The hobby’s largest grading company still isn’t ready to accept new orders but says progress on its massive backlog of submissions is continuing. PSA President Steve Sloan told customers Wednesday that its current suspension of most service levels “continues to be the right thing to do.” In late March, PSA shut down all but its highest levels of service after receiving … [Read more...]
PSA Buys Software Company to Bring AI to Grading Process
When collector Nat Turner and a group of other investors acquired PSA and the other Collectors Universe properties earlier this year in an $853 million, he promised artificial intelligence would soon become part of the grading process. On Wednesday, PSA’s grading operation acquired Genamint, Inc., a Long Island, NY-based software company that does just that. It also made … [Read more...]
Notes: ESPN on Grading; Talking Babe-o-Bilia; NBA Top Shot Guy vs. Topps, More
When hundreds of thousands of cards are arriving every week, it's easy to understand why PSA needed to call timeout. The company's recent decision to pause most lower cost authentication and grading work until it can made some headway on a massive backlog of orders means bulk submitters are largely either on the sidelines or utilizing the services of another … [Read more...]
Suddenly Slammed, SGC Triples Base Submission Rate
It’s been a rough week for those who grade cards that aren’t worth a lot of money. Two days after PSA suspended all but its highest tiers of service, SGC announced it was raising prices for the authentication and grading of any cards valued at under $1,500 from $25 to $75. The company promises a 20-25 day estimated turnaround time. The size of the increase and … [Read more...]
PSA Suspends Services as Submissions Pile Up
Buried under a multi-million card backlog of submissions, PSA announced late Tuesday that it was immediately suspending virtually all but its highest priced services. The news comes over four weeks after the company announced it was increasing prices for some services in an attempt to slow down the avalanche of orders from dealers, collectors, auction houses and others who … [Read more...]
PSA Again Expands Space to Increase Capacity
Collectors Universe, parent company of PSA, will be expanding its headquarters and operations facility by an additional 58,814 square feet to bring the total available space in Santa Ana, California to 184,439 square feet. CU is leasing the previously vacant office space. About half of it is adjacent to CU's existing facility and will be used for … [Read more...]
Notes: Mantle Back to Topps; PSA “Avalanche” Continues; 1937 World Series Jukebox Brings Big Coin
Look for new Topps Mickey Mantle cards to arrive soon. After a few years with Panini America, the Mantle estate appears to have a new deal with Topps to get the Yankees legend’s likeness back in its products. Are you ready for this? Topps proudly welcomes Mickey Mantle back to the lineup!!! 👀 pic.twitter.com/mxSLrML2j5 — Topps (@Topps) March 23, … [Read more...]
More People, More Tech, More Space: Nat Turner Outlines Plans for PSA
Spending time at his parents’ house in North Carolina last year as COVID-19 put the clamps on normalcy, Nat Turner was pondering his next move. The co-founder and CEO of Flatiron Health kept coming back to the hobby that occupied his newly expanded down time. “I was kind of thinking about what’s next and thought ‘how cool would it be to do something with cards?’” A few … [Read more...]
PSA Raises Prices; Suspends Crossover Service
Under an ongoing crush of submissions and watching secondary market prices for its cards explode, PSA has raised its prices for trading card grading and authentication. The rumored move had been the subject of online discussions late last week and some customers rushed to input submissions over the weekend. The changes weren't trivial. Many of the new pricing … [Read more...]
Collectors Universe Deal Complete; New Investors Include Collectors, Athletes
An investor group that includes not only wealthy businessmen but current and former professional athletes has completed its purchase of PSA’s parent company and installed one of its own as Executive Chairman of the company’s board of directors. Collectors Universe announced Monday that it had completed the $853 million deal that turns the company from public to … [Read more...]