Neo genesis is probably the easiest set to grade BGS 9.5 if you could find them well centered imo.
lol cool story man.
If you have the means ($) and are confident with your ability to identify and appreciate why a card would be graded GEM Mint (BGS 9.5 or PSA 10 quality), I would recommend you shop multiple versions of a card you really want (Lugia, 1st Ed or Shadowless Charizard, Blastoise, Typhlosion, whatever), in a PSA 10, a BGS 9.5, and a PSA 9. Owning all three of each has been a huge personal goal and you learn a lot and find amazing cards at each price point.
You may be surprised by the similarities or differences of all 3 grades. No matter what, a good card in anyone of those cases will be an asset (they each attract huge demand and great potential to appreciate in value)!
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lol no problem man bro!
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Might I suggest looking closer at the card yourself?
99 times out of a hundred I can spot the reason even with my old eyes;)
I dabble in BGS. Here is my personal take on it from my 4 years in the hobby.
BGS 9.5 is a strong 9, at the least. I say this with very high confidence. Depending on the subgrades, however, they can be on par with a PSA 10. Again, I stress the importance of the subgrades. You will need to examine the card closely too. In the past few years, there are more and more BGS 9.5 (basics, at least 1 subgrade of 9) appearing on the market because strong PSA 9s will qualify as a BGS 9.5 in their system. This I have no problem with at all. Any Joe would want to increase the value of their collection/asset. However, some people try to sell these cross-graded cards at PSA-10 prices because they do approach PSA 10 quality. But most of the time, these cards do not warrant that, in my opinion. I would say a BGS 9.5, especially if it’s a basic 9.5, the price premium should be fairly marginal. In rare cases you find Quad+, Quad++ cards, I would say those are instances in which I would not mind paying a hefty premium. If you look at the BGS population of Quad+ and Quad++, the ratio is typically lower than PSA 10 ratio within the card’s population report. I have done this research primarily for my first edition and shadowless cards because I was curious, too. From these numbers, I feel quite confident in saying that those higher 9.5 grades are very much PSA 10 worthy. Even going down to Quad 9.5s, those generally only make up about 15-20% of the 9.5 population. Most of your BGS 9.5s are basic 9.5s, usually around 70-80% of the entire BGS 9.5 population.
My Quad BGS-9.5 cards look beautiful. I can’t say with certainty they would cross to a PSA 10, but they sure look it. I don’t own any Quad 9.5+ or 9.5++, but those cards are extremely difficult to find. I like BGS for the quality of their cases and the subgrades. I feel like if I accidentally sit on one, the BGS will hold my weight, but a PSA might not.
Ultimately, you have to examine the cards with your own eyes and make up your mind about the value you want to attach to the grades and particular grading companies. BGS is definitely behind PSA in terms of market share on Pokemon. A final note: It is very difficult to collect BGS 9.5 versus PSA 10. There’s just not enough supply, although it is growing. But, I’d argue BGS 9.5 can be a great value if you want to stand out from the PSA 9 crowd. If you catch them in auctions, they are usually only a few % points higher than the PSA 9 version, and they are beautiful! We all know PSA 9 is rookie/entry-level collecting and nobody’s got time for WEAK PSA 9s with whitening, off center issues, and dings. BGS 9.5 is hella fresh and doesn’t break the wallet. 
Definitely would recommend it for those people who constantly ask if they should collect PSA 9 or PSA 10. BGS 9.5 is your collection answer.
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If I looked any closer at my cards, id probably be institutionalized for compulsive cardboard fixation (CCF).
I always find imperfections with every card PSA grades a 9, but my argument would be that the threshold to qualify for a PSA 10 is not perfection (nor should it be) and not always consistent. Very minor defects are definitely allowable for a PSA 10. Some subtle qualities separate a very clean, print line free, well centered PSA 9 (strong 9s) and that of a PSA 10. From that perspective, a strong PSA 9 that might upgrade to a BGS 9.5 would very often make avg PSA 9s (with a combination of defects on the edges, corners, and OC) look like inferior cards in comparison.
The value in any grade by a third party (PSA or BGS) is the confidence that the card is going to be at the quality you the buyer are expecting. As the market has defined, a PSA 10 >> BGS 9.5 and both should command a premium over an avg PSA 9.
Literally PSA 9 means it could potentially be just as close to a PSA 8 as it could a PSA 10. Without seeing the PSA 9 in person, you as the collector are shooting in the dark.
With a BGS 9.5, the card is going to be extremely clean and in a very attractive gold case.
Again all grades of PSA 10, BGS 9.5, and PSA 9 are very safe collectible assets and definitely worth owning.
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Im confused…I know everyone in here sees minuscule defects on some of their psa 10s but still understands why the card passed. We all inspect our psa 10s im sure and notice some of these. And you know it shouldnt get a 9 for it either but at the same time if youre PSA, you have to make that slight choice and either make the owner really pissed or make them really happy (or both I guess). Were all quick to find how a psa strong 9 didnt get the 10, but when we DO get the psa 10 we wont really address the little defects because hey, we got a 10 right who cares.
To address that saying from the wise man you guys said “a beckett 9.5 is just a psa 9 recased” or something, well you cant really sell a psa 9 for more than a bgs 9.5 whether the title has “strong 9” in it or not now can you lol. Thats why psa plays their customers in not having that 9.5 grade. Maybe you guys should start a new saying that goes “my strong 9 should be considered Gem Mint and sell for way more but its not cuz psa doesnt offer that” that would be a pretty sad saying right. Im sorry to hear that… but thats not B.G.S’s fault, that shouldnt take away the value of a BGS card that proves its a Gem Mint card. People have a problem with BGS proving its in fact Gem Mint instead of giving their customers that ole PSA saying “hey buddy, dont forget to say its a strong 9 ok thats a good boy timmy, remember STRONG 9… go get em kid” *pats small timmy on the head* Im glad bgs offers that 9.5. I dont know why anyone wouldnt be. BGS 9.5 sells for way more but hey, at least yours in strong.
Sure there is always human error but for the majority of the bgs 9.5s out there they are deserving of a Gem Mint grade. Regardless of the weakest subgrades. Like psa 10s, isnt everyone looking for a Gem Mint status on the cards mentioned above? There is plently of B.G.S 9.5 interest because bgs offers that option to show its customers its in fact GM and not M.
First of all, just because PSA 10 and BGS 9.5s are both labeled as “gem mint” doesn’t mean that they’re the same. I think it’s pretty well agreed upon that the vast majority of BGS 9.5 Pokemon cards would be unlikely to get PSA 10s, and certainly so if any of the individual sub-grades are below a 9.5.
But I think you’re missing the point. Forget for a second about whether PSA or BGS has a better grading system.
No one is saying that this is “BGS’s fault.”
The argument being made isn’t so much about PSA and BGS as it is about the people in the Pokemon community who grade and sell cards.
Because PSA is the standard for graded Pokemon cards, and all graders with a “gem mint” worthy card want that PSA 10, nearly all cards are sent off to PSA to be graded first.
So pretty much every BGS 9.5 is a card that was originally graded as a PSA 9. Sellers use BGS for their cards that they know are not good enough to get PSA 10s as BGS 9.5s because it’s a way to double their sale prices compared to selling PSA 9s.
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It’s a sad day when we stop collecting actual cards and only collect the inconsistent opinions of grading companies.
Where did we go wrong
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Most people still don’t realize cards exist outside of wotc. Once they figure that out this grade over dependency/obsession will chill.
If you want to collect PSA 10s, buy PSA 10s
If you want to collect PSA 9s, buy PSA 9s.
If you want to collect BGS 9.5s, buy BGS 9.5s.
Imagine being so insecure that you need the validation from others all the time to make your own choices.
Collect what you want.
At the end of the day, you know that you’re just paying for an opinion?
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we are NOT trying to say which grading company is better, which grading scale is better. i think the main point here is people are trying to see how each company’s grading compares with the other, so we can gauge what the appropriate market prices for the cards are, both for buyers and sellers. people who ‘upgrade’ their strong PSA 9 to BGS 9.5 is not at fault either. if the BGS 9.5 generally reflect a strong PSA 9, then there should be a premium. I would do the same, if I genuinely feel that my PSA 9 is worth a higher market price because it is a clean copy. the market is simply trying to flesh out the price in accordance with the quality of the card, regardless if it’s a PSA or BGS slab. the recommendation that you should simply collect what you want does not help most people who are asking, because it’s a catch-all phrase that dismisses the root of the problem. based on my impression of surfing this site for the past 4 years, i don’t think that recommendation to ‘collect what you want’ goes over very well. people who are going to spend a significant portion of their disposable income on this hobby cannot simply be so whimsical - it might not be to you, but the point of them asking is because it matters to them. i would also guess the people giving out those recommendations already have a good idea on the nuisances between the two grading companies, so they have made up their position. for most who are new to the hobby and do not understand, we need to help educate them.
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The question has already been answered: PSA 10 > BGS 9.5.
Arguing that some (not most or all) bgs 9.5’s is not only an argument from exception, but it also proves the point that PSA 10 is greater.
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The OP had 2 original questions:
- Is it wise to invest in high profile BGS 9.5s such as 1st Ed Shadowless Charizards, 1st Ed. Lugia Neo Gen, 1st Ed Typhlosion?
Answer: Yes, those are the most in demand cards in the hobby and 9.5s in those cards will stand out in quality and sell more than AVG PSA 9s. Your investment will likely appreciate in value faster than PSA 9s too. The premium is debatable (PSA 10 >> 9.5 >>>PSA 9), and depends on the subs of the card.
- Is BGS 9.5 worth the investment?
Answer: It most certainly can be, but don’t pay a PSA 10 price (you don’t have to). The exact premium of a BGS 9.5 over a PSA 9 tends to vary by the card. As an asset in the same waters, a rising tide lifts all ships and the opposite is always true.
Overall, confidence in the grade is what is going to attract collectors to buy the grade/card at each price point:
PSA 10 is a wonderful grade; FULL Confidence in that its a solid clean card - prices will rise/fall much more significantly
BGS 9.5 is another elite grade; sub grades will indicate minor deficiencies but overall the card will be exceptional - buyers pay for the premium over mystery box PSA 9s and prices fall out at PSA 10 > 9.5 > 9 accordingly.
PSA 9 is a mint card; however this grade has by far the greatest variability on condition - usually a similar price for all 9s (regardless of actual strong vs weak). People try and sell strong PSA 9s at a premium over other “weaker” 9s all the time but usually not effective for most collectors.
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People have stated that bgs 9.5s are basically a joke if you go back and read, my last comment was pertaining to those people and not to everyone who had an logical answer to my question, like you. Also, I never said bgs 9.5s are the exact same as psa 10s I said there is a difference between a psa 9s and a bgs 9.5s even if its slight, for the most part, as there is the same difference between a bgs 9.5 and a psa 10 so people shouldnt downplay 9.5s just because they arent 10s. There is a standard of gem mint regardless of whos grading it and bgs offers that, unlike psa is exactly what I saying. I think the vast majority of people, who know how to thoroughly grade a card for the most part, would agree that some psa 9s deserve to be more than just 9s. So yes a “strong 9” aka not just a 9 but deserving of something more that isnt offered by psa. Was my point.
Im not missing any point, the answer you just wrote above is the answer I agree with. Just because I agree doesnt mean I cant question it.
I mentioned I have to play devils advocate to everyones answers but some people (not you) seem to have not read that for some odd reason lmao not sure why. Its easier to skip over someones comments to fit a narrative I guess. Im still gonna do it even if it gets people mad. It gets me the answers I need. Thanks for being polite! And I 1000% agree with you.
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THANK YOU! A lot of people derived off the main point of my OP and thats not my problem if they read what they want to read lol my original question was is it worth it for THOSE cards. Wasnt looking for basic answers like “fuck bgs its just a strong 9” lmao thats not what I asked at all in any way shape or form. I asked very specific cards that are very sought out and expensive not just any card for the most part. Thank you for reading my OP and answering the actual question like some others have in this thread!
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Thats not even the start of my insecurity. The other day when I was deciding whether to get decaf or regular I had to ask my assistant which one?
You call it insecure I call it “I dont know shit about this hobby aside from jungle and am gonna ask an investment question on…the biggest… pokemon forum… in the world…where…people ask…investment questions…” So yea. And your answer “if you want this then get it” has absolutely nothing to do with the question I asked, about if its a smart investment. Wanting a card doesnt mean is a good investment.
PSA 10 > than bgs 9.5 for the most part? You dont say!
Im pretty sure 99.9999% of the market it is in it for that reason.. so we went wrong a long long time ago