Worst grading company?

[ipitch]

My vote is for GRA. EVERY card that I could find on ebay graded by "GRA" is "10 GEM MINT". No 9s, no 8s.

Check out this "GEM".

[Dalkowski110]

That doesn't even look like a real company. And yes, there ARE such things invented by eBay sellers. Before 2006 and the new ownership, I'd say the worst legit grading company was GAI, although more for their limited grading capacity than poor grading work (For all the knocks they get as an autograph grader before the new ownership, their card department was actually FAR worse...see, GAI started out as an autograph authentification firm, basically. When they branched out into cards, they just stunk on ice and frankly should never have gone there.).

[EricDavis]

That's insane. These companies should be regulated. (But by who?)

[xholdourownx]

I'll vote that ebay does have illegitimate grading companies. People trying sell autos they have (real or fake) will create grading companies to make their auctions look more credible.

Not to change the course of ipitch's thread, but who do you guys prefer to grade cards? Or who have you seen do the best jobs? I think this is related.

I have seen one or two cards from GAI that I do not agree with the grading. But from what I have seen they are consistent in their grades. But I have not seen very many.

[Dalkowski110]

"but who do you guys prefer to grade cards?"

SGC, PSA, and BGS (modern cards only).

"But from what I have seen they are consistent in their grades."

I agree with this; they are consistent. They're just not that great to begin with as far as card grades go (they're much better with autographs).

[ipitch]

That doesn't even look like a real company. And yes, there ARE such things invented by eBay sellers.

Yeah, I think this entire "company" probably consists of one person.

[duckydps]

I have a graded 10 Dave Winfield card, I got it for free so I won't complain, but around the board there is a little spec of ink and it came from trash on the printing plate or where they plate got exposed and shouldn't have, def. not a 10... most printing companies wouldn't let that out the door (baseball card companies would because they are dealing with such high numbers but my card prob. shouldn't be a 10).

[Swankee21]

I've got a 2000 Collectible Feel the Game card of Hank Aaron. It's a 23k gold plated card serial numbered with GU bat piece. Sounds nice, huh? To add to this sweet deal, it's considered a 10 GEM-MT......by WCG.

Further inspection shows two slightly shaved sides at the corners, those scuff marks you get when the gloss from the card fades from wear, and light scratches on the back of the card. Sure, it's still worth a good 40 bucks last I checked, but goes to show, you don't buy graded cards in boxes from places like Wal-Mart unless it says it's from a respected card company like PSA or BCCG

[Swankee21]

I also got me a 1990 Leaf Barry Bonds card graded 10 from a certain "GEM Grading, Inc." They don't look very much like an authentic grading company, correct me here if I'm wrong.

It cost me something around 7 bucks, and the only reason I got it was because the card really did look like a high 9 or 10 card, and as some of you may know 1990 leaf is worth a good deal, like 1989 Upper Deck. Maybe someday when the base card is worth more I'll crack the case open and send it to a BCCG.

[Dalkowski110]

I believe a company with the initials GGI did at one point exist, though no longer does.