PSA inquiries

[Jess]

Hello, people.

A few weeks ago, I traded an unilimited Illusionary Mask which looks so perfect I'd like to have it PSA graded.

Could any of you be so kind as to help me with this simple task? Fact being, I'd like to collect informations before being sure I want to send it to be graded (price, time taken and such).

Thanks for your time ;)

[l0qii]

To get cards graded by PSA requires a membership with PSA. Your other option is to go through a dealer who is already set up with a membership. There are several such people on this forum including myself. The cost and turn around time of getting a card graded varies widely depending on the level of service you want (http://www.psacard.com/submission_news.chtml).

All mail to and from PSA is sent Registered mail or FedEx only. Registered can slow things down quite a bit.

If you don't have a lot of experience with professionally grading cards I'd recommend having a dealer look at the card before you ship it anywhere. Often times people send in cards they think are mint only to get them back as a disappointing PSA 7. And if you don't plan on getting large quantities of cards graded, a membership is probably not worth it.

[Jess]

Here's a scan I made of the card in question. If any of you feels like having a look and giving his opinion, be my guest.

[silver.paladin]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the appearance of the backside (at least to me), is that the card is not properly centered - the right hand edge is more than the left hand side.  As such, would this not reduce the PSA rating this card would receive?
Just my opinion (and I am no supporter of PSA)   ;)

[MagicRumorMill]

I would say that the biggest flaw of all is that it seems to have an ultra pro circular sticker on the bottom of the card.

I would like to know if you can feel the bump of the sticker or is it flush with the card?

This may be one of those new ultra pro promo cards, however, I thought those were not due until FNMs began in Etheopia.

LMK




































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[Jess]

You rascal you!  [smiley=laugh.gif]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the appearance of the backside (at least to me), is that the card is not properly centered - the right hand edge is more than the left hand side.

You're right, there seems to be a 1/2mm difference between the two.

[TerraFrost]

You're right, there seems to be a 1/2mm difference between the two.

PSA has been criticized by members, here, for overgrading.  As such, would they even notice that flaw?

Also, on a semi-related note...  are there other card grading services other than PSA?  Coins can be graded by ANACS (which i use), PCGS (which probably has the best rep), and ACG (which Bob is kinda familiar with), just to name a few, so it seems like there might well be others for cards, too.

[l0qii]

BGS is one other grading service that is recognized around the trading card industry. It's owed by Beckett who has printed sports card price guides for decades.

http://www.beckett.com/grading/

[flaminio]

Also, on a semi-related note...  are there other card grading services other than PSA?  Coins can be graded by ANACS (which i use), PCGS (which probably has the best rep), and ACG (which Bob is kinda familiar with)

Heh heh -- yeah, I know those guys  [smiley=veryangry.gif]

I believe SGC grades Magic cards. At least, it's not on their list of "Cards We Don't Grade". SGC is the card wing of NGC, which is very well respected in the coin world.

The aforementioned ACG also grades cards, but there no way in hell I would recommend them, for reasons that should be obvious.

One thing that PSA has started doing is Registry Sets for Magic cards. It'll be interesting to see if it takes off -- Registry sets have completely changed the coin collecting environment.

[Celebrindor]

Beckett grades Magic Cards.  They had some beautiful specimens at PT Philly last week - they grade the card on 4 factors - centering, corners, and two others which I forget, then average those 4 numbers to get the overall grade, such as 9, 9.5, or 10.

[l0qii]

Registry sets have completely changed the coin collecting environment.

I've wondered about that. What has it done exactly to the coin world? What good is having your set registered?

[Celebrindor]

That should be obvious.  To show it off to the world.

person 1: "I have an Alpha set, all mint"
person 2: "prove it"
person 1: <gives link>
person 2: "nice"

;D ;D ;D ;D

[flaminio]

I've wondered about that. What has it done exactly to the coin world? What good is having your set registered?

It's just a pissing match. My set's better than your set. That sort of thing. Sets get points for certain things, most typically grade, rarity, and completeness. The more points you have, the "better" your set is.

The effect this has had in coins is to make the highest grade coins soar into the stratosphere, pricewise. A regular old proof cent, worth a buck or two, becomes worth tens of thousands if you can get PCGS PF70 DCAM plastic around it. The holy grail becomes "Pop 1/0", meaning that there exist only one coin graded this high, and none higher. Thus, if you want the "best" set, you need to get this exact one coin. There are enough people with enough money playing this game to make prices ridiculous.

A real example: the 1982-D Washington Half Dollar commemorative was handled rather poorly by the Mint during distribution, and thus ultra-high grade examples are hard to find or make. The coin itself is very common, and most coin shops will sell you one for five bucks. The very first of these that got graded PCGS MS69 (70 is perfect) sold for $5000.

The downside is that that sale inspired a "gold rush" of sorts, and thousands upon thousands of halves were submitted. Each MS69 made sold for a bit less. Today, PCGS MS69s go for about $400. How do you suppose that makes the sucker who paid $5000 feel?

Answer: he doesn't care! It's not about the money; it never was. It was all about having his name at the top of a list on an obscure website. It's truly bizarre behavior.

If such a thing ever took off in Magic-land, I can easily see a PSA 10 Black Lotus selling for $50,000 or even more. Scary...

[silver.paladin]

The downside is that that sale inspired a "gold rush" of sorts, and thousands upon thousands of halves were submitted. Each MS69 made sold for a bit less. Today, PCGS MS69s go for about $400. How do you suppose that makes the sucker who paid $5000 feel?

Answer: he doesn't care! It's not about the money; it never was. It was all about having his name at the top of a list on an obscure website. It's truly bizarre behavior.

If such a thing ever took off in Magic-land, I can easily see a PSA 10 Black Lotus selling for $50,000 or even more. Scary...

Why, when I read this, do I think of a certain Disenchant, or what will soon be happening to a certain sliver?    ;)

[Celebrindor]

Why, when I read this, do I think of a certain Disenchant, or what will soon be happening to a certain sliver?    ;)

Do we have any actual evidence that the Sliver will be distributed soon, or have various forum members just repeated that rumor so many times that it is assumed to be fact?