Utah Dude

1999 Topps Chrome
All Etch
#AE20 Steve Young
CSG 9.5
1008037153

John Stockton player set

Jerry Rice 1988 Topps football Scoring Leaders #218

I have been happy with the CSG semi rigid protectors.  They are a more sturdy build than Card Saver I and it was easier to slide the cards in.    I have my own little wishlist for future CSG products:
1. Storage boxes similar to NGC
2. A display stand
3. Slab protector sleeves.  
What plans does CSG have for future products?

I like the green but I don't like the way the border is uneven around the grade.  It looks like a license plate tag.  I would like it to be all around the label and either thinner, or with a stamp effect so that the white areas look like stamps.

I understand the increase, the demand is high and they are being overwhelmed.  I'm just glad it was a reasonable increase and not the tripling that drove many away from SGC.

What was the first pack of cards you bought?  For me, it was 1988 Topps Football.  I was a ten year 49ers fan, and in the pack was a Jerry Rice.  I was hooked, soon I saved up my money and bought a whole box of 1988 topps football.  I had just moved into a new town and the common interest in cards helped me make friends, as it was the thing most boys did back then.   Today I have a large Jerry Rice collection.

As someone who also collects NGC coins, I love what the sister company of CSG does with the different colored inserts.  One thing I do like about SGC is the black insert, but not all cards look good with it.  I wish CSG would offer somewhere down the road to an insert option.  They could charge and extra $5 or so.  Am I crazy in thinking this, or would anyone else be interested in this?

Is it just me, or do the labels need a bit of work when it comes to aesthetic appeal?  I love the clear plastic and overall look of the slab, but the label seems like a mess.  If it were up to you, what changes would you make to the label?

On 4/7/2021 at 7:27 AM, mzdrizzle said:

While I don't disagree with many of the statements here, I do have to say that after being in business for over 2 decades it is very very hard to overcome the entrenched leader.  PSA graded 10's are the industry standard in terms of resale/flip pricing NOTWITHSTANDING their inconsistent standards.  I have seen so many obviously off centered PSA 10's its absurd.  It is going to take a long time for anyone to overcome them (not to mention competition from digital products now).

With that said, I am eager to receive the cards I sent into CSG back.  I am going to resell many, and keep a lot for my PC too.  To be honest, if the resale is substantially lower than PSA (and, combined with all costs, nets a lower return on investment), then what is a reasonable person supposed to do?  Keep sending them into CSG?  And, to be fair, I am going to say that I will in fact buy CSG graded cards once they start hitting the sports I invest in, like soccer and basketball.

I am hoping for the best, and I am doing my fair share at this time to support CSG.  I am up to 450 cards I have sent into them for grading, some with sub grades and many without.  Fingers crossed!  

I agree that they are not going to overtake PSA in the near future, but I could see them overtaking BGS in the near future and forcing the two big dogs into some innovation. 

I was doing SGC.  I do a lot of vintage in my own collection, and I love their black inserts.  But this increase is not affordable for my collection, which I was funding through selling slabs of cards I don't collect.  I believe that CSG will soon overtake them for market share in modern cards.  $75 a card is not affordable for most cards.  

I have not done BGS, but I am going to send in some SGC and see how it goes.  If it goes well and the CSG resale gets on par with BGS, I'll probably move them over too.  

On 4/4/2021 at 10:59 AM, PunsRTonsOfFun said:

This is also why I was intrigued and gravitated toward CSG. Their parent company is already the industry standard in coins and comics. I’m pretty confident they’re going to add sports cards to that list in due time. Every CSG review I’ve seen so far seems to indicate they’re the new standard for tough grading. Eventually, the actual condition of the card and not the grading label is going to matter.

On 4/1/2021 at 12:02 PM, musakk said:

CSG is part of a much larger company that has a strong reputation in other collectibles. I know in the coin world, their sister organization (NGC) is considered one of the grading companies that is well respected. When choosing an alternative to PSA, the years of experience and established reputation in coin grading drew me to CSG. The market will follow. Personally, I'm not concerned about the resale value being compromised because they are not PSA.

However, I keep crow at a low simmer in my crock pot, just in case I need to eat it...

I collect NGC cons and PMG banknotes.  They have done a great job of gaining market share in other collectables.  I don't see them overtaking PSA any time soon, but it would not surprise me if in two years they overtaken BGS.  

I collect Basketball and Football.  Basketball: John Stockton, 92 Dream Team, And ABA Utah Stars.  Football Jerry Rice and old school 49ers.  

I've been watching ebay and have noticed a general uptick in what CSG cards are going for.  With all the other companies having delays and price hikes, I think the trend will continue.  I would be shocked if CSG does not overtake SGC in market share for modern cards over the next few months.

How important do you think subgrades are?  Has anyone noticed if CSG cards with subgrades are selling for more than those without?  As a collector, I personally would rather have them on the label of the cards in my collection.  For me it reduces the mystery of what is right or wrong with the card, and the labels without subgrades have a huge empty space. The question is; is it worth the extra money for cards you plan on selling?