Hey all, just wanted to get a general consensus on if the different PSA labels over the years make any difference on graded cards. My reason for concern was that when I was showing a friend some of my graded cards, he asked me about why my favorite card didn’t have the same label that some of my other graded cards had. He was of course comparing an older PSA label to the current one with the scannable code on the back and all.
So this got me thinking about whether or not this matters to other collectors, like if others preferred to have the updated labels on their graded cards or if it doesn’t affect anything, namely price. Personally I never really cared about the difference because the only notable difference is the “PSA” is at the top written in white instead of at the bottom with the shiny tag on my favorite card which I plan on showcasing in a frame, so the back doesn’t matter as much.
Overall, what is your opinion on the matter? Would you prefer an older graded card label or the newer updated label?
P.S. I feel as though PSA will continue to “upgrade” their labels indefinitely to improve their security and such, so having a truly updated label would be nigh impossible over the years unless re-submissions which wouldn’t make sense to me. However, it does bother me a bit that pretty much all my other favorite cards have the same label and only my favorite card has the outdated label, so that is the reason for my concern.
@miguelito, If it truly bothers you for the favorite card then you can submit to be recased with the same cert number. Some collectors care more than others but typically it will not affect card value. Collectors tend to look the card over no matter what grade it has. If the grade is deserved then you really have no concern in my mind.
The newer ones have some added security features. A lot of it is also preference. In some “eras” PSA has graded with more/less scrutiny so some collectors seem to seek out those ranges of cert numbers when shopping for certain cards. In my opinion I feel I got lucky in securing some higher grade older cert numbers for some slabs that I’m not sure would get the same grade today. There’s also a growing inconsistency in grading going on very recently it seems (opinion only), which could drive some limited amount of collectors to seek out certain cert number ranges as well.
@john , It was just discussed in another thread yesterday actually (Link below). Typically they will regrade a card sent in for a recasing, UNLESS the case was damaged in some way.
Buy the card not the label.
In terms of pricing, the label design should never fetch a consistent and general premium. Certain people may pay a little extra but if all collectors suddenly started paying less for an older label it’s so easily exploitable. Buy old labels cheap, send in large recasing orders and flip for a premium. Any significant price difference between old and new labels is unsustainable because it’s so easily optimized.
From my own perspective, I like owing a variety of labels for the sheer novelty of it. But when it comes down to it, when I’m buying a graded card, I am first-and-foremost #1 priority, primarily buying a card. Secondly when buying a PSA card, I’m paying extra for PSA’s opinion on the condition (whatever I feel it may be worth). Thirdly, I’m paying for and the protection the case offers as well as the convenience of having the label text give context to what the card is. This is the order I prioritize the features of a graded card. The card itself > the grade > the benefits of a plastic case. Everything else whether it be cert, label design, plastic design, etc. is just noise and is does not factor into my purchase. There’s no right or wrong way to collect or to order your own list of priorities but in my opinion, when people prioritize the grade or the cert or the label above all else, they have stopped collecting cards and are just collecting labels/inconsistent third-party opinions
Yeah I was wondering about that myself, if the older graded cards were held to a higher standard vs the newer graded cards. On my favorite card the cert began with 21xxxxxx and has perfect centering front/back with nothing notable except 2 very minor flaws, which resulted in a PSA 10. On the more recent graded cards with certs beginning 27xxxxxx, 29xxxxxx, & 40xxxxxx I notice similar errors and on one there is even a part of the holographic background marks on the Pokémon itself (neo destiny). All of these WOTC era cards also received grades of 10, so I feel as though perhaps the older cards were graded more difficultly? I felt as though some would receive 9’s and am surprised they received 10’s but perhaps I am thinking too critically as PSA 10’s do allow for minor flaws.
As per the card, I bought it mainly for the front as it has perfect centering and is essentially flawless with the exception of the 2 minor flaws on the back which won’t be seen as I plan to house my favorite cards in a display frame. Overall, I was concerned a bit because someone who knows nothing of PSA could tell “How come this one looks less fancy?” and I plan on it being the centerpiece. If I do re-submit the card I wouldn’t want to do so if that era of grading was more strict ie. the perception of a better grade or for PSA to see those 2 minor flaws on the back and degrade it to a 9 with the new case.
Steering back to the direction of just the label itself and thoughts, I do have a lot of ocd tendencies (diagnosed years ago, but managable) so differing labels can bother me, but its nothing which would make me do a double take and want to seek out changing it. At the end of the day you still have the card, so i mean at that point its just nit picking.
Beyond that that, I will say I have an old cert card I really enjoy for the history of it. I love the card too, but I find it really cool to see the differences in the holders over the years so that aspect adds a cool little twist to it all which i admire. I think it would be cool to maybe have a card graded from each little era change if possible, but i wouldnt go far in trying to seek that out haha
@miguelito, it varies across the board…there’s no set date range where cards were consistently graded (in my experience). I have a few PSA 9s in the 200s that definitely shouldn’t have gotten them, but I also have some newer certs in the same boat…
@dizzle24, no joke me too. How the f*** do you manage to sort and organize cards, not to mention assess condition without re-doing it til dawn? haha
@john, lol takes a lot of mindfullness and acceptance to just learn to let a lot of it go, but it without a doubt can be rough haha. But spending a little time on it each day helps to get all the tasks out of the way and mostly out of mind too
