Why Did EVERY Grading Company Shut Down Value Tiers?! Beckett and MBA

Why can’t you get cards graded at value prices anymore? In this Surface Issues episode, Ryan Alford talks with Colin Hudson, GM of Beckett Grading, and Nick Dolezal, Director of Grading at MBA, about why value tiers shut down across the hobby, how demand outpaced grading capacity, and what each company is doing about it. Download the Collector Nation app and visit thecollectornation.com for the latest on grading.

Colin explains Beckett’s website outage, when he hopes its services will be back, and in-person submissions at select shows. Nick breaks down the grader shortage, MBA’s approach to consistent grades and its $15 standard tier. Both answer the big one: are grading prices going up?

Topics Covered:

• Why PSA, Beckett and SGC paused value tier grading

• Grading demand vs. capacity: the backlog explained

• Beckett’s $18 base tier and Black Label chase

• Why Beckett’s website and services went offline

• Beckett’s timeline for restoring its price guide, autograph authentication and marketplace

• In-person Beckett submissions at select card shows

• MBA’s raw card grading and Diamond stickers

• The card grader shortage, hiring and training

• Grading consistency: why the same card can get different grades

• MBA’s $15 standard tier and value-based upcharge

• Will grading prices go up?

• The future of the Beckett magazine

Links:

Collector Nation

Website: https://thecollectornation.com

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Beckett Grading

Website: https://www.beckett.com

MBA (Mike Baker Authenticated)

Website: https://grading.mba/

Collector Station

Website: https://thecollectorstation.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollectorstation

Ryan Alford

Website: https://www.ryanalford.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanalford

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