Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15
  1. #1




    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    10,298
    SCF Rewards
    3,460
    Country
    New England Patriots
    See thedynasty141's Items on eBay

    Grading recommendations

    Thinking about grading a few cards. Was going to go between spa and becket. I have looked at the websites and fees but just want some feedback on the process and maybe your own experience and which one you prefer! Thanks!

  2. #2




    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    331
    SCF Rewards
    632
    Country
    Cleveland Browns Cleveland Indians Cleveland Cavaliers
    See dawg-pound-nation's Items on eBay

    This is a no brainer. PSA all the way. Let me give you two examples to start. Lets take the LeBron Topps Chrome rookie. PSA 10s sell for about $1100.00, a BGS 9.5 of the same card brings about $600.00. Now lets look at the 2000 SP Brady rookie. The last PSA 10 to sell brought $19,100.00 and the last BGS 9.5 brought $7,555.00. Want more examples? Go to Youtube and type in Stephen Strasburg Superfractor. Its a videio of a BGS representative talking about this card and the grade. Its graded a BGS 9.5 but during the video the guy clearly says "the corners are not perfect but it falls within our guidelines of being a gem mint card"......Wait what, the cards corners are not mint but the card is ?????? Like I said BGS is a joke. You might get a few more "10s" from BGS but the resale price of your items will not be as strong as if you went with PSA.

  3. #3




    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    10,298
    SCF Rewards
    3,460
    Country
    New England Patriots
    See thedynasty141's Items on eBay

    Thanks for input. Have you used them before? What's the process like and how's the turn around. I saw 18 a card of the declared value is under 500. Where are they basing that value from?

  4. #4







    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    51,031
    SCF Rewards
    7,070
    Country

    Can you give us an idea of the card or cards you are going to get graded? Because my way of recommending which one would be just to look on ebay at the SELLING price of each. I mean if you have a PSA 9 Brady selling for $1000 and a BGS equivalent is selling for just $600 why would anybody go with BGS in this example?

    Though I guess if you were just going to keep them forever or something and not sell them I'd recommend BGS for their cases by they encapsulate the cards without a grade for a lot cheaper if you are going to go that route.
    Selling All My Cards Here------>Hidden Content

    Baseball Autograph and Game Used Only Trade Page: pwaldo.webs.com/
    //s123.photobucket.com/albums/o299/pwaldo/

  5. #5




    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    331
    SCF Rewards
    632
    Country
    Cleveland Browns Cleveland Indians Cleveland Cavaliers
    See dawg-pound-nation's Items on eBay

    Thanks for input. Have you used them before? What's the process like and how's the turn around. I saw 18 a card of the declared value is under 500. Where are they basing that value from?

    I actually just renewed my PSA membership. I went with platinum membership, its 200.00 a year but you get 15 cards graded for "free" in the 7 day service, a gift of some sort. I got a hard bound coffee table book of the 100 greatest baseball autographs. You get the SMR (sports market report) its basically a price guide but the articles are amazing. This comes in the mail monthly. Plus you are eligible for the specials.

    You mentioned 18 per card. No, not really. Every month they have monthly specials only available to members. They usually run about 6-7 a card. Sometimes there is a minimum of 25 or so, sometimes certain years or sports. It all varies. Plus they offer bulk submission specials. Year round, 100 cards costs 7 each. I think they also do a 50 card special for 8 each. You can go over 50 also, say you got 57 or 68 cards. Its still 8 per. As far as "declared value", just dont abuse it. Obviously a Kobe Topps Chrome RC is valued over 100, so dont declare it lower than 100 unless its not mint. Its raw price not slabbed price you go by. For example if Beckett says a certain card is valued at 50 but its HOT and selling on ebay for 150. Becket says 50, the price is 50.

    There web site is very cool, there is even a forum section and message boards. To sub cards simply enter the info on the web site and print it. its super easy. PSA has so much to offer that you are not aware of. POP reports are great. The PSA set registry is cool if you are building PSA sets (im working on a few). Anything else just ask. I hope this helps.
    Last edited by PRTHD; 05-24-2017 at 08:20 PM.

  6. #6






    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    2,522
    SCF Rewards
    959
    Country
    See cardscardzcard5's Items on eBay

    2 months ago I would have said BGS all the way but man they are slow now and the customer service is lackluster. Also what PRTHD said in their first post is something I caught onto super late especially on the LeBron chrome rookie part. I have 2 of those that are great condition but i'm still waiting over a month for BGS to grade them. Wish I could grab them since they are likely ungraded still and send to PSA.

    My only gripe with PSA versus BGS is that I think PSA's slabs are much uglier in comparison but that's more a personal opinion on aesthetics.

    BGS has subgrades which I do care for and why I was loyal to them for so long.

  7. #7




    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    331
    SCF Rewards
    632
    Country
    Cleveland Browns Cleveland Indians Cleveland Cavaliers
    See dawg-pound-nation's Items on eBay

    2 months ago I would have said BGS all the way but man they are slow now and the customer service is lackluster. Also what PRTHD said in their first post is something I caught onto super late especially on the LeBron chrome rookie part. I have 2 of those that are great condition but i'm still waiting over a month for BGS to grade them. Wish I could grab them since they are likely ungraded still and send to PSA.

    My only gripe with PSA versus BGS is that I think PSA's slabs are much uglier in comparison but that's more a personal opinion on aesthetics.

    BGS has subgrades which I do care for and why I was loyal to them for so long.

    See I hate BGS cases and love PSA. I hate the bulkiness of them. BGS has gotten better w the cases but they are still thick. PSA cases feel nice in your hands, you notice the card first and not the case. Simple design, compact and stack easy.

  8. #8






    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    2,522
    SCF Rewards
    959
    Country
    See cardscardzcard5's Items on eBay

    Fair point on the bulkiness. BGS cases stack nicely now though.

  9. #9





    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    2,261
    SCF Rewards
    4,762
    Blog Entries
    2
    Country

    I don't like PSA as I consider their grading fees a scam ... but ... PSA 10s do bring more than BGS 9.5s, especially on older cards.

    However, if you have 1/1s I don't think it makes any difference at all.

    Also, if you're on a budget you are almost forced to go with BGS due to PSA's exorbitant fees.

  10. #10







    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    51,031
    SCF Rewards
    7,070
    Country

    2 months ago I would have said BGS all the way but man they are slow now and the customer service is lackluster.

    That's because Beckett is cheap as hell as they only have like 2 guys grading all these cards. If they hired a couple more (which wouldn't even hurt their profits that much) they would be able to have a quicker turnaround and collectors would grade more with BGS which would pay for the new people hired in no time. Yet they continue to expand their card grading operation without really adding any new workers. Who didn't see this problem coming?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
SCF Sponsors


About SCF

    Sports Card Forum provides sports and non-sports card collectors a safe place to discuss, buy, sell and trade.

    SCF maintains tools that will allow collectors to manage their collections online, information about what is happening with the hobby, as well as providing robust data to send out for Autographs through the mail.

Follow SCF on