To Grade or Not to Grade: Estimating What A Card Will Grade and If It Makes Financial Sense
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- BASEBALL CARD COLLECTOR INVESTOR DEALER (in that order)
Chris Sewall here.
If you have a collection you would be interested in selling me, send me an email at: sewallsportscards@gmail.com
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Maybe it's just me, but I like it better when Chris gets higher grades from PSA than lower grades.
It feels good to see a good guy win.
Nice lol, I chuckled pretty good at this one.
Chris, this video is so good from an educational perspective. Reiterating the importance of putting a more objective, close eye on the condition of the card is an invaluable lesson. We all love the hobby and can have a tendency of falling in love with the cards we get, looking at them through rose colored glasses at times. Before each submission, I do a final screen, going over each card, pretending I'm the strictest grader in the world with an absolutely ruthless eye. Same as you, I set range predictions, but often lean to the stricter side - more to just mentally prepare myself. And unless I feel I can hit a certain threshold of at least a ~$30 profit, I'll remove it from the pile (and either wait longer or sell raw). The only exception to this are PC cards or collector-driven cards that I simply want authenticated and protected, which is rare, but happens every so often.
This right here. I'll add studying the market. If a card is coming down or has been, the added wait might determine that grading at that moment is not a good move.
You also need to take into consideration, taxes and fees plus shipping and receiving fees from grading companies.
Hey Chris it’s matt in legal. I’ve talked to the team and we’ve decided we’re going to do a docuseries on all aspects of your business and how you operate. See you tomorrow at 6am!
I'll be there!
Let us know when it comes out!
Thank you for answering my question in this video..lol
Shit and damn...with all DUE respect this MAY be the most IMPORTANT VID YOU'VE ever DID! Extremely enlightning.....and a bit alarming. One of the best you've EVER done. Love the intense analysis...
"Do you really think I oughta swear?" "Yes, George... "
Your wisdom and personal experiences have helped me so much in making these kinds of decisions. I'm not sure if you quite realize how much of a human asset you are to the hobby. So, thanks!
Thanks for making this video. Very good simple system for deciding to grade or not, as someone pulling out my old baseball cards from child hood and trying to figure out if they are worth anything (or not)!
Another great instruction video for the DIY guys. I typically buy graded cards, but have a ton of quality raw that I need to give a shot with grading. I have sent off about 50 cards overall, but my last submission of vintage in 2020 was a blowout. Cards I thought would be 7-8s ended up being 4-5s. I sort of quit at that point, but should give it another go. Thanks a bunch Chris!
I don’t comment very much, but I watch all of your videos. I appreciate videos like this. Love your stuff.
Thank you!
I wouldn't use PSA to see if a card is centered right that has a lack of centering points, I would use BGS and look at the centering grades.
Dilemma for me has been WHEN to grade. For the past couple years, since coming back into the hobby, I've been slowly accumulating some grading worthy raw cards for my PC. Initially I held off because of the pricing and wait times, then the prices fell but turnaround was still slow, and then the pricing/turnaround wars started. I have a lot of sub $500 cards to send in, and with SGC and BGS being so far behind in resale it's making it tough justifying sending to them and PSA's prices are just a tad high IMHO unless grading purely to flip. So those cards sit in holders where they seem to still be cards without needing someone to authenticate them.
This situation has led me to buying more graded material overall, both in response to my procrastination and frugality, but also because buying fairly high value cards raw online has its risks.
Ooo, I wish you lived in Cleveland. You would be my best friend in collecting cards 😂.
Great video, Chris! You brought up two condition issues that I'm still not 100% clear on but, I'd like to get your input.
1. Surface Condition: I was always under the impression that surface condition was solely the condition of the front and back surfaces of the card. I never thought that it would include print quality because, on the front, it's not technically the surface of the card due to the gloss varnish added after the color printing. If grading companies are combining actual surface condition (gloss, thumb prints, surface scratches, scuffs) and print defects (bad registration, fish eyes, comets, hickeys, peppering) are combined, I'm not a fan. In my opinion, surface and print defects should be separate.
2. Centering on Cards Without Borders: The example you showed was perfect. The only issue is that the front has nothing to go by except the back. And we all know that back centering doesn't affect grading nearly as much as front centering. So, do you think any of the grading companies keep digital images of the cards they've seen and compare them to create an average? I understand that would weight center grading towards the early submitters. But, how else are they realistically going to grade centering?
For what it's worth, I've worked in the printing industry for nearly 30 years and I'd say print defect is not a surface issue. It's a print defect. On top of that, I have no idea why anyone trusts PSA at this point considering they've gotten "stricter." So how legitimate are PSA 10's from 5 years ago?
Sorry that I ended that on a little bit of a rant. But this hobby is drunk. Cards are selling for ridiculous money based on grades given by a company who has noticeably changed their standards.
Great questions. I actually dont really know the answer to either. I know with Beckett, print defects are counted in the "surface" subgrade. With PSA not having subgrades, I don't know if they consider them separate.
I also don't know how they determine centering on borderless cards. I would guess they are more or less winging it, but I am not sure. Its possible they have photo examples of each card.
While I think its annoying that PSA has gotten stricter, I think it's in line with the evolution of the hobby getting stricter about grading in general. All of the grading companies have adjusted their scales or rules at times to account for the changing times.
Excellent breakdown on what goes into grading consideration.
Thanks Chris!👍
The mark on the left side of his face is part of the card, I have the same card and discovered it on other views on ebay
Always love these episodes.
Agreed, although I love all of chris’ content 😂
Your content and tone are fantastic. Thanks so sharing your wisdom. Hope to see you at the National!
The purple squiggly to the left of Sandy's face below his ear on the '61 Koufax that you circled is on all of them.
Keep in mind, S/H fees, ins. grading fees, cost to send cards away that you sold, more S/H fees and ins fees. The buyer that might claim the card never came in the mail and he wants his money back and you're out the card. Last but not least, you pay taxes on the profit.
Thanks for the breakdown Chris. To be honest, I'd like a breakdown using SGC, you know the company that's far better ethically and doesn't upcharge you. Sorry but PSA is such a sham. Sent me back a Gretzky claimed it was mini size and charged me for it. I compared it to other cards in the same pack and the cards measured out the same. I'm not going to support them until they change their greedy and flawed policies including upcharging. I just collect so resale value is not the be all end all to me.
Your feelings on SGC/PSA are becoming more and more common. Although as a correction, SGC also will upcharge you (I have been upcharged by them multiple times), albeit only on vintage cards.
@@collectorinvestordealer I was told by them via email although quite awhile ago that they don't do that. I stand corrected. Thank you. I'm still frustrated about being charged for a card that PSA didn't grade and again when I measured it was same as cards in the same exact pack. It was a rookie 79 Topps Gretzky btw. Just a very frustrating experience so I'm not much a fan of grading anymore for obvious reasons.
Thanks Chris great info you can never learn to much
Great video and awesome recommendations for getting a card graded. Now I know how to check centering on a borderless card. Thanks for that.
As a follow up to this video, it might be helpful to see how long it takes to sell these cards, for how much, and how your profit margin works. However, this is a suggestion and if it reveals too much of your business plan, it's understandable.
Chris, I really enjoy your videos as it helped me get back into collecting. My own problem is do I stay active in selling as also buying or do I just keep building my personal collection? Thanks again!
Thats a great idea for a video!
Two Great Cards to show this video on! Vintage to Ultra modern! Like the Brady card that’s where I have the hardest time seeing the centering issues! I’ve still yet to grade a card of mine mainly because I’m a collector only but I have a certain box aside for potential grading and these videos have helped me go through them more than anything! So Thanks Chris! Also congrats on the Gem Brady!!!
One of the older cards I have PSA GEM MT 10 is a 1981 topps Nolan Ryan and was shocked by how much it's worth.
Back Pre-70’s Cards were printed with spots all over….Some Years, Right out of the pack, or off the line, would never have had a 10.
I think this type of in depth card analysis was a big time hit with your viewer's. Something we've never seen before. Maybe you should do a 4 or 5 card show like this every week.
Chris you have helped me so much with your shows. Like America Roahouse of baseball cards.
For borderless cards I look up graded examples of the cards centering to see if I can get an idea of what a 10 looks like. Look over a few if there are that many and even some 9's and 8's to see if centering is different from the card I have.
Here I was about to go to bed, can’t miss this!
Thanks Chris, you always are quite informative on what you do with how you send stuff or what your grading or your purchasing.
Love your videos as always bud, very practical and methodical approach to your grading process!
As someone who has a mostly ultra modern collection, I've noticed that it's just straight up gambling when attempting to grade cards, as a 9 often goes for the price of raw or even less than raw. Unless I'm overly confident, I really don't want to send cards in, so I haven't honestly unless I'm personally collecting it.
I have had a similar experience with ultra modern recently
Entertaining and informative. Thanks for the content
I guess I thought u would talk about why u would grade.
Great job for a seller to learn
I initially said 5 or 6 on Koufax, but that red dot in the corner and your analysis convinced me it was a 4. Glad it got the better grade for you!
Another great video. Truly enjoy your channel. Chris is so great for the hobby.
Car grating has helped destroy card collecting as a hobby. It is also Brought in bad people who commit crimes Who alter cards and make them fakes. It has made card companies rich with exorbitant fee schedules.
Grading Services for Cards And Coins is entirely too expensive for anyone to send them in now other than individuals who are rich
I found what you said about the koufax interesting. You imply that each little flaw takes points off. I have always looked at cards differently. For example the centering, surface & edges were all consistent with a grade of 6 or better. The corners however specifically those bottom corners were no better than a 5 thus the 5 grade made since. For the rare half grade, I was always under the assumption that if a card has particularly good characteristics besides one thing than it earns the half point. Thus in the koufax case probably if the surface was a little better it might have received the 5.5.
Great video Chris!
PSA loves giving 6's to ultra-modern chrome cards lately with any surface imperfection whatsoever - I've had at least 4 come back in a 6 that were pack-fresh, cleaned with a microfiber cloth, and found nothing with a magnifying glass for surface scratches but nevertheless, EX-MT to PSA
Excellent video like always my friend 🤙🏽
ALSO thank you for the video and the information with pictures LOL...I am newer to collecting and have searched for a video like this to actually seeeee what others just speak of. Thank you so much for that. I've read when a card is sent in to be graded, that I have rank the cards and choose what the value of the card would be? I don't understand at all what they want there? And is there a lesser fee (discount) if I send in many cards at one time? And how many can I send at one time? Lots of questions, but you REALLY cleared up so much in this video.
I am planning on doing a "how-to-submit-to-psa" video at some point soon which should answer all these questions
I always wondered on borderless cards if psa would actually take the time to use one of those centering utensils or just eyeball it my guess is the latter
I just don't understand how you could actually judge a card just based on a scan of it, especially the surface of the card. Unless you get real photos from the seller, at a certain angle, you can't tell. Scans can hide so many imperfections.
Loved the video; it's something I should watch each time I get ready to submit cards. One question; shouldn't the shipping, to and from, fees be included in the 'cost' of grading?
Good point, I sort of rounded up the grading fee to factor in shipping a little bit
A raw EX Koufax recently sold for $66 + $5.44 tax + $2.95 shipping on auction. Then $20 goes to PSA = $94.39 in total cost w/ grading.
Then say you sell the PSA 5 Koufax on a BIN for $115. Then you get hit with $16.20 in eBay fees. My math says that you clear $4.40
So it seems nearly impossible to make money grading raw vintage singles bought on eBay.
I'm going to guess Chris didn't pick this card up on eBay. From all his past videos he buys a lot of lots and usually at a 40-60% comps. He showed the Raw price to use as a starting point if it was worth getting graded. But correct in that you really need to factor your cost of goods in if you are just doing individual cards verse getting your cards in bulk.
@@RawGradeFlip Yeah, I hear you. I would love to pick up quality raw mid grade stuff like that at 60% of eBay completed.
Get them graded if you want to get them graded.
Thanks for this, very helpful
thnx, well explained
Nice
very useful info as always!
eBay value on cards is a mess to me . I think I have something. Then I see them selling for a 1$ and then 10,000 for the card . No clue how do I sort past that
Thank you. New at this.
Good info. Thanks Chris
Good show, thanks for the vid!
Good process.
That Brady is not a silver version I believe just the base version
The "silver" are technically called "prizm". On the PSA label, the word "prizm" appears twice which means it is the "silver".
Do you ever look at the Pop report to decide to send in a card or not? What was the name of that site that you used to check recent sales? Thanks for another great video.
I definitely look at the pop report quite often when deciding! The website I use is vintagecardprices.com
PSA changing their grading standards is a disappointment. So what are 10's from years past, not really 10's? Are cards with 9's really 10's? The only good thing about it, is maybe finding 9's and resubmitting them.
A++ video very helpful Chris
Great informational video. However I think one important fact you left when deciding is what do you have into that card? How much did you pay for it? Bc let’s say you paid $50 for that silver Brady. And it comes back a 8 or 9. Probably not worth grading it
When you get the 10 from PSA, do you do a little fist pump? Or do you keep the Spock-like persona: "A 10 was indeed within my range of expected outcomes."?
If I am alone, I jump up and down, fist bumping and screaming. If I am in the presence of others, I calmly say "I am pleased with the results as the 10 was indeed within my expected range."
Hello this was a excellent video for me. I have been collecting and was left hundreds of cards for years I want to start selling all them. This helped show me the process. My only question is psa a great way to have your cards graded. And do you have there info. Thank you very much. I have cards of every sport starting in the 1960s to the present I even have lots of Nascar. Also if you know of anyone who would be interested in a huge bulk sale that would be great also.
If you are interested in selling a collection, I am always buying. You can email me at sewallsportscards@gmail.com.
The major grading companies are:
psacard.com
gosgc.com
beckett.com
Anybody who has been around the hobby for any length of time knows within 2 grades what a card condition. Is? It doesn't take a 3rd party to give their opinion.
Do you factor in shipping to PSA as well? Or just assume you'll pass that on in shipping fees to the consumer when you sell it after grading?
I definitely factor in shipping to PSA, and in theory other little costs as well.
Great video Chris and I appreciate the background and your thought process in what goes into deciding on whether to grade or not. Do you have a cutoff on what makes sense financially to grade a card? I’ve never really done the numbers on stuff I’ve sent in so I was just curious.
I dont really have a cutoff. Depends card by card. I am generally happy if I break even on the downside and make profit on the upside.
Always have to figure out how much you have into the actual card itself. Like with the Koufax did you buy at a single card price at a show or was it a bonus card found in a bulk lot purchase etc... Be nice to hear some true testimonials from a former or current PSA grader. Auction final prices versus BINs is usually about a 20% variance in final sales price.
Why do you have to figure out how much you have into the card? You have the card and all that matters is how much the card can be sold for.
@@drew8703 what???? How does that not factor into it when you have grading & shipping/ insurance fees versus whatever grade you think the card may achieve divided by its average selling value.
@@spic0li I went a round or two with Chris on that a while back... I agree that what you have into a card(what you purchased it for) factors into the equation if only because selling is always optional... the other side of that argument is to say that Chris' exercise presumes that you are buying and selling cards only for profit or to fund your pc or something, and that makes sense, too...
@@kenrogers1948 i totally agree in your assessment when looking at it from both sides of the equation thank you for mentioning this as well.
Hey I met you at Chantilly show and was wondering are you still interested in the Frank Thomas mirror blue. Thanks.
Yes I would still be interested! You can email me at sewallsportscards@gmail.com
You mentioned you thought they would look at the card the way you do when they grade...I would have thought they use magnification? When I magnify my cards, they look rough around the edges when my eyes did not see it that way at all? So I have yet to grade a card, but would love to? What do you think?
I actually do not know PSA's process of grading although I would guess they do not use magnification
Really great info, Chris. As a collector, the answer to the grade or not grade question might be different. If I'm not looking to sell cards, do you think it still makes sense to grade? On the Brady coming back a 10, I think the answer is very clearly yes. I'd rather have a $300 Brady than a $60 Brady. But on the Koufax, why would it matter to me whether it's valued at $65 or $95 if I'm not selling it? Unless it presents nicer in the PSA holder. Thoughts?
I love your reasoning. Makes a lot of sense to me
The only reason to grade a card you aren't selling is, for me at least, to preserve it. A PSA holder is a safer way to keep the card than a one touch and once you get it graded, you lock in that grade. But for cards I don't plan on selling I'm often not in a rush to get them graded. Just wait until there's a price special, or you need to throw an extra card into an order to reach the threshold for a certain discount price.
Chris, do the grading companies offer some type of chain of custody when you submit a card for grading? How do you know that the card you send in is the graded card you get back? And not a switcheroo?
You are putting your faith in these companies when you submit cards to them that they are not switching cards.
Because I have a lot of cards from the late 70s through the 90s from sets to individual cards is there a good process to getting a good value for them?
I do like your videos !, I recently bought 2 Carlos Alvarez (Pro Tennis) RC's debating sending them to PSA for Grading. Both cards are in perfect condition. Do you think I should send them in?, Curious. Let me know
I would need to see the condition to advise whether to send them in or not.
@@collectorinvestordealer how do I send the pic of card to you?
I would like to think that this type of processes or thinking is going with everyones head when submitting to a grading company. My dumbass just submit cards that I want to see slabbed 🤣
Haha nothing wrong with that :)
Hey Chris, great episode. My question is what to grade when you have a set to sell. I'm looking at my 88-89 Fleer basketball set. The three Jordans are beautiful and should get 9's I'm my opinion. Same for the Rodman, Miller, and Pippen. 10's are in play and 8's are possible as the lowest imaginable. I was wanting to sell the set complete and want to represent the quality of the set with PSA grading some rookies and stars. Would you send the Jordans? All six? None? Thanks for the advice.
I would need to see the cards to really advise, but I think getting a few of the key cards graded makes alot of sense (whichever of the Jordans and key RCs look like solid 9s or 10 contenders).
Great info Chris. Question for you: did you acquire these cards from a collection or did you buy them as singles? Also, do you consider Gem Rates at all to determine if they should be sent for grading? Thanks!
Almost all cards I acquire are in large collections. I do look at Gem Rates sometimes before deciding, although not for these two particular cards.
I have a John Elway rc that has a bubble gum stains square on the back is the grade affected if so how much?
Yes, that will effect the grade significantly.
👍
I do these calculations all the time, did you include shipping costs to and from PSA in your grading fee cost? Also, there is a time and effort element that should be part of the equation. That's why for me the 61 Koufax is not a no brainer, I would've subbed only if I felt it had a very good chance of a 6, but that's just me.....
Great points. Yes, I factored in shippings costs to PSA.
@@collectorinvestordealer Thanks for the reply!
Does Chris use Market Movers?
I used to use market movers and found it to be quite good, but it was missing many cards and the sales only went back a year or so, so I stopped using it a year or two ago. I don't know if it is better updated now.
Question please, when you said specks on the front of the first card, were those specks after purchase or dye error specks which i thought that made it an error card and raised the value. Ty
Those are specks that are probably printing flaws from the factory. Dye-error specks are considered factory misprints (not errors) and do not raise a card's value.
Ranges are for weathermen
Where the deer and the antelope play.
I personally thought the range for the Koufax was between a 4 and a 5.5
PSA does not grade fairly, you must pay for a high grade. I sent in a 1956 Duke Snyder with a small rip and creases. I sent in a 1956 Sandy Kofax in the same submission from the same set. The Kofax did not have any rips or creases. Soft corners and similar condition to the Duke S. Card besides the rip and creases. PSA gave the Kofax a 2 and the Duke a 3. The Kofax as a 2 is only worth a few hundred dollars as a 3 it's 1000, a 4 gets 2000 etc. PSA won't grade high unless you pay for it. Their fee schedule is based on the value of the graded card.
Grading is not always the answer .. True collector knows what they have 😂 just sayin
So basically you are telling me people are just buying labels. I'll stick to raw cards.