By George Petro
Some of us remember clothes pinning baseball cards against the spokes of our bicycle wheels. Those were the days. While we lament what fortune was lost had we only know better or if mom hadn’t tossed out that box in the attic, we can’t be sure exactly what we had back then, but maybe now’s the time to make up for past miscues.
The golf collecting world is abuzz with regards to auction results for encapsulated or “slabbed” cards, photos and tickets that have been examined by experts, e.g. Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS), Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC), and others. Note that BCCG – Beckett Collector’s Club Grading may use lower standards, so expect to pay less for items graded by this company. James Spence Authentications (JSA) does authenticate items and signatures, but doesn’t do encapsulations at this time.
Slabbed cards or other items are then sealed in tamper resistant plastic cases, labeled for condition (Grade 1-10) or as “Authentic,” and assigned a cataloged unique serial number. Slabbing usually increases the value of an item and often significantly so, but occasionally (especially for lessor cards) if a slabbed card is given a low grade, it can be less desirable than the “raw” card. As well, a signed item can be graded on the signature alone; so, when purchasing, be careful to discern whether it’s the signature alone that’s received a high grade on an otherwise potentially inferior card.
Players cards can be printed by multiple companies in multiple years and most often in large quantities, so the vast majority are “commons” with limited value. Typically, for any given player, the most desirable card is the “Rookie Card.”
A rookie card may not coincide with the first year a player appeared as a professional, but rather their first appearance on a card, usually within a recognized set of cards. This definition is sometimes debated as Tiger Woods, for example, has multiple different rookie cards produced a full five years apart.
Of course, a rookie card by a lessor player is unlikely to be worth much, though correctly speculating who might become the next superstar is both fun and has considerable upside potential, as can procuring the cards of past golfing champions, which may have been underappreciated as collectibles, or of old cards and photographs that you have sitting in a drawer.
Golf cards first appeared in the late 19th century with many related to tobacco, other products or promotions. Some collectors assemble complete sets, so commons, even in inferior condition, can serve as placeholders or be the only option depending on one’s budget. And some collectors just have an appreciation for a particular player regardless of status.
In any given universe of cards, rarity is defined more by condition than actual production numbers, even within limited editions. Cards fresh out of sealed boxes or from unopened single packs often have disappointing grades. Once the grader confirms that the card is authentic AND not maliciously altered (such as trimming to hide damaged edges requiring precise measurements made by the grader, or detecting bleaching or touch ups), it is evaluated for:
• Centering of the image
• Corners
• Edge sharpness
• Surface quality (focus/gloss/wear/stains/marks/etc.)
If you aren’t sure whether a card is in demand, visit the website of a grading company and review its database of graded items. Cards are cataloged by card series or player name, telling you what card(s) is the rookie, how many total cards have been graded, and how many at each level (the population or POP) as well as the approximate current values.
Population, or POP, references the scarcity of graded cards or how many there are in existence. For instance, a POP 1 PSA-10 card would mean it’s the only one in existence. A POP 18 would mean there are 18, and so on.
A vintage card, even if popular, may have few of its remaining examples submitted and scant few of those might grade high because of their age, making even a 7 or 8 grade the best known and expensive. Cards in very low demand will have few cards submitted and therefore even a 10 with a POP of 1 (the best and only such grade known) might still have insignificant value. On the other hand, even a high production modern card of a top player might have huge numbers of submissions with most in excellent condition, so among them there are virtually no 5’s or 6’s with the majority rating 9, and with many 10’s. If demand is high those numerous 10’s will have significant value that quickly decreases for a 9. If there are any signed cards they are recorded in the database as well.
To submit a card, ticket or photo by mail, these authenticator/ grading companies provide directions and charging options. Pricing varies with turnaround time and the predicted value of your card (where they may provide a “Financial Guaranty of Grade & Authenticity,” a sizable charge for more expensive cards in case there is a dispute between subsequent owners).
For PSA, a single card is $25 plus shipping, returned in 20 business days; $75 for a card worth up to $1,500 within 10 days, $300 for cards up to $5,000 within three days and so on. If you underestimate the grade/expected value you may be subjected to an upcharge. Graders claim the charge has nothing to do with the grade the card will be given. Some submitters intentionally choose a lower payment tier hoping they won’t be up charged while others hope that selecting a higher charge might gain them a better grade if the card is between grades. Many complain about higher charges for more expensive cards since their grading (usually) requires no extra effort and they are not reimbursed if the card grades low and they have overvalued it.
For an additional fee both the item and any added signature can be graded. Items can also be “reholdered” if their cases have been damaged. This service ranges from $25 if valued at less than $5,000 to $500 for a card worth $500,000.
Also for an extra charge, BGS will report each “subgrade” separately as well as the overall grade on the label. If every sub garners a 10, a “Black” grading label is provided in the case. Beckett has a 9.5 rating for cards that fall just short of the black label. Of late, PSA has been considered the best of the grading companies with SGC on its heels and BGS trying to retain its former position amongst the big three. Generally, PSA brings the highest prices for equal grading numbers, but things evolve quickly.
If you’re collecting/buying cards, you might “pull” valuable ones from individual packs or sealed boxes, but even if you know what series contain popular cards, statistically you’d need to open a lot of them to score a rare one in top condition, so making a profit by buying multiple boxes is unlikely and expensive, aside from the excitement in doing so. Often, it’s better to buy a “raw” card for your collection and submit it if you think it might grade high.
Some collectors “crack,” or open, cases of cards they suspect have been under-graded by lessor companies and resubmit them (often to PSA). Also, look for any signs of tampering such as “frosting” of the transparent edges of plastic cases where the case has been cracked and possibly a card of a lower grade or a counterfeit label is substituted.