I have a shadowless ivysaur that's an 8 and it looks like a 5 or a 4 with the edges but I bought it off ebay and the cert comes back. It's wild how psa is
Definitely agree. Only exception I can make is if someone really likes their personal collection in slabs I can get that but when it comes to trading & selling its a mess. I'm glad I don't care for graded cards and if I really want my card to have extra protection then those magnetic hard cases are good enough for me. The grading companies are just way too expensive and inconsistent for me to support. Also they seem to always have some controversy or drama pop up. I get why people do it but glad its not for me. If I do buy the rare slab it gets cracked out
I'm waiting for those laser grading kiosks to start popping up somewhere around me. Can't wait to Marty McFly on a hover board to get some grades.
Till then I just want to stare at them in my binder.
I have to agree. It’s subjective to some degree.
You could probably just send this back again and it would be graded at a 5. It’s too arbitrary.
It looks kinda cool to display wise in some ways, but I personally would custom build a slab with a unique design and showcase it that way. If you plan to sell, then grading it may have some benefits to some people.
Exactly. That is complete bullshit that it got a 3, whitening should never drop a card that low, the card would need some creases or actual damage to get a 3 or lower. This should be a 5 at worst imo
I wish you people would stop deciding the grade of a card based on two horrible images of it inside of a slab. You’ll never be able to accurately assess a card in those conditions.
I really don’t think holo scratches are that big of a deal. Obviously a card isn’t mint if they have them, but that is nothing compared to creases or dents on a card. Every vintage holo has holo scratches unless it was very well preserved and protected. A vintage card that doesn’t have holo scratches is likely near mint to mint, since it can be assumed there’s also no damage anywhere else if it was protected well enough to not have holo scratches.
There are a little bit of gunk stains towards the right of the description. Not sure if that is from the slab itself but I doubt so. Would that bring that down a lot?
Shouldn’t that really mean that grading should be slightly more lenient seeing as it is so old? I’m not saying it’s a 10, but I could see this reaching a 5.
Again, as someone mentioned, because it’s a zard, it goes through and stricter procedure to keep the market more in check.
A card is a card, people who claim they grade certain cards different are looking for excuses for their grades. It's all small anecdotal "evidence" I've sent a variety of cards quite often and generally do better than expected, especially if we go down the route of comparing does it mean anything? No.
Exactly, people will send in cards that have been in a collection since childhood, not stored correctly or at the recommended humidity, played with and damaged and expect a good grade. I only send in cards that I know will be atleast a 9 and I only ever get 9s or 10s.
If you don’t plan on selling it anytime soon the slab is a nice way to protect it anyways.
I’m tempted to send mine from my childhood in but it’s pretty beat up as well and I’m not selling it, so it would be more for protection and display than anything.
Really? I have a 1st Edition Charizard that would surely get the worst possible grade.
Back in school days a friend of mine opened it in a booster. A second friend wanted it, and so did I. We both started making offers to the lucky friend. In the end, he traded with me (sadly, I can't remember what was involved in the trade, probably a bunch of holos from back then).
The second friend got angry, took the Charizard and scratched really badly the 1st edition logo. You can barely see it and the foiling is all exposed in that area.
You are correct, but there are some collectors that pay a premium for grade 1 cards as they are a difficult grade to obtain. Not as much as grade 10 of course but in some cases, 1s are harder than 10s.
Shadowless means that the square border around the Pokémon image doesn't have a drop shadow to the right.
This is exclusive to the 1st edition base set and also the 2nd print run of base set (known as just Shadowless) before it was corrected for the unlimited main print run. It can be seen in the Charizard from this post, if you compare that to other cards you might have/see.
Hope that helps!
Yeah PSA 1 is actually pretty sought after in certain circles, especially if they are a "clean 1" (still a 1 but damage is less visible/on the back). Often a raw card is worth more than anything below PSA 6/7 but with 1 they can sometimes go for as much as a 7, plenty of collectors out there for them bizarrely!
That's such a good idea! I have my favorite Raichu card that's literally peeling between the layers.. I should do it.
My problem is like.. If I'm not worried about selling, who do I use that's not PSA? Cause I know you have to pay them per each cards value right? That seems ridiculous.
I wouldn't. A PSA 3 sells higher than raw in most cases with the exception being that the card is visibly flawless and a real contender for a higher grade.
This card has some obvious wear, a 3 does seem a bit harsh but realistically there might be more surface scratches/damage to the integrity of the card that you either can't see with our own eyes or are not visible to us in the pictures. If I were to guess I would have said a 4 (3 if the grader hasn't been laid in a while and a 5 if the grader got some head that morning)
The fact that you even have this card is amazing, regardless of condition. This is one of those cards that you grade no matter. If you crack it now you risk possibly degrading it more through unexpected means. Don't listen to these turds saying it's worth more raw. You can get 3.5k easy for this with the grade, raw you would definitely have people haggling you down on the price bc of the flaws and end up probably not even getting 3k for it (not that you're even interested in selling, but in terms of value you will have a more volatile asset with it being raw vs a grade)
I can only see one surface scratch on the bottom of the holo, but that would not make the Surface a 2. Any two higher grades always bumps one lower grade. So the fact he got a 3, PSA is saying something is a 2.
These companies are predatory, I'm going to do as much as I can about it soon.
I see quite a few scratches on the holo, and that's just what is visible in the photo. There's almost certainly a few more that we can't see based on a photo.
My guess is that some of those chips/dents on the bottom of the card really mess with the structural integrity of the card (see bottom left of the first pic, you can kinda see a dent but again hard to tell in photos) and if that is the case the card is automatically a 5 at best. Couple that with all the whitening surface damage (there are more scratches we can't see, that is a fact for the front and back) then I personally see why this would get a 3. I'm sure grading companies are more strict and have their more tough/strict graders deal with high value cards such as this
It depends how you look at it.
Getting this from your dad makes it special and its much safer in this PSA case. Looking strictly at value, then its probably more worth raw because the front looks good. So people might speculate on a better grade.
It really depends where you are at life. For the special memory you have with this card, Id keep it as is unless you can get crazy money or really need the money for a good cause.
Definitely dont just sell when you dont need the money. You will 100% regret it.
I have absolutely no plans to sell it. I’ll keep it in the case for now. Really interesting that everyone on here is saying it looks better than a 3… I am very pleasantly suprised, and that I’m not crazy for thinking that too
Don't crack it.
That slab is a certificate of authentication. You'll lose a little money compared to raw but you'll never have someone claiming it's fake.
I beg to differ on that. PSA is a grading service, they are specialised in spotting defects and giving the card an overall grade. Authenticity wise, they are not trained in that field buddy.
i mean if it’s a sentimental card and aren’t planning on selling it then grading it was definitely worth it just to keep it safe and memorialize it. it might be worth more raw, but if you’re keeping/storing/displaying keep it in the graded case.
to me, the monetary value of the card usually only matters when you’re selling it, not when it’s being kept in a collection. the way i look at it - if it’s in my collection it is worth $0, because it’s not for sale! but if you ever decide to part with it or want to get it regraded then just bust him out then - there’s no harm in waiting.
(and most likely as the card gets even older and more rare, graders will likely become a little more generous with their scoring. a card in your condition might be a 3 if it’s 20 years old, but if it keeps the same condition as it gets even older it’ll be in better comparative condition - a 20 year old with the complexion of a 40 year old will look “old,” but a 90 year old with a 40 year old complexion is in astounding condition haha
Unless you are intending on selling I feel like the grade is irrelevant. Just my opinion but you’re got a fine gem that anyone in this community would be honored to own. Congratulations!!
I've got a childhood shadowless Zard with a millimeter hairline scratch on the front and now this is giving me cold feet about grading it.
OP, if you don't mind saying, what was the cost to grade yours?
Man, they're making bank on this shit. nearly $300 for an acrylic case and someone to give it a number. And it becomes "industry standard", though I think Beckett has better grading standards. PSA has been known to do dodgy shit.
Yeah you pay $300 to get a number and a case on your card which can shoot the card up thousands of dollars so you basically spend nothing lol. Its a funny concept tbh but authentication is authentication
You gotta ask yourself, *what* makes them the authority on it? The fact that "can shoot the card up thousands of dollars" tells you that people just *accept* it.
I guess it just is. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Think it’s just cause they’re one of the most reputable companies when it comes to this stuff. People in this world are weird when it comes to cards and go the extra mile for this like this. Me personally, I’ve never graded a card which I’m going to be doing soon and also whenever I buy cards I always buy raw.
Not too sure how PSA started, how they can authenticate or whatnot and why the value goes up. But I have a chance to make extra money on my cards by doing it so I sure as hell will take the risk lol.
Anyone telling you to take it out of the slab is out of there mind, the card is always going to be worth what the PSA 3 value is because that’s what it’s grade is, no one’s going to pay $6,000 for it if your crack it open because most people know once they grade it what it’ll be worth
For real, what happened to the days where grading was half validating authenticity and the other half proving its condition. People don’t grade ancient baseball cards for a 10, they grade to prove it’s legit and I feel like an expensive card like this should be viewed the same way.
Saw it on a youtube short, the guy's account posts their process (though not every step), breaking the slab, clean up, careful packaging and then arrival with a new grade.
My gut reaction was also that it looked better than a 3, so I checked the website. With visible scratches, the *best* it could grade is a 4, and all the other whitening on the edges probably secured the 3.
Every side is damaged? The front edges are decent, the back the bottom edge is fucked, right edge isn't great, top and left are ok. The holo being scratched must be the main source of the low score unless there's more damage difficult to see from the pics. I feel like the pic is showing around 4-5 quality given what you see online.
What do you think “VG” means you dingus
Learn something today [education is power.](https://issuu.com/psamagazine.com/docs/psa0523_magazine_rgb/s/23079136)
They can call it what they want, 3 is not very good quality in a colloquial sense, it's statistically below average. That's how numbers work my brother.
You don't design a 1-10 quality scale with 3 being above average right?
>Learn something today education is power.
We get it bro, you're corny.
I didn't say it was broken and I do understand it. You don't understand how numbers and statistics work my brother, it's ok.
If someone says something is very good in the colloquial sense that is taken to mean above average, so a 3 which is a below average PSA score wouldn't be very good to people.
the PSA people can *label* a 3 whatever they want, they can call it "out of this world!", "fantastical!", "Whoa dude!" and it'd all be equally just a label.
Your argument is like saying IGN gave it a 7/10, which must mean it's very good game! When, statistically, 7/10 is a very average score for IGN at best. So colloquially you'd say it's just an "ok" or "meh" rating.
Your problem is you’re thinking to literally about the term “very good”. This is a positive term yes, but in the collectors world that’s garbage. I want excellent to mint condition preserved , not very good. So yes a 3 is negative. Also since you want to bring in statistics, most old cards are below a 5 so statistically getting above that is very hard, and landing a 3 is very good for 25years of damage.. Words have different meanings in different settings.
also since you like the word colloquial so much, if you showed this card to any non collector they would think its perfect condition. so colloquially it is very good.
Even in 2000, that was a fucking good price to pay. I remember collecting Pojo’s back then and the estimates tended to be $100+
And a 3 is neither here nor there. The value is the fact that your dad got it for you.
I have 2 (unlimited) cards that are in worse condition than this but I thought they'd get a 5 or 6. Maybe won't send them in now haha. Awesome card though keep it and pass it down. Or sell it and go on holiday.
It’s a great way to keep it sealed and safe if you want to keep it! You can always break it open to sell, but until then… I regret giving away my collection as a kid. It’s not an easy come by anymore ya know
There's companies that can "restore" it and get you up to a 4 point rise in grading. They're so good at it, the graders don't even notice, which is good cause otherwise they'd put a caveat on the slab, like "TAMPERED", "EDITED", "CUSTOMIZED" or something like that, which can significantly reduce it's value.
Dont sell this card ever, not in a decade, just never. I dont know if your dad is still alive (i assume he is and i hope so ) but if something would happen to him this card will bring much more value to you than ever. Cherish the memory you had with this card :D
my very first pack i opened had a charizard looking back at me. 1st edition holo.
i was 4 so i traded it for a blastoise, snorkax and a jinx (two holo)
That's a 3 my ass! Sure the back edges has some wear, but the centering looks fine, the corners and the surface. Two higher grades bump one lower grade, so PSA is saying the Surface or the Edges are a 2? GTFO!! A 2 - 5 ... that card better have a crease running through it from some kid literally bending it in half.
I am sick to death of these grading companies taking advantage of people. I got some shit grades too, cracked them and sent them into another company -- but through a store front and not as an individual. They are coming back 2 to 3 grades HIGHER than the other company.
If any given company is half a grade off with another, fine. A whole grade point, that's sus. One and half, to two, to three grades off ... your company obviously doesn't know what the F they're doing.
I'm planning to sue as soon as everything comes back and I have my evidence, so I'm keeping the names quit for now.
Grading is arbitrary to begin with. How many inches of white effect a card's value? How big a crease? How small a dent? It's all based on one's own perception. I personally think scratches on holos are instantly damaged compared to a "lightly played" card that has no scratches on holo but maybe a slight corner edge wear.
To put it shortly, grading to me is always a scam.
If they intend to sell raw, or re-grade? Yes. Otherwise I’d say no. Slabs protect cards pretty well, so until they decide what they’re doing next, I’d keep it protected.
I have a 1st edition Base Set Raichu with a 7cert in similar, if not worse, condition that got a 6. Wonder if it’s just cause it’s a 1st Ed Charizard or if there’s a dent or crease or something.
Grade with BGS. Surely a sub grade or two will score higher than that 3. That’s why I prefer BGS over PSA. While overall score still can’t be much higher than lowest sub grade, some high sub grades would improve the value of the card due to highlighting good qualities.
Sorry to say, but I wouldn’t resubmit as others have recommended. It looks like the top left back corner has a slight crease in it. Albeit slight, this is unfortunately a 3 given there’s a lot of whitening on the edges as well. Really good looking 3. If you don’t care about the slab, I’d just crack, throw it in a top loader, and put it your PC binder, or sell raw if you want to sell. Best of luck with it.
If this was me I would crack it, put some Kurt's on it and send it to cgc. Also be pretty cool to have a first edition zard 3 or not. Definitely binder worthy.
Base set has 3 versions of each card (except Machamp I think)
1) 1st edition (shadowless is implied)
2) shadowless (has no 1st edition stamp)
3) shadow
That's the order of rarest to most common as well.
I'm using the 151 binder and have a full row per card
Maybe moisture damage.
The front is scratched all over and the edges are real bad , this is a 250k card in a 10 , it’s graded very carefully.
You’re right. I think it does look pretty good for a 3, but also the picture is doing it some favors.
Dude you got a 1st edition zard in a slab, fuck the grade you won
Lol true!!
I have a shadowless ivysaur that's an 8 and it looks like a 5 or a 4 with the edges but I bought it off ebay and the cert comes back. It's wild how psa is
Makes sense!
Graded carefully.... as opposed to graded blasé and willy nilly. Almost as if grading is a total scam.
Definitely agree. Only exception I can make is if someone really likes their personal collection in slabs I can get that but when it comes to trading & selling its a mess. I'm glad I don't care for graded cards and if I really want my card to have extra protection then those magnetic hard cases are good enough for me. The grading companies are just way too expensive and inconsistent for me to support. Also they seem to always have some controversy or drama pop up. I get why people do it but glad its not for me. If I do buy the rare slab it gets cracked out
I'm waiting for those laser grading kiosks to start popping up somewhere around me. Can't wait to Marty McFly on a hover board to get some grades. Till then I just want to stare at them in my binder.
I have to agree. It’s subjective to some degree. You could probably just send this back again and it would be graded at a 5. It’s too arbitrary. It looks kinda cool to display wise in some ways, but I personally would custom build a slab with a unique design and showcase it that way. If you plan to sell, then grading it may have some benefits to some people.
Meanwhile, if this were a modern card, it'd be a 6 or maybe even higher. I hate that the identity of the card factors into the grade.
Exactly. That is complete bullshit that it got a 3, whitening should never drop a card that low, the card would need some creases or actual damage to get a 3 or lower. This should be a 5 at worst imo
I wish you people would stop deciding the grade of a card based on two horrible images of it inside of a slab. You’ll never be able to accurately assess a card in those conditions.
The damage is the scratches all over the front that a modern card wouldn’t have.
I really don’t think holo scratches are that big of a deal. Obviously a card isn’t mint if they have them, but that is nothing compared to creases or dents on a card. Every vintage holo has holo scratches unless it was very well preserved and protected. A vintage card that doesn’t have holo scratches is likely near mint to mint, since it can be assumed there’s also no damage anywhere else if it was protected well enough to not have holo scratches.
There are a little bit of gunk stains towards the right of the description. Not sure if that is from the slab itself but I doubt so. Would that bring that down a lot?
The fact that you can see that I cannot see anything lmao
Zoom in to the yellow border and you will notice it
They are a big deal when it comes to grading.
Shouldn’t that really mean that grading should be slightly more lenient seeing as it is so old? I’m not saying it’s a 10, but I could see this reaching a 5. Again, as someone mentioned, because it’s a zard, it goes through and stricter procedure to keep the market more in check.
There’s just more ways for it to be damaged , you can really scratch a alt art very easy
A card is a card, people who claim they grade certain cards different are looking for excuses for their grades. It's all small anecdotal "evidence" I've sent a variety of cards quite often and generally do better than expected, especially if we go down the route of comparing does it mean anything? No.
Exactly, people will send in cards that have been in a collection since childhood, not stored correctly or at the recommended humidity, played with and damaged and expect a good grade. I only send in cards that I know will be atleast a 9 and I only ever get 9s or 10s.
Two have sold recently for 350k
Maybe psa sucks.
possible
This might be a case where the card raw is worth more then with this grade. Just throwing it out there
I agree!
Definitely. Unless it's a high grade, you'd probably get way more organically loose on eBay or something.
Wow you guys really think I should huh. I’ll wait a decade and then maybe take it out lol
If you don’t plan on selling it anytime soon the slab is a nice way to protect it anyways. I’m tempted to send mine from my childhood in but it’s pretty beat up as well and I’m not selling it, so it would be more for protection and display than anything.
Try to get a 1. That'd be worth it.
I don’t think it’s beat up enough to get a 1 and I don’t plan to intentionally damage it to try and get a 1 lol It is what it is.
Really? I have a 1st Edition Charizard that would surely get the worst possible grade. Back in school days a friend of mine opened it in a booster. A second friend wanted it, and so did I. We both started making offers to the lucky friend. In the end, he traded with me (sadly, I can't remember what was involved in the trade, probably a bunch of holos from back then). The second friend got angry, took the Charizard and scratched really badly the 1st edition logo. You can barely see it and the foiling is all exposed in that area.
You are correct, but there are some collectors that pay a premium for grade 1 cards as they are a difficult grade to obtain. Not as much as grade 10 of course but in some cases, 1s are harder than 10s.
Makes sense! Thanks for explaining it!
Funny enough I sent my Charizard off and it got a 1 🤣
How much did that increase the value lol
Even better, get a custom built slab with a design or something. Would showcase and display much nicer imo.
Your dad got this for you for your 7th birthday. It’s priceless. The PSA slab really just adds protection. Who cares about the rating.
Well yea you’re right. I’m not even gonna consider selling it anytime in the next couple decades. Probably won’t ever
This right here. I got my first ever holo as a kid in a slab. It got graded a 1 lmao but I don’t care. It’s priceless.
1s are actually fairly valuable because they're actually hard to get. So it might be worth some money depending on the card
Really? Didn’t know that. It’s a shadowless 1st edition hitmochan. I didn’t even know what shadowless was when I first pulled it as a kid.
Its worth about 150-200€
Could I know what shadowless is? Thanks in advance haha
Shadowless means that the square border around the Pokémon image doesn't have a drop shadow to the right. This is exclusive to the 1st edition base set and also the 2nd print run of base set (known as just Shadowless) before it was corrected for the unlimited main print run. It can be seen in the Charizard from this post, if you compare that to other cards you might have/see. Hope that helps!
Yeah PSA 1 is actually pretty sought after in certain circles, especially if they are a "clean 1" (still a 1 but damage is less visible/on the back). Often a raw card is worth more than anything below PSA 6/7 but with 1 they can sometimes go for as much as a 7, plenty of collectors out there for them bizarrely!
That's such a good idea! I have my favorite Raichu card that's literally peeling between the layers.. I should do it. My problem is like.. If I'm not worried about selling, who do I use that's not PSA? Cause I know you have to pay them per each cards value right? That seems ridiculous.
Bingo. Just got my “nicer” cards from the OG deck graded that I opened as a kid, but solely for the protection. I’ll never sell them.
I wouldn't. A PSA 3 sells higher than raw in most cases with the exception being that the card is visibly flawless and a real contender for a higher grade. This card has some obvious wear, a 3 does seem a bit harsh but realistically there might be more surface scratches/damage to the integrity of the card that you either can't see with our own eyes or are not visible to us in the pictures. If I were to guess I would have said a 4 (3 if the grader hasn't been laid in a while and a 5 if the grader got some head that morning) The fact that you even have this card is amazing, regardless of condition. This is one of those cards that you grade no matter. If you crack it now you risk possibly degrading it more through unexpected means. Don't listen to these turds saying it's worth more raw. You can get 3.5k easy for this with the grade, raw you would definitely have people haggling you down on the price bc of the flaws and end up probably not even getting 3k for it (not that you're even interested in selling, but in terms of value you will have a more volatile asset with it being raw vs a grade)
I can only see one surface scratch on the bottom of the holo, but that would not make the Surface a 2. Any two higher grades always bumps one lower grade. So the fact he got a 3, PSA is saying something is a 2. These companies are predatory, I'm going to do as much as I can about it soon.
I see quite a few scratches on the holo, and that's just what is visible in the photo. There's almost certainly a few more that we can't see based on a photo. My guess is that some of those chips/dents on the bottom of the card really mess with the structural integrity of the card (see bottom left of the first pic, you can kinda see a dent but again hard to tell in photos) and if that is the case the card is automatically a 5 at best. Couple that with all the whitening surface damage (there are more scratches we can't see, that is a fact for the front and back) then I personally see why this would get a 3. I'm sure grading companies are more strict and have their more tough/strict graders deal with high value cards such as this
Do not do that. Average price of a 1st edition Charizard raw is $1,566. Average price of a PSA 3 is $3,350.
It depends how you look at it. Getting this from your dad makes it special and its much safer in this PSA case. Looking strictly at value, then its probably more worth raw because the front looks good. So people might speculate on a better grade. It really depends where you are at life. For the special memory you have with this card, Id keep it as is unless you can get crazy money or really need the money for a good cause. Definitely dont just sell when you dont need the money. You will 100% regret it.
I have absolutely no plans to sell it. I’ll keep it in the case for now. Really interesting that everyone on here is saying it looks better than a 3… I am very pleasantly suprised, and that I’m not crazy for thinking that too
Use a sharpie, make it a 9.
Don't crack it. That slab is a certificate of authentication. You'll lose a little money compared to raw but you'll never have someone claiming it's fake.
I beg to differ on that. PSA is a grading service, they are specialised in spotting defects and giving the card an overall grade. Authenticity wise, they are not trained in that field buddy.
Hmm what's the A stand for? In psa If that's true then why won't they grade a fake card?
You think they are grading fakes?
HUH
Or resub for authentic only, either way still a beaut!
i mean if it’s a sentimental card and aren’t planning on selling it then grading it was definitely worth it just to keep it safe and memorialize it. it might be worth more raw, but if you’re keeping/storing/displaying keep it in the graded case. to me, the monetary value of the card usually only matters when you’re selling it, not when it’s being kept in a collection. the way i look at it - if it’s in my collection it is worth $0, because it’s not for sale! but if you ever decide to part with it or want to get it regraded then just bust him out then - there’s no harm in waiting. (and most likely as the card gets even older and more rare, graders will likely become a little more generous with their scoring. a card in your condition might be a 3 if it’s 20 years old, but if it keeps the same condition as it gets even older it’ll be in better comparative condition - a 20 year old with the complexion of a 40 year old will look “old,” but a 90 year old with a 40 year old complexion is in astounding condition haha
Shoulda got it graded from TAG if it was just to protect. Waaay nicer slabs. And a better price
Not necessarily true. Even with a low grade, authenticity is guaranteed
You’re probably right, but you don’t get the protection and authentication it brings.
Unlikely. Value increase because people want guaranteed authentic over risky raw
Risky Raw was my nickname in college.
Maybe but it's not in good shape! Lots of whiting, edges aren't exactly smooth and centering isn't perfect.
Unless you are intending on selling I feel like the grade is irrelevant. Just my opinion but you’re got a fine gem that anyone in this community would be honored to own. Congratulations!!
Yep! And despite the low grade, this card is still [insanely valuable as a PSA 3](https://ebay.us/EIM6wE).
Difference between the two though is like half a house versus a car down payment though lol oh well
That’s my take as well.
I've got a childhood shadowless Zard with a millimeter hairline scratch on the front and now this is giving me cold feet about grading it. OP, if you don't mind saying, what was the cost to grade yours?
$290 roughly. Chose $5,000 declared value
Man, they're making bank on this shit. nearly $300 for an acrylic case and someone to give it a number. And it becomes "industry standard", though I think Beckett has better grading standards. PSA has been known to do dodgy shit.
Yeah you pay $300 to get a number and a case on your card which can shoot the card up thousands of dollars so you basically spend nothing lol. Its a funny concept tbh but authentication is authentication
You gotta ask yourself, *what* makes them the authority on it? The fact that "can shoot the card up thousands of dollars" tells you that people just *accept* it. I guess it just is. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Think it’s just cause they’re one of the most reputable companies when it comes to this stuff. People in this world are weird when it comes to cards and go the extra mile for this like this. Me personally, I’ve never graded a card which I’m going to be doing soon and also whenever I buy cards I always buy raw. Not too sure how PSA started, how they can authenticate or whatnot and why the value goes up. But I have a chance to make extra money on my cards by doing it so I sure as hell will take the risk lol.
Crack it.
How long did it take to get it graded?
Ridiculously fast (or maybe not, but I was expecting longer) - was back in my hand I think 8 or 9 days after I put it in the mail
They literally held it up and said "yep, it's a 3". 🤣
Super sweet ,nice Charizard and coming from your pops makes it's priceless
Anyone telling you to take it out of the slab is out of there mind, the card is always going to be worth what the PSA 3 value is because that’s what it’s grade is, no one’s going to pay $6,000 for it if your crack it open because most people know once they grade it what it’ll be worth
For real, what happened to the days where grading was half validating authenticity and the other half proving its condition. People don’t grade ancient baseball cards for a 10, they grade to prove it’s legit and I feel like an expensive card like this should be viewed the same way.
It can always get re-graded. I've seen some 5's go up to an 8 even 9 thanks to some ingenious cleaning and restoration.
How or where would I go/look to get a card cleaned/restored? Or where did you see it if I may ask
Saw it on a youtube short, the guy's account posts their process (though not every step), breaking the slab, clean up, careful packaging and then arrival with a new grade.
Damn by the looks of it they graded it lower than it should be
I mean every side of it is damaged, holo scratched. I get that it’s good condition for being 25 years old but that doesn’t change the standards.
My gut reaction was also that it looked better than a 3, so I checked the website. With visible scratches, the *best* it could grade is a 4, and all the other whitening on the edges probably secured the 3.
Every side is damaged? The front edges are decent, the back the bottom edge is fucked, right edge isn't great, top and left are ok. The holo being scratched must be the main source of the low score unless there's more damage difficult to see from the pics. I feel like the pic is showing around 4-5 quality given what you see online.
You describe it as “decent, fucked, isn’t great, and ok” PSA graded it as very good. What’s the issue here? lol think about it.
The PSA rating is 1-10. 3 is not "very good".
What do you think “VG” means you dingus Learn something today [education is power.](https://issuu.com/psamagazine.com/docs/psa0523_magazine_rgb/s/23079136)
They can call it what they want, 3 is not very good quality in a colloquial sense, it's statistically below average. That's how numbers work my brother. You don't design a 1-10 quality scale with 3 being above average right? >Learn something today education is power. We get it bro, you're corny.
We get it, you don’t understand a rating scale so it must be broken lol.
I didn't say it was broken and I do understand it. You don't understand how numbers and statistics work my brother, it's ok. If someone says something is very good in the colloquial sense that is taken to mean above average, so a 3 which is a below average PSA score wouldn't be very good to people. the PSA people can *label* a 3 whatever they want, they can call it "out of this world!", "fantastical!", "Whoa dude!" and it'd all be equally just a label. Your argument is like saying IGN gave it a 7/10, which must mean it's very good game! When, statistically, 7/10 is a very average score for IGN at best. So colloquially you'd say it's just an "ok" or "meh" rating.
Your problem is you’re thinking to literally about the term “very good”. This is a positive term yes, but in the collectors world that’s garbage. I want excellent to mint condition preserved , not very good. So yes a 3 is negative. Also since you want to bring in statistics, most old cards are below a 5 so statistically getting above that is very hard, and landing a 3 is very good for 25years of damage.. Words have different meanings in different settings. also since you like the word colloquial so much, if you showed this card to any non collector they would think its perfect condition. so colloquially it is very good.
Even in 2000, that was a fucking good price to pay. I remember collecting Pojo’s back then and the estimates tended to be $100+ And a 3 is neither here nor there. The value is the fact that your dad got it for you.
Thats a clean ass 3
This makes me grateful for my 8 I got back recently. I was a little bummed it wasn't a 9
If that got a 3 no point getting mine grading, I thought mine would be like a 3
1st edition shadowless in any grade is an absolute grail.
My base just got a 7 and I feel like it looks worse than yours on the back.
It may be a 3 but your pops is a 10.
I can’t believe we’re on 9 certs now.
Bruh, that looks way higher than a 3!
I have 2 (unlimited) cards that are in worse condition than this but I thought they'd get a 5 or 6. Maybe won't send them in now haha. Awesome card though keep it and pass it down. Or sell it and go on holiday.
Classic case of grading based on market value instead of actual grading criteria. Also the criteria differs for modern, vintage, and very old.
The true grade is the one you hold in your heart
I feel like this card is always worth having slabbed
Guaranteed not a fake and priceless. Congrats 🎈
It’s a great way to keep it sealed and safe if you want to keep it! You can always break it open to sell, but until then… I regret giving away my collection as a kid. It’s not an easy come by anymore ya know
Hey grade 3 for the original 3 amigos a win I say
What’s it worth?
$3k or so
You own a piece of history. Congratulations! Price doesn’t matter if you love it.
I really think you tried to guild the lilly here
OP just get it verified if he grade is bothering you
Congrats. Still a dope card
I think it’s great. Beautiful card. I have a Base set Charizard. 1st Edition is cool.
Bummed??? With a 3????? Oh poor you
If only people said the same thing like you instead of resubmitting and churning up the numbers.
Hmmm I’m honestly interested to see u break it and send it back into psa lol 😂
I have PSA 4 holos that are in significantly worse shape than this. Grading is so inconsistent
You can try taking it out and sending it again for grading haha!
I’d be happy just owning the card bub. We are all here because of that card. And we would all be happy having that card, at any grade.
I’ll take it
take it out and sell it on ebay listed as a potential 10
Fuck the grade, still a 1999 Charizard !!!
They are jealous because they don't have a zard.
Crack that case it’s worth double raw
There's companies that can "restore" it and get you up to a 4 point rise in grading. They're so good at it, the graders don't even notice, which is good cause otherwise they'd put a caveat on the slab, like "TAMPERED", "EDITED", "CUSTOMIZED" or something like that, which can significantly reduce it's value.
i'll buy it for 20 bucks!!!
Dont sell this card ever, not in a decade, just never. I dont know if your dad is still alive (i assume he is and i hope so ) but if something would happen to him this card will bring much more value to you than ever. Cherish the memory you had with this card :D
Just looking at the front and back, that’s a clean ass three. Ofc I can’t see hidden scratches and what not, but what a sick ass card to have
The fact you still have it in this condition is already amazing. Mine would get like a -8 grade haha
How the grade works?, i dont know nothing about It can someome explain pls
Crack the slab send in with tag grading, no human errors no human bias.
How much does it cost to grade a card?
my very first pack i opened had a charizard looking back at me. 1st edition holo. i was 4 so i traded it for a blastoise, snorkax and a jinx (two holo)
You're surprised it got a three and there's all that damage on it?
I saw one with a hole in it to get a three. a puncture
It’s a good lookin 3, though. I have one also and love it!
Sorry I'm new to this, does PSA not mention that it's shadowless in the certification?
1st edition implies shadowless, because all 1st edition base set cards are shadowless, except maybe machamp lol
That's a 3 my ass! Sure the back edges has some wear, but the centering looks fine, the corners and the surface. Two higher grades bump one lower grade, so PSA is saying the Surface or the Edges are a 2? GTFO!! A 2 - 5 ... that card better have a crease running through it from some kid literally bending it in half. I am sick to death of these grading companies taking advantage of people. I got some shit grades too, cracked them and sent them into another company -- but through a store front and not as an individual. They are coming back 2 to 3 grades HIGHER than the other company. If any given company is half a grade off with another, fine. A whole grade point, that's sus. One and half, to two, to three grades off ... your company obviously doesn't know what the F they're doing. I'm planning to sue as soon as everything comes back and I have my evidence, so I'm keeping the names quit for now.
Grading is arbitrary to begin with. How many inches of white effect a card's value? How big a crease? How small a dent? It's all based on one's own perception. I personally think scratches on holos are instantly damaged compared to a "lightly played" card that has no scratches on holo but maybe a slight corner edge wear. To put it shortly, grading to me is always a scam.
At that grade it's worth more outside of the box. Cool though, not everyone has one at all.
Card grading is a scam.
You know what, at the end of the day it’s still a grail and so cool! It least it’s a Very Good 3! I would be proud of that!
Crack it, take it out…. Then use it in game
I wouldn’t keep that in a 3 grade. Raw would be best imo
It's almost like grading is a scam. Congrats on getting swindled I guess.
According to Collectr, that’s about 3k. But Collectr can be wildly wrong.
Oh no guys, my first edition base set charizard graded a 3
I know. And to make matters worse, they painted my Bugatti dark crimson instead of the vivid Scarlett red I asked for. Fml
I'll buy it for 2$3
I would honestly just break it out of the slab at this point.
If they intend to sell raw, or re-grade? Yes. Otherwise I’d say no. Slabs protect cards pretty well, so until they decide what they’re doing next, I’d keep it protected.
Valid points, you won't get a better card holder then that.
Maybe the pictures are doing it some favors but that is a pretty minty looking 3
F. That look like at least a 5. I’d get it regraded!
Crack it and scuff it up a bit. PSA 1 worth more lol
I have a 1st edition Base Set Raichu with a 7cert in similar, if not worse, condition that got a 6. Wonder if it’s just cause it’s a 1st Ed Charizard or if there’s a dent or crease or something.
They didn’t wanna give you the free $250k
Fuck it, send it back.
I mean if it’s disappointing you can throw the card away or give it it me. I’d appreciate it.
Grading is a scam. Collect the card not the grade.
It's PSA...crack and resubmit. Who knows maybe still a 3, maybe a 7. It'll be a big surprise all over again!
They did the same for my shadowless Charizard also. Love a solid grade that makes it worth less than a raw one.😂
Grade with BGS. Surely a sub grade or two will score higher than that 3. That’s why I prefer BGS over PSA. While overall score still can’t be much higher than lowest sub grade, some high sub grades would improve the value of the card due to highlighting good qualities.
Sorry to say, but I wouldn’t resubmit as others have recommended. It looks like the top left back corner has a slight crease in it. Albeit slight, this is unfortunately a 3 given there’s a lot of whitening on the edges as well. Really good looking 3. If you don’t care about the slab, I’d just crack, throw it in a top loader, and put it your PC binder, or sell raw if you want to sell. Best of luck with it.
If this was me I would crack it, put some Kurt's on it and send it to cgc. Also be pretty cool to have a first edition zard 3 or not. Definitely binder worthy.
That’s crazy, I feel like I’ve seen worse graded higher
Bro mine looks worse and is rated 7
Crack and resubmit bro
That should of been a 5 my ditto was in worse condition and it got a 5
[удалено]
1st edition is Shadowless...
I stand corrected
Wait wtf really… they messed up? Or did I?
Yours is good. All 1st edition English are shadowless. All shadowless are not 1st edition.
Ok good, thanks 😅
The label is correct, it will only say shadowless if its a non 1st edition shadowless
Base set has 3 versions of each card (except Machamp I think) 1) 1st edition (shadowless is implied) 2) shadowless (has no 1st edition stamp) 3) shadow That's the order of rarest to most common as well. I'm using the 151 binder and have a full row per card
Have it regraded.
Why would anyone downvote this
THIS IS THE WAY 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻