Question 1

What does the evaluation phase consists of?

Accepted Answer

1) Before photos are taken for records
2) Surface is inspected using 10 power magnification
3) Centering is inspected using a 16 point process 
4) Corners and edges are inspected using 3-10 times magnification

Question 2

When does the preparation phase begin?

Accepted Answer

Upon completion of the evaluation, and the card meets the minimum submission criteria of Mint-9 or higher or the minimum grade annotated when submitting your inventory.

Question 3

What grading companies do you use?

Accepted Answer

I submit cards to PSA, BGS, SGC, and CSG for grading.

Question 4

What is the minimum preparation time?

Accepted Answer

If your card(s) pass evaluation of Mint-9 or higher, a minimum of 30 minutes is required for preparation/$37.50 per card.

Question 5

What forms of payment do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Debit/CCs and PayPal (Goods & Services only)

Question 6

What services do you offer?

Accepted Answer

We offer evaluation, preparation, and submission services.

Question 7

Do you offer and expedited service?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer a 10 Business Day turnaround at $125/hr.

Question 8

What does the card's description mean?

Accepted Answer

Some cards have different variations that differ from the base image. For example: Orange Refractor, Prism Genesis, Silver Holo, Speckle, Rookie Patch Auto (RPA) etc..

Question 9

Do you crack slabs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I do provide this service for a fee of $5 per card holder.

Question 10

What are the preferred means of communication?

Accepted Answer

You can send me an email at theondecktech@gmail.com, IG @theondecktech_llc, or chat live via my website.

Question 11

What are the key factors to consider before submitting my cards for grading?

Accepted Answer

Card selection is very important; no matter how much we love a card, don’t allow that to interfere with your decision to grade it:

1) Check the centering. I recommend purchasing a card centering tool prior to subbing your cards to me or a directly to the grader.

2) Use a microfiber cloth and wipe you cards carefully to remove any loose build up or debris from the surface. Additionally, roll up some masking tape and dab the edges of your card carefully.

3) Purchase an LED light and review your cards at different angles to check for hard to see surface discrepancies.

4) Set realistic expectations, earning a Gem grade is not easy and be prepared for the possibility of a lesser grade.

Question 12

What should I do with a card upon purchase?

Accepted Answer

Immediately remove the card from its current sleeves, wipe it carefully with a microfiber cloth, use a masking tape to gently dab the edges for loose debris, and reinsert them into fresh sleeves.

Question 13

Do you work with vintage cards?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we accept vintage card submissions.

Question 14

Can you guarentee a card's grade?

Accepted Answer

No, cards are evaluated based on my opinion and experience with the grading companies. Grading companies evaluate each card based on their condition and appearance to determine their grade. It should be noted that each grading company is unique in their scale.

The 4 factors are:
1) Centering 
2) Surface (Front and Back)
3) Edges
4)Corners

Although these 4 criteria have minimum standards, the process is subjective to the individual that is grading and the results can vary. (Please reach out to The On Deck Tech for more specifics).

Question 15

What is the manufacturer?

Accepted Answer

The manufacturer is the company that produced the card i.e.. Topps, Panini, Bowman, Upper Deck

Question 16

What is an SP?

Accepted Answer

SP stands for Short Print. Sometimes cards are a limited print or they may have serial numbers such as 1/25, 3/49 etc..

Question 17

What is the Card Number?

Accepted Answer

This is number found on the back of the card that identifies which number it is in the set. It may consists of both numbers and letters. For example CPA-JS or MV-8

Question 18

What is the minimum accepted grade?

Accepted Answer

This the minimum grade that you would accept upon completion of the grading process. This help's me to assess your card during the evaluation phase and determine whether or not this card should be moved into the preparation phase. You decide this number but we can provide guidance.

Question 19

Where do recommend for sports card breaks?

Accepted Answer

Follow @Rocket_rips on IG and CAPKOM BREAKS on Facebook

Question 20

How do you stay up to date with the MLB prospect market?

Accepted Answer

I highly recommend you join Let's Talk Wax on Patreon to get the most up-to-date stats and predicitions for all of your MLB/MiLB prospects. Kyle Walter is the best in the business and is a force multiplier in the industry…check him out! www.letstalkwax.com