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Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) has been hit with a class action lawsuit by a baseball card collector who claims that the appraisal company knowingly graded altered cards and sold them at auctions.
Plaintiff Eric Savoy, a baseball card collector says that he has sent his own baseball cards to PSA for grading and has bought graded cards from the company.
In fact, he believes that he has purchased at least one graded card despite the fact that it was altered.
According to the plaintiff, a card owner sends a card to PSA in order to get a rating for that card. PSA will then determine if a card is “authentic and unaltered.” If the company determines that the card is authentic, it will grade the card on a 1-10 scale, based on its physical condition. If the company finds out that the card is altered, it will not grade the card on the 1-10 scale.
The plaintiff maintains that the PSA grade will have a direct impact on the market value of the card and that a “step up” of one or two grade could increase a card’s value tenfold, depending on the value of the card.
“Contrary to its guarantees to consumers, PSA in fact graded a substantial number of altered cards on its 1-10 scale,” the PSA class action lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiff maintains that PSA knew that cards were altered when it gave them the grades on the 1-10 scale. The plaintiff states that the altered cards were then sold with their newly inflated ratings and, in July 2019, The Washington Post reported that collectors had identified $1.4 million in the sale of altered cards.
In fact, the Washington Post points to a Stan Musial card from 1952 which reportedly had a spray black print mark on a white frame and sold for $2,800 in late 2017. The article notes that, seven months later, another 1952 Stan Musial card without that print mark was sold for $28,100. Collectors are claiming that the two cards are the same item, which was allegedly altered to remove the blemish, thus inflating its value.
According to the class action lawsuit, other altered cards have stains removed and creases smoothed out in order to increase their value. Sometimes the cards are “trimmed” to create a gap between the card and the edge of the case in which it was placed, the plaintiff alleges. In addition, each card reportedly has its own distinctive characteristics such as how the image on the card is centered in the frame as well as patterns on the fibers on the cards which collect dirt or other debris. The altering of these aspects of the cards could result in a card getting a better grade than it actually deserves, the plaintiff maintains.
“Indeed, collectors were able to use PSA’s records to uncover the scheme, yet PSA contends that it continued to grade altered cards without noticing from its own records that it had previously graded those cards at a lower grade,” according to the class action lawsuit.
PSA’s fee schedule incentivizes the company to over-grade cards for consumers who are willing to pay more so that their cards can be graded, according to the PSA class action lawsuit.
“PSA charges based on the perceived market value of cards and requires consumers to self-appraise the value of their cards before submission,” the plaintiff alleges.
The plaintiff states that PSA knowingly graded cards at higher grading levels for preferred customers who gave the company a high number of cards in order to collect the fees that come with those submissions.
The PSA class action lawsuit claims that the company guarantees consumers that it will not grade altered cards and that if they purchased an altered card, they will “be made whole” for the lost value of the baseball card.
The class action lawsuit also states that the company defrauded consumers by grading cards that were altered and then selling those cards to consumers.
In addition, another defendant in this case, PWCC Marketplace LLC, is accused of knowingly selling cards that were altered that were purported to be unaltered.
“In fact, collectors identified instances in which PWCC sold PSA rated cards which were then altered, submitted to PSA, graded at a higher level, and sold through PWCC by the original buyer,” the PSA class action lawsuit states.
Potential Class Members in this case include: “Individuals who used PSA’s services to rate cards, who bought altered cards that were nonetheless rated by PSA on its 1-10 scale, and who currently hold altered PSA rated cards including, but not limited to, those purchased through PWCC.”
Have you had baseball cards appraised? Leave a message in the comments section below.
The plaintiff is represented by Marcus J. Bradley, Kiley L. Grombacher, and Robert N. Fisher of Bradley/Grombacher LLP, and Sahag Majarian II of Law Offices of Sahag Majarian.
The PSA Altered Baseball Cards Class Action Lawsuit is Eric Savoy v. Collector’s Universe, et al., Case No. 30-2020-01130892-CU-RI-CXC, in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Orange.
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190 thoughts onPSA Card Class Action Says Altered Baseball Cards Graded and Auctioned
I just had a Pete rose 2 tom servers and a Carlton disk all 4 cards don’t look anything like my cards Pete rose is brown looks burnt the other 3 cards all have tattered edges and the representative told me that the bad condition is because of the age and handling of the cards. I could just cry because I was so proud of my cards and now they look like trash. To top off this cake I have to pay $34 per card after spending over $500 to have the 4 cards graded. They all graded 2.5 and 3.00 I am so upset because PSA is supposed to be the no 1 grader. Please someone should be able to do something.
I just got back 3 1978 basketball cards that came from an unopened pack that they graded two at 6 one at 7. I have cards that graded at 6 that have mushed corners and were thrashed around in boxes for decades. I find their grading arbitrary and inconsistent. They damaged a Lew Alcindor rookie and denied they did it. First telling me they dont image cards as they come in, then telling me they did. I will not do any business with them ever again. I don’t trust them. Please keep me informed of any actions regarding PSA. I have spent a couple thousand dollars and it is a random farce.
Going through it with them right now. I have footage of a card that was sent to psa which had zero damages. Autographed and numbered very low (limited availability, only a few like it and next to impossible to replace). I waited and the photo THEY have shows the new damage and the card is straight. (This is after I requested for it not to be put in an encapsulated assay if it didn’t meet certain inspection from them because of the possibilities and though it wasn’t explained that this type of service isn’t for raw cards until after my complaints it was damaged and slabed). Upon receiving the item it looked nothing like their photo, except for the damages. It was no longer straight and looks to be placed and sealed to accommodate
the damages. (Obviously done before the shipping to me) It does not look like a professional let alone a psa product. After having multiple unexplained damages this is one I cannot shrug off. After they damaged it they gave it their grade. I get it in even worse condition than that and they want it back. What, to make it worse and me feel worse about paying them to treat me and my items like trash? Population control is definitely a possibility. Stopped using them for years because of issues, it has only gotten worse. You can obviously see the damages in the clear case (and it doesn’t move) and they want to crack open the case (possibly furthering or creating damages) to inspect it for the damages. Reluctantly, I was then trying to send it back and (surprise, surprise) that department is backed up and this issue has been treated in low regards. After several emails and outrageous wait times (being hung up on several times whether on hold or selecting call back) I finally get someone that can’t even get me the return info they said was already issued but that I hadn’t received. They basically were limited to what the App. can do. Customer service, eh. obviously not what they claim or even very good at doing that profession. Done here, on to other collectors, hobbiests, vendors. and media sources. I’d rather have hopes of maybe a rare black lable than the disappointments of psa. The, Professional Scam Artists.
Same issue currently with the most valuable Brady Rookie. I have been waiting months getting sent around the company. This card was actually purchased from the auction they owned, and had to be discovered by Beckett, because they have no trust in PSA. I am still waiting for them to respond. Their other company, Goldin, sold this card and was a seller who incorrectly had PSA graded another card. It doesn’t stop there, but I am owed a large amount of money from multiple parts of Collectors
The industry needs to create a consortium of sorts for grading at this point. Think about it, allowing private companies like PSA to grade cards leaves way too much room for possible corruption and fraud. I’m not sure what it takes to get a job as a grader for them, but think about it. Say you have a friend who works on the “inside” who can grade your cards for you. I’m sure they have protections in place but nothing is perfect and hackers find all sorts of ways into “secure” systems, so. The industry needs to collectively “elect” specific graders who then offer a service to the community to grade. The entire process and system should be transparent too. PSA is incredibly inconsistent and a lot of the time you have two cards identical to your eye 1 or 2 grades apart and have no idea what they “saw”.
I just got back 2 Jordan graded cards and I think I have been scammed by PSA or Goldin Auctions. The graded cards do not look the same as the pictures I took of them before they were given to Goldin Auctions and sent to PSA for low grades. What is my recourse?
If you want another class action suit, try topps and panini for their redemption scheme. Im sure there are some great stories, of them ripping people off on redemptions. I know I have been.