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  1. #1




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    To grade or not to grade?

    I’m fairly new to the world of “adult” cars collecting. Over the course of a few breaks, I’ve come up with a couple of cards which I would consider getting grades and slabbed, but I’ve never been through the process before and I’m new to the whole process. What resources do you guys turn to, and what’s your decision-making process behind when you grade?

    FWIW, I think the three top contenders I’d be thinking about are a Brennen Davis wave refractor (/125) auto out of 2020 Bowman Sterling and Randy Arozarena’s cardinal rookie base cards out of 2020 Bowman and Topps Series 1.

  2. #2




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    I deal primarily with PSA. Expect to wait 5-6 months to get the cards returned. There are also several videos are you tube you should look at to get familiar with the process. $20/card for grading. thx Jim

    I’m fairly new to the world of “adult” cars collecting. Over the course of a few breaks, I’ve come up with a couple of cards which I would consider getting grades and slabbed, but I’ve never been through the process before and I’m new to the whole process. What resources do you guys turn to, and what’s your decision-making process behind when you grade?

    FWIW, I think the three top contenders I’d be thinking about are a Brennen Davis wave refractor (/125) auto out of 2020 Bowman Sterling and Randy Arozarena’s cardinal rookie base cards out of 2020 Bowman and Topps Series 1.

    Collecting Baseball and Football Rookie cards
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  3. #3




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    I do not like grading with major companies because it costs too much. Also I have had a bad experience. BAS admitted to losing my Aaron Judge on card IP auto. They gave me $100 in insurance money for it. BAS is Beckett Authentication Services. The same company that owns Beckett Grading Services. When I did grade it was through GMA Grading because I thought the cards looked nice, although they did not go up in value. It was $2.50 at the time in 2017. Last time I checked it was $8/card. No thank you for me! I prefer not to grade although I would buy graded cards. The cost and wait time is ridiculous. GMA used to turn around in a week. Again that was for looks as the prices did not really go up.

  4. #4




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    @CubFan1988 want to trade? I'm always happy to help new members learn the ropes here and to trade. Let me know.

  5. #5




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    I do not like grading with major companies because it costs too much. Also I have had a bad experience. BAS admitted to losing my Aaron Judge on card IP auto. They gave me $100 in insurance money for it. BAS is Beckett Authentication Services. The same company that owns Beckett Grading Services. When I did grade it was through GMA Grading because I thought the cards looked nice, although they did not go up in value. It was $2.50 at the time in 2017. Last time I checked it was $8/card. No thank you for me! I prefer not to grade although I would buy graded cards. The cost and wait time is ridiculous. GMA used to turn around in a week. Again that was for looks as the prices did not really go up.

    Yeah the wait times are bonkers. I live in NJ, where PSA has an office. They’ve stopped doing grading there during the pandemic, but in the past it looks like they do promo days where you can come in, hand in cards, and pick them up at the end of the day. I expect that if I do decide to grade these, I’ll wait until they go back to something like that rather than just mailing them off.

  6. #6




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    @CubFan1988 where in NJ do they have an office? I'm in NY.

  7. #7




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    @CubFan1988 where in NJ do they have an office? I'm in NY.

    It’s in Woodbridge, about half an hour down the Turnpike from NYC

  8. #8




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    I agree with what is said below. I'd hold off on grading for now.

  9. #9




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    I just got back the first four cards I've ever had graded from SGC. 3 10s and a 9.5. The increase in resale price of a graded card versus non-graded is well worth the $15 and 2 month wait, imo. I'm more of a set builder than a person looking to make a living flipping cards, so if I can build my base sets and flip any #d parallels, SPs, or autos for more card buying money and keep my wife off my back about how much I spend on cards, that's what I do. Already sold a Tatis Topps Chrome RC 9.5 and a few other raw cards and was able to pre-order a jumbo of 2021 Series One.

  10. #10




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    Ooof. That is a more complicated question than you’d think. First question is if you want your pc slabbed or raw. If that’s all your basing it on then it’s an easy decision. But I’m guessing that your trying to decide which cards to grade and with whom? That’s the hard part. Personally, the whom part is easy. All I own and ever used is PSA. Not trying to be a PSA public announcement here but that’s just my opinion. The really hard part is which cards. It’s a conversation you could go on and on about. My 1 piece of advice would be look up current “sold” prices for PSA 9’s that you’re thinking about grading vs. their raw value. If the difference makes up enough for the cost of grading, effort & wait time then you have your answer. Top of my head....the #d auto before the base.

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