Changes coming to PSA holders...

[gt2590]

I don't deal with graded cards much at all, but I like the sound of these announced changes...

https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/memorabilia/psa-announces-card-holder-redesign

 

[mrmopar]

I am not one who purposefully deals in graded cards, so my opinion holds little weight here, but...

Its frustrating to get a sealed card in a scratched case, be it a graded holder or a manufacturer "uncirculated" holder, but that is user error 100%. They make bags for just about every possible sized card holder now. The lazy, cheap or uninformed people who allow the sealed cases to get scratched and damaged are the problem, not the quality of plastic or its susceptibility to scratching. Maybe the new holders will help, but I bet they still look like dookie after a few dozen shows with hoards of people thumbing through stacks of them.

It boggled my mind when I was a more frequent show goer, when I could see dealers with boxes of cards in screwdowns and later one touch cases that were just loose and not in team bags or sleeves. They would typically be scratched up from tons of people looking through them show after show. Those cases have never been that cheap, say compared to a toploader. I guess some people have money to blow or just don't care what consumers think.

 

[Topnotchsy]

I recently got some tickeets graded and bought a lineup card that had already been graded.

The plastic that was used felt very different than before. I removed the lineup card from the holder and was harder to crack with a hammer, but the top and bottom separated easier. The lineup card was also in a soft plastic 'encasing' that was 2 squares of semi-rigid plastic that were pressed together on the 4 sides around the lineup card (the squares were large enough to fit the holder size and then the pressed area was just the size of the lineup card so there was no movement.)

Not sure if this has to do with what they are talking about but it seemed like a nice step up from old holders. (The article claims they started with cards and are still rolling this out elsewhere, so I'm not sure...)

 

[CardBoredom]

Nat Turner talked a bit about these changes in an interview a few months ago. The discussion starts at 46:11 in this video.