PSA vs. BGS - PC Edition.

For the life of me, I cannot decide between PSA and BGS holders for the cards in my PC. I know a lot would say just not to grade, but I enjoy the slabs. Both companies have positives and negatives and I just can't decide.

PSA
Positives: *Tend to hold more value due to registeries.
*The use of the registry.
*And in my opinion, a nicer holder than the BGS holder.
Negatives:
*Card is loose in the case. I've already had a card damaged just by being in the case. When they grade die-cuts, they use an inner sleeve, if I could get that sleeve on all my subs, it would be an easy decision for me, but they will only do so for die-cuts.
*And lets not forget the dumb holder they have for thicker cards.

BGS
Positives:
*Best protection, easy.
*The gold labels are really nice.
Negatives:
*Not a great (or even mildly ok) registry.
*A more bulky holder, taking up the space of two PSA holders.
*And my biggest gripe, the plain white flip in contrast to the silver and gold. If only they used a copper flip, I'd probably go with BGS, but there is just something about how ugly their white flip is. Anything that grades under an 8.5, I just get the plain 'Authentic' flip with no grade.

Any other points of contention to think about? What are some of your opinions?

PSA uses the inner sleeves for more than just diecuts, but there really is no rhyme or reason to when they use them. I have standard sized cards in sleeves as well...I too wish it were standard because I really prefer their grading scale and the storage friendliness of their slabs.

I go BGS because of the protection. Granted, my slabs don't go anywhere, so PSA slabs would likely be just as protective. I just prefer the BGS slab as it is more bulky.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that I also prefer gems in my collection, but I do like to have my high value cards in any grade still slabbed by BGS.

With all that said, I started with BGS when there was a perception their grading was more strict. Which I do agree this was true at a certain point. I no longer feel this is true.

From a simple resale value, I think PSA is a better option, thus the reason I am getting 1 of my 1995 Bowman Best refractors graded by PSA for the November sub.

Last PSA 10 Bowman Best Refractor sale for Andruw Jones = $1000
Last BGS 9.5 Bowman Best Refractor sale for Andruw Jones = $340

Hopefully I snag a 10.

The biggest reason I choose PSA for my personal collection is that I believe the grading has been much more consistent at PSA (and SGC as well, for that matter) than BGS. What I mean by this is that cards that were slabbed by PSA 10 years ago would probably grade pretty similarly today. However, the once rare BGS 9.5 (and even BGS 10s) has now become quite common. It is so common now that BGS 9s of many cards often sell for less than their raw counterparts. Remember the frenzy when the first 1985 Topps Mark McGwire was slabbed a BGS 9.5?

A few years back, Beckett did a blurb about the first 1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds that was slabbed a BGS 10. There had been 15,000 of these cards graded, and it was the first 10. Now, with 17,000 graded, there are 11 Pristine 10s. At that time, there had been over 10,000 of the 1987 Fleer Bonds slabbed by BGS, but no 10s. There are now five 10s. JP will tell you about how he had over 20 submissions before he got his first 10, but I bet he averages a 10 a submission now (JP, feel free to share the actual numbers). Why is this? The only conclusion I have made is that the grading has gotten "slacker."

About 5 years ago, I was submitting hundreds of cards a month to BGS, and a few hundred a year to PSA. I would often resubmit the ones that didn't GEM OUT, and PSA would rarely slab a card a 10 that was previously rejected. BGS would slab as 9.5s at about the same percentage of the rest of the submission. For example, let's say I make a sub to BGS and submit 100 cards and 40 are slabbed 9.5s and 60 were rejected. I would take those 60 rejects, put them in my next sub (with 40 new cards), and still get 40 cards slabbed in the overall submission. When I tried this with PSA, I ended up with over 50 PSA 9s of the 2006 Bowman Chrome Cameron Maybin RC (all currently on sale on ebay, incidentally!).

One drawback about PSA that you did not mention is this: As PSA cards, particularly the 10s and low pop cards, hold their value so well, they will often cost you more to acquire in the first place. Strangely, I have found BVG 8s to often be as nice as PSA 8.5s or even 9s, so I will pick them up and crack them out of their slabs. You just have to stay away from BVG's sheet cut cards.

Just heard back from PSA on my email about the inner sleeve and they said to note it on my submission form and they would get it done for me.

i vote for PSA.

i will fully admit to being heroin-like addicted to The Registry and recommend that anyone thinking about it not to do so

flightposite said:

Just heard back from PSA on my email about the inner sleeve and they said to note it on my submission form and they would get it done for me.

Click to expand...

So they said that if you request inner sleeves they'll use them? That makes a big difference in my opinion. I've always believed that BGS offers better protection simply because of the sleeve. In a PSA slab the card can move around, and even though it's just a bit it still could cause damage.

Now if only PSA printed subgrades on the flips, then I'd be converted...

Just as a PSA (Public Service Announcement) to those of you that are possible future Slab collectors,
give it some serious thought and decide which way you want to go, then go at it and enjoy the F out of it.

Be forewarned that the PSA Registry is one serious addiction. i cannot stress that enough.

to put it more into perspective, i am putting together the Post WWII HOF RC Collection in PSA Form.

SO ... These have been "corrected" so far in my collection...








These will be "corrected"




Heroin i tell ya!

olerud363 said:

flightposite said:

Just heard back from PSA on my email about the inner sleeve and they said to note it on my submission form and they would get it done for me.

Click to expand...

So they said that if you request inner sleeves they'll use them? That makes a big difference in my opinion. I've always believed that BGS offers better protection simply because of the sleeve. In a PSA slab the card can move around, and even though it's just a bit it still could cause damage.

Now if only PSA printed subgrades on the flips, then I'd be converted...

Click to expand...

Correct.

I wish they would fix the mylar sleeve so its not so wrinkled and
they would display better. MO....

I use PSA for my PC.I can't bring myself to use BGS.They have become very lax on grading standards.A 9.5 means nothing anymore while a PSA 10 is still very tough to acquire.What pushed me towards PSA was that their grading standards have consistent over the years.