Card Grading Services

[Gryfalia]

I know it's probably been covered before, but what's the consensus here about which grading service (between PSA and BGS) is the better.

By better I mean 'most picky'. If I am going to get some cards graded, I want to know they passed the HARD version.

Also, how does either treat signatures?

Thanks!

[Ertai's Familiar]

BGS hands down.

BGS will do certs on signatures but I'm unsure of how they process that.

[GlobalBoosterHunter]

Not sure how I know but apparently one of them requires the signed cards to go off to a Signature Verification company first who then post them directly on to the grading company.

Maybe this is comics though...

As a seller you want the one who gives the best grade but as a collector you want to get the most accurate grade.

I guess you would need to look at the resale prices of the same card in the same grade from the different companies and find out which one is the most respected by the buyers.

I have nothing graded.

[Hayden]

Check out how BGS determines grades on their website... way stricter than PSA

I have many cards in both PSA and BGS grades and at this point I would say:
BGS 9.5 = PSA 10
BGS 8.5 = PSA 9
lower may be more similar but ideally PSA/BGS 8 and higher are what you are really after.

nothing against PSA mind you they are still great (much better than the others) but I think tides have been turning from PSA to BGS in the last few years as collectors learn that BGS is just a small notch above PSA (and buyers are recognizing this now too)

Good Luck with your grading.

[Knutsen]

Hi Gryfalia,

I never tested PSA myself (but own a few PSA cards) because I only use BGS - and I think because of the 4 subgrades the BGA grading is 'harder'.

BGS also has an authentication service for autographed cards (JSA?) wich has to be combined ... but I never send autographed cards in and don't know if this also works for MtG cards. :)

Greetings