Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

When it Comes to Graded Cards

Thanks, both of you for your last postings. Just to let you know, I have had most of the same positives with Beckett as you have had with PSA, and as we have concluded in the past from previous discussions, both companies have their positives and both have their negatives. For the time being, I know that you can't do much wrong going with either company.

Personally, I respect both companies, and know that they both invest tons of research into the process of grading cards. And for the time being, I will continue to collect graded cards from both companies.

I appreciate everyone's postings, and I have fun discussing this topic with experienced collectors. And would always like to discuss it as long as there's a PSA and a Beckett. :smile:

Also, I did not ever mean for anyone to take offense about their favorite company. It was only to share my positive experience and opinions about Beckett.

Thanks!
 
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I've always been under the impression that PSA is more lax with their grading, and I've always believed that maybe that's why more people get cards graded by PSA. It does seem vastly more popular for PSA Pokemon cards than BGS Pokemon cards. But from my experience with sporting cards prior to Pokemon, BGS cards of the same grade were always worth more than PSA cards.
 
Graded sports cards are a completely different world comparing to Graded Pokemon cards.

Thanks for your post, you made some good points, and I've had a similar experience to you.
 
I recently asked my friend, whose been involved with the sports autograph and memoribilia business for over 20 years, which I should use to get my new Umbreon * graded, and he suggested Beckett. I asked why, and after he rambled on for quite some time, I concluded that it was because Beckett actually grades easier, so it is better for a seller to grade cards through Beckett.
 
Daelum said:
I recently asked my friend, whose been involved with the sports autograph and memoribilia business for over 20 years, which I should use to get my new Umbreon * graded, and he suggested Beckett. I asked why, and after he rambled on for quite some time, I concluded that it was because Beckett actually grades easier, so it is better for a seller to grade cards through Beckett.
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Does that even make sense to you?
If they grade easier as you say you think...
Then would it be a bad idea?

Its like the three little pigs

Beckett is the pig who builds a house out of straw
PSA is like the pig who builds a house out of bricks

Since it is harder work, PSA survives and doesn't get eaten by the wolf, since they took time to make sure their home was sturdy. Beckett was eaten, since the house was just made of straw, since it was easier

If what you say is to go with beckett cause they grade easier, there will be a supersaturation of cheaper graded cards with easier rates, and thus they will be worth a lot less.
I probably could've taken my Lance's Charizard to Beckett...
Then it would probably still have gotten a 10 as well, however like it has been stated before...
PSA has been around a lot longer, and proves that they have high grade grading...

So I think grading is up to each person to choose...
Beckett - cheaper grades, "easier grades"
PSA - more expensive and harder to get grades, but proves that these sell better.
 
I'm not going to jump right out and criticise Beckett but in my (limited) experience Beckett has graded easier. 4/4 regraded to a lower PSA grade, a fifth I sold as is in a Beckett holder as I thought it was overgraded and would cross poorly. I have limited experience however so I can't make any conclusions from that.
 
Beckett has, in my experience always been the place to grade, though I do agree that they do, sometimes, overgrade cards. I am not familiar with how they grade pokémon (as grading pokémon cards make little sense to me), but for any and all sports mem. They would be my first pick any day of the week.
 
Please try this comparison.

If you have a Beckett card next to a PSA card in person and compare the two, not from what you've read or heard online, but of your own judgment, then you should conclude about which card you'd rather have. Just go back to the basics for a second.

I know that this is not all that matters when choosing which company is "better", but it was the factor that decided my preference.

For myself, it is not about which card sells better / quicker.
It is not about which company is the cheapest / most expensive.
It's about which company is best for protecting / honestly grading / & displaying my collection.

Just saying.... You might want to obtain a card from each company and then make your decision.

Once again, I appreciate everyone's postings, and sharing their experiences.
 
flygon_frank_66 said:
Please try this comparison.

If you have a Beckett card next to a PSA card in person and compare the two, not from what you've read or heard online, but of your own judgment, then you should conclude about which card you'd rather have. Just go back to the basics for a second.

I know that this is not all that matters when choosing which company is "better", but it was the factor that decided my preference.

For myself, it is not about which card sells better / quicker.
It is not about which company is the cheapest / most expensive.
It's about which company is best for protecting / honestly grading / & displaying my collection.

Just saying.... You might want to obtain a card from each company and then make your decision.

Once again, I appreciate everyone's postings, and sharing their experiences.
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I agree. I personally prefer PSA over Beckett because I trust them to provide the most accurate grade over Beckett, but for selling cards on Ebay, I would choose Beckett.
Why? Because the buyer population on Ebay is not %100 serious collectors like the people on these forums. So, they don't put this much thought into which is better PSA or Beckett, they just see the grade and pay based on that. So, to grade a card that is under like $1000 or so (i.e. an average ultra rare or rare promo or whatever), I would prefer Beckett if I was to be selling it, but anything over that price I would do PSA because only a serious collector would buy it, and most serious collectors like the most accurate grade possible, which I believe to lie in the hands of PSA. Also, for my collection, I would only do PSA.
 
Taking it back to basics I had a Beckett 8.5 1st base Charizard. It was my first Beckett card I figured it would be similar to a mint 9 PSA. The card had so much silver showing on the front I had to sell it. Minor silver scratches everywhere! I didn't even regrade it it was maybe worth a PSA 7. I gave it a try, I've never been satisfied with Beckett 8.5s or 9s.
 
waynegg said:
I recently bought a PSA 9 MINT Riolu Staff card and was pretty disappointed. There were visible scratches across the front and a couple of spots of buffing. The back had several scratches, a couple deep, and three pressure dents. The edge had a 1 inch long noticeable whitening that culminated in a clean tear half way through the border. This seemed pretty lax to me. Kinda made me doublethink my opinion in their credibility.
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As we say in coin collecting "Buy the coin, not the container it comes in." The same can be applied in this situation, but labeling errors arn't unheard of.
 
Everyone has some great things to say!

The truth is PSA grades much easier than BGS from the 8.5-10 range.

We all grade our Pokemon cards PSA because its easy to get 8's and 9's and I can sell them for hundreds more.

BGS is good for only the most perfect of perfect cards to get that elusive 10 or 9.5. Hence thats why we send most cards to PSA.

This is also why PSA appears to have more share of the grading business (when in truth, noone really likes PSA much either). The money is just easier to make with PSA.

For instance, when I buy your town or cities or states 1st edition Charizards for a few hundred each I can say they arent quite mint and get them cheaper from you.

Then I can ship a bundle of 1st Edition Charizards to PSA and they will come back 8, even 9 in some cases.

I've bought hundreds (nay Im up to roughly 175) of 1st edition Charizards within the last 5 years because the money is too good to grade them PSA and resell.

Beat up Charizards will grade PSA 7!

ones I buy from you guys for only $100-$150 then i resell that same one for $400-500!


Would I be making that kind of money with BGS? heck no!! because even 8.5's can be tough to score with BGS.


PSA 8 or 9 just looks better to you guys for some reason than the number 8.5. On top of that, why should I pay for BGS 8.5 grades when I know most will come back PSA 9?




TLDR:

BGS is for that elusive GEM MINT 10 grade only so we only ship the most pristine of pristine cards there (BGS grades harder from 8.5 and up)

PSA is for the 7,8, and 9 grades that sell stronger in most cases than BGS 8.5 (which is absurdly fine with me, I'll gladly buy your BGS 8.5 1st edition charizards and reslab them PSA 8 or 9 because it makes me bank)



In closing, I own several 1/1's GEM MINT Graded cards. My wife and I collect art and we like to keep things private. you wont see me on youtube ego stroking myself and I like to keep it real.

some of these bros above arent being real and sort of misleading you.

peace yall, and I bumped this thread because its very relavent nowadays. Grading is more precise than most make it seem.
 
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False. I've had many god awful BGS cards. I have recently bought BGS 9.5's to regrade into PSA and was very disappointed with every one coming back a 9. Worst of all, I sent my PSA 6.5 1st edition Charizard into BGS (after cracking it out) and it got a 9. WITH A SURFACE BEND.

In my other regrades (with 1st base cards), some cards going from BGS to PSA stayed the same. About half went down 0.5-1 grades. These cards were between BGS 8.5 and 9.

I've given both companies a try, I might even try it again. But I was happier with PSA's grading scale so they get my business.
 
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I recently sent in 6 BGS cards into PSA as crossovers...three were E3 Red cheeks and NONE crossed over to an equal or higher grade. I did put minimum grades on them. It was a total waste of time and money.

Both are reputable businesses and both do make mistakes...remember there's a human element involved.
 
Beckett 9.5 does not always equal a PSA 10. They are very strict about their Pristine 10 grade. Most cards are sent in expecting a 10 but receive 9.5 instead.

PSA 9 has a huge condition range, from allowing corner wear to almost no wear. That's why BGS 9.5 sometimes fall into the 9 range.

BGS 9.5 cards are not Top-Notch cards thus not an automatic PSA 10.

Beckett 9.5 standards are right in between PSA 9 and PSA 10 standards. Thus the number "9.5"

Based on the cards I've collected, here is my opinion of standards.

Close to Flawless
Beckett 10
PSA 10
Beckett 9.5
PSA 9

As has been said, grading is done by humans and humans aren't perfect.
 
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I agree! It's just really frustrating to hear how many people say beckett 9.5 is equal to or better than a PSA 10. It's a marketing ploy, to get max $$$ for high grade Beckett cards which aren't pristine.
 
Some Beckett 9.5 cards are very close to a PSA 10 grade. At the same time some are very close to a PSA 9 grade.

Beckett 9.5's are still great quality cards, just not the very top grade.
 
This thread aged really well lmao!!

BGS 10s pulling the most at auctions and hardest to find and people regrading there PSA 10s trying to get bgs 10.

Still no bgs black label first edition charizards and only two pristine 10s
 
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