State of the Grading Space E232

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It feels good to GEICO Hobby Quick Hits delivering that breaking hobby news directly to your earlobes. You want to know those hot drops from the card shop. We've got you covered with your host, John Newman. Foreign welcome to episode 232 of Hobby Quick Kits and I hope you enjoyed. You know we did that three part special with the NFL draft review with Dan tutorial be enjoyed that a little different. Uh, it's recording from his uh, uh, podcast and, and radio show but gave us permission to use it and figured why not right? It's, it's, you know, there is no off season in football. And then we did the Q A a couple weeks back but we're, we're back on our hobby grind if you will. And today's topic is definitely hot button, uh, in the hobby slash industry. Right. And that's grading and the terrain and everything that's entailed price increases, price levels being paused, you know, controversy, everything. We're going to really dive into it today. I've done these before, but it's been a while so it's time to update sort of where we are in the grading landscape. And so that's what today's episode is going to tackle. So you know, full disclosure, I'm a bulk suburb for sgc, so I come with a little bit of that angle as well. Okay, now a quick word from our great sponsor followed by the new product release schedule. Then we'll go around the hobby verse to tell you all the latest hobby happenings and news. Then we'll Tackle today's topic of discussion. Hi, this is Pat Hughes, Cubs announcer, coming to you from the sports card shop in beautiful New Buffalo, Michigan. The Goetcher family has built an incredible place here for collectors to buy, sell and trade cards and memorabilia. Be sure to stop by and let them show you around. Thesportscardshop.com Connecting sports athletes, the hobby and collectors around the world. Hi, this is Alan Pinkett and I'm here to tell you the Gocher family has done it again. They've just opened up the sport card shop in downtown Valparaiso, Indiana, and it is awesome. If you're a collector, you need to check this place out, tell them Alan sent you and get a free gift on your first visit. Oh, I have had no luck lately. Wait. Lady Luck Bretzky. I got you. I've had so much luck on spinquest.com they have all of my favorite games, slot games, live blackjack, craps and bubble craps. You can even get a $30 coin pack for just 10 bucks. 10 bucks for 30. I'm heading over to spinquest.com right now. Spin Quest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. We've all been there. You pop into the shop for five minutes and all of a sudden you've forgotten where you parked. Car. Car. Unfortunately, that lost feeling is what it's like trying to manage your policy with other insurers here. Car. Come out, come out, wherever you are, please. With Geico, you can use the app to easily manage all your policies in one place. Did this parking lot have a waterfall? I think you've wandered too far, mate. It feels good to find what you're looking for. It feels good to Geico. All right, let's go through the next couple weeks of hobby releases, if you will. Not a busy couple weeks. Just, you know, a smattering of products. Let's go through them in order. Starting July 1, 2026 tops. Marvel Comics, Chrome Blasters and Hobby. The following day, July 2, 2526 Upper Deck, Parkhurst Hockey going to the third. These are all from July 3, 2026. Leaf Glory the Game Soccer. 2026 Panini Donrus Elite Baseball, Pokemon Mega Greninja EX Premium Collection. Yeah, somehow I got through that. Staying on the third. 20:26 Wild Card mat Metal Soccer Robe to Glory. A lot of soccer products coming out. Wonder why? Some kind of big tournament going on. July 8th. Star Trek Voyager archives and inscriptions. Staying on the 8th. The 2026 tops finest baseball, the Delight Edition Hobbies and Megas. Also on the 8th, the 2026 tops marvel comics chrome mega following day on the 9th, 20202026 keepsake bon jovi tour collection same day 25, 26 tops motif basketball also 2025, 26 tops pristine premiers league soccer also on the 9th, 2025, 26 top shuifa club competitions Museum Collection Soccer Hat Trick and hobby. Also on the 9th, 2026 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions and three products to close out the July 10th, 2026 Leaf Metal Draft Edition Baseball Hobby and Megas and 2025 Topps Chrome Black Football. Actually two products rather than three, but two editions with the metal draft baseball. So there you go, you know, 12 to 15 products to choose and pick from. Choose wisely. Happy ripping. Let's go round the Hobby verse and catch up on this week's Hobby News and find out. Well, Hobby Hobby News, I definitely feel like we need to talk about or mention Yonta Sanacopo is no longer Milwaukee. He's going to Miami in a trade deal. His brother was soon waived by Milwaukee, is expected to sign with Miami. So one of the big guns in the NBA is Scotty, new home to south beach. And obviously it's going to have a hobby impact. And I'll make the argument that this is the one of the biggest acquisitions for Miami, the second biggest acquisition for Miami since they acquired Shaq from the Lakers. And you say, well John, what about LeBron? Where does he rank? If you, if you think this is the second biggest at acquisition for the Heats franchise history. Well, keep this in mind. They're getting, you know, Giannis, who has a ring. You know, when they signed LeBron, he didn't have a ring and there was already a pretty decent supporting cast there. So Miami gave up a lot for him. So the cupboard is not as full as when LeBron went to Miami, but it's going to be interesting to see, you know, he does have that championship pedigree. I know things in Milwaukee have went south, no pun intended. So now he heads south from Milwaukee as they try to rebuild with some of the stuff that they got from Miami and players and also in draft picks. All right, let's talk about Cards. The biggest show in Northeast history. It's being billed at, billed as July, June 26th and 28th. So it's already happened with at the time of this recording. But let's, let's talk about it. Marlboro, Marlboro, Massachusetts. A thousand tables and 50 autograph casts. And that's, that's kind of getting into national territory. Not exactly, but pretty close. So congrats to those that have put her on. The show was over, but hopefully it went well for everybody involved. All right, let's talk about another sports story. I lied. I said we'll get into Hobby. Hobby. But the World cup ongoing, obviously, if you follow it, the United States team will make it into the knockout round and out of the group stage. They do have another game before the knockout round. They're 2 0. They I believe. I'm not sure who they play next. I think I heard England. I don't know if that's true, but they're 20 and doing, doing pretty well obviously on North American soil with you games here in the States, Canada and Mexico. And so it's nice to see. Right. And especially when it's kind of your home championship, if you will. Now I don't think anyone expects them to hold up the, the, the cup, but the fact that they're, they're, you know, doing well and moving out of the, the group and won the group, I think that's exciting for US citizens and I think it's exciting for US soccer fans. So be remiss. We have some soccer products coming out almost every day from different companies. So if you are a soccer fan who likes to rip packs, especially this time of year, there's no shortage of those products. All right, venture firm776 which is led by Alex Ohanian, husband of Serena Williams, but you know, a name in his own right, they have purchased on it who makes college cards formed in 2022. So they're going to go head to head with Panini with these NAL type releases on it's actually done well in recent years in a quiet, in a quiet way. But they're no slouch when it comes to the producing college cards. And you know, Ohanian has stated that they are the number one manufacturers of female athletes on cards for the hobby. So that will continue. And he's tabbed Evan Parker, alumnus of this very show as his CEO coming from Mantle, which is also Ohanians, one of Ohanians ventures as well. So Evan Parker, new CEO of on it and an Ohanian led venture firm, now the new owner of on it. So congrats to all involved there. Tops has unveiled their new rookie basketball logo. Check it out online. Obviously this is an audio podcast so I can't show it to you per se, but it's readily available for your browsing pleasure. I like it. I think it's very cool looking well Done. Got to give credit. Worst credits due. And again we're seeing, you know, cops rookie logos on basketball products once again. And we'll finish up with Steve Grad, formerly of PSA and now formerly of Beckett. He is venturing out. He is very experienced and very knowledgeable. Does his own YouTube channel and knows his stuff. He then he has been doing this for a long time. Well now he is has his own company full time so you can get your autographs, authenticated opinions. He can be a witness at a signing event and also a consultant. So Steve Grad, if you Google that, I'm sure his website will come up. But we're gonna reach out too to see if we can get him on Sports Card Nation. So with that being said, that is the news. Hey everybody. Lady luck here. And we're celebrating America's 250th birthday. Now, all summer long, I'm going to be celebrating by playing on finquest.com which is an American owned social casino. It obviously features over a thousand slot games and live blackjack, live craps, live bubble craps. Head on over to Spinquest. Get yourself a $30 coin pack for just 10 bucks. Spinquest is a free to play social casino. Visit spinquest.com for more details. We all do it. You have a night for yourself, but don't like the sound of the silence. So you turn on the TV just for the ambiance. It's a little trick that helps you feel like you've got company and aren't alone. And other insurers, well, they may make you feel alone, but when you switch to Geico, you've got claims reps available around the clock. So whenever you need, you'll have people around to help. And let's turn on the washing machine just for good measure. Isn't that soothing? It feels good to have support. It feels good to geico. And now our feature presentation. All right, let's delve back into the world of grading. And we've done plenty of shows on grading, but it's been a while, so let's. A lot of things have changed since we really done a hobby. Quick hits on grading exclusively. Obviously, most know PSA has acquired SGC and now Beckett. Many people are not fond of that many people. Some people want the Federal Trade Commission getting involved in calling it a monopoly. We have recently learned that the PSA has stopped many of their cheaper bulk levels. They've increased their turnaround time. And the earth, the cheapest level, I believe is the value level and that's at 80, around $80 a card. So it's going to be right now more expensive to send a card to psa. They are talking about this will be a four month thing and then they'll revisit it. They are in a, you know, eight figure card backlog and that's a lot of car to have in a facility or facilities and be responsible for it. Also obviously is why the turnaround times are so bad. So they're trying to catch up and, and you know, degrading card industry is not like other industries. You know, like a restaurant gets busy, you hire more staff, you build an addition onto the restaurant. Not saying that grading companies don't do either or don't do both but they also try to stem the flow of cards so that they can catch up on the backlog as well. So that's what PSA is doing. Many had predicted that SGC would not exist at this time any longer with the acquisition. That has proven to be, to be false. Now you know, they are not obviously the same company pre acquisition, post acquisition. Right. And full transparency. Many might know but some may not. I am a bulk suburb for SGC and still do it. I think I'm on my third year of doing it. I actually enjoy doing it and I expected a decrease in submissions after the the acquisition and that has happened, truth be told, but not on the level that I thought it would. I am still getting quite the haul in cards being handed to me for SGD grading and I'm appreciative and thankful of that. Still love the brand. I know it's not their standalone company anymore. I get all the logistics and their turnaround time has gone from at one point SGC was 10 to 12 days. It's now 60 to 80. And you know, you still got your, your CGC as as made strides. Beckett now owned by the Collectors holdings, the parent company of PSA as well. And they have a new label with that acquisition. So a lot of things going on integrating. So let's, let's tack, let's tackle some topics here. You know, do I think you know PSA is too powerful. They were already pretty powerful. They were the number one grader even pre acquisition of the other two grading. Do I think they have a monopoly? No, not in the truest sense of the word. But I also don't think it's maybe a great idea that they own SGC and Beckett. But I will say this. I am glad that a card manufacturer I. E. Top Slash Fanatics or Panini Donut don't Own a grading company at the time of this recording and I hope it never happens. I believe that's a conflict of interest. I've said that many, many times and I always will feel and say that I hope that day never comes. And I don't care if that day comes. I would never do business with that grading company. So fanatics bought PFC or SGC or whatever grading company, you want to say that would be my end of my relationship with that grading company if I had one to begin with, but that would be the end there. You know, a lot of people talking about the consistency of the grades, right? Remember, these are humans that are grading these cards and it's subjective, right? We've heard the stories of people cracking and resubmitting and get a different grade. We've even heard stories where someone's cracked and resubmitted and a card that didn't get a grade the first time, like minimum size not matter, something along those lines, got a grade the second time. So again, a lot of it's subjective. You know, people mention like they want all AI grading much like tag does. I don't mind a little AI in my grading. I just don't want a all AI in migrating. I really don't. I like the fact that a fellow human being, you know, picks that card up with gloves on and examines it, puts it on the magnification and then gives his or her assessment. I, I don't want to lose that much the same. Like as a baseball fan, right? We have the ABS system now. They can kind of overrule the or, or confirm the umpires call. But I don't want to not see an umpire behind the plate. I don't want all AI believe there's a purpose for it. You know, AI has been used. It's not a new thing to grading. You know, when you send your cards to a grading company, most of them use AI and the intake on up, you know, when they're submitted and putting them into the system, they are scanned in and you, you know, a barcode is given to each card with the identification of the card. So I have no problem with that. I'm not even completely opposed to like an initial AI grade with, you know, the human also giving it a grade or vice versa, right. Initially graded by human and then the AI sort of, sort of like we're seeing with the ABs in baseball where the, where the comp, you know, the, the computer kind of checks the work of the human. I'm not opposed to that, but I don't want a hundred percent AI. That's nothing that I haven't said prior. I've heard. You know what, John? These, these companies have quotas. You know, they're not giving out nines on Griffey 89 upper decks anymore because they, they want, you know, what's out there to stay out there. They don't want to add to the population. I'm not a buyer, I'm not a believer and buyer of that theory. And I've spoken to a few graders off the record who do not want their names mentioned. And I've asked them that, you know, you ever given a mandate that don't, don't grade one higher than this or this card higher than that? And not one of them has said off the record that that's the case. And I really don't think there is. I think there can sometimes feel like there is. But I, and maybe I'm being optimist, optimistic and I hope not. But I really do think that, you know, they, they're not doing, they're not being told, be very careful. I think they're being told, be very careful, careful, you know, make sure, you know, the grade. Is the grade, what you're giving it. If you, you're not sure, get a second opinion, if you will. A lot of people like to point fingers and point blame, right? That's what we do as folks. And you know, grading is no different. And so a lot of people are blaming other people for why turnaround times are so long. And one of the things people point to is the ultra modern, right? People are sending $2 cards, $3 cards, $4 cards, $5, you know, your lesser valued cards to get graded, obviously with hopes of getting a 10 as obviously a 10 or would significantly raise the value of said cards. And you know, I get that. And, but a lot of people are saying like you shouldn't be sending those. That's causing the backlog. That's why we, I can't get my cards in a reasonable fashion. Here's my answer to that, right? This is America. If you know, Jill or Jack want to send in, you know, they're Scott roland, you know, 2005 card, that's, you know, a quarter or 50 cents, then that's their business. You might not like it, give you agita or make you mad, but they're paying, they're paying the freight, right? They're paying their 20 bucks or more or whatever it costs to grade that card. Maybe it's a sentimental card. Like who are we to tell Other people what you can or cannot send. Right. The grading companies are trying to not so much what cards to send, but they're trying to sort of do that with their pricing structure. Right. So right now the minimum level you can send a car to psa at is $80. And so you're going to pay $80 no matter what card you set. It could be a Babe Ruth card or it could be a Jose, a Kendo, whatever one. It's $80. Right. And so now that person who has a sentimental Scott Roland card has got to decide do I now want to pay $80 for that? But if they do, who are we to say you're the problem or you're what's making this backlog or you're what's causing this delay in my cards getting back in a timely fashion? I think we got to stop blaming other people and just, that's just the way it is. If someone wants to pluck down their hard earned money to get whatever card graded, whatever card, that's, that's their business. A Lou Gehrig, you know, Gowdy or Lou Gehrig Conlon collection. Right. That's that person prerogative. And so, you know, I'm not going to be that guy. Do I wish the turnaround times were more reasonable? No doubt, no doubt. I would. So I understand, I understand some of the animosity but we, we, we're, we're not really pointing it in the right direction. Junk wax, junk slab error. Right. That's being because of a lot of the lesser value cards. You can, we can label things how we want. Right. Labels aren't always, always accurate. Right. It's maybe we just call this the grading error. Just more cards are being submitted for grading than ever before. I don't like necessarily the junk slab error term but people have come up with it and are saying that's what we're in. So that's you, that's your prerogative to use labels. And I try not to. I might ask someone in the hobby like that's affiliated with grading, like what do you call it or what would you agree in? Is it the junk slap Error. Junk slab error. Let them answer that question. But for me we're just in the era where the more more cards are, are getting graded or submitted for graded than ever before. You know, there's the old saying, right. Buy the card, not the slab. I, I do believe that. Right. I have a Jackie Robinson leaf rookie. I have a few friends of mine that have the same card and in A couple cases their, their card is slightly graded higher and quite frankly I like my card better to the eye appeal than even their half point or full point graded higher card in mind. I wouldn't trade my card for their card. It's still, listen, the Jackie Robinson rookie is a beautiful card. I don't care really what shape it is. Right. But right, you, you buy the card. Right. Any, I'm a dealer. Anytime I sell a graded card off of my table, whether it's in a box loose on my table or in a lock showcase and has to be asked to be purchased or looked at. Every, every buyer, potential buyer is looking at the card. Even though as a grade could have a 10 grade on it or a 9 grade on it, people are still going to look at the card as you should. Right? Right. You are buying the card. It is encapsulated in a piece of plastic. You should not be necessarily buying the plastic. Right. We've all seen some tens that like, let's be real, shouldn't be tens. They're not tens but they got graded at 10. Right. We've all seen nines that when we look at them, I don't see anything wrong with this. I even looked at it with magnification. I don't know why this wasn't a 10. Right. So that works both way. That's, that's a two way street. So you should always buy the card first. Yes. The slab's important. Yes. The company, that grade is important. Yes. The grade on the card is a huge factor. I am not sweeping those factors under the rug. But you know, at the end of the day you're buying that card. Right. And that's what I do. Even when I go here, we're going to go to the national here in about a month, a little over a month. Right. I'm going to buy some graded cards, no doubt. And I'm going to look at any graded card I buy. I'm not just going to say I'm taking that or I'm, you know, I'm more likely to say I'm interested in that. Can I take a look at it? Right. And I'm going to look at that card even more closely in hand even though I've seen it in the case and so should you. Right. But at the end of the day I do believe with that sentiment. Right. Buy the card. Not always degrade. You know, if you, if you're looking at a 10 and you see a chipped corn, a chipped edge or ding corner in your heart of Hearts. You know, it's not a 10, right? Now you may be a flipper that says, I don't care. I'm just gonna move that card on to the next person. I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell this dealer, man, this card shouldn't be a 10. Look, it's got a chip corner, but what can you, you know, what can you do? Charge me what a nine goes for, right? Maybe he or she does it. I don't know. You know, but again, if I'm buying a 10, I like it to, to play that part right. Look, the row. And if it looks like a 9 or, or worse, even though it says 10, that's, that's gonna, that's gonna bother me. So always, always look, and just in general, not even. That's not even a graded card thing, obviously. Even with a raw card, even probably more so in a raw cost case. Right. But always buy the card, not the grade. And let me close with this. You know, I get asked quite a bit like, you know, what should I send again? That's your, your call. Now, with my, like, bulk SGC table, which I have at my shows, you know, someone will hand me 10 cards that knows me and I have a relationship with them, and they'll say, john, I. I'm only sending 5 on this sub. What 5 would you send if these were your cards? They're asking me for my air quotes, expert opinion. Right. Or my experience opinion. And I appreciate that. They put sort of that trust and power in my hands, and I try to do the best assessment with that, and I'm very honored by that. But, you know, it. They're your. At the end of the day, it's like I tell people too you at the shows, you know, I can tell you the five I would send, but at the end of the day, these are 10. These are your 10 cards. In the scenario I mentioned, like, you just ultimately decide, this is my opinion, but you decide what you. You want. I would tell you out there the same thing, right? This is your hobby. You're the CEO of your hobby, your cards. You want to send something in for grading, by all means do that. You know, I, I get asked too, should I crack this and resend it? Have you ever done that? John, I will tell you, in 40 years now, grading hasn't necessarily been around 40 years, but in my 40 years of hobby, I've done that only three times. And, you know, two times they got a, a higher grade and one time they got the exact same. I take that back. I Take that back. One time they got the exact same grade as I cracked it out of spot on there. And one time I got a higher grade. And one, the other time was a card that got a minimum size not met. It was a card I know I pulled out of a pack. I, I could 100% know it was pack pulled. So I actually resent it. And then the second time it did get a numerical grade, no minimum size not met to an eight and a half. So it's three occasions I don't like to do it. You know, I have, I'm full, full transparency. I have a, a Jackie rookie and a Hank Aaron rookie that anyone that sees those two cards are really impressed with the eye appeal and said, man, if that was mine, I would, I would crack them and resub them or you know, try to cross them over and send them in the slab with like a minimum, a minimum grade. And so far I haven't done it. I don't foresee myself doing it. Like I said, I've only cracked and resubmitted three times in, in, you know, let's say 20 years of long that I've been. So I tend not to do it. I don't know why. I just don't feel great about doing it or comfortable about doing it. I know some people are probably listening to that and saying, dude, you're nuts, or like, what's the deal? Do it right. You know what, those cards, when they're graded, they're on the population report. When you crack them out, they're still on that report and they don't exist in that format. And I know what, plenty of people do it. And I'm not saving the planet by, by not participating in that. I just, I don't know, I just don't do it that often. I didn't say I never do it. I just don't do it that often. I understand why people, I don't get that upset. It's not anything that upsets me when it's just not my favorite to do. You know, I've graded for 20 plus years. I bulk subbed for 3 now, so have a little experience under my belt. My door is always open if you have any questions. You want to pick my brain, by all means, you're more than welcome to do that. But we're gonna, we're gonna bring this grading episode to a close and I appreciate all of you out there giving your time to any of our shows that you may enjoy. So with that being said, we'll see and we'll see you next. Forget whatever plans you have this weekend because you're staying at home and playing on Spin Quest, and there's never been a better time to sign up than right now. New users get $30 coin packs for just $10 all the table games you love, with hundreds of slot games and real cash Prizes. That's at spinquest.com S P-I-N Q U-S-T.com Spin Quest is a free to play social casino Casino void where prohibited. Visit spendquest.com for more details. We've all been there. You pop into the shop for five minutes and all of a sudden you've forgotten where you parked. Car. Car. Unfortunately, that lost feeling is what it's like trying to manage your policy with other insurers here. Car. Come out, come out, wherever you are. Please. With Geico, you can use the app to easily manage all your policies in one place. Did this parking lot have a waterfall? I think you've wandered too far, mate. It feels good to find what you're looking for. It feels good to Geica.