General Forum

So the news is that Collector's Holdings the parent company of PSA will SGC. How do you think that will effect (if at all) the graded card market?

Not good news I think. 

Variety is good for the market.

AWE man this is a SAD day for the Grading industry and I personally am going to see if I can file an injunction with the FTC for the blocking of this acquisition. B/C it would stifle competition , Innovation , and undermines the integrity of grading and through a publicly traded company no less  

Just like government and everything else; a handful of conglomerates own everything and pretend we have competition and choice. 

This would suck. Now there will be only 2 major competitors in grading and most will go with PSA. But at least hoping PSA can fix those SGC labels. 

Monopoly power hurts competition and the consumer. Where is Teddy Roosevelt when you need him?

I've been a SGC supporter since well before the boom, and a PSA hater since earlier than that...I was not excited about this news in the least...BUT they appear to have the plan to continue to run these as two separate entities, that will share some resources...which is the best possible outcome IMO. Expanded capital for SGC to continue to expand their offerings would be a good thing...pack grading for example, is something that PSA has monopolized (literally) for the last 15+ years when GAI folded...this COULD open up SGC to utilise BBCE and their experts as PSA has to have SGC Graded packs. Technology improvements/sharing between the two should lead to a net positive in the long term.

If they are incorporated more over time, my hunch would be that one (likely SGC) would become their vintage/non-sports wing and PSA would be the modern/ultra-modern wing, but that is 100% me spitballing w/ no evidence.

Not sure I like this acquisition.  I like having options and pricing is one of them. One of the perks of going to the Dallas Card show was to personally drop off items at the SGC booth for grading...the cost was a little cheaper that what was online, but in addition you didn't have to pay to ship them out either...only had to pay the return shipping. I am concerned that this will no longer be an option. I realize this is not at the same magnitude of the Kroger/Albertson merger that was struck down due to what some believed would result in higher prices at the grocery store, but this seems to along the same lines, just not a necessity I guess!?!?

I would be shocked if this merger even hit a desk at a govt agency for approval. The market cap is so small in comparison to mergers that get scrutinized, and it is a luxury category with other long-term competitors active in the space.