For starters, I would like to grade some oddball vintage cards. I do not know the exact year of the cards, but they are circa 1960s. The cards themselves are unnumbered and unnamed. I only know the name of the series and the card manufacturer.
How would you guys go about submitting such rare and unknown cards?
These are my responses from the big 3 graders:
PSA: We can't make any guarantees, but send them in (and we'll charge you all fees and then send them back to you ungraded). That is, unless another card grading company has previously graded said series and then PSA may grade them.
SGC: Very helpful and lucid in their response. They were eager to learn about the cards and encouraged me to send in as much info as I could. They could not make any guarantees, but said that they could slab them as authentic in the least if proved as such.
Beckett: They took the time to search for the cards on Google during the call, and said that they could only promise to slab them as authentic if deemed authentic. (similar to SGC, but did not want me to contact them with any documentation or info about these cards that they are apparently unaware of).
Can some pros explain to me why an authentic card can't get a grade number just because there is no database/POP report for the series?
With no name, number, or year...Can't they still grade the card itself?
The cards I collect sell for hundreds each, but the lack of general info can't be avoided. It would be nice if one day a definitive year of manufacture came to light, but there still would not be a name or card number for each individual card. Can very rare cards like this simply not be graded?
First off welcome! I would love to see some of these cards as would others on the boards. We have some great guys here that are quite knowledgeable on all types of cards.
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"Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few." - Winston Churchill
The cards are "Your Latest Picture" monster cards from the 1960s. They appear to be in the same fashion as Topps "Ugly Stickers" cards. The cards measure exactly 2" x 3" and are made by the Four Star Candy Company. The Four Star Candy Company primarily made candy cigarettes in their heyday.
If you check eBay you'll see that these cards sell for high values.
I truly wish I knew a year or number for each card, but does the lack of info "due to rarity" mean that the cards are simply ungradable? Can extremely rare cards not be graded?
I wouldnt think them being rare would make them ungradeable by no means. If anything preservation of the card by encasing it would be the first thing i would do. I will research ebay and get some specifics on the cards. I
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"Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few." - Winston Churchill
From my replies from the big companies, I have already decided to go SGC. SGC not only has gaskets to fit strange sized cards, but they also seemed interested in the cards.
My question is still more about why they can't get a grade number. From what I've heard, an "Authentic grade" is for trimmed or altered cards. I'd really like my cards graded, even if they grade as poor.
I'm all for the idea of encapsulating them for preservation, but I don't want people to have doubts about trimming, etc due to a simple "Authentic" grade.
