I’m not a novice to collecting or to grading collectibles, but I am a novice to PSA. I’m planning to send off my first ever submission to them soon. Past experience was with comics (CGC) and BGS (MtG). I’d love to get the advice of some of the veterans here on how best to submit to PSA. Some of my specific questions…
small versus large lots… is it better to submit a smaller number of cards at a time? Thought being maybe the grader just starts going on “auto” mode after a certain number of cards in a large lot, so may be more thoughtful in a small lot.
varying conditions… is it best to randomly submit a few cards of lower grades to highlight the condition of the “best” cards you really want graded? For example, if I want 10s for the cards that deserve it, should I be sure to include some examples of what I consider “solid” 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s in the lot? Maybe even a few of the same card if possible? Would the direct contrast help the grader differentiate?
what level is service is best and does it matter? Is there an “uber” tier of service with PSA? For example, with Beckett they used to let me make an appointment and bring the cards to Dallas myself. I could sit in a room while they graded the cards the same day. This DEFINITELY made a difference and got personal attention. Also, with beckett sometimes you could get better grading at shows. If you selected their “rush” service at shows service it seems like sometimes that would help.
Time, patience and capital are not issues to consider. In other words, I’m willing to invest time, be patient, and spend as needed to optimize the best strategy. These are just for collecting, not resale. Any thoughts welcome!
The ideal submission strategy requires a mixed submission of languages. English cards reside in non prime slots while you’ll want Japanese cards in the prime locations (2,3,5,7,11 etc.). Now here is where it gets tricky. I’ve found I’ve gotten 23.1% more 10’s when I swap the Japanese card out for a different foreign language one in any Fibonacci placement, but only for prime numbers, as you want to retain an English GEM candidate in all non prime placements. (2, 3, 5, 13, 89, 233, …). Every 57th card should be placed in the card saver 1 upside down as it keeps the grader on their toes and ensures they are awake and not drooling on your cards.
In all seriousness I’ve personally found that submitting solid condition cards that I think will get 9’s/10’s leads to me getting the most 9’s/10’s. Cards “deserving” of 10’s generally get them (<2 noticeable very minor issues) but most people generally see their own cards through rose colored lenses. We as a community generally hate weak 10’s, yet root to get tons of them every time we submit even going so far as to create these mind games to increase our likelihood.
But seriously you’ll hear a lot of different theories and I find it really funny (or sad) in a way. IMO just send solid cards and they’ll get within 1 grade of the grade they “truly deserve”. If upon further review you think that 9 should have really been a 10 then crack it and send it again. It’s just so strange to me people are okay with the thought that these mind games can be played to increase the odds of getting a 10, but then get so butthurt over the thought that people will regrade cards. This topic has been brought up several times in the past but the fact is PSA are all human and each one is a different human, so there is going to be no universal rule, and what may work for getting more 10’s out of 1 grader could have the opposite effect with another.
If you have a mix of english and japanese cards in your submission, I would definitely place the english cards somewhere in front of the japanese ones. Once they look at japanese cards, the bar has been raised too high.
The other thing I have heard is, if you have many copies of the same card, do not place them all back-to-back-back. Spread multiples copies throughout the submission, that way the grade isn’t looking at the exact same card 10 times in a row.
1 1 42074245 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
2 1 42074246 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
3 1 42074247 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
4 1 42074248 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
5 1 42074249 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
6 1 42074250 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
7 1 42074251 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
8 1 42074252 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
9 1 42074253 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
10 1 42074254 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
11 1 42074255 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
12 1 42074256 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
13 1 42074257 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
14 1 42074258 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
15 1 42074259 GEM MINT 10 2018 Pokemon Japanese SM Promo 270 Red’s Pikachu Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Campaign Card
16 1 42074260 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 1 Alakazam-Holo Card
17 1 42074261 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 1 Alakazam-Holo Card
18 1 42074262 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 1 Alakazam-Holo Card
19 1 42074263 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 2 Blastoise-Holo Card
20 1 42074264 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 4 Charizard-Holo Card
21 1 42074265 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 5 Clefairy-Holo Card
22 1 42074266 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 6 Gyarados-Holo Card
23 1 42074267 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 6 Gyarados-Holo Card
24 1 42074268 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 6 Gyarados-Holo Card
25 1 42074269 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 7 Hitmonchan-Holo Card
26 1 42074270 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 7 Hitmonchan-Holo Card
27 1 42074271 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 10 Mewtwo-Holo Card
28 1 42074272 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 10 Mewtwo-Holo Card
29 1 42074273 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 12 Ninetales-Holo Card
30 1 42074274 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 13 Poliwrath-Holo Card
31 1 42074275 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 14 Raichu-Holo Card
32 1 42074276 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 15 Venusaur-Holo Card
33 1 42074277 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1999 Pokemon Game 15 Venusaur-Holo Card
34 1 42074278 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 16 Zapdos-Holo Card
35 1 42074279 NEAR MINT 7 1999 Pokemon Game 19 Dugtrio Card
36 1 42074280 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 22 Pidgeotto Card
37 1 42074281 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 70 Clefairy Doll Card
38 1 42074282 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 3 Chansey-Holo Card
39 1 42074283 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 2 Blastoise-Holo Card
40 1 42074284 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 44 Bulbasaur Card
41 1 42074285 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 30 Ivysaur Card
42 1 42074286 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 46 Charmander Card
43 1 42074287 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 24 Charmeleon Card
44 1 42074288 MINT 9 1999 Pokemon Game 63 Squirtle Card
45 1 42074289 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 42 Wartortle Card
46 1 42074290 GEM MINT 10 1999 Pokemon Game 58 Pikachu Yellow Cheeks Card
Prime "420"XXXXX cert numbers and I broke both your rules and did OK I think. I’ve graded about 80 Red’s Pikachus all in chunks of at least 15 and have yet to get a single 9. I got well higher than the “expected” 10 rate on my base holos while putting them after Japanese cards in the midst of the “hardest 10’s ever” 4X, million cert numbers.
I will definitely be submitting some Japanese cards. I have a huge batch of no rarity cards that are clearly pack fresh, but in 9 cases. I hate cracking them given the scarcity of pack fresh cards out there for this set but there’s no way some of these cards don’t get a 10 on a normal day.
as for putting the Japanese cards in the back of any english cards in the submission, will have to consider that one…
I am sure that, in general, the grades you receive will just be the graces you receive regardless of how you arrange them.
Having said that, I would probably stick with the strategy of placing Japanese cards at the end as @kpod mentioned. And if you are submitting multiple copies of the same card, I would try to put your best copy at the back. Setting the bar lower at the beginning and then showing improvement is just a good strategy in general.
But yeah, whoever is grading your cards has most likely graded many thousands of cards before and knows what 10s and 9s and 8s look like regardless of how you arrange them.
Do not submit too many of the same card. I think it can put a grader into an autopilot, plus if they are being harsh then all th ecards will grade lower than you would expect.
Place different languages accordingly with Japanese in the back and english in front.
PSA gets a lot of smack about their grading process but honestly I think their grading is good. The grades I get back are about what I expected. I could see why they docked a card and so on. Keep in mind, they upped their grading standards big time. If you are going for 10s then keep in mind that the card has to be truly gem mint flawless. If there is a flaw on the card then it has to be super tiny. If there is any obvious flaw on the card then it will get 9 or less.
I would say just pre-grade all your cards before you submit and only submit cards that are going to get a 9 or 10.
Any “tricks” that people have are most likely just attributed to the grader. I’m sure some will give a 10 to a card while another one will give a 9 so it is just the luck of the draw. If the card is super valuable then you could try to resubmit it multiple times to see if you can get a 10.
I would say the only strategy I use which probably doesn’t even change the outcome is if I have 2+ copies of the same card I’m submitting I will place the lower conditioned ones first. Hoping once they get to the 2nd or last copy in better condition it gets that 10 or higher grade.
Other than that I tend to submit my cards in perfect order numerically and by sets to make it easier on PSA. I haven’t noticed a difference in grades depending on how many cards I send.
Pretty new to this as I’ve only submitted Sports and Sports Autos to PSA, but I know cost of submission is a factor if considering net value. But for me I’ve already learned I greatly prefer slabs most of the time in specific cards I really like. Adding in some of the talking points here about availability limits and high grades being taken out of circulation when in permanent collections, why wouldn’t you recommend submitting 7s and 8s? Future collectors at the very least will most certainly want them, and I’ve anecdotally noticed relatively large increases for key cards in the Neo sets especially for the 7-9 grades in particular. They are still quality card grades for most. Is it because you should generally assume a 9 might land lower down to maybe a 7, or what is your rationale?
Just wondering, if I send in a card that I want encapsulated with just the authentic label. Do I need to crack it out of its existing case first or will they do that for me if I send it to them. I have a few psa 7 and 6 cards that I would rather have as authentic
You can do it either way, but I would guess cracking it out of the case is more likely to result in a changed grade, which is why people do it.
Also - 6/7 aren’t bad grades. I would just keep these rather than re-grading then as authentic. Generally speaking I don’t think most people bother with “authentic” unless they’re anticipating a grade of PSA 5 or lower. At least this is true when it comes to value. If these are just for your personal collecting and looking at the grades bothers you then that’s your call.
Yeah the authentic ones will be going into a case for my personal collection and I’d like all the cards to have the same “grade” just for ocd reasons I dont plan to sell the authentic ones.
I just made it up. But I did have a meaningful point. These strategies have a lot of implicit assumptions on how PSA grades cards that are just not publicly known. There’s no data to suggest any of them really work and I bet some of the graders can see through the strategies too (they probably get a kick out of it). In the end, everyone seems to have their own little hacks or strategies, myself included, but it’s unclear if any of them even have a meaningful effect. Basically the equivalent of throwing in a rabbit’s foot with your submission
