I’ve heard this rumor over the years from random people that swear by it, So in 2021 I tried this theory out. I sent 2 non-tcg cards in with obvious dents. (they were also thicker cards which are always tough to get high grades)
I sent them in with whatever the $150 tier was at the time, (I think that might have been express?) I was also in these cards from a trade for really cheap so even a PSA 7 I would break even. I get them back, both 10’s! I couldn’t believe it. Now I don’t think that proves anything tbh, as mistakes happen all the time. I was still shocked they both got 10s though, the dents were pretty obvious.
Obviously, so many different factors come into play here, and I’ve never really tested this out to that extent again. Just wanted to give my experience and know if anyone else had any similar ones.
Psa is filled with a bunch of people with differing subjective opinions and perceptions about cards and their condition (and their potential for mistakes) and as a result, their grade. It’s that simple.
I could state the fact that I’ve experienced the opposite, that higher tiers resulted in harsher grades, more scrutiny yada yada yada, due to the possibility that higher tiers have more expert condition assessors, and go on about that, but it doesn’t matter. The first statement is all one needs to know. One day it could be a 6, the next, a 10, hell, even a 4 next time, then an 8.
Here’s the truth that nobody wants to admit: there’s no such thing as PSA. The satellite images won’t show you this but those alleged offices in California are nothing but orange groves. The lie has been going on for too long and it’s time to end this masquerade.
Want to know what you got back from “PSA”? Take a closer look:
That’s right. It’s been yellowcake uranium the entire time. You’ve just been hallucinating due to the radiation poisoning. Still want to know the truth?? Maybe start asking the right questions.
Don’t mind @stagecoach, he’s been off his special pills recently.
Answer: No. There is no truth behind this to my knowledge. Single experiences may align with or differ from the hypotheses that you stated.
Food for Thought: Might it be that we choose to send our most prized, mintiest, cards in at higher tiers on average because they are worth more to us (e.g., in actual or sentimental value, and measured in “time” because we want them back quicker)? This may help to explain why some people receive higher grades from higher tiers. It certainly has been my experience, but for the reason that I provided above.
Yes. The more money you pay PSA the higher grades they give you. It’s confirmed because the PSA 4 quality Fossil Psyduck I sent in 10 times got bumped to a 6 as soon as I put it through the 1500 dollar walkthrough tier.
PSA will give you higher grades on more expensive submission levels so you keep paying higher prices.
PSA will give you higher grades on less expensive submission levels so they can upcharge you.
PSA will give you higher grades on all submission levels so you are satisfied and keep submitting cards to them.
PSA will give you lower grades on all service levels to avoid financial guarantee payouts.
PSA will give you lower grades on higher service levels because those more valuable cards will be particularly scrutinized and reflect badly on PSA if they are misgrades.
PSA will give you lower grades on higher service levels because those graders are better trained at catching damage.
PSA will give you lower grades on less expensive service levels because that’s where they employ computerized, automated dent detection to cut down on grader time per card.
I think that’s all the conspiracies?? I probably forgot a few.
Honestly I’m a bit torn because I don’t feel it’s right that psa charges so much for a higher value. They say it is for insurance reasons but no other company does this. For 600 bucks I should have a team telling me exactly what the issue with my card is if it comes in under what I expect.
I wonder if it’s easier to cross grade a 9 to a 9 between grading companies or just get a high grade on an expensive card.
I’m laughing hard at the thought of this guy just missing a dent because he was looking over at a coworker, laughing about something that happened at the weekend, and then didn’t look too closely at the card and just went ‘yeah fine a 10’. Then it spawns all sorts of conspiracies about how PSA is doing behind the scenes work to ensure higher cost grading gets more 10s
