GAI holders - do they hurt the value of your cards?

I'm not a huge graded card collector, but I do have a pretty nice caramel card HOFer in a GAI holder, and I'm debating whether or not I should crack it out and sell it raw. What are your experiences/observations - does GAI have a bad rep with vintage collectors? Do GAI holders hurt the value of vintage cards overall?

After seeing what they do with autographs I'd look at anything from GAI with a whole lot of suspicion.

I have only 1 card graded by GAI. I've thought about breaking it out and resubmitting it to SGC. That's how much I like GAI.....

Here's the card:



I do believe it will cross over numerically, just not at the same numerical level. With the pencil marking on the front, I'm hoping it would get a 20.

Is Global still in business and if so how?

I think you can get GAI cards for a grade drop less not often then get the same price as a SGC or PSA.

Lee

Pretty much, you can put the last nail in their coffin. Ben, I would crack that card out and have SGC grade it.

Mark

Ben, I would leave it as is. If it's the card I think it is I don't see any benefit value wise if cracked out.
If it were a high grade card I would feel differently, but not a lower graded example. Just my two cents.

Tony A.

95% of the time i would rather sell a card raw than leaving it inside a GAI holder...altho imo in some cases cards sell better raw than graded.

edit: when i was still submitting to GAI all my cards later crossed into PSA/SGC holders...so they were competent. it's all the alleged extra-curricular stuff that went on that caused the GAI cards i bought not in person to have problems sometimes...

I have a lot of cards in GAI holders. I would go there a few times a year, for many years, to meet with Mike Baker and the others. A very friendly group.

He and I would talk in great detail about card, slab and flip alterations. We traded knowledge, I taught him about advanced alterations and he trained me on the finer points of card grading and how some of the biz operated. He proved himself to me many times over and is the only person I trust with this information.

The original Global Authentication folded but it reopened in March 09 under the name Global Authority with Baker now being a partner. They are based in Iowa of all places. We still talk regulalry and I hope their new company is successful.

They are the only company who actually changed the security of their flips based on what they were shown. To be fair, Beckett also had security checks done on their slabs and flips...also a great group. PSA could care less, even after being shown in detail the serious security problems they had. Now their flips and slabs can regularly be seen forged and faked, very sad to see.

Never heard about any alleged extra-curricular stuff...only about another popular grading company .

Many were not pleased with the previous company and several collectors are not comfortable with their graded cards. Personally, I have no problem with them. Admittedly their cards sell for less than the other grading companies.

Just my two cents.
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baker should pack up and go get a job at sgc/psa/beckett. if i'm reading the situation correctly he is basically GAI right now (with a partner backing him financially?)...i think the GAI ship has sailed and sunk. for global authority to absolve all mistakes from global authentication when baker is/was the head grader of both speaks volume.

He had creative control and was the head of grading at the original Global but was completely governed by others. From what I know, while at PSA as the head grader, he wanted to expand the grading into packs, boxes etc. They refused so joined Steve Rocci at Global's formation. Collectors would not have these options if it wasn't for them..we would still be limited to just cards. He is still a well respected grader and many consider him (as do I) the best in the biz. Joining another company (especially PSA) was probably not an option for him. Unfortunately, to say they over-promised and under-delivered along with no communication is an understatement and was the key to their eventual collapse.

FYI, if you want a card that was guaranteed to have been graded by Baker, you need to look for the newer type flips...white glossy background with a black design or the bluish background that is the first counterfeit proof design. The new Global has a white background that is apparently counterfeit proof as well. PSA and SGC should take a lesson from that security measure.

Just can't understand why they kept the name so close, it's simply mind boggling? IMO it confuses collectors and reminds them of a problematic past. I'm not sure how the new Global will do or turn out but I wish them the best and should they ask again for assistance or advise, I would be more than happy to do so.

Kevin