After speaking to some dealers I trust and people on this board, I am in the process of getting all my cards switched to PSA. Most of my graded cards are already PSA, but I still have some SGC and KSA. I am planning on doing some crossover grading, but haven't ever done it before. Have any of you done crossover grades on PSA?
I have a few very nice cards that I'm hoping will crossover to PSA with a 7 or better. I might have asked this question already, but does a 7 or 7.5 usually crossover to a 7? How about a KSA 8? Will that usually crossover to an 8 or will they drop it to a 7?
I try to keep all my cards from 1951 through 1969 at PSA 7 or above, but I don't want anything lower than a 7. I know that I can specify a minimum grade, but PSA gets rather expensive. By the time you ship the cards, pay the grading fee, and the return shipping fee it adds up, so I don't want to spend the money to have them return the cards saying "this card doens't qualify as a 7."
With respect to SGC, about 90% of my SGC 80's and 84/86's have crossed over to the comparable PSA grade. However, with respect to KSA, they have been all over the board. I had a KSA 8 return as a PSA 5 (ever so slight wrinkle that I couldn't see on the back until I removed it from the holder), another KSA 8 to PSA 6, some KSA 7's to PSA 7's. The vast majority of my KSA's (over 60 or so) returned as 1-2 grades lower. That being said, I chose to break out my KSA cards since KSA for resale purposes (always possible in the future) will bring about 25-50% of the comparable PSA values. The SGC cards I sent in their holders with the majority making my minimum crossover grade of the equivalent PSA grade. The ones still in their SGC holders will still hold most of their resale value. Good luck.
From my own experience, I have found that SGC cards usually cross over at the same grade. KSA cards usually cross over at one grade less. I have also had with KSA cards crossing if they were sheet cut.
Thanks for the info. I haven't been able to find many people who have done crossover grading. Many of my KSA cards are commons, so I'm not so worried, but I hate taking the time to locate them again. But a few of my cards are nice, higher end rookies. The biggest is a Maurice Richard Rookie--KSA 8. It is in one of the newer KSA holders that resemble SGC with the black insert.
I'm sending a few 1957 Parkies in first. The Richard rookie will have to be sent in alone anyway since I will have to grade it at a higher tier due to the value. I love having an 8, but if it will cross over to a PSA 7, I will be content. I plan on listing 7 as my minimum grade, but I would hate to spend $50 on grading, only to have the card returned in the original holder! That's like losing your wallet with $100 inside! (By the time you ship the card and pay for return shipping, that's pretty close.
You can feel pretty comfortable crossing your SGC cards to PSA. I have had pretty good success and always send them in the SGC holder. With KSA most of the time I have been looking at a 1-2 grade drop. I would be inclined to crack the card out of the KSA holder first but if it comes back trimmed or altered you are stuck with that card.
I have often wondered if PSA would feel the need the lower the grades of cards graded by KSA most of the time just to keep up their reputation or just out of principle.
I'm going to try the crossover route to see how that goes. (As I said before, I'm going to list the minimum grade as a 7.) If the cards don't come back at that grade, then I will just try to sell them in the KSA holders.
I thought about cracking the KSA cards out of their holders, but as you said, they may come back with a lower grade, or with some other problem, and then they are just raw cards.
I have some 1954 Topps cards that look like they should grade 7, but depending on how some of these other cards come back, I may just sell or trade them and try to buy cards already graded.
Earl - I do not think that PSA automatically is harder on KSA cards. In my experience whether I crack them or cross them in the holder they crossed lower by 1 or 2 grades. However, they might scrutinize a card in one of the smaller companies holders a bit more only because once they crack out the card they cannot put it back in the holder if it is trimmed or altered.
I have noticed 2 posts regarding cards being trimmed or altered. Is KSA bad about not catching this kind of thing?
I have wondered how PSA is able to pre-grade a card before they crack it from another company's holder. Obviously they can examine the corners and centering, but edges would be tough without removing the card.
Hey guys great thread adds credibility to all the companies that have been discussed. I am wondering if anyone has had any or know if any experience of crossing over GAI. Dan
I only have 1 GAI card. From what I have heard, GAI recruited graders from PSA and actually stole some of the PSA people from them. I am planning on sending in the GAI card (it is a 1957-58 Parkhurst M25 GAI 7) and hoping that it will cross to a PSA 7. Not sure if PSA likes GAI too well right now. Either they will be angry at all GAI cards and will be tougher on them, or they will be happy to see GAI cards crossing over to PSA. The latter idea would make more sense for PSA business wise. If people don't want to keep their cards in GAI holders, and prefers PSA then that reassures them that their reputation is still strong as the #1 grading company.
I'm also thinking of trading some of my cards graded by other companies if I can get PSA cards. I'm hoping that I can trade an inexpensive card and add $10 to the deal to get what I need for my collection and save me from dealing with PSA any more than I have to.
I bought about 3 or 4 GAI cards last year, I will never do that again. I would not recomend anyone buying higher grade GAI cards, there is a reason that they are not in PSA holders. If you do not like PSA go with SGC, if you don't like either, keep your cards raw. Unless GAI changes the way they do business, which I don't think they can afford to do, there will be a MAJOR correction in the price of GAI graded cards, especially graded 7 or better. When you see a dealer who submits to psa or sgc send the odd money card to GAI, there is a reason. No dealer would leave money on the table. My personal prediction is that in a year or two, GAI will be mentioned in the same context as PRO or Hager's old company whatever that was called(csa/asa?). Just one guys opinion though. Jim
I have had a couple of SGC 92's turn in PSA 9's....I have also graded about 20 KSA cards to PSA (after cracking them first) and you will lose about a point in grading....however, there is the odd surprise...here is a KSA 6.5 now in a PSA 8 holder:
to the urban myth of PSA switching cards....think of the inventory that they would have to maintain....also, I agree with the premise that a high value card in a GAI holder is a problem card, and probably was not going to get graded by PSA in that same grade.
Most Ksa cards I expect to drop down one grade, I will never buy one on the internet though, I have to see it in person. I bought an 8.5 1960 Parkhurst Richard that would have gotten a 5 if I cracked it out. I have had luck with SGC 86's turning into Psa 8's. Jim
Hi Dan Basso that is amazing that 69-70 Howe hard to believe that KSA awarded only a 6.5 very strange. Good job for you acquiring it you saw that one on ebay on AUG 7 that fetched 535.00!! Dan Bedard
Dan Basso--Why did you crack the cards out of the KSA holders before submitting them to PSA? Did you have better luck that way than trying the crossover route?
I just sent 4 cards to PSA for crossover grading today.
2 were KSA 7, 1 was KSA 7.5, and 1 was SGC 88. Both of the KSA 7 cards looked strong, but 1 is borderline. It looks like it could easily get a 7, but that could easily fall to a 6.
The KSA 7.5 card looks very nice and I'm really hoping for a 7. It's a little off center, but no worse than 70/30.
The SGC 88 has great color, so I'm hoping to stay at the same level and get a PSA 8. I'll let you guys know how they all turn out.
Great story about the Howe card! From a 6.5 to an 8 is excellent! I need that card for my 69-70 OPC set, but can't afford to spend that much for it. I'm hoping to find a PSA 7 version. If you bought that card in KSA 6.5, crossed it over to PSA 8 and sold it for $535, then you must have made a nice profit on that card!
Dan Bedard: that 69 Howe that sold on ebay Monday was mine as well. With a pop of 6, I had 2, so I had to share the 'wealth'.
Eric: I've never tried the cross over service.....I crack out the cards because I wanted them in PSA holders reqardless of the grade. With the state of raw cards these days (cherry picked by the major dealers, so nothing is worth buying raw in what I collect), I often buy the occasional SGC or KSA card just to get enough cards for a submission.
Because KSA cards are treated like the red headed stepchild by ebay collectors, you can occasionally pick them up cheaply, but there is no guarantee that a KSA card is going to be graded by PSA either.....KSA isn't as tight on the trimming or altered requirements like PSA. For example, when I bought the HOwe KSA 6.5, I also bought a 1969 #24 Orr that was a KSA 6.5, figuring it might be a PSA 7. PSA would not grade it because it had been "altered," although I'm not sure how. I think perhaps an insert stamp had been removed from the reverse and there was residue remaining.
Dan,
So you would rather crack a KSA card and send it to PSA, even if it comes back PSA 6 or 5? Wouldn't it be better to sell or trade the KSA card? Cards that grade PSA 5 or 6 are really tough to sell. I see some sell on eBay, but not for much unless it is a really rare card. I recently saw a 1955 Parkhurst Quaker Oats Plante rookie PSA 6 sell for well over $1000. I don't remember the price, but obviously, that isn't a standard 55 Parkhurst. Same for 1966 Topps Test Issues. Other than that, I would hate to end up with a PSA 6 card.
I'm just trying the crossover grading for the first time, but I'm listing 7 as the minimum grade. If a KSA or SGC 7 comes back ungraded, I still have a graded NrMint card. I think a KSA 7 will still sell for more than a PSA 6. It depends on the card. I used to think that KSA graded cards looked as nice as PSA cards, but I'm starting to see a few examples that really don't stand up.
Anyway, that's just my opinion. What do you think?
HI Earl, yes I understand your point....I've re-graded over 20 KSA cards, but most were cards I had sent to KSA in 1998 before it became more convenient to send them to PSA. I wanted consistency in my holders and then the PSA Set Registry reinforced the idea to get them all done by PSA. I display certain of my cards (66 to 69 All stars) so I don't mind a PSA 5 or 6 in my display. From a distance of a couple of feet, people can't tell the difference between a PSA 9 and PSA 4 anyways. If I am bidding on a KSA card, I am presuming in my price that it will grade at least 1 pt lower from PSA. Although there is pleasant surprise once in awhile.
Part of the problem with KSA cards on ebay, is that the seller has a twisted idea of the cards value and the starting point is way to high to garner any bids anyways..and the half grades don't help either....
For 1950 cards I think most PSA 6's will outsell a KSA 7 counterpart almost every time. Certainly not an SGC 7 but a KSA 7. Many bidders factor in a crossover fee and the likelihood the card will drop in grade.
I need some info, and I'm sure someone here will know this. I sent 4 cards to PSA for crossover grading. I listed 7 as the minimum grade that I would accept. I figured that if they didn't make PSA 7, I would sell them as KSA 7 or KSA 8. (One card I sent was a SGC 88 also.)
I just received an email from PSA with my grades. The SGC 88 earned an 8. The other three cards were listed as M/G. At first I assumed that meant that they were being returned in the KSA holders, but then I became curious about what that stood for. I looked in the the PSA glossary. I didn't find the letters M/G, but I did find "Minimum Grade" and it said that it referred to crossovers primarily. Does this mean that the other three cards earned my minimum grade, which would be a 7? Or does it mean that they did not earn the miminum grade and didn't have a grade assigned?
I'll call PSA tomorrow, but if anyone sees this tonight, let me know.
I had a similiar experience trying to cross coins....it's almost like the attitude is like "we're not going to recognize that grading company's grading abilities by agreeing to the grade that they gave"......
Another reason why you may want to crack them open before sending...at least now you would have them in a more marketable PSA holder, even if it's at a reduced grade...
