depending on how much of a difference there is between several cards at that same grade. I love all your opinions and this conversation in particular is extremely interesting. Love all your channels and all your collections as well. Enjoyed this video Graig. Two thumbs up 👍👍

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks so much!! I love talking about this stuff, too!!

[@mikewrobel2881]

Have you done a video, or even better, would you share a summary of your research on PSA serial number/grading generations?

[@MidLifeCards]

I did a full video on that topic over a year ago. I can try to reshare it soon!!

[@mikewrobel2881]

@MidLifeCards I've been buying PSA slabs since 1999, and would like to review your findings and compare to those I own. Could you create a Google document with comments for the generations?

[@HighPopProfessor]

Thank you ALL for this amazing showcase! Maybe we as a card community shouldn’t be afraid to call out the emperor for being naked vis-à-vis incongruous grades and prices.

[@MidLifeCards]

Fair point!! It was a really fun experiment with two awesome guys and collectors.

[@mikewrobel2881]

The difficulty of comparing 2 cards sold as auctions is they didn't end at the same time, and sold by same seller.

[@MidLifeCards]

Fair point. It's not a perfect science, but it gives a clue. Most of these sales happened within a week or two of each other.

[@mikewrobel2881]

@MidLifeCards Agreed, not a perfect science, though the video did get me to watch and comment! If you want more data, talk with Mike Baseball Collector and Wade Boggs fan. Don't they track like 300 cards?

[@ACollectorsDream]

Great conversation, I’ll overpay for eye appeal.

[@MidLifeCards]

Me too, Orlando

[@vintagesanctuary]

Graig and Billy, this was awesome, I really enjoyed hanging out with you guys and talking grading and cards!😊

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Same here Adam!

[@MidLifeCards]

I had a blast.

[@billyballgamesportscards]

Thanks again for having me on Graig. It was a lot of fun.

[@MidLifeCards]

I had a blast!!

[@AdamJUlrey]

Graig this is why so many of us are moving to mag pro my cards are slabbed for 4 bucks with our own labels and I personally don’t buy any PSA of any kind ….there are so many bad grades these days and I just buy more raw and slabbed my own….Dylan and Adam from Splendid and the Mangini collection are all doing their own slabs …. I’ve. Slabbed over 200 so far and saved thousands in grading fees and enjoy my slabs more and are better looking

[@markstein1916]

Amen to that! One-Touch holders are definitely the way to go. Who wants to rely on some random fool’s opinion anyway? They are OUR cards!

[@MidLifeCards]

I'm friends with those guys and they share pictures with me all the time. I totally agree that those slabs are terrific.

[@3D80sKid]

Great guests! The grading system is absolutely something to take advantage of when you don't really care what the number on the slab is. In fact, my already submitted May pickup is a SGC 1 that is a blank back card with glue damage. My final price ended up at $480 vs. a recent SGC 3 that looked much worse on the front ended at $540. Bad pictures are definitely an opportunity. It helps when the card is graded with SGC as I can use their app to see HD quality photos.

[@MidLifeCards]

I totally agree that SGC's images are WAY better than PSA's!!

[@jeremym.5833]

Great video, Graig. The takeaway here should be that you've got to comparison shop, to see if there alternatives, when buying cards and not just impulsively buy.

[@MidLifeCards]

Comparison shopping!! Yes!!

[@markstein1916]

Biggest takeaway is that grading is rather meaningless. Best comment in my opinion was to message the seller when there’s a lousy picture. If he gets back to you, the card could be a steal. If he doesn’t have the courtesy to reply, then you don’t want to buy from him anyway!

[@MidLifeCards]

It's certainly just an opinion. No doubt.

[@vanbeekbr]

Great video - I too go on the combination of eye appeal and price - and will always take a lower grade with better eye appeal. I also don't mind markings on the back or pin holes or such. Just gives the card more character (and usually a much cheaper price :) )

[@MidLifeCards]

I do love the story of a card and it's history.

[@jamesgillem1294]

The Kaline in a 5 had a mark on his cheek,looks like.

[@MidLifeCards]

And on his nose!!

[@Catholiclayman]

Omg. Asking a guy if he’s into the eye appeal vs grade? Had me laughing

[@MidLifeCards]

Some people collect grades over eye appeal. That's a "thing"....

[@stoneyj1a1]

I think grading has killed the collecting industry. Cards are basically commodities now. It's sad. It's an industry for basically old men with money now. Children can't afford to get a card graded and shipped and such. Some people refuse to use grading. They are left behind or taken advantage of when selling & trading.

[@MidLifeCards]

That is certainly one of the biggest negatives of grading. The positive of it, is it makes buying cards site unseen (online) a little bit "safer"...

[@stoneyj1a1]

@@MidLifeCards I guess there is an advantage when shopping online for more expensive cards, yes. I'm looking for some vintage Jackie Robinson cards now and i will probably only buy graded cards to avoid reprints or scams.

[@CraigsCards62]

Good conversation on an important "real life issue " for all of us in the hobby.

[@MidLifeCards]

Appreciate that.

[@markstein1916]

One thing not mentioned but pertinent to the conversation…. If you suspect a card is okay but looks discolored, faded or washed out in the provided pics… just look at the flip. If the flip is also dull/blurred/faded,, you can surmise that it’s just a bad photo. That was the case with the ‘53 Jackie in this video.

[@MidLifeCards]

I think that's a great tip. I agree.

[@mikewrobel2881]

I doubt Jackie beginning with 4 in serial number was a re-holder. Lighthouse label began at least 10 years ago.

[@MidLifeCards]

There are other PSA serial numbers starting with a 4 DON'T have the lighthouse logo.

[@mikewrobel2881]

@@MidLifeCards I suspect so. My guess is they added the lighthouse logo during the time they were in the "4"s.

[@Hodges1455]

Gave a video like. Really fun to hear the conversation. Thanks for sharing

[@MidLifeCards]

Thanks so much. Always appreciated.

[@jamesgillem1294]

The Jackie on the right is washed out picture,look at the color of the label plus the case color is off too

[@MidLifeCards]

Those details certainly help give clues about the coloring and washed out issues on the image.

[@mikewrobel2881]

PSA commonly doesn't downgrade for wax stains on the back of 50s Bowman, as it is so common.

[@MidLifeCards]

Do they state that anywhere on their website?

[@mikewrobel2881]

@@MidLifeCards Not explicitly, my comment was based on experience though purchases and observation. Note, I am not speaking in absolutes. You can't expect PSA to list everything on their website. Given they are moving toward sharing grader's notes, more info will be learned about how they grade. I suspect if the wax is heavy, and "out of the ordinary", they would downgrade or assign a qualifier. Consider a card which commonly comes out of the factory with a particular print dot or defect. If PSA downgraded for it, few of that card, if any could receive a high grade. Take the 1956 Mantle (best 1956 card ever produced). Sometimes it appears with a black dot on the border above his head. Since it is not uncommon, PSA treats it as a "version" of the card, and doesn't downgrade for the dot.

[@larrygitlin6017]

When it comes to buying lately I have found and bought many undergraded cards with high eye appeal but am happy that my old slabs may still go for a premium since people still put priority on the grade. Out of habit I still look at the grade first. The ones I am concerned about selling are my cards in BGCs though they all have the four grades broken down. I actually think early on Beckett was tougher on grading than PSA and since the market is poor you can actually get a great card for less money .

[@MidLifeCards]

Good points!! It is a habit, and I'm trying to break it.

[@TheDadsAreHere]

Good Stuff Graig. With getting back into the hobby a year ago, I decided to start a Mantle run which makes this video hit home. I have been focused on a mid grade run and the prices from a 4 to a 5 or a 5 to a 6 is insane. I have some beautiful 5's, where less centered 6's are going for twice the cost. With being "all in" on my Mantle search, I can tell you with certainty that the vintage market is alive and well. Check out the 65 Mantle I submitted for you monthy (may) video.

[@MidLifeCards]

I look forward to checking out the 65 Mantle!! Congrats on the pickup!!

[@michaelcreeden1560]

Great topic and amazing compare/contrast! I know PSA registry is popular with diehard PSA collectors, but I have to imagine the purchasing of higher grade, but lower eye appeal cards HAS to be directly related to wanting a higher ranking on PSA Set Registry. Otherwise, I typically find you can acquire lower graded cards with at least equal eye appeal to their higher graded counterparts (specifically in the 4-7 range) for much less money.

[@michaelcreeden1560]

In fact, I will forever be scarred by the fact that I recently missed out on a 1955 Topps Hank Aaron in a PSA 2. It ABSOLUTELY had a PSA 6 nor 7 front (or better!), but had minimal paper loss on the back (hence the reason for the low grade). Someone grabbed it while I was considering the BIN option. I think other people may look at lower graded cards, even those that are visually appealing, and say "will a PSA 2 ever appreciate in value, regardless of eye appeal."

[@MidLifeCards]

I think you make a great point. I think the set registry has a lot to do with it.

[@carlnhalljr]

Great post. I buy most all my cards on eBay auctions. I have a question? What is your DETAILED auction strategy? Do you bid during the auction or wait to the very last second? Do you start with your very best price or work up as it goes? When do you keep bidding and when do you let a card go? Do you just watch auctions to get a feel for what a card is selling for? Thx for considering my question. You may have already discussed this topic on an earlier post.

[@MidLifeCards]

This is a great question. Is there a way I can get you to copy and past it to my video posted today (Wednesday)... ?? It's hard for me to keep track of questions if they aren't posted in the same place, and I'd love to answer this one.

[@chrisolivo6591]

As a modern collector (1980-present), i want to thank all the people who overpay for a PSA 10. If i find a centered PSA 9 (which isn’t hard to do), i pretty much have the same card as a 10 at a bargain price. If the majority of the hobby thought like i did, the gap between PSA 9 and 10 would be closer which means i’d be paying more for the 9’s. Edit: This is a response to @Matthew Greeley as it wouldn’t let me post a response to him. The modern PSA 9 and 10 are relative meaning they go up and down at roughly the same rate. The 1996 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant PSA 10 was down 34% in the past year while the PSA 9 was down 28% in the past year.

[@matthewgreeley3099]

How are they over paying when they historically go up more in value than a 9?

[@ACD1994]

@@matthewgreeley3099 Most people can't tell the difference between a 9 and a 10, not even the graders.

[@matthewgreeley3099]

@@ACD1994 hmmmmm...most of the time I think you can find something, but still to your comment, how are they overpaying for a 10 for investment reasons? If a card goes up I'd bet the 10 goes up more than the 9 and is for sure more desirable and easier to move. I think I understand what you're trying to say though

[@chrisolivo6591]

@@matthewgreeley3099if you are strictly buying to flip a card, then i won’t argue what grade you buy. I’m talking about as a collector who has no inclinations to sell my collection. I can but a PSA 10 card UD Griffey for $2,000 or buy the PSA 9 for $200. I have the PSA 9 right now which is perfectly centered and looks like a 10 in terms of eye appeal. Why should i spend $1,800 more for a PSA 10 that won’t look any different than the card i have?

[@MidLifeCards]

LOL. That's funny...and TRUE!!

[@mikewrobel2881]

For those of you who don't mind wax on the back, will you avoid if graded with "ST" qualifier?

[@MidLifeCards]

I avoid ST qualifiers, but wax doesn't bother me. But, that's my personal preference.

[@mikewrobel2881]

@MidLifeCards In that case, buy the PSA 9 (ST) and crack out the card! The irony 🤣 ... so you do buy the slab. It's never black or white, is it?

[@jude999]

Your stats from your last video demonstrate a big decline in high grades, and a boost on 4 grades.

[@MidLifeCards]

I agree!!

[@cryptonite8495]

Graig, this video reminded me I have a decision to make about a pair of cards I ended up with after a deal: A 1957 Topps Aaron in a SGC 5 holder and another 1957 Aaron in a SGC 6 holder. I am trying to ignore the grades, but I have a dilemma: Which to keep and which to sell? The 5 is very well centered (hard to find in this Aaron) but has surface issues.The 6 has a much cleaner surface but is typically off-center. The reverses are not a factor. The 6 will sell for more, probably, but that is not my main consideration. Centered or clean, which would you prefer in your collection? It's tough to answer without seeing the cards, so I will email them. It can be a Q&A if you wish.

[@MidLifeCards]

Great question. I'd KEEP the one that brings you the most joy when you look at it. The only that brings less joy is the one that I'd sell.

[@RL3sports]

I wasn't too sure at first, but you drew me in. Adam knows his S**t. Do you always have to do the big cards? Maybe some football?

[@MidLifeCards]

Adam has a great eye.

[@Catholiclayman]

Hi there, I like to bid on cards but I’m losing out in the last few minutes each time because the price just surpassed my goal.. I don’t chase the price up after 10 minutes to go. What are people doing, hanging around or computer bidding? What do you say what’s your experience

[@MidLifeCards]

Yes. I use a website called gixen. It allows me to bid with seconds left without having to do it live.

[@AdamJUlrey]

If you sell a lot I get it but Graig I can show you in my own collection how a card got a 3 and should have been a 5 and a 5 that should be a 3 so it’s the inconsistency that makes it hard there are some things I want graded just cause I already started the process but the rest are getting my label and in the mag pros

[@MidLifeCards]

Mag Pros look awesome. I think that's such a great option.

[@mookiechillson]

I am pausing to comment: bad picture are the wounded buffalos of the card hunt! I looooove bad pictures.

[@MidLifeCards]

Exactly!! That’s what I said in the video. I see bad photos as an “opportunity”!!!

[@vintagesanctuary]

Epic comment Mookie! 😂👍

[@MidLifeCards]

@@vintagesanctuary you don’t become a KZbin comment hall of famer, without a gem from time to time.

[@AdamJUlrey]

Graig I wish the graded was better cause it’s always better to probably have your better stuff slabbed but I get so frustrated with the grades and then spending close to 20 bucks a slab is just too much if they would charge 10 bucks I’d send in more but also I don’t collect Aaron, mays, mantle banks or Clemente those are the best but I like collecting my favorite players and love 1,2,3 grades cause that nent some One played and used them so I collect different then most I’d rather have my run of Vada Pinson then any of the guys above so we all just find where we fit I’m not into the value of a card I simply collect cards I like and players who I like

[@MidLifeCards]

I struggle with getting cards graded because I want to spend my card money on cards.

[@cardboardandplastic9267]

4's are the riskiest cards to buy graded from eBay without looking at them. They can have surface wrinkles that you can't see until you get them in hand and then you can't unsee them. If you buy a 2/3, expect something serious you can't see from the image. PSA definitely graded some cards in my last order at 4/5's that were 6/7's in the past. However, that is the grader you get. There are still some lenient graders at PSA that overgrade vintage cards as well. Just because it is a new cert #, it doesn't mean it is a better card.

[@MidLifeCards]

Good points. The PSA and SGC websites have a breakdown of what is and isn't allowed for each grade.

[@mackeymintle66]

56:30 when you say “we” are addicted to the number… you mean the hobby in general? Clearly the hardcore collectors are not swayed, so it’s the noobs and the confused, undereducated or lazy collector$ causing the wonky auction prices. ( taps foot…waiting for 1/2 the hobby to liquidate…😂)

[@MidLifeCards]

Yes. I mean the hobby in general.

[@Politano1955]

Buy the card, not the grade. And in my personal case, go centered or go home.

[@MidLifeCards]

Well said.

[@bradburchfield1112]

How stupid is grading? Yet lots of smart people swear buy it What benefit to the grading companies is it to give a card a “good grade?” Think about it. By under grading it they keep the “chase” going for people to send in “better” cards And by under grading it, they are going to get more of your money by cracking it and resending it. I bet the market is huge part of their money for resending! Sooooooo dumb!!!!

[@MidLifeCards]

There are certainly some flaws in the system.

[@mikewrobel2881]

Graded cards should be non-returnable.

[@MidLifeCards]

Shouldn't all sellers be allowed to create their own selling/return policies?

[@mikewrobel2881]

@@MidLifeCards Yes

[@Richard-jw5uj]

Once again, You are bashing the grading companies.

[@MidLifeCards]

I don't know if I'm bashing them. I think talking about the pros and cons of the consistencies and lack of consistencies is a fair topic.

[@bobcalderon2534]

You caresavout grading cards again. Boring subject

[@MidLifeCards]

Hey Bob- Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment on this video. I appreciate it.

[@mackeymintle66]

I’m just waiting for the swell of Pandemic Era, junk slab collectors to bail, and increase the supply of Modern graded 5’s and 6’s that look closer to 7’s and 8’s had they been graded in 2004. 🥸🤙

[@MidLifeCards]

They'll be some sweet cards at affordable prices!!