PSA's Shocking Decision: Not Grading 2023 Optic Football Cards?

By Eliud Alano June 04, 2024 16:20

PSA, owned by Collectors Universe, made surprising news to the card community last week. All of the hype and anticipation surrounding the 2023 Donruss Optic football blaster releases hit a serious snag - PSA declared that it would not grade any of cards pulled, until Panini makes available an official checklist for the set. Not due to come out until hobby boxes release in late June.

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Impact on the Card Community

This has created some serious ripples in the collector and investor community. Without an official Panini checklist, collectors are left wondering about the authenticity, and by extension, the value, of their cards if they can't get graded. As you might expect, this has frustrated the card-collecting universe, as the overall trade and selling ability of the market are thrown into new chaos with limitation of not being able to grade.

It is especially frustrating for collectors and investors who are unable to get their hands on the graded cards they so desperately want right now, as many key cards including the famous "downtowns" aren't able to be graded. Not just that, but top rookies including CJ Stroud, are being withheld from grading. They are now valued not only as trophies of rarity and visual appeal to collectors but also have a monetary drop-off as well, until hobby comes out.

The Root of the Issue

At its core, this situation is a product of Panini dragging on the official checklist release for the 2023 Optic football blasters. Collectors and grading services (like PSA) have been left scratching their heads without a detailed list showing what potential cards are in the set. This delay has created some frustration, in the sports card-collecting community. This ultimately stems from Panini being lazy with production, thus, hurting each and every one of their customers. Whether it be, buyers, breakers, fans, or graders, everyone is hurt in this situation.

Seeking Clarity and Solutions

However, one primary question that arises for collectors and investors who want to get their hands on their 2023 Optic football cards graded is how to know when the official checklist will be released by Panini. At this time, the situation is ever-evolving, and followers are waiting to hear from Panini and PSA as to when they can resume grading.

To help the community manage through the unknowns, we started to see chatter in all of the various online platforms like instagram, with updates in response. In addition, some serious collectors are sticking close to the news and legitimate sources for any word on the release of the official checklist.

In the End

Overall, PSA not grading any of the 2023 Optic football cards until Panini releases a checklist has drastically impacted the sports card collecting world. While the story continues to follow suit, hold your collective breath as we desperately wait for the latest from Panini and PSA in hopes the market can recover promptly from this dilemma. Collectors and investors should be sure to watch for news and updates on X and Instagram from Panini and PSA on the situation.