I've used UKG for 3 MOC's and was pleased with the grading of 80% for all 3, I was a little surprised to be honest I expected a 75 for at least one of them based on my AFA experience of grading (which can be very harsh in my view). Harsh is fine though really, as long as its consistent across all the grading.
Maybe the leniency works against UKG graded items in terms of value, people might buy an 80% and be expecting an AFA 80% and left disappointed, its about consistency though. I don't see why UKG should feel they have to fall in line with AFA grading policy and I guess they have decided not to. I have an AFA ROTJ Palitoy Klaatu, which I picked up for £14, its only a 60% and I was amazed when I got it, it has a crease running through the middle but doesn't break the card and you have to shimmy it in the light to see it, that and a light scuff on the back deemed it a 60%. It displays every bit as well as the 80% ones but the seller couldn't give it away at that grade, it would have at least as much ungraded.
I find I can pick up many ROTJ cards for less than £40 in a condition that is hitting 80% ie nothing but light edgewear or a small crease or negligable bubble ding. I get them graded as I know, watching 100's of auctions that you can sell them without too much hassle for £60 upwards if its 80%. So in that sense I make the price of grading back should I sell. I think if you bung it on ebay at 99p starting bid you guarantee a sale but you could end up with any price from £35 to £70 for your average UKG ROTJ MOC (say an ewok or Leia poncho). You can get a better price if you set a buy it now best offer at about £75 then eventually someone will come in with an offer of £60 for most of them I reckon, you just need a bit of patience. Of course ESB and SW figures on ROTJ cost more but its all relative, its about how you sell them, plenty of pictures and detail that's the key, then you can make grading them worth the effort. At the end of the day an item that's £35 ungraded is only going to rise in price once graded so much, as anyone can just buy ungraded and send it off themselves. For higher end items, I guess people want to guarantee what they are buying so prefer to pay a premium for graded stuff.
Steve is great to deal with as everyone says, it's not about financial gain for me and you get the sense he's not just in it for the cash either which is good. Before UKG I had no option to grade my items, I was crying out for a UK equivalent to AFA. Now we have one it deserves the full support of UK buyers in my view. If American's turn their nose up at UKG that's their choice, they have AFA after all, but it's a great service for UK buyers to grade their items and entomb them in lovely acrylic!
