Saturday, July 20, 2024

PSA Plans to Expand into Grading Comic-Books

PSA is extremely well known for its grading of sports cards and non-sport trading cards/game cards too. They are arguably the, "Big dog," of card grading although other companies do it too from Beckett to CGC--although CGC is best known for being the top company in comic-book grading. Well, now CGC has some more competition as PSA plans to get into grading comics in early 2025.

CGC has had a number of professional crises in late 2023/early 2024. It didn't seem to hurt their business too badly as besides CBCS they have little competition when it comes to grading comics (I mean, PGX exists, but nobody uses it). One thing CBCS had over CGC was offering the grading of signatures that were not directly witnessed, but CGC acquired James Spence Authentication and now does that as well. CGC is the reigning champ, but here comes PSA, and one wonders if they could pose a real challenge to CGC's comic-grading supremacy. I see three ways this can shake out:

1. PSA starts grading comics, and takes up a chunk of the market but CGC maintains a, "Majority," of its control. This seems most likely.

2. PSA starts grading comics, it goes horribly and they either quit or keep doing it but having barely any market presence in regards to assign comics grades. This is less likely but possible.

3. PSA makes a huge splash with comic grading and puts CGC on the metaphorical ropes. This is the least likely occurrence but would be the most interesting to witness with CGC having been relatively unbothered by all the fiascos they've been a part of. After all, if you, "Own," the market who care if you have a scandal or two?

Whatever happens during 2025 with comic grading, I am intrigued to see how it all shakes out.

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